The historic Suzuka circuit will host the Japanese Grand Prix until at least 2029 after signing a five-year contract extension with Formula 1.

The track has seen off opposition from Osaka, which had been interested in hosting a street race in the coming years.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali said Suzuka was “special”.

The Japanese race is moving to a new slot in April this year, having previously been held in the autumn.

The move is part of F1’s drive to become more sustainable – it is aiming to become net-zero carbon by 2030.

Moving Japan to a part of the year where it is in a run of races including Australia and China reduces the distance freight travels around the globe.

Suzuka is regarded as possibly the toughest test for drivers on the calendar and F1 felt it was inconceivable to replace a track of such status with a street race, regardless of the sport’s move in that direction in recent years.

“Suzuka is part of the fabric of the sport,” Domenicali said. “So I am delighted that F1 will continue to race there until at least 2029.”

This year’s Japanese Grand Prix is the fourth race of the season on 5-7 April, between the Australian and Chinese events.

Suzuka, which is owned by Honda, first hosted F1 in 1987, and has attained legendary status in the sport for the demands its combination of high-speed corners place on drivers and as a host to some dramatic events.

Among those were the controversial title deciders between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1989 and 1990, both of which ended in a collison between the two rivals.