Behind Formula 1’s glamorous facade of celebrity guests and champagne-sipping VIPs lies a different reality for many who dedicate their lives to the sport. While the pinnacle of motorsport attracts the world’s wealthiest individuals to paddock hospitality areas, the journey to F1 often begins with far humbler circumstances for those now working at the highest level.
Katsuhide Kuwahara, known as “Katsu” and currently serving as George Russell’s performance engineer at Mercedes, exemplifies this contrast perfectly. His first experience at Japan’s legendary Suzuka circuit in 2005 was markedly different from his current role trackside for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. At just 16 years old and lacking funds for proper accommodation, Kuwahara made an unconventional decision that demonstrates the passion driving many F1 professionals.
“I didn’t have much money to get accommodation like a hotel,” Kuwahara explained to Mercedes’ in-house media. “So, I just went there on Saturday morning and just slept underneath the Turn 1 grandstand on cardboard and then spent the full night. You don’t mind when you’re 16 and have unlimited energy. I wasn’t the only one who did it, so I didn’t mind!”
Nearly two decades later, Kuwahara returns to Suzuka in a vastly different capacity, working as part of Russell’s support system. His enthusiasm for the venue remains undiminished, with the Japanese engineer praising both the circuit’s technical challenges and passionate fanbase. “Obviously I am biased, but until I joined F1 I did not appreciate that everything that teams and drivers say externally about Suzuka is what they really feel,” he noted, highlighting the track’s reputation among drivers and teams as featuring high-speed, flowing corners and hosting numerous championship-deciding moments throughout F1 history.