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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Japanese GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

JAPANESE GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton took pole position once again, this time making it his first at the Suzuka circuit. He has now at least 1 pole position for all current F1 circuits. Meanwhile, Romain Grosjean heavily crashed out of Q1. Grosjean was OK but his qualifying session was over. 

    A handful of drivers received grid penalties for engine component replacements and unscheduled gearbox changes. This included: Bottas, Raikkonen, Palmer, Sainz and Alonso. 

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. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia

4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

6. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland*

7. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

8. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

9. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Honda / Belgium

10. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland*

11. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

12. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

13. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

14. Pierre Gasly / Toro Rosso-Renault / France

15. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

16. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

17. Pascal Wehrlein / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

18. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain**

19. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain**

20. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain***

* - (Bottas & Raikkonen) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty each for unscheduled gearbox changes

** - (Palmer & Sainz) 20-Place-Grid-Penalty each for multiple engine component changes

*** - (Alonso) 35-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple engine component changes

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #3 - Re-Cap & Times

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

    Mercdes Valtteri Bottas topped the times in the final free practice session ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, despite crashing midway through the session.

    Bottas had already set his 1m29.055s lap time when he ran wide at Spoon. He clipped the wall a couple of times and returned to the pits with a heavily damaged right rear. The session was red flagged to clear the incident, disrupting many drivers’ qualifying runs, including that of Bottas’ team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

    Hamilton had already completed a handful of flying laps and was fast enough to put himself second, just 14 thousandths of a second slower than Bottas.

    Only three minutes after the track was green-flagged, the session was interrupted a second time. This time Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen had collided with the barriers after losing control of the rear of his car. Ferrari had both their drivers running race simulations early in the session after FP2 was rained off on Friday, meaning Raikkonen didn’t complete any qualifying simulation before crashing out. He ended the morning bottom of the order.

    Vettel, completing his fast laps towards the end of the session, was the only one of the front runners to enjoy an uninterrupted qualifying simulation. It wasn’t enough to give him an edge over Mercedes, though, with his lap time three tenths of a second slower than Bottas.

    Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo took fourth and fifth, with Esteban Ocon “best of the rest” in sixth.

    Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, half a second quicker than team-mate Jolyon Palmer. Palmer, who will be leaving Renault after the Japanese GP, was 10th fastest, behind Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez.

TIMES:

1. Valtteri Bottas - 1:29.055 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:29.069 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
3. Sebastian Vettel – 1:29.379 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Max Verstappen - 1:29.910 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:30.018 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia
6. Esteban Ocon - 1:30.109 / Force India-Mercedes / France
7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:30.315 / Renault-Renault / Germany
8. Fernando Alonso - 1:30.424 / McLaren-Honda / Spain
9. Sergio Perez - 1:30.563 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
10. Jolyon Palmer - 1:30.764 / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
11. Felipe Massa – 1:30.764 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
12. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:30.770 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
13. Carlos Sainz - 1:30.799 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:30.982 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
15. Lance Stroll - 1:31.011 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
16. Pierre Gasly - 1:31.353 / Toro Rosso-Renault / France
17. Romain Grosjean - 1:31.459 / Haas-Ferrari / France
18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:32.579 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:32.698 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany
20. Kimi Raikkonen – 1:33.962 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #2 - Re-Cap & Times

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

    The second practice session of the weekend was nearly completely washed out by a fresh flood of rain. Teams took to making boats out of random objects and sailed them down the flooded river of a pit-lane.

    The session, however, wasn't canceled as towards the end, a handful of drivers opted to go out when the FIA declared the track safe enough to set times on.

    It was Lewis Hamilton on top with a 1:48.719, followed by Ocon and Perez. Massa and Stroll were the only other two to go out and set a time. A few other drivers ventured out to check track conditions but were quick to head back to their garages and not set a timed lap.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:48.719 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Esteban Ocon - 1:49.518 / Force India-Mercedes / France

3. Sergio Perez - 1:51.345 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

4. Felipe Massa - 1:52.146 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

5. Lance Stroll - 1:52.343 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

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Japanese GP: Free Practice #1 - Re-Cap & Times

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

    Sebastian Vettel topped the times in the first free practice session ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver’s 1m29.166s lap time was two tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton, who claimed second.

    Hamilton was fastest early in the session on super-soft tyres, but a time for Vettel on the harder “soft” compound of tyres put the Ferrari second, only half a tenth of a second behind Hamilton. With the pace expected increase on the softer compounds, it was clear Ferrari’s initial pace was better than Mercedes.

    But it was still the Mercedes driver on top when the session was interrupted with half an hour remaining. Carlos Sainz span at the exit of the hairpin, hitting the barriers heavily before bouncing back into the track. The Spaniard climbed out of the car unaided but his Toro Rosso was severely damaged.

    During the red flag that followed, a light rain began to fall. It was in the drizzle when the green flags returned that Vettel set his fastest time of the day. As the rain grew heavier, Hamilton couldn’t answer.

    Behind them, Daniel Ricciardo took third quickest, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, Valtteri Bottas, and Max Verstappen.

    Esteban Ocon finished the morning seventh, six tenths of a second quicker than team-mate Sergio Perez, who put himself 13th.

    Nico Hulkenberg and Romain Grosjean followed in eighth and ninth.

    Stoffel Vandoorne rounded out the top 10 with a lap time just three hundredths of a second faster than Fernando Alonso in 12th.

    Kevin Magnussen, who finished 11th fastest, spent the majority of the session in the pits with a water pressure problem. Mechanics thought they had solved the problem and sent the Haas driver out briefly before calling him back to the pits, the problem returning. His time after only 15 laps was two tenths of a second slower than Grosjean’s.

    Lance Stroll, Jolyon Palmer, and Felipe Massa were 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively ahead of the Toro Rosso duo. Despite his crash, Sainz was able to beat new team-mate Pierre Gasly around a track the Frenchman is relatively familiar with.

    Pascal Wehrlein beat Marcus Ericsson at the bottom of the order.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:29.166 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:29.377 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.541 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Australia
4. Kimi Raikkonen – 1:29.638 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:30.151 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
6. Max Verstappen - 1:30.762 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
7. Esteban Ocon - 1:30.899 / Force India-Mercedes / France
8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:30.974 / Renault-Renault / Germany
9. Romain Grosjean - 1:31.032 / Haas-Ferrari / France
10. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:31.202 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium
11. Kevin Magnussen - 1:31.216 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
12. Fernando Alonso - 1:31.235 / McLaren-Honda / Spain
13. Sergio Perez - 1:31.530 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
14. Lance Stroll - 1:31.602 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
15. Jolyon Palmer - 1:31.757 / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Felipe Massa – 1:31.912 / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
17. Carlos Sainz - 1:32.252 / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
18. Pierre Gasly - 1:32.501 / Toro Rosso-Renault / France
19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:32.897 / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany
20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:33.397 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “The Japanese Grand Prix is one of my favourite weekends of the season. We receive so much support there: the Japanese fans are amazing and I am really looking forward to meeting all of them. There is a Japanese woman who always dresses up in Mexican colours and she even learned Spanish just to talk to me, it’s such a special experience.

    The track itself is amazing. Sector one is the most beautiful sector in the world, with so many quick corners and an incredible flow. It will be impressive to race on it with these high-downforce cars. I think it should be a good weekend for us because we have made some really good progress with the car in the last few races.”

Esteban Ocon - "Suzuka is a place I really enjoy. I had my first taste of it last year and it’s just so good. The high-speed sections are very special and when you have a car with a lot of grip, like in qualifying, you can find a nice rhythm. There is no real secret to being quick there: you just need to work on the details. You need to get everything perfect to complete a good lap.

    There is so much history in Suzuka. When you arrive there you think about the battles between Senna and Prost all those years ago. We certainly need these sorts of tracks. The fans, as well, are great. Motorsport is massive in Japan and you see it the moment you arrive in the country. Last year, I saw a fan with a cap in the shape of a rear wing with a working DRS. It was really funny and I’m never going to forget it.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It’s always difficult to say exactly why (Suzuka is my favourite circuit). 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 down force 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.

    (Beyond the race track) it’s a pretty crazy atmosphere from Thursday onward. All the grandstands are full. After the race, they’re still there watching the replays of the grand prix on the big screens. They always have really cool fashions on display, with some crazy accessories. They love Formula One and they’re very passionate. It’s a very electric atmosphere. It’s great to see that passion and so many people cheering for teams like us.

    When we speak about Japan, everyone brings up sushi first. There’s much more to the country than just that. There’s some great meat, great fish. The techniques there are very different than French gastronomy. It’s very delicate. I love it.”

Kevin Magnussen - “It’s 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. It’s a great atmosphere there. The Japanese fans are amazing. They really get into it.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “Suzuka is definitely one of my favourite tracks on the calendar, and along with a lot of the other drivers I always look forward to racing in Japan every year. It’s one of the classics and its configuration is completely unique. It has a bit of everything – it’s demanding, fast, and a big challenge for a driver and for the engineers, so it’s the perfect racer’s circuit.

    It’s an important race for us given our connections with Japan, and for me personally it’s a special place. I’ve always found Japanese culture fascinating and the incredible support from the fans make this race weekend one of the most exciting and crazy of the season. I always try to make the most of our time there, make a couple of trips to the must-see places in Tokyo and really get a feel for this incredible location.

    I’ve had a couple of difficult races recently, so I’m looking forward to getting back on track and working with my engineers to turn our fortunes around. I feel that we’ve definitely had the pace there in the car – and Stoffel has been able to demonstrate what we’re capable of – but bad luck and struggles in traffic have meant we haven’t been able to score the points we’d hoped for on my side. Both of us will be pushing hard for the Japanese contingent of our team, our partners and of course our fans, and I hope we can finally show the progress we’re making with our car.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “After two really positive races, I’m really looking forward to heading back to Japan. It’s one of my favourite countries and I always enjoy spending time there. The culture, food and people make it really special, and for a long time I’ve been looking forward to experiencing the Suzuka circuit in a Formula 1 car for the first time.

    For me, Singapore and Malaysia were a real boost, and we were really able to get on top of every session and maximize what we had available in our package. We know there has been potential all season, but for one reason or another we weren’t able to show it – so having two strong results back-to-back has been really encouraging and I’m keen to see how we will do in Japan.

    It’s a much tougher circuit for our car than Sepang, and requires a lot more outright power. The advantage is that I won’t be coming to this circuit fresh this weekend, as I’ve tested and raced at Suzuka a few times before – the last time I was there I won in Super Formula. I’m working very hard with my engineers and we’ll be putting in the same level of preparation for this race, so I hope we can keep pushing forward and have another strong weekend.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Pierre Gasly (Racing in place of Daniil Kvyat) - “As I am racing in Japan this year, I first came to Suzuka this winter, for some Super Formula series testing. It wasn't much, just two half days. Then I had the first round of the season here. It's a really impressive circuit, with some incredible high speed parts and the fantastic first sector. It is now one of my favourite tracks, even though it also has a sad place in my heart because of what happened to Jules (Bianchi) in 2014. I have enjoyed my time in Japan. In fact, I find myself liking it more and more, especially because of their culture and the way the people are, so polite and how they treat one another. It's nice and yet so different to anything I have experienced before. I have enjoyed discovering it and now I look forward to my F1 race weekend there.”

Carlos Sainz - “Before racing in F1 I had never traveled to Japan. After my first race there in 2015, this race weekend has become one of my favourites! The reasons are many: I enjoy the track layout, the fans are absolutely amazing, passionate and very polite and the Japanese culture is just so different and attractive. The presents I get from Japanese fans are probably the most special ones I receive throughout the whole year. You can see they really think of ways to surprise you… I always receive a Spanish flag signed by the fans and they also wish me luck in a sort of Japa-Spanish language! They always tell me to push a lot and to go 'banzai', which is something I like to see, it motivates me! Other presents I always receive there are typical Japanese food and chocolates. Sushi is one of my favourite things to eat. Luckily, nowadays you can eat it nearly everywhere, but I have to say that the sushi you find in Japan is the best. There are a couple of sushi bars close to the circuit that I always go to, but something else I really like to eat when in Suzuka is Kobe beef – it has such a lovely flavour and just melts in your mouth, it's amazing!”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA ONE TEAM

Daniel Ricciardo - “(From Malaysia) we move on to Suzuka with a quick stop in Tokyo. Tokyo is so unique and I love all the local food, I actually have a table booked at a sushi restaurant that I have wanted to visit since last year.

    I have always loved Suzuka circuit, it’s tough for a driver and a proper racer’s track. The whole first sector is great fun and there is so much time to be gained there with the right set-up. Saying that, I think the last chicane is the most difficult corner on the track because you have to brake from such high speeds and really attack the car on the kerbs.

    I can’t talk about Japan without mentioning the fans, we always get awesome gifts and you can see them in the grandstands dressed up in fully branded race suits and helmets which is pretty special to see.”

Max Verstappen - “After Malaysia we will spend some time in Tokyo before heading to Suzuka. Japan is full of new experiences and it will be great to spend a couple of days exploring before the race weekend starts. Some people say the Japanese fans are crazy, but I think they are just very passionate about Formula 1, which for me is very nice to see.

    Suzuka will always be a special place for me because I made my Formula 1 debut there during Friday practice and it’s a proper old-school track. My favourite corner is the fast Esses in the first sector, but it’s also the most difficult section of the track and you really have to concentrate on getting the set-up right.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Felipe Massa - “Suzuka is definitely one of the best tracks in the world and one where I really love racing. I think the car we have this year will be amazing there with the high downforce and the high-speed corners, so I am really looking forward to going there. Another great thing about being in Japan is the fans, who are some of the best we come across during the year.”

Lance Stroll - “I have heard so many great things about this track. All the drivers seem to love it and I am told the Japanese fans are also great. I am especially looking forward to Suzuka and spending a lot of time out in Asia. There have been some classic races there and let’s hope this year is the same. I am a big fan of the food and I especially love sushi and sashimi.”

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Japanese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - “Japan is very special. The fans are amazing; they are among the most enthusiastic out of all the places we visit. They are super supportive; day, night, whatever the weather. It’s certainly one of the race weekends I look forward to. I have a fairly decent and consistent record around Suzuka, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and hopefully continuing the run.

    I love coming to Japan as Suzuka is one of the best tracks to drive on the calendar. It has a good flow, it’s very quick but a nice feeling. You can be quite aggressive in places. It’s quite up and down, which you don’t really see on TV. 130R is flat out, a big corner and a lot of fun. This year’s cars will be a cool sight to see there! It’s a great pleasure to nail these corners.”

Jolyon Palmer - “It’s an old-school circuit, highly unique especially the first sector which is fast and flowing with quick changes of direction. The middle sector is cool with the two Degners, which are quick and crucial to get right. 130R is mega and the chicane features a good overtaking spot. It’s three challenging, but enjoyable, sectors and I went fairly well there last year, so looking forward to it.

    The fans embrace Formula 1 like no other country and Suzuka is always packed out when F1 is in town. The fans are so passionate which makes it a special weekend. There’s crazy merchandise and crazy hats there and everyone really shows their support. That’s what we love to see! The history of Formula 1 and Japan is well-known. As for other aspects, I’m quite partial to sushi and teriyaki so I’ll be eating well when I’m there.”

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Japanese GP: Circuit Preview

JAPANESE GP - CIRCUIT PREVIEW + 2016 STATS

Name: Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka International Racing Course)

Location: Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan

Opened: 1962

Length: 3.609 Miles

Capacity: 155,000

Runs: Clockwise & Anti-Clockwise

Turns: 18

Race Laps: 53

2016 STATS:

Pole Position: Nico Rosberg

1st Place: Nico Rosberg

2nd Place: Max Verstappen

3rd Place: Lewis Hamilton

Retirements: None

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Japanese GP: Track Schedule

JAPANESE GP - TRACK SCHEDULE

October 5th / Thursday

09:00 - 12:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (3-Day-Ticket-Holders Only)

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference

16:00 - 17:00 - Autograph Session

17:00 - 17:30 - Track Tour (F1 Experiences) (F1 Experience Guests Only)

17:30 - 18:00 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experiences) (F1 Experience Guests Only)

October 6th / Friday

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

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

12:50 - 13:20 - Truck Tour

13:00 - 13:15 - Parade (1 Lap)

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

15:40 - 15:50 - F1 Historic Demonstration Lap (FW04 & FW08)

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference

October 7th / Saturday

09:30 - 10:15 - Pit-Lane Walk

09:30 - 10:00 - Truck Tour

10:10 - 11:45 - Pit-Lane Walk

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

13:05 - 13:35 - Truck Tour

13:05 - 14:30 - Pit-Lane Walk

13:40 - 13:55 - F1 Historic Demonstration (FW04, FW08 & FW11)

13:55 - 14:05 - Parade (1 Lap)

14:10 - 14:25 - F1 Historic Demonstration (Honda RA300)

15:00 - 16:00 - Qualifying

19:00 - 20:00 - Pit Walk & Track Walk

October 8th / Sunday

08:45 - 08:55 - Parade (1 Lap)

09:40 - 10:50 - Pit-Lane Walk

12:00 - 12:10 - F1 Historic Demonstration (Honda RA300)

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

12:15 - 12:45 - Truck Tour

12:30 - Drivers Track Parade

12:45 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

12:50 - 13:00 - F1 Historic Cars Parade (2 Laps)

13:00 - 13:10 - Main Grandstand Interviews with: T. Sato, K. Kobayashi & D. Hill (TBC)

13:20 - 13:30 - Exhibition Flight (F-15J) (TBC)

13:46 - National Anthem

13:47 - F-15J Fly Past (TBC)

14:00 - 16:00 - Race

(Subject to change)

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Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @Bethonie_Boost 

Feature: Star Drivers Of The Japanese GP

Frances Fry (Assistant Writer) - "For the second time in a row, my star driver is Max Verstappen. Once again, I find myself praising his overtaking. The precision behind each move he makes is similar to that of a world champion; one manoeuvre made with the next one in mind. Max finished ahead of his teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. (Tenth place) as he crossed the line in ninth, warning two points. For the young Toro Rosso drivers, a double points finish is something to be proud of. Once again, I'd like to congratulate Max and Toro Rosso on racing so spectacularly. His confidence and skill seems to be growing with each race."

Amy Hawk (Lead Writer & Editor) - "My star driver of the weekend is Nico Hulkenberg. It was absolutely wonderful to see him bounce back after a few unlucky retirements in the past few races. He brought the team a number of points and finished 6th. He really did drive flawlessly and it could be seen all around the circuit. I think Force India has been doing improvingly well since the updates and I can't wait to see how they perform in Russia."

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Feature: Japanese GP - Our Post-Race Quotes

Frances Fry (Assistant Writer) - "The Japanese Grand Prix did not fail to impress, as per usual. However, I did not feel entirely able to enjoy the occurrences of the race due to the absence of Jules Bianchi. The loss of him felt ever prominent at Suzuka. This was evidently felt by many of the drivers.

Despite having a heavy heart, the drivers performed outstandingly, with all of them crossing the line except Sauber's Felipe Nasr. However, the community that we belong to rang ever strong and touching tributes to Jules & were dotted around the track. T-shirts, face paints and even banners decorated with the memorial '#JB17'. Overall, the race was of a stellar standard with incredible wheel-to-wheel racing, something I can enjoy no matter how early I have to wake up to see it. The race was one that Jules would've loved, full of passion and a raw love for racing."

Amy Hawk (Lead Writer & Editor) - "For me, it was hard, of course, to watch the Japanese GP after last year. Like everyone else, I miss Jules & it's sad that he wasn't around to race this year. It was lovely to see so many fans wearing red and holding flags with tributes to Jules. It's so amazing when the F1 community comes togther like that.

The race itself was good, but mellow.. Only one retirement. Not exactly sure what happened with Nasr's car. Sauber said the problems were "Unidentified" - It sucks that he couldn't finish the race. Very happy to see McLaren have both cars finishing the race this time around, especially after so many double-retirements this year. Russia is next.. Can't wait to see how it goes. Cheers!"

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Japanese GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

It was a tough weekend for the teams as they headed back to Suzuka Circuit in Japan. Just last year, Jules Bianchi had his crash during the race in poor weather conditions & He was on everyone's minds this year. Teams, drivers, fans and media were all thinking of him & keeping his family in their thoughts.

    This time around the weather was luckily sunny and there was no rain in sight. Nico Rosberg started on Pole Position, but when the lights went out, it was Lewis Hamilton who easily passed him and took the lead.

    On lap 1 there was a collision between Massa and Ricciardo. They bumped wheels, causing them both to have a tyre explode. During their wheel-to-wheel collision, Perez was the unlucky driver who got tagged by Massa when he bounced off of the Red Bull driver. Perez was sent out into the grass and had to cut all the way across before he was able to rejoin the track. He was forced to pit early so the team could check the car for damage. When he finally got out of pit-lane, he was in 18th.

 The only retirement of the race was Felipe Nasr and it was with only a few laps to go. There were 'Unidentified' problems with the car and the team had to bring him in.

    McLaren-Honda had an overall good race. While neither driver was able to bring any points home for the team, they both finished the race & Fernand Alonso was only one spot outside of the points. Button finished in 16th. While they've had quite a few double-retirements throughout this season, things still continue to look up for them as they figure out certain issues with the cars.

    Up in front it was clear that Lewis Hamilton was going to take the win and bring Mercedes another good results & more points. Rosberg was right behind him in second, trying to keep Sebastian Vettel behind in 3rd. Anyone who was doubting Mercedes in Singapore, could now be sure that the team had definitely not lost their pace.

Next up the teams head back to Europe, for the Russian GP. Here are the race results.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 8 Points
7. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France / + 6 Points
8. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela / + 4 Points
9. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands / + 2 Points
10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain 
12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia
14. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
15. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia
16. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
17. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
18. Alexander Rossi / Manor-Ferrari / America
19. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain
20. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / RETIRED - Unknown (Qualified As Finished)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78

Japanese GP: Qualifying - Results

Qualifying got underway a few hours after the last practice session and it was Nico Rosberg who took Pole Position for the Japanese GP. However, Daniil Kvyat was unlucky when he crashed at the end of Q3 and his car flipped over. Kvyat was uninjured but was forced to start the race from pit-lane after Red Bull had to rebuild his whole car. 

    The session was Red-Flagged with only 30 seconds left and was not restarted, leaving some drivers with no time for a final lap. Max Verstappen got a grid-penalty after an unsafe stop during Qualifying, when the car malfunctioned and he left it parked on the circuit.

 Here are the results.

GRID RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

5. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

8. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France

9. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

11. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela

12. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

13. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany*

14. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

17. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands**

18. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain

19. Alexander Rossi / Manor-Ferrari / America

PIT-LANE - Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia***

* - 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for collision with Felipe Massa in Singapore

** - Grid Penalty for unsafe stop in Qualifying

*** - Pit-Lane start due to crash in Q3

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Japanese GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

The third practice session gave teams a better chance of running as the weather wasn't as bad as the previous two sessions on Friday. It was a Mercedes 1-2 this time around and fans could be sure their pace was back (If it ever even left).

    Valtteri Bottas was able to go out in this session after sitting out FP2 due to rain, and finished in 4th, just behind Daniel Ricciardo. Massa finished in 5th, right behind Bottas, making it a good session for both Williams drivers.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:33.995 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.292 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:34.497 / Red Bull-Renault
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:34.797 / Williams-Mercedes
5. Felipe Massa - 1:34.935 / Williams-Mercedes
6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:35.082 / Ferrari-Ferrari
7. Max Verstappen - 1:35.160 / Toro Rosso-Renault 
8. Sebastian Vettel - 1:35.222 / Ferrari-Ferrari
9. Romain Grosjean - 1:35.602 / Lotus-Mercedes
10. Carlos Sainz - 1:35.963 / Toro Rosso-Renault
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:36.110 / Force India-Mercedes
12. Jenson Button - 1:36.174 / McLaren-Honda
13. Marcus Ericsson - 1:36.199 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:36.294 / Red Bull-Renault
15. Pastor Maldonado - 1:36.307 / Lotus-Mercedes
16. Fernando Alonso - 1:36.360 / McLaren-Honda
17. Sergio Perez - 1:36.430 / Force India-Mercedes
18. Felipe Nasr - 1:36.919 / Sauber-Ferrari
19. Will Stevens - 1:39.653 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Alexander Rossi - 1:39.819 / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
No copyright infringement intended
Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78