Japanese GP Thread #ForzaJules - Contains Qualifying & Race spoilers

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

The 2015 Japanese GP in a nutshell

Track: Suzuka International Racing Course. Permanent circuit.

Race start time: 6am UK time Sunday (2pm local).

Laps: 53.

Track length: 5.807 km.

Tyre allocation: Medium (white) and hard (orange).

DRS Zones: One (Pit straight).

Driver steward: Emanuele Pirro.

Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen - 1:31.540 (McLaren, 2005).

2014 pole: Nico Rosberg - 1:32.506 (Mercedes).

Form guide

Sebastian Vettel is the most successful of the current drivers in Japanese GP history with four wins to his name. Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are the only other multiple winners in Japan still on the grid, with two wins apiece, while Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen have also been victorious.

2014 result: 1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 3. Sebastian Vettel, (Red Bull); 4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull); 5. Jenson Button (McLaren); 6. Valtteri Bottas (Williams); 7. Felipe Massa (Williams); 8. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) 9. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso); 10. Sergio Perez (Force India).

Last five winners at Suzuka: 2014: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 2013: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2012: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2011: Jenson Button (McLaren); 2010: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull).

Tyre allocation

Pirelli will bring the hardest tyres in their range - the white-marked medium and the orange-banded hard tyres to Japan.

The Italian firm say the choice "is to cater for the high-energy demands and fast corners of Suzuka, which ask a lot from the tyres. With the Japanese Grand Prix held earlier in the season compared to last year, conditions are expected to be slightly warmer".

[Guest]

And what Bernie wants...

He doesn't always get, like sprinklers recreating wet races.......

[GSC]

Probably a difference between an off the wall idea and pulling the top drivers in to tell them to stop criticising pirelli

[Guest]

Frédéric Vasseur, who has worked as Team Principle at GP2 outfit ART Grand Prix for the last ten years, is being lined up to take over at Renault for 2016. He is rumoured to be bringing current GP2 leader & ART Grand Prix racing driver Stoffel Vandoorne with him into Formula 1, seeing as Jenson Button has committed to staying with McLaren.

[dyrewolfe]

I see they're also talking about making the engines louder for next season...apparently they're still too quiet.

Nice to see they've got their priorities right. ...

It's all to do with getting the authentic experience of motor racing.  That is why they have added the skid plates to generate more sparks.  They are also looking towards spraying the spectators with diesel and dirt, more black smoke in the exhaust, more crashes and explosions with fireballs ...

Back to the tyre situation, while Bernie is known to be backing Pirelli, nobody else is. I have a feeling the likes of Wolff, Horner and Arrivabene might be able to twist his arm a little, especially given their drivers are known to be unhappy with Pirelli.

[Fernando]

Formula 1 may be sold this year to one of three interested buyers, the sport's boss Bernie Ecclestone has revealed.

The 84-year-old has not identified the potential buyers, but said he had been asked to remain as commercial chief, a role he has held since 1978

#Bernie'sHereTilHe'sInABox

[Guest]

APPROVED 2016 CALENDAR:

March 20 - Australia
April 3 - Bahrain
April 17 - China
May 1 - Russia
May 15 - Spain
May 29 - Monaco
June 12 - Canada
June 19 - Europe (Baku)
July 3 - Austria
July 10 - Britain
July 24 - Hungary
July 31 - Germany
August 28 - Belgium
September 4 - Italy
September 18 - Singapore
October 2 - Malaysia
October 9 - Japan
October 23 - USA
November 6 - Mexico
November 13 - Brazil
November 27 - Abu Dhabi

I doubt this is the final calendar. If you look at it closely, it doesn't make sense to go to Canada (June 12th) & within a week, have to  fly to Azerbaijan (June 19th).. Then, why have the Singapore GP & Malaysian GP two weeks apart, the whole point of putting them together, was to minimise travel, well the teams are planning on flying back to Europe in between now. 

[Fernando]

Yes because the fia always does things that make sense....

Honda have used their remaining tokens for the season but left it too late so only Alonso gets it.

[dyrewolfe]

Yes because the fia always does things that make sense....

Honda have used their remaining tokens for the season but left it too late so only Alonso gets it.

Maybe they did it on purpose so they can use Button as a benchmark? I suppose its a bit late to be worrying about constructors' points now.


That calendar for next season is looking pretty congested - especially July. Think the number of races is getting a bit ridiculous now. part of what Allan McNish is saying about F1 losing its soul.

The more races you have, especially in the farther-flung places where F1 has little/no history or tradition, the more each one is devalued (i.e. the less special they become). F1's core support is still European-based and they're going find it harder (or just start being more selective) about how and where they follow the sport...especially in the current format, where good / exciting races are the exception, rather than the rule.

At what point does the cost of spreading F1's reach across the world begin to outweight the financial gains made by signing up new countries to host races?

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