2008 Japanese GP - Race 16/18

rpstewart · 7 Oct 2008 at 09:07

After a solid week of 15 hour days I can't think of a witty opening so it's stats only I'm afraid.

Friday practice : 0200 - 0330 & 0600 - 0730
Saturday practice : 0300 - 0400
Saturday Qualifying : 0600 - 0700, ITV 0600 - 0715, repeated at 1400
Sunday Race : 0530 - 0730, ITV from 0430. Rerun at 1500, highlights at 2315 (ITV) & Monday 1800 (ITV4)

Drivers

Code:

Pos Driver           Nationality   Team              Points 
1  Lewis Hamilton       British    McLaren-Mercedes   84
2  Felipe Massa		Brazilian  Ferrari	      77
3  Robert Kubica	Polish     BMW                64      
4  Kimi Raikkonen       Finnish    Ferrari            57
5  Nick Heidfeld        German     BMW                56
6  Heikki Kovelainen    Finnish    McLaren-Mercedes   51
7  Fernando Alonso      Spanish    Renault            38
8  Sebastian Vettel	German	   STR-Ferrari	      27
9  Jarno Trulli         Italian    Toyota             26
10 Timo Glock           German     Toyota             20	
11 Mark Webber          Australian RBR-Renault        20
12 Nico Rosberg         German     Williams-Toyota    17
13 Nelsinho Piquet	Brazilian  Renault	      13
14 Rubens Barrichello   Brazilian  Honda              11
15 Kazuki Nakajima   	Japanese   Williams-Toyota    9
16 David Coulthard	British	   RBR-Renault        8
17 Sebastien Bourdais   Italian    STR-Ferrari        4
18 Jenson Button	British	   Honda              3

Constructors

Code:

Pos Team              Points    
1  McLaren-Mercedes   135       
2  Ferrari            134        
3  BMW                120       
4  Renault            51
5  Toyota             41
6  STR-Ferrari        31        
7  RBR-Renault        28       
8  Williams-Toyota    26        
9  Honda	      14

Calendar

Code:

01 2008 FORMULA 1 ING AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (Melbourne) 		14 - 16 Mar 
02 2008 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX (Kuala Lumpur) 		21 - 23 Mar 
03 2008 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX (Bahrain) 		04 - 06 Apr 
04 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPANA TELEFONICA 2008 (Catalunya) 		25 - 27 Apr 
05 2008 FORMULA 1 PETROL OFISI TURKISH GRAND PRIX (Istanbul) 		09 - 11 May 
06 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2008 (Monte Carlo) 			22 - 25 May 
07 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2008 (Montreal) 			06 - 08 Jun 
08 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE 2008 (Magny-Cours) 			20 - 22 Jun 
09 2008 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX (Silverstone) 		04 - 06 Jul 
10 FORMULA 1 GROSSER PREIS SANTANDER VON DEUTSCHLAND 2008 (Hockenheim) 	18 - 20 Jul 
11 FORMULA 1 ING MAGYAR NAGYDIJ 2008 (Budapest) 			01 - 03 Aug 
12 2008 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE (Valencia) 			22 - 24 Aug 
13 2008 FORMULA 1 ING BELGIAN GRAND PRIX (Spa-Francorchamps) 		05 - 07 Sep 
14 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO SANTANDER D'ITALIA 2008 (Monza) 		12 - 14 Sep 
15 2008 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (Singapore) 		26 - 28 Sep 
16 2008 FORMULA 1 FUJI TELEVISION JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (Fuji Speedway) 	10 - 12 Oct 
17 2008 FORMULA 1 SINOPEC CHINESE GRAND PRIX (Shanghai) 		17 - 19 Oct 
18 FORMULA 1 GRANDE PREMIO DO BRASIL 2008 (Sao Paulo) 			31 Oct - 02 Nov

If you're interested in seeing what the tracks look like I've updated my Google Earth links and flyovers. Unfortunately it's still not perfect, although Fuji is now high res thanks to the April update but the imagery for Valencia is a fair age so the purpose built bridge isn't visible. To play the flyovers select the flyover folder and press the play button at the bottom of the Places pane.

Some links for Fuji

Official GP Site
Wikipedia
Circuit details on the official F1 page

Scottland · 7 Oct 2008 at 09:18

This is about as close as I can find for a weather forecast:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/JAXX0107?from=36hr_topnav_business

GravyMonster · 7 Oct 2008 at 09:21

I went looking for a forecast too, the only decent one I found said showers on Saturday to. Could make qualifying interesting.

jaykay · 7 Oct 2008 at 14:09

Well at least Kimi has something to his moral up with.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8481.html

Hope he does get another fastest lap. Go Kimi.

englishpremier · 7 Oct 2008 at 14:51

Looking forward to it, I quite like fuji.

Dissapointed to see Canada dropped, that was always one of my faves.

Creature · 7 Oct 2008 at 14:58

Why drop Canada? Just get rid of France (and no, I don't mean just the track).

GravyMonster · 7 Oct 2008 at 14:58

It's a shame about Canada as I'd like to visit there and combining it with a GP would have been handy.

It's not really a surprise though, it's not a great track and it was in dire need of resurfacing which was never likely to happen. Plus they are now looking for any excuse to head East.

rpstewart · 7 Oct 2008 at 15:38

Agree that it's a shame about Canada but the problems with the surface this year have probably prompted it's demise. There also seems to be an unpublicised policy to remove tracks which break cars - the shortening of Hockenheim is a prime example - and Canada's heavy braking and lack of runoff has claimed it's fair share of victims over the years.

PinkFloyd · 7 Oct 2008 at 17:43

rpstewart said:
Agree that it's a shame about Canada but the problems with the surface this year have probably prompted it's demise. There also seems to be an unpublicised policy to remove tracks which break cars - the shortening of Hockenheim is a prime example - and Canada's heavy braking and lack of runoff has claimed it's fair share of victims over the years.

I liked Canada

Lets hope they don't smooth out the bumps at Singapore aswell. Wonder what else they could do to make it less exciting, rain covers for Silverstone so the Ferraris don't keep spinning in the wet?

Not sure if I'll be getting up early enough to watch the race intro on Sunday, I think it is more likely I'll stay up all night!

Bennah · 7 Oct 2008 at 17:46

jaykay said:
Well at least Kimi has something to his moral up with.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8481.html

Hope he does get another fastest lap. Go Kimi.

Whats DHL mean? Not many people know he has set 10 fastest laps from 15 races.

Shame about Canada. should have got shot of Valencia. Poor racing performance from them this year. Would'nt of given them another chance tbh

So what is taking its place next year? Indy coming back?

Also, without Canada on the calendar, its said that there will be a month long break. Dont like the idea of it at all. I can just barely do 3 weeks, never mind 4!

Scottland · 7 Oct 2008 at 17:48

There's only 18 races on the provisional calendar not 20 as was expected I think? Maybe they've done it to allow for the summer break that the teams are pushing for.

Dougsnake · 7 Oct 2008 at 18:23

frakker said:
Take some of that Kravtiz! DC lays into Ted.

hehe ted deserved it after what he said,gonna miss dc`s straight shooting when he goes

hopefully the bbc dont nerf him........

NathanE · 7 Oct 2008 at 18:26

frakker said:
Take some of that Kravtiz! DC lays into Ted.

DC appears to be starting his BBC role early there

He is going to be so much better than the ITV crew.

Duke · 7 Oct 2008 at 19:11

Without looking (unless you've already seen it on the news) guess what make of F1 car model was in the background of the BBC interview with Max Mosley today.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7657298.stm

Dutch Guy · 7 Oct 2008 at 19:21

Duke said:
Without looking (unless you've already seen it on the news) but guess what make of F1 car model was in the background of the BBC interview with Max Mosley today.....

For some reason I am thinking about the colour of love

rpstewart · 7 Oct 2008 at 20:49

autosport said:
FIA Deputy President for Sport Marco Piccinini will leave his position at the end of his term, the governing body announced on Tuesday.

Piccinini will step down in order to focus on "his other professional commitments."

His resignation will take effect in the next FIA General Assembly on 7 November, when his successor will be elected.

If that successor is anyone other than Jean Todt then I'll die of shock.

Scottland · 7 Oct 2008 at 20:56

Just watched most of that interview with Max, and he's right wrt the operating costs becoming unsustainable. But the 'fix' has to be agreed with all the teams and drivers rather than the FIA telling them what will happen which is what he seems to be suggesting.

rpstewart said:
If that successor is anyone other than Jean Todt then I'll die of shock.

That would appear to be likely. Although, would already being DP of the FIA go towards him or against him when Max finally goes, for the President spot that is.

Flibster · 7 Oct 2008 at 21:06

Oh god......

Linky

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The WMSC unanimously agreed to give the FIA President authority to negotiate with the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) the introduction of radical measures to achieve a substantial reduction of costs in the championship from 2010.

Failing agreement with FOTA, the FIA will enforce the necessary measures to achieve this goal.

It was further unanimously agreed to allow Formula One teams to equalise engine performance across the field for 2009, pending the introduction of cost-saving measures from 2010.

So, do what we want you to do, or we'll force it through anyway.

*SIGH*

Scottland · 7 Oct 2008 at 21:09

Why am I not surprised :rolleyes:

NathanE · 7 Oct 2008 at 21:46

Duke said:
Without looking (unless you've already seen it on the news) guess what make of F1 car model was in the background of the BBC interview with Max Mosley today.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7657298.stm

I thought that was quite a good interview. He certainly left his huge ego at the door when giving those answers.

I think it's good that the FIA are being proactive about the credit crunch and the impact on the teams. Sure Ferrari and McLaren supporters might not like it but it is for the good of the sport long term to add these budget caps and normalise the engines.