Fans can see a Formula 1 test this week for the equivalent of just over £6 as part of one team's initiative to revive F1 interest in its technical partner's home country.
Haas has gone from having no private testing programme to running one of the most left-field ones of any F1 team, with a test driver roster that can best be described as eccentric.
With the help of its new technical partner Toyota, Haas has started a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme for the very first time this year.
The programme started off at Jerez in January with its new 2025 drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman being joined by 2023 Super Formula champion Ritomo Miyata.
Getting to hear the VF-23 again last week 😍🔊#HaasF1 #F1 | @en_toyota @kamui_kobayashi pic.twitter.com/W3Xk2HLnvP
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) June 5, 2025
Since then, ex-F1 drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Kazuki Nakajima have got behind the wheel of a 2023 Haas, having not raced in F1 since 2014 and 2009 respectively.
Nakajima drove the Haas VF-23 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of a driver line-up that included team owner Gene Haas (pictured below) as an unexpected 72-year-old F1 debutant and an equally unexpected bow for team boss Ayao Komatsu at Gene's request.
It's a great story, but there is, of course, proper value in these TPC tests for both Haas and Toyota; they help to train the Toyota engineers and mechanics involved, and the aim is to also give Japanese drivers such as Miyata F1 experience.
Haas's latest TPC test, though, is going to be its biggest yet, with the doors open to the public for a very reasonable price at a venue F1 hasn't raced at since 2008.
The Fuji test
Haas has rented out the Fuji International Speedway owned by Toyota for a two-day test across August 6-7 which is open to the public.
The team's reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will drive the VF-23 on Wednesday with Sho Tsuboi - the reigning Super Formula champion who's on course for title number two this year - set to make his F1 debut on Thursday.
"[There are] multiple objectives," Komatsu explained. "We have a partnership with Toyota and Toyota wanted to run Sho Tsuoboi.
"In Japan, F1 is regaining popularity [but] if you look at sports news, baseball is there, football is there, F1 is still very minor. That wasn't the case 30 years ago.
"I think it's a really good opportunity, just taking advantage of this partnership, and put that test out there.
"And then we just said to the Fuji circuit, just open it, and then entry price as low as possible. So it's only like £6, £7 to enter for general public. Then anyone below I think 14 or 16 is going to be free, all the kids are to be free, etc.
"I just wanted to make it more available to people. The Japanese Grand Prix [at Suzuka or] any grand prix has quite a high hurdle [for fans] to actually buy the ticket and commit to going.
"So unless you are really into it, you're not going to make that commitment. But, testing, hopefully it's a much more easier one to get into it.
"If we can make some people who are just a general sports fan by just having a passing interest [think], 'It's only an hour away, I might just see what it's like for a few hours', that level. If we can get people in for that, I think it's good for Formula 1.
"Also, like Toyota employees, lots of them can come as well.
"It will be nice to really make F1 more accessible to the Japanese public."
This year's Japanese Grand Prix reportedly had the highest attendance (266,000) since the 2006 edition, but that's still adrift of the 300,000-plus crowds the race regularly drew during the 1990s and early 2000s.
So there is still room for Japan's F1 audience to grow, hence why Komatsu ensured the ticket prices were low.
Tickets are only 1200 Japanese Yen (equivalent to just over £6) for adults, 900 yen (£5) for high school students, and free for junior high school students and younger.
Both Hirakawa and Tsuboi will drive for three hours in the morning and then three and a half hours in the afternoon.
There will be autograph sessions with the drivers and Komatsu as well as an end-of-day talk.
Access will also be open to the pitlane for free with a 'Gekikan Pit' set-up where fans can watch the Haas garage operating.
For a small additional fee, fans can also access the 'Advan Gekikan' grandstand that is usually reserved for VIPs to get a better view of the on-track action.
During the lunch break, there will even be a chance for fans to drive their own road cars on the Fuji circuit for a price of 3300 Japanese Yen (around £17).
