Cristina’s F1 Japanese Grand Prix Experience

I would like to introduce you to someone who is an important part of the East Bay F1 community and has been so kind as to share candid information and photos detailing her journey to the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. Keep reading to learn more about Cristina, her experience, and some tips and tricks about her travels!

Not too long ago, Cristina’s Formula 1 journey was just beginning. In 2023, she discovered the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive and binged all five seasons out at the time, in just a week and a half. She instantly fell in love with the world of F1, the drama, the drivers, everything about it. Cristina began to watch the Grand Prix races at home, but every time something exciting or intense happened, she found herself celebrating alone. After doing some research, she found East Bay F1, a watch party where she could go and view the races alongside fans like her. Feeling a bit nervous the first time she went, she brought a friend along with her, but she quickly felt safe, greeted with a welcoming atmosphere and the energy of other fans around her. Fast forward to today, Cristina shared her story about going to Suzuka with the group and even brought back some souvenirs from the race.

East Bay F1 Watch Party

Cristina giving away souvenirs she brought back from Japan

Back to 2023—Cristina knew she wanted to see a race in person. That same year, she had the opportunity to attend the Las Vegas Grand Prix. From that first race, she made it her goal to attend another, and in 2024, she made it to the Austin Grand Prix. This year, 2025, Cristina traveled to the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, but this time it was different; it was going to be out of the country, and she was going alone. I asked her if she had felt nervous about being by herself at such a big event in an unfamiliar area. She let me know that she was, of course, but ultimately, she was more excited. This was her first time traveling alone and planning a trip like this, and yet she did not let that stop her from fulfilling her dream.

After some intense planning, she chose to stay in Nagoya, a city located 31 miles from the Suzuka Circuit. Looking back, Cristina says she wished she had stayed somewhere closer because of the long travel days. It was about a 40-minute train ride from Nagoya Station and then another 20-minute shuttle ride to the track, leading to “exhausting days.” However, she emphasized that the public transportation was convenient and efficient, which made the journey doable.

Just days before the race, Cristina discovered something exciting—and she wants to share it with you, since she found it was not widely advertised. At the Japanese Grand Prix, as long as you have a three-day ticket, you are granted access to the pit lane and straight walk on Thursday or Saturday. Upon discovering this, Cristina quickly changed her entire itinerary to make the walk on Thursday. On Saturday, people were already lining up three hours before entry, so she recommends that people go on Thursday. It is not common to have access to the pit lane and the straight, unless you purchase something like the Paddock Pass that other races offer for upwards of $12,000. It was a huge plus that Suzuka is one of the sites that offers this amazing experience. As you can see below, during her walk, Cristina even got an up-close look at the pit stop for her favorite driver.

In front of the McLaren garage during the Thursday pit lane walk

Straight walk on Thursday

Even though she has been to Formula 1 races before, with each one being so different, she did not know exactly what to expect. Arriving at the track for race weekend, Cristina was “in awe.” She said, “they put a lot of effort into it,” especially the costumes and the organization of it all. Cristina describes herself as a very social person, but this experience was “taking social to a whole other level,” and to her surprise, it was not hard to start a conversation with people. With fans feeding off the energy in the air, spirits are high, and plenty of people are willing to discuss all things Formula 1. Along the way, she met a couple of people attending alone just like her. She became good friends with two girls, and they would meet up each day that weekend, and it quickly became the highlight of her trip.

Friends Neven and Alicia

One of the things Cristina emphasized most to me was how affordable everything was. Even though she was traveling to Japan, her flight and ticket totaled to less than just her Las Vegas ticket when she went in 2023. Her rides on the train and shuttles were only $20 a day compared to her shuttle pass from the 2024 Austin Grand Prix, which was $60 a day. Her accommodation for five nights was a total of $700, which is not bad compared to some of the prices in the US. Once she arrived, she realized she had spent a couple hundred more on her ticket than others had. “A lesson learned,” Cristina told me, you do not have to be in the first turn area to get a good look at the cars, although it does have a good view.

Race day: View from section B1

Others she met there had only spent a total of $100 on their 3-day general admission ticket. Formula 1 race tickets in the US can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000, so it was interesting to hear that you do not have to spend a fortune to attend. Even the food was affordable and delicious. With a variety of all sorts of cuisines and goodies, Cristina spent around $5 a meal. Notably, the beer was only $3.80—something you would never see at sporting events in the US. And, if you are not a math person, just know that the Japanese Grand Prix costs much less than any US Formula 1 race… like four to five times less.

On Friday, even with general admission, there was no assigned seating, so Cristina went to section 11 via shuttle to see the hairpin—a slow 180-degree turn and popular overtaking spot. The cars were forced to slow down as they faced this turn, so she was able to see them up close and take the time to admire them before they sped off once again. She did not realize until seeing it in person how impressive the Suzuka circuit is—with all of the turns, it is “not necessarily the easiest track.”

Turn 11 at the Hairpin

While the driving is the main event, Cristina let me in on some fun activities they offer at the circuit that she got to participate in. There was a LEGO Fan Zone where you could build your own LEGO figure near the track. There were also numerous booths to shop for souvenirs. Fun fact: Cristina found a DHL station where you could ship domestically or internationally from the race right in the Suzuka circuit. So, feel free to buy as many souvenirs as you would like if you visit! She also went into the American Express Lounge, where she got exclusive access to certain views of the track and even some goodies, like rice cakes for her to enjoy.

View from American Express Trackside Lounge

Did you know that there is also an amusement park outside of the track called Suzuka Circuit Motopia? It has all sorts of rides for all ages and even a Ferris wheel with views of the track. So, if you go, be sure to enjoy the other perks that come with being at this Formula 1 Grand Prix.

View of fan zone from the Ferris wheel

From Cristina’s seat, she could see the fan stage, an area with entertainment, games, music, and driver appearances. In Las Vegas, access to the fan stage was around $1,400, so she was ecstatic that she had a view with just her ticket. Night had fallen by the time the drivers went on stage, but she braved the freezing cold to see Lando Norris up on the stage, “so close, yet so far” —another highlight of the weekend.

Being a young woman and a solo traveler, Cristina still felt extremely safe at the race. Cristina said, “I could leave my camera, my phone, everything at my seat, come back, and my stuff was still there.” There was no trash littered around, fans were respectful, fun, and willing to talk and help when needed.

Overall, she highly recommends going to the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. While planning this trip, there were few resources available to Cristina, specifically about the Japanese Grand Prix, and if she did find some, they were not in English. This made planning a bit more difficult and she ended up having to test things out when she got there or just hoped for the best. This was another reason Cristina wanted to share about her journey, to be a resource for others, especially young women who may be traveling alone. She has created some amazing videos over on her TikTok @Kisstinaa that go in detail about things like race day, how to get to the train station, how the shuttles work, etc. She became the resource that she needed while planning this trip, and that is truly amazing. She has been incredibly inspiring to a girl like me just getting into the world of Formula 1 and I know she will do the same for others. Go check out her TikTok or Instagram, at the same handle, to view more about her Formula 1 journey and her future races. Her goal is to attend one race a year and she hopes to go to the Italian Grand Prix next.

Whether you are a new fan like Cristina once was or have loved Formula 1 for years, come out to Griffin Motorwerke in Berkeley to watch the next race with us. Keep an eye out for more stories about the community we have created and the people within it, and do not forget to check out our events page and Instagram so you can start—or continue—attending our East Bay F1 events!