597 replies to this topic

[pkonsti]

The Japanese GP's offical program covers so far:

[PayasYouRace]

Something to get us in the mood:



I’m sad they missed out 1996 and 2003, which I think were both at least as dramatic as the ones they chose.

[Marklar]

[SophieB]

Have some unfinished material that was going to go into a Build Up thread because I was worried we weren't going to get one:

Japan hosts one of the classic races!

The beautiful, flowing track makes it beautiful to watch and remains a challenge to drive. Suzuka is also the battleground where some of the most controversial races in F1 history have been fought out, most notably the championship deciders of 1989 and 1990. Depending on your point of view Senna drove into a disappearing gap or Prost slammed the door. Either way, it meant Senna then didn't have enough points left on the table to stop Prost becoming WDC. The following year, Senna, still by all accounts still angry about 1989, collided with Prost at the start of the race in a collision that ended both their races and made Senna champion. These races are still contentious to the extent I've deliberately attempted to tell the story in as neutral a way I can because people still argue about them. Whatever the truth as you see it, what they did do was help carve Suzuka deeply into the collective F1 memory.

Sadly, Suzuka is also the track where Jules Bianchi, a rising star from the Ferrari drivers' academy tragically suffered a catastrophic injury during the 2014 race, crashing into a recovery vehicle, later dying of his injuries.



Albert Fabrega ES‏ @AlbertFabrega 11m11 minutes ago
Siempre en el recuerdo #JB17 #foreverjules



In the history of the Japanese GP, it will also always be about this.

The fans

These are next level fans in the best possible way. Not in that horrible 'oh please get something wrong about F1 so I can correct you an prove how clever I am' way but in terms of sheer love. Think of a driver. No, more obscure than him. AND him. Yeah, that guy. Well, chances are, you're going to see someone in the crowd wearing an elaborate handmade costume in his honour because the Japanese love for F1 knows very little sparrow that falls. It's hard to watch races in Japan and not conclude they're getting it right, and, as the Honda Racing twitter account put it this week, just on another level.

Honda Racing F1‏Verified account @HondaRacingF1 Oct 2
More back-to-back action this week. We head home to #Suzuka and the 2017 #JapaneseGP, where the fans are on another level. Can’t wait!


The other teams try and get in the spirit of things too:

Red Bull Racing‏
Verified account @redbullracing 32m32 minutes ago


More




Konnichiwa! #JapaneseGP #FJの準備





Okay I'm suitably psyched. When and where is this happening:

The place is here (source Will Pittenger):




And the times are here

Local Times:




For those of you in the UK watching on Sky (who have the UK exclusive this weekend)

THURSDAY OCTOBER 5
7am - Drivers' Press Conference LIVE!
5.45pm - Drivers' Press Conference Replay

FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
1.45am - Japanese GP Practice One build-up
2am - Japanese GP Practice One LIVE!
5.45am - Japanese GP Practice Two build-up
6am - Japanese GP Practice Two LIVE!
8am - Team Principals' Press Conference LIVE!
8.50am - The F1 Show LIVE!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 7
3.45am - Japanese GP Practice Three build-up
4am - Japanese GP Practice Three LIVE!
6am - Japanese GP Qualifying build-up
7am - JAPANESE GP QUALIFYING LIVE!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 8
4.30am - Japanese GP Track Parade LIVE!
5am - Japanese GP Pit Lane LIVE!
5.30am - Japanese GP Race build-up LIVE!
6am - THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX LIVE!
8.30am - Japanese GP Paddock LIVE!
2.15pm - Japanese GP Race Replay

[Marklar]

Pretty late release of the tyre choices

[Nonesuch]

Always good to see F1 in Japan! Great track, even better fans!

 

Let's hope they get the exciting race they undoubtedly deserve!

 

 

 

[Laster]

Force India taking a surprising amount of mediums.

[A3]

Will Buxton in Japan 4 years ago:

[JAW97]

Anyone know what the tyre pressures are gonna be and how they compare to previous races? 

 

Edit: Just looked in Ferrari thread - 22.5 psi (front) | 20.5 psi (rear) for Suzuka (credit to nemanja and xtremeclock)

Edited by JAW97, 04 October 2017 - 08:51.

[keksche]

Pirelli should let all the teams choose their own PSI. This is interfering with the working windows of the cars tbh

[Anja]

Something to get us in the mood:



I’m sad they missed out 1996 and 2003, which I think were both at least as dramatic as the ones they chose.

 

I can't believe this is real. F1 is my favorite anime now. 

Edited by Anja, 04 October 2017 - 09:01.

[FullThrottleF1]

I can't believe this is real. F1 is my favorite anime now. 

 Liberty Media

[f1paul]

 

Thank goodness this video stops at 2013.   

[f1paul]

​Wish they went back to the pre-2003 130R when the exit was a bit tighter. 

Edited by f1paul, 04 October 2017 - 09:25.

[baddog]

Weird to include Jacques Villeneuve making a right porridge of it there.

[statman]

That press conference schedule is a bit....meh.

[hodgy21]

 
Thank goodness this video stops at 2013. 

The change in tyre width between Kubica and Hamilton really caught my eye. It looks like the picture has been squashed.

[Ivanhoe]

Pirelli should let all the teams choose their own PSI. This is interfering with the working windows of the cars tbh

Nah, they'd never do that because of safety reasons and rightly so, teams have to less knowledge of these tyres to know the minimum tyre pressure for a complete stint.

Edited by Ivanhoe, 04 October 2017 - 10:40.

[SophieB]

Esteban Ocon‏Verified account @OconEsteban  2h2 hours ago

More

Arrived on site, I just love this place so much ! @suzuka_event #JapaneseGP

[V8 Fireworks]

Pirelli should let all the teams choose their own PSI. This is interfering with the working windows of the cars tbh

 

I couldn't care less!  Minimum pressures increase safety. 

[Kobasmashi]

The change in tyre width between Kubica and Hamilton really caught my eye. It looks like the picture has been squashed.

I think the Kubica clip is in 4:3 stretched to fit a 16:9 video.

[TomNokoe]

Nothing like a championship ding-dong in Japan. It's the perfect setting, getting up at stupid o'clock to watch F1!

I'm positive that Ferrari will be fastest once again. Raikkonen will be very strong in the fast corners and should provide ample support to Vettel, who has always been very strong here despite being poor at Silverstone, strange. New Ferrari PU as well.

Merc will bounce back but I suspect they'll be heading off Red Bull rather than attacking the Ferraris, but let's wait and see what Hamilton can pull out of the hat trying to balance winning the WDC with protecting his lead. Rumour has it he's not strong in Suzuka, but the evidence suggests this was only ever during the lower downforce hybrid era. Let's see how he attacks the curves with the W08.

Air temps are forecasted quite high for race day (25-26°C)... draw your own conclusions on who that will favour. Maybe we'll have a two stop!!!

Merc's pole->2nd team delta has always been very tiny here, over the years.

2014: Rosberg to Bottas 0.622
2015: Rosberg to Bottas 0.440
2016: Rosberg to Kimi 0.302

Will it be totally reversed this year? Can't wait to see them attack the track on Friday and Saturday, hopefully it stays dry.

Edited by TomNokoe, 04 October 2017 - 13:09.

[SR388]

After having stayed up for a 3am start in Malaysia, this weekend’s 1am start feels like a blessing.

[SCUDmissile]

Japanese GP always marks the business end of the season. I remember when I started watching F1 in 2006, Michael Vs Fernando and the drama of that race.

Then Fuji 07 and 08 which were crazy AF. Then it kind of became a coronation track for dominant champions like Button and Vettel as they cemented their title wins to extents with drama in 2012 as Alonso crashes and hands all momentum to Vettel.

Then came the hybrid era where it became a private Mercedes battle. The winner of this race between Hamilton and Roseberg ended up winning the title the 3 times they fought here. 2015 stands out, where Hamilton made his dominance over his teammate that season clear by asserting himself into turn 1.

This season will for sure be extremely exciting as well I'm sure and I can't wait to watch the race live.

Nothing beats watching the end of a close title battle at stupid o clock.

[Massa]

Nah, they'd never do that because of safety reasons and rightly so, teams have to less knowledge of these tyres to know the minimum tyre pressure for a complete stint.

How they were doing in the past ?

[MJB5990]

The only circuit on the calendar where Lewis has failed to take pole position. Less than a tenth away in both 2015 and 2016 though.

[Nonesuch]

Merc's pole->2nd team delta has always been very tiny here, over the years.

2014: Rosberg to Bottas 0.622
2015: Rosberg to Bottas 0.440
2016: Rosberg to Kimi 0.302

 

That's the issue with dominance, it makes six tenths look "very tiny".

 

Let's hope it's actually close this year!
 

[Yoshi]

Finally back in Suzuka - can't wait for this one   

[Brian60]

Nah, they'd never do that because of safety reasons and rightly so, teams have to less knowledge of these tyres to know the minimum tyre pressure for a complete stint.

 In Malaysia tyres were a subject brought up by Crofty on Sky 1. Apparently against the wishes of Mercedes but making Ferrari happy, Pirelli increased the tyre pressures by 1.5psi front and rear. There was some discussion of favouritism, but nothing came of it post race - or anything that I heard of.

[Ivanhoe]

In Malaysia tyres were a subject brought up by Crofty on Sky 1. Apparently against the wishes of Mercedes but making Ferrari happy, Pirelli increased the tyre pressures by 1.5psi front and rear. There was some discussion of favouritism, but nothing came of it post race - or anything that I heard of.

Well yeah, but that's another issue, more for the conspiracy theorists among us. They are both Italian companies though and Ferrari seemed to have a very good understanding of these tyres early in the season...🤔😋

Edited by Ivanhoe, 04 October 2017 - 14:32.

[keksche]

In Malaysia tyres were a subject brought up by Crofty on Sky 1. Apparently against the wishes of Mercedes but making Ferrari happy, Pirelli increased the tyre pressures by 1.5psi front and rear. There was some discussion of favouritism, but nothing came of it post race - or anything that I heard of.

Lol Ferrari favour lower pressures

[Bleu]

Something to get us in the mood:



I’m sad they missed out 1996 and 2003, which I think were both at least as dramatic as the ones they chose.

 

I think they were pretty fair selections. 1996 was pretty much decided in the start when Villeneuve blew it. Also Damon only needed one point to clinch.

 

2003 was a bit tougher but Kimi wasn't very close to winning it which he had to do to have any chance. Schumacher's eighth place would have been enough in that case anyway.

[Kershy]

Weather forecast looks set to be a washout on Friday but dry for Qualifying and the Race. 

[Zava]

 In Malaysia tyres were a subject brought up by Crofty on Sky 1. Apparently against the wishes of Mercedes but making Ferrari happy, Pirelli increased the tyre pressures by 1.5psi front and rear. There was some discussion of favouritism, but nothing came of it post race - or anything that I heard of.

did he really say that on television? increasing pressures yield the opposite result.

Edited by Zava, 04 October 2017 - 14:47.

[Ivanhoe]

did he really say that on television? increasing pressures yield the opposite result.

Unless you think your car can deal better with high pressure tyres than your competitor.

[Ellios]

[Cyanide]

Beast of a circuit. Easily the best on the calendar, long may it stay.

[PLAYLIFE]

We also shouldn't forget the first two Japanese Grand Prix that were part of the World Championship in 1976 and 1977, at Mt Fuji of course.

 

Johannes Hugenholtz's masterpiece that is Suzuka (he also designed Zandvoort, Zolder, Nivelles and Jarama of F1 fame) was one of my favourite circuits back in 1987 and remains so.

[MasterOfCoin]

Beast of a circuit. Easily the best on the calendar, long may it stay.

It would be epic without the Casino Triangle....

[OO7]

It would be epic without the Casino Triangle....

[SophieB]

Some evocative pictures this week on the LAT Images twitter account this week

 

LAT Images‏ @latimages  13m

13 minutes ago

More

McLaren holds the record of 9 constructor victories at the Japanese GP. The teams first win at Suzuka was won by Ayrton Senna in 1988

 

[jjcale]

 

First question to VB: So Valteri ... when they asked you to become LH's team mate, did they not warn you to bring lube?

[Andy35]

All those medium tyres not going to be taken out of the packaging ....   how many were used last weekend?

 

Andy

[Ivanhoe]

All those medium tyres not going to be taken out of the packaging ....   how many were used last weekend?
 
Andy

Perfect tyre for the installation lap

[SR388]

It would be epic without the Casino Triangle....

You think they could take that flat out?

[aportinga]

Ha ha - funny!

 

States folks like me are getting SpeedWorld back next year!

 

*Hopfully that means LD out and BV in!

 

Japan 1994 - 

Edited by aportinga, 04 October 2017 - 17:31.

[JeePee]

You think they could take that flat out?

They could.

 

Project Cars (1 and 2) have an unlicensed layout of Suzuka and in the long lay out you skip the Casio Triangle. Easy flat with high downforce cars.

Edited by JeePee, 04 October 2017 - 17:46.

[FNG]

Ha ha - funny!

 

States folks like me are getting SpeedWorld back next year!

 

*Hopfully that means LD out and BV in!

 

Japan 1994 - 

 

Love Bob Varsha!

[dau]

It's the Casio Triangle. Named for the electronics company. The Casino Triangle is a peculiar place rife with bright lights and annoying noises, known for making your money miraculously disappear.

 

Edit: I just learned that the Casio Triangle doesn't even exist anymore. It's been called "Hitachi Automotive Systems Chicane" since 2014. Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

 

[via AMuS]

Edited by dau, 04 October 2017 - 18:09.

[Andy35]

Perfect tyre for the installation lap

 

They only need one set then, will last all season, and the next 

 

Andy