Built as a Honda test track Suzuka now tests the skills and endurance of Formula 1 drivers. One of the few tracks in the world to have a unique figure eight design, Suzuka has features that push the limits of control and speed with the 130R and the Esses of the first sector. Sebastian Vettel may very well clinch the title this weekend as long as he scores a single point, and may go on to become the youngest ever double world champion at age 24.
2010 Race Summary
Twenty-three drivers started the race after Lucas di Grassi had a heavy accident on the way to the grid, leaving the track at the entrance to 130R, fishtailing wildly and spinning out across the run-off area and hitting the wall. There was enough time between the accident and the start to clear the track, so the start took place without any delay.
Sebastian Vettel leads Robert Kubica, Mark Webber and the rest of the field on the opening lap.
When the race finally began, Sebastian Vettel led the pack away, with Robert Kubica able to take championship leader Webber on the approach to the first turn. Further down the order, two separate incidents unfolded; starting from thirteenth, Vitaly Petrov got the best start and was able to clear the two rows immediately in front of him. By contrast, Nico Hülkenberg, starting in ninth, made a poor start and crawled away. Petrov moved over to avoid contact with another driver on his right just as Hülkenberg started to accelerate, and the Renault collected the Williams. Petrov's car spun into the outside barrier, whilst Hülkenberg came to a halt on the inside of the first corner. Meanwhile, Felipe Massa made a poor start from twelfth and was forced to go right in order to avoid the PetrovHülkenberg incident as he was swamped by the rest of the grid. His Ferrari bounced over the kerb on the inside of the first corner before collecting the Force India of Vitantonio Liuzzi, and the two cars spun into the outside gravel trap. The safety car was deployed as the four cars were cleared away.
Suzuka claimed another victim on the second lap of the safety car. Sebastian Vettel was spotted following the safety car with a significant gap behind him; Renault's Robert Kubica was unaccounted for, only to be spotted coming to a halt after the hairpin. The right-rear tyre had come free of the Pole's R30, forcing him into retirement. As Kubica had been the only driver to split the championship contenders during qualifying, his retirement had a significant effect on the race as it meant the five candidates were all within range of one another. Vettel led the cars away at the restart, followed by Webber, Alonso and the McLarens of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. Popular opinion divided the five drivers into two separate races: one between the Red Bulls for line honours, and the other between Alonso and the McLarens for the final podium position.
Elsewhere in the field, Nico Rosberg, Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock and Bruno Senna pitted during the safety car with a view to making up time when everyone else pitted, though Rosberg was the only driver who could reasonably challenge the rest of the field. The first round of pit stops was triggered by Adrian Sutil, which prompted Williams to bring Rubens Barrichello in; Barrichello's stop had been the move the front-runners were waiting for. Lewis Hamilton pitted whilst Button stayed out in an attempt to make his strategy work, but the Red Bulls were able to maintain a close distance to Button to nullify his strategy. Further down the order, local driver Kamui Kobayashi passed five drivers with some aggressive moves likened to an ambush by commentators[citation needed] at the hairpin. Nick Heidfeld, Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari, Adrian Sutil, and Rubens Barrichello were all passed by the Sauber driver, with Kobayashi taking Alguersuari twice. Alguersuari was criticised for his response to the Japanese driver's second pass, as the two cars hammered into one another, damaging both and forcing the Toro Rosso driver to pit. Force India left Japan pointless after Adrian Sutil's engine expired, releasing a sheen of oil across the track through the high-speed 130R as he attempted to return to the pits.
Podium finishers Vettel, Webber and Fernando Alonso circuit on the victory lap.
Lewis Hamilton's dramatic weekend continued when he lost third gear whilst pursuing Alonso on a circuit dominated by third-gear corners. Jenson Button lost the lead and was demoted to fifth place, but quickly caught his team-mate. He briefly attempted to chase Alonso, but the Spanish driver responded with a series of quick laps that were enough to cover Button's speed on fresh tyres, and the reigning World Champion instead consolidated fourth place. Meanwhile, Nico Rosberg - who had been engaged in a fight with team-mate Schumacher from the moment Schumacher emerged from his pit stop - exited the race when his rear wheel came off through the final bends of the Esses. Yellow flags were waved, but the safety car was not deployed and the stricken Mercedes was cleared away quickly.
Sebastian Vettel won the race by just under a second from team-mate Webber, who claimed the fastest lap in the process, with Fernando Alonso rounding out the podium. Jenson Button finished fourth ahead of Hamilton, with Schumacher sixth and Kobayashi home seventh. Heikki Kovalainen was the first of the new teams to cross the line, his twelfth position helping to consolidate Lotus' tenth position in the championship.
The final positions meant that Mark Webber extended his lead over his championship rivals, but Sebastian Vettel's win meant that he drew level with Fernando Alonso on points. Fourth and fifth positions for Button and Hamilton respectively meant that while both McLaren drivers were still a mathematical possibility of winning the championship, with three rounds to go they would need some results to go their way.
The separate first-lap incidents between Petrov and Hülkenberg and Massa and Liuzzi were later investigated by the stewards. The Russian driver was given a five-place penalty at the next race for causing an avoidable accident, but Massa was not penalised after going on the grass.
Circuit Info
[Click map for onboard lap]
Laps
53
Circuit length
5.807 km (3.608 mi)
Race length
307.573 km (191.117 mi)
Lap Record
Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren - 2005 - 1:31.540
Most Wins (Drivers)
Michael Schumacher (6)
Most Wins (Constructors)
Mclaren (8)
Changes from 2010
-Asphalt has been added outside turns 1 and 2 and turns 13 and 14.
GP Facts
-Honda-owned Suzuka was designed and built as a test track for the Japanese motor giant in 1962. It first hosted a grand prix in 1987 (an event won by Ferraris Gerhard Berger from pole position) and continued to do so in an unbroken sequence until 2006.
-So far this season Sebastian Vettel, who needs only one point this weekend to secure a second consecutive world title, has won nine grands prix; secured 11 pole positions; set one fastest lap and scored 309 points. His worst result of the season to date was fourth at the German Grand Prix, in July. He has led 582 of 839 racing laps and led 13 of 14 races.
-Among many notable Japanese Grands Prix are:
1976: James Hunt (McLaren) wins his sole world title in storm conditions;
1987: Nelson Piquet takes his third drivers title after Williams team-mate Nigel Mansell crashes in practice.
1989: Prost vs Senna, part I. McLaren team-mates and rivals Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna collide at the chicane on lap 46. Prost retires; Senna goes on to finish first, but is later stripped of the win, handing victory to Alessandro Nannini (Benetton). Prost would win that years title.
1990: Prost vs Senna, part II. The enmity between Prost (Ferrari) and Senna (McLaren) boils over. Senna collides with Prost into turn 1; taking both cars out at more than 290km/h. Senna would win that years title.
Videos Highlighting the Japanese GP
Highlights from the 2003 Japanese GP
Senna vs. Prost at Suzuka 1988
Senna vs. Prost at Suzuka 1989
Senna vs. Prost at Suzuka 1990
Highlights from Kamui Kobayashi at the 2010 Japanese GP
Previous Winners
Drivers Championship
Constructors Championship
Fantasy League Championship
