Japanese GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

JAPANESE GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton took his fourth consecutive victory in the Japanese Grand Prix after title rival Sebastian Vettel collided with Max Verstappen.

    Vettel had already made life difficult for himself after a number of mistakes in qualifying put him eighth on the grid. The Ferrari driver made quick work of the mid-field, managing to climb up to fifth behind the battling Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.

    A lock up from Verstappen allowed Raikkonen to pull alongside, but he wasn’t about to let the Ferrari through. Verstappen pushed Raikkonen wide as he retired to the track and the Finn ran onto the grass, allowing Vettel to move up to fourth.

    The move earned Verstappen a five second penalty for not returning to the track safely. But Vettel opted not to wit for the Red Bull to take the penalty, trying to take P3 on track.

    He tried to dive up the inside of Verstappen, but the pair made contact and Vettel was sent into a spin. He was able to continue, but dropped to the back of the field.

    The Ferrari driver eventually managed to climb back up to sixth but, with Hamilton earning a relatively simple lights-to-flag victory, he left Suzuka  67 points behind the championship leader.

    Despite his penalty, Verstappen was able to challenge Bottas for second in the closing stages of the race. Bottas put up a strong defence to bring home Mercedes’ fourth 1-2 of the season.

    Daniel Ricciardo climbed up from 15th on the grid to take fourth, ahead of Raikkonen and Vettel.

    Racing was paused twice in Japan. The first interlude came when Kevin Magnussen brought out the safety car. The Haas driver had been trying to defend against Charles Leclerc on the start finish straight but moved late and collided with the Sauber.

    The contact damaged Leclerc’s front wing and Magnussen suffered a puncture. He continued around the track to try to make it back to the pits, leaving debris across the circuit.

    While the pair pitted, the safety car was brought out so marshals could clear the debris.

    Despite the early stop, Leclerc was enjoying a strong come back, battling with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. But his race came to an early end when he ran into the gravel at the second degner. He rejoined the track but was moving slowly and the Suber soon pulled to the side of the track, prompting a virtual safety car.

    Perez eventually finished best of the rest in P6 while a problem with the back of Hulkenberg’s Renault took him out of the race.

    Romain Grosjean took seventh, with Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz rounding out the top 10.

    Pierre Gasly finished 11th, ahead of Marcus Ericsson and Brendon Hartley.

    After clashing multiple times, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were both handed penalties. Alonso came home 14th, ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne, Sergey Sirotkin, and Stroll.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points

2. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 18 Points

3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 15 Points

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 12 Points

5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 10 Points

6. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 8 Points

7. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / + 6 Points

8. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 4 Points

9. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / + 2 Points

10. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / + 1 Point

11. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

12. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

13. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

14. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain

15. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

16. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

17. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

RETIRED - Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / Mechanical

RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Engine

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / Collision Damage

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Japanese GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

JAPANESE GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton took pole position ahead of the Japanese GP while Esteban Ocon was handed a grid penalty for an incident in FP3.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

6. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

7. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

8. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

9. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

10. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

11. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France*

12. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

13. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain

14. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

15. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

16. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

17. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

18. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain

19. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

20. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

* - (Ocon) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for not slowing sufficiently under Red Flag conditions in Free Practice 3.

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

JAPANESE GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Lewis Hamilton topped the final practice session of the weekend, despite rainy conditions.

    The rain kept most drivers confined to their garages for most of the session, but Hamilton didn't waste any time when it was clear enough for running. His quickest time was a 1:29.599.

    Sebastian Vettel was second fastest with a 1:29.715, while team-mate, Raikkonen, finished in 3rd. Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas completed the top five.

    Nico Hulkenberg crashed near the end of the session, his Renault slamming into the barriers just past the Esses. He was able to emerge from the accident without injury, but his car was in need of multiple repairs ahead of Qualifying.

    After dealing with Fuel Pump issues in FP2, Pierre Gasly had another uneasy session, finishing down in 20th with a 1:33.105. It was not a good start to the weekend for the French Driver. Meanwhile, Hartley, in the other Toro Rosso, managed 13th with a 1:32.030.

    Daniel Ricciardo, the Force India duo of Ocon and Perez, Carlos Sainz in the other Renault and Kevin Magnussen in the Haas, all finished in the top 10.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:29.599 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:29.715 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:30.054 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

4. Max Verstappen - 1:30.304 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:30.422 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:30.474 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

7. Esteban Ocon - 1:31.088 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

8. Sergio Perez - 1:31.483 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:31.513 / Renault-Renault / Spain

10. Kevin Magnussen - 1:31.521 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

11. Romain Grosjean - 1:31.636 / Haas-Ferrari / France

12. Charles Leclerc - 1:31.760 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

13. Brendon Hartley - 1:32.030 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

14. Lance Stroll - 1:32.201 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

15. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:32.224 / Renault-Renault / Germany

16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:32.442 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

17. Fernando Alonso - 1:32.608 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:32.631 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

19. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:33.034 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

20. Pierre Gasly - 1:33.105 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

JAPANESE GP: FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Lewis Hamilton topped the second practice session of the weekend, finishing with a quickest time of 1:28.217.

    Valtteri Bottas was close behind in 2nd with a 1:28.678. Coming in third was Sebastian Vettel, who was followed by Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.

    Stoffel Vandoorne was back in the car after handing it over to Lando Norris in the first session. The Belgian driver finished the session in 20th, as Norris had done earlier in the day. His quickest time was a 1:31.981.

    Pierre Gasly missed out on most of the session due to a fuel pump problem. His car was worked on for quite awhile before he managed to get in a small bit of running. Despite this he still finished in 13th with a 1:30.795.

    Gasly's team-mate, Hartley, finished a few spaces ahead of him in 10th, with a time of 1:30.502. Hartley is still facing an uncertain future as he has not been confirmed with a team yet for 2019. It is looking more and more likely that the Toro Rosso line-up for next year will be Daniil Kvyat, who is already confirmed and possibly Sergey Sirotkin, making it an All-Russian line-up.

    Ricciardo, Ocon, Grosjean and Ericsson also finished in the top 10.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:28.217 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Valtteri Bottas - 1:28.678 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:29.050 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Max Verstappen - 1:29.257 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:29.498 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.513 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

7. Esteban Ocon - 1:30.035 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

8. Romain Grosjean - 1:30.440 /  Haas-Ferrari / France

9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:30.478 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

10. Brendon Hartley - 1:30.502 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

11. Sergio Perez - 1:30.510 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

12. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:30.644 / Renault-Renault / Germany

13. Pierre Gasly - 1:30.795 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

14. Carlos Sainz - 1:30.904 / Renault-Renault / Spain

15. Charles Leclerc - 1:30.906 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:30.956 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

17. Fernando Alonso - 1:30.988 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:31.087 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

19. Lance Stroll - 1:31.215 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

20. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:31.981 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

JAPANESE GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Lewis Hamilton was the quickest of Free Practice 1 as the Japanese GP weekend got off to a damp start.

    Hamilton set a 1:28.691, just ahead of team-mate, Bottas, who put in a 1:29137.

    Daniel Ricciardo was next on the list, followed by the Ferrari duo of Raikkonen and Vettel, respectively.

    Lando Norris filled in for Stoffel Vandoorne in the session. He finished down in 20th, but got good running in for the team. His quickest time was a :32.683.

    Fernando Alonso took a trip through the dirt after losing control of his McLaren. No real damage done to the car and he finished just 2 spaces ahead of Norris, in 18th, with a 1:32.034.

    Both Sauber drivers ended the session in the top 10, with Ferrari-bound, Charles Leclerc in 9th with a 1:30.929 and Ericsson in 10th with a 1:31.073.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:28.691 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Valtteri Bottas - 1:29.137 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.373 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:29.627 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:29.685 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

6. Max Verstappen - 1:29.841 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

7. Esteban Ocon - 1:30.591 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

8. Romain Grosjean - 1:30.814 / Haas-Ferrari / France

9. Charles Leclerc - 1:30.929 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

10. Marcus Ericsson - 1:31.073 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

11. Pierre Gasly - 1:31.073 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

12. Carlos Sainz - 1:31.100 / Renault-Renault / Spain

13. Sergio Perez - 1:31.272 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:31.274 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

15. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:31.418 / Renault-Renault / Germany

16. Lance Stroll - 1:31.508 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

17. Brendon Hartley - 1:31.908 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

18. Fernando Alonso - 1:32.034 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

19. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:32.513 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

20. Lando Norris - 1:32.683 / McLaren-Renault / Great Britain*

* - Notes participating in FP1 only

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes

ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING

Daniel Ricciardo - "Suzuka circuit is a lot of fun to race on but I like the whole experience of being in Japan as we don’t really go to another place like it. Over the years I have learnt to enjoy seafood, so I like to visit local sushi restaurants and experience some of the Japanese culture, which is why I always spend a few days in Tokyo before the race. I had my first Japanese GP podium last year and my aim is to taste the champagne again this year.

    Our pace in Russia was encouraging and although Mercedes look really strong on any layout, and I think they will be for the rest of the year, we look pretty close to Ferrari. If Mercedes remain the team to beat then hopefully we can fight Ferrari for a podium finish. Time will tell but as a fairly high down force circuit it should work in our favour. There’s not much not to like about Japan, the hotel is a bit funny, but it’s a race I always look forward to and on paper it should suit our car.”

Max Verstappen - “We have been successful in Japan in the past, so I’m really looking forward to going back and hopefully achieving a good result for the team. You never know how competitive you will be until you get out on track but our car has always been very good in the first sector and with a good strategy we could have a decent chance this weekend. My favourite corner is the fast Esses but it’s also the most difficult section of the track and you really have to focus on the car and getting the set-up right.

    I also like that the Japanese people are so passionate about Formula 1 because it has such a great history there. Suzuka circuit is one of my favourite tracks of the season and it’s always a great experience to see the fans. Let’s hope the typhoon stays away and we have a weekend to remember.”

RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "Suzuka is built for drivers as it ticks all the boxes. It’s such an amazing track behind the wheel – especially in a modern Formula 1 car - and it’s certainly one of the best circuits out there. It has a good flow to it, with some cool corner combinations, elevation changes and it’s quite physical too with a lot of G on the body and neck. There are some areas of the lap where you need to be quite aggressive and brave, but that’s the fun of it."

Carlos Sainz - "The circuit is a lot of fun to drive, a proper drivers’ circuit where our ability and skill are put to the test. Sector one is extremely physical, especially with the modern, high-down-force cars, and the never-ending right, left, right, left esses. The Degners are challenging to get right with gravel traps waiting for you on the outside. The long, Spoon curve is vital as it opens up the long-straight, which then feeds into 130R – a fast corner taken flat-out."

HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “Sochi is a particular racetrack – not one of my favourites. Suzuka is definitely my favourite. I always look forward to going there.

    It’s always difficult to say exactly why. I think it’s the flow, the corners, the high-speed nature of the track. There’s a risk, as well, with all the gravel and the narrow parts of the circuit. Overall though, it’s not one thing, and sometimes you don’t know why you like something, you just do.

    It’s one of those tracks where you need quite a lot of downforce and a really good car in the high-speed corners. There are some important low-speed ones, as well. It’s about getting the right confidence in being able to push to the limit in those tricky sector-one turns. It’s not an easy track to set up the car, but definitely a really good one to be on.

    We want to do well everywhere. We’re going to fight as hard as we can everywhere to get those points and try to beat Renault.”

Kevin Magnussen - “(Suzuka) is just a great circuit. It’s extremely fast, and you have the section in sector one with all the esses – that feels amazing going through there in a Formula One car. You have the fastest corner in the world, as well in 130R. It’s a real driver’s track with high-speed corners where you need to really push the car.”

ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “I am really looking forward to our next race in Japan. The Suzuka circuit is my favourite one, and I have always been strong there. The fans are very enthusiastic and it is great to have their support while driving. We have a strong package going into the weekend and should be quite competitive there, so I hope that we will be able to see some good results and score more points.”

Charles Leclerc - “It will be my first time driving on the Suzuka Circuit. It is one of the most renowned circuits there is, and I am looking forward to discovering its challenges very much. It is a very technical track, and quite demanding in terms of the corners it features. After a positive weekend in Russia, we are motivated to extract the most out of our potential in the upcoming weekends, and I look forward to being back in the car in Japan.”

RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Pierre Gasly - “Japan will feel a bit like my second home as I spent so much time there last year, when I was racing in Super Formula with Honda. It was a special season with great memories from the actual racing and also away from the circuits. It's a country I really like for its culture, the mentality of the people and the way they think.

    I think it was very useful working with Honda last year, as I got an understanding of how they go about things, which is proving useful to me this season. Going back there as a Formula 1 driver and with Honda is something I can't wait to experience. We have a busy schedule visiting various Honda facilities before we get to Suzuka, which will be interesting. I hope we can go well there to thank all the Japanese fans for their support.

    I loved racing at Suzuka, it's one of the great tracks. The first section in particular with the run of “Esses” is a fantastic challenge, one of the best bits of track we race on all year. It's very fast and you can really test the limits of the car. It will also be emotional for me, returning there after what happened to Jules (Bianchi). Whenever I go to Suzuka, I always go and visit the spot where he had his accident.”

Brendon Hartley - “Suzuka is definitely one of the highlights on the calendar and everyone in Formula 1 talks about the track, especially the high speed sector 1, where you really push these modern Formula 1 cars to their limit and I expect this sector will be the place where the current cars feel the most impressive. In the past, I've driven Suzuka on F1 simulators and I did so again a few weeks ago in preparation for this race, which will be the first time I actually drive the track.

    I have raced four times in Japan in the World Endurance Championship, but it's always been at the Fuji circuit. I had some success there, with one win and a couple of third places and I always enjoyed experiencing the passion of the Japanese fans. I'm expecting a huge amount of support in Suzuka for Honda and Toro Rosso. I'm looking forward to it, because I always enjoy spending time in Japan; I love the food and the culture and hanging out with the people there.

     We're heading to Japan immediately after Sochi, with a busy schedule of visiting Honda's F1 facility in Sakura, as well as other factories. Being Honda powered, it will be an important race for us and I hope we can put on a good show and deliver some points for the Japanese fans and the all the Honda guys.”

McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “I love Suzuka – it’s one of the best tracks of the year. I’ve had some great memories there – 2006 is a personal highlight – and I love spending time in Japan. This year I’ll finally be able to get used to the time zone, as I’ll be there for two weeks, one week in Suzuka and one in Fuji. I’m looking forward to it and also to visiting Tokyo, where I’ll try to spend as many days as possible between racing.

    The fans are the most incredible thing about Suzuka. They are amazing, even from Thursday when we have our media day and we go to the grandstands for the autograph signing, we see so many fans. They’re at the hotel, the train station – everywhere we go there are a lot of passionate Japanese fans.

    Equally, it wouldn’t be fair to say it’s only the fans that make the circuit so special. It’s great because it’s very demanding, and perfect for Formula 1 cars. You can use all the potential of these cars and their aerodynamic performance as they match perfectly with the corners at Suzuka. The first sector is quite impressive, and when everything works well and you’re confident in the car you can really push through the Esses. The g-forces and the feelings you get when you race there are quite amazing. As drivers, we love the speed – even when it’s flat-out it’s still enjoyable.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - "In terms of the pure satisfaction of driving a Formula 1 car, I think Suzuka is up there as one of the greatest circuits in the world.

    Of course, as a Belgian driver, I’d always put Spa-Francorchamps up there too, but Suzuka is just as much fun – and it’s probably a more difficult place to master than Spa.

    It’s one of those places which doesn’t just have a single, unique corner, or characteristic: the first-sector Esses are hugely challenging; the Degners are extremely fast and unforgiving; and Spoon is a real, old-school corner that constantly invites over-commitment. Every lap requires you to raise your game.

    And the whole Japanese Grand Prix experience is always surreal and fantastic. I learnt from my 

season in Super Formula that the Japanese fans are super-passionate about motorsport, and the Suzuka weekend just overflows with positivity and fun. I’m really looking forward to it.”

RACING POINT FORCE INDIA FORMULA ONE TEAM

Sergio Perez - “Suzuka is a proper drivers’ track and it is definitely one of my favourite circuits of the year. I love its flow and the high speeds, especially in the first sector. I think it’s one of the best sectors of the whole calendar. It’s a big challenge inside the cockpit, but it’s also a tough weekend because you really need to find the perfect balance for the car to put together a good lap. It’s not only the layout that is difficult – you can have a lot of wind that changes direction from one lap to the other and can throw you off.

    130R is my favourite corner of the track. You get there at more than 300kph and it’s a sharp left in seventh gear – you’re still doing 300kph at the exit. It’s such an amazing feeling. The corner is a bit less imposing in the new-generation cars because you have a lot more downforce, but you still need to focus perfectly to avoid making a mistake.

    Japan is where we meet some of the most passionate fans in the world. They truly make you feel at home all the time. A lot of them write to me on social media throughout the year: they write letters and when we get to Suzuka some of them surprise me with a gift. It’s really special. There is one special fan who always waits for me at the hotel and when I am leaving the track. It’s great to see their love of Formula One.”

Esteban Ocon - “I think all the drivers love Suzuka. The characteristics of the track make it so special – there are big corners, a lot of history and it’s a very difficult lap to get right. There are some truly great corners all the way through, but the Esses in the first sector are something special. They’re just so much fun to drive: I love quick changes of direction and the flow through that sector in qualifying, with a light car and lots of grip, feels just awesome.

    I am looking forward to meeting the Japanese fans. The welcome they give us is always incredible – they’re supporting you from when you land at the airport and they never stop cheering. They’re some of the most passionate we see all year and it gives me so much energy.

    Last year we had a very solid weekend in Suzuka. I ran third for a long time before finishing seventh, so hopefully we can have another strong weekend. If we can score a similar result this year it would be a great effort.”

WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "I love Suzuka, it is one of my favourites on the calendar. I am really looking forward to going there. It has got a great flow with high speed corners, low speed corners and braking zones. I would say sector one is probably the best sector as when the car is working well, and you get in the rhythm, the feeling is amazing.

    It is a demanding track, mentally and physically. I am just going to enjoy the beautiful circuit that I get to drive on and get the most out of the car and myself. The Japanese fans are great, they love Formula One's history and you can really feel the energy there in Suzuka."

Sergey Sirotkin - "Japan is a very special race as we all know. I’ve been to Suzuka but I haven’t driven there. The track is mega and out of all the ones I’ve yet to drive, this is the one I’m looking forward to driving the most. Japan is a very special country with a very special atmosphere."

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Japanese GP: Circuit Preview

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW

Name: Suzuka International Racing Course

Location: Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan

Opened: 1962

Length: 3.609 Miles

Capacity: 155,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 18

Race Laps: 53

2017 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place: Max Verstappen

3rd Place: Daniel Ricciardo

Retirements: Carlos Sainz (Accident), Sebastian Vettel (Spark Plug), Marcus Ericsson (Accident), Nico Hulkenberg (Rear Wing) & Lance Stroll (Suspension)

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Japanese GP: Track Schedule

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE

October 4th / Thursday

09:00 - 11:30 - Pit-Lane Walk

09:00 - 12:30 - Home Straight Walk (Last Entry at 11:30)

11:30 - 12:30 - Kids Pit Walk (Limited to families with children under the age of 15)

15:00 - 15:30 - Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps

15:00 - 16:00 - Press Conference

16:00 - 16:30 - Truck Tour (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

16:30 - 17:00 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

16:30 - 17:30 - Autograph Session

October 5th / Friday

10:00 - 11:00 - Free Practice #1

12:00 - 13:00 - Press Conference

12:50 - 13:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:50 - 13:20 - Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 16:30 - Legend F1 30th Anniversary Laps (Practice)

16:40 - 17:10 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

October 6th / Saturday

09:00 - 10:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

09:15 - 10:00 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

09:30 - 10:00 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

12:00 - 13:00 - Free Practice #3

13:15 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

13:15 - 14:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:25 - 13:45 - 1 Parade Lap

13:50 - 14:10 - Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps

15:00 - 16:00 - Qualifying

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference

16:30 - 17:15 - Legend F1 30th Anniversary Lap (Demonstration)

17:15 - 17:45 - Kids Pit Walk (Limited to families with children under the age of 15)

18:15 - 20:00 - Pit-Lane Walk

19:00 - 20:00 - Pit-Lane And Home Straight Walk

October 7th / Sunday

09:00 - 09:30 - 1 Parade Lap

10:25 - 10:45 - Legend F1 30th Anniversary Lap (Demonstration)

12:00 - 12:20 - Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps

12:00 - 13:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:25 - 12:55 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

12:30 - 13:00 - Drivers Track Parade

12:50 - 13:00 - 30th Anniversary Flag Lap

13:00 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

13:54 - 13:56 - National Anthem

14:10 - 16:10 - Race

* - Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

Japanese GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

JAPANESE GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton extended his championship lead with his eighth victory of the season at Suzuka whilst a spark plug problem for Vettel brought an early end to his Japanese Grand Prix.

    After taking his first pole at Suzuka in qualifying, Hamilton made a perfect get away as Max Verstappen jumped up to second. A handful of quick laps brought up the gap to Verstappen, more than three seconds ahead of the Red Bull driver by the pit stop window.

    Verstappen pitted before Hamilton, putting in the fastest lap of the race at that point after running side by side with Kimi Raikkonen at pit exit. He was about a second behind Hamilton when the Mercedes emerged from the pits, but the gap extended when Valtteri Bottas let his team-mate past but held up Verstappen.

    The gap was closing again in the final stages of the race. Hamilton was complaining about vibrations and losing pace in the closing laps, allowing Verstappen to close in, but traffic in the form of a battling Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa prevented a last lap shoot out.

    Hamilton finished 1.2s ahead of Verstappen to extend his championship lead to 59 points over Vettel.

    Daniel Ricciardo finished third, a second ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen.

    After frantic work on the Ferrari of Vettel on the grid, he was able to get off the line and was running third before his car started to slow halfway around the opening lap. He complained about lack of power as he dropped back down the order before coming into the pits to take his third retirement in four races.

    Esteban Ocon was once again best of the rest in sixth. The Force India driver made a stunning start and was running third when an early safety car – Carlos Sainz had skidded into the barriers on the opening lap – neutralized the race. It put Ricciardo and Bottas on his tail but Ocon held firm until a virtual safety car – this time Marcus Ericsson had run into the barriers – paused the racing once again.

    Riccardo and Bottas found their way past on the restart. Raikkonen managed to jump Ocon in the pits, dropping him down to sixth and just ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez. The Force India duo have come together on multiple occasions whilst battling this season, leading to the team warning the drivers not to fight one another on track. Perez was asking over the radio if he could pass his team-mate, but was told he couldn’t attack. He finished three and a half seconds behind his team-mate.

    Lance Stroll suffered a strange retirement late in the race. The rookie ran through the gravel after his left front tyre deflated. He pulled to a stop and, though he tried to get going again, was left stranded at the side of the track, bringing out the virtual safety car.

    Nico Hulkenberg also retired late in the race, a mechanical problem leading to his DRS becoming stuck open. He was brought to the pits to retire.

    Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean finished eighth and ninth, with Massa rounding out the top 10 after holding off attacks from Alonso.

    Jolyon Palmer, in his last race for Renault, finished 12th, ahead of Pierre Gasly and Stoffel Vandoorne. Pascal Wehrlein in 15th was the final finisher.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 18 Points
3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 15 Points
4. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France / + 8 Points
7. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 6 Points
8. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / + 4 Points
9. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 2 Points
10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 1 Point
11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain
12. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
13. Pierre Gasly / Toro Rosso-Renault / France
14. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
15. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

RETIRED - Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada / Tyres
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / DRS Failure
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Collision
RETIRED - Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / Spark Plug Failure
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / Collision

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78