Please keep all discussion about 2010 rules, drivers, teams, fota vs fia argument and anything else 2010 related in this thread ***Official F1 2010***
TV times:
JAPAN - Suzuka
Friday 2 October
First practice: 0200-0330, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Second practice: 0600-0730, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Repeated on the Red Button service from 1600
Inside F1: 1830-1845, BBC News Channel, then repeated on the Red Button
Saturday 3 October
Third practice: 0300-0400, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 0500-0730, BBC One/BBC Red Button/Radio 5 Live/online
Qualifying re-run: 1300-1415, BBC One/BBC Red Button
Qualifying highlights: 1415-0500 Sunday, BBC Red Button (times and services vary on Freeview)
Sunday 4 October
Race: 0500-0800, BBC One/BBC Red Button/Radio 5 Live/online
Race re-run: 1300-1500, BBC One/BBC Red Button
Race highlights: 0800-1300 and 1500-1600 Tuesday, BBC Red Button (times and services vary on Freeview)
Interactive Forum: 0800-0900, BBC Red Button/online
Highlights: 1900-2000, BBC Three/BBC Red Button/online
Standings:
Track:
Track Diagram
Zoom in and fly around Suzuka
Zoom in and fly around the Suzuka circuit, host of the Japanese Grand Prix.
BBC Formula 1 circuit guides - 2009
Murray Walker's Japanese GP preview
Welcome back to fabulous, unique Suzuka as the host of the Japanese Grand Prix. There have been some great, great races there in the past, but this season has been so unpredictable that I've given up trying to forecast who's going to win each race. Here's my preview.
Circuit information
Location: Fuji, Japan
Grand Prix Held: 2
Years: 1976-1977
First Grand Prix: 1976
Last Grand Prix: 1977
Opened: December 1965
Circuit Length: 4,563 KM
Circuit width:
15-25m
Longest straight: 1,475KM
Turns:
10 right
6 left
Incline: Maximum descending 10.05% ; max ascending 8.88%
Spectator capacity grandstand: 22.288]
Weather Forecast
The Japanese Grand Prix has moved back from Fuji to Suzuka this year. Although Fuji will always be remembered for the downpours that greeted the 1976 and 2007 F1 races, Suzuka has had its share of wet weather as well.
Very heavy rain fell in 1994, almost causing the race to be abandoned. And showers hit the races in 1988, 1995 and 2000. In 2004 qualifying had to be moved after typhoon Ma-on hit the circuit on Saturday.
There is rain in the area at the moment and it is expected to remain until Friday at least. There is a reduced chance that further rain could liven up qualifying on Saturday, but early indications are that race day will remain dry. We’ll know more as we get closer to the day.
In the run-up to the sessions, keep an eye on this satellite graphic to see how rain could affect the race. See below for the location of Suzuka:
Suzuka - a Formula One set-up guide
Classic Grand Prix
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1976
Watch highlights from the inaugural Japanese Grand Prix as Mario Andretti wins and James Hunt finishes third at Fuji to win the 1976 world championship.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1989
Watch highlights from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix as Alain Prost wins his third world championship after Ayrton Senna was disqualified after winning at Suzuka.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1994
Watch highlights from the 1994 Japanese Grand Prix as Damon Hill wins on aggregate in torrential conditions from Michael Schumacher to keep his title hopes alive.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2000
Watch highlights from the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix as Michael Schumacher wins an epic duel with McLaren's Mika Hakkinen to end Ferrari's 21-year wait for the drivers' world title.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2005
Watch highlights from the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix as McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen wins after starting 17th on the grid in a race featuring two of the greatest overtaking manoeuvres in the history of F1.
Technical Changes - Singapore Grand Prix
Singapore Team Previews
Japanese Grand Prix - team and driver preview quotes
The mere mention of Suzuka sets drivers' pulses racing. This fabulous race track offers every type of corner in the book - from the spectacular esses after the start, to the challenging Spoon curve and the tight hairpin, all the way to the high-speed 130R. This weekend sees the teams return to the classic Japanese circuit for the first time since 2006. To say they are looking forward to it is something of an understatement…
News
Technical analysis: 2009 so far
Why hasn’t overtaking improved in 2009 as planned? And have double diffusers really made that much of a difference? John Beamer looks at the major technical developments this year.
Engine List
Engines - who has how many left?
Each driver may use a maximum of eight engines this season. Anything beyond that and they get a ten-place grid penalty per additional engine. With just three races remaining, most drivers are getting near the end of their allocation - and one has already exceeded it - meaning reliability will play an increasingly important role as the 2009 campaign approaches its finale.
Below is a list of how many new engines each driver has used thus far. If you drive a Renault or a Toro Rosso, then things are looking pretty rosy. If your name is Vettel or Kubica, however, then you are probably slightly worried. The one unknown, of course, is how many of each driver’s used engines is still useable - and how much life each has left in it…
McLaren-Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton - 7
Heikki Kovalainen - 7
Ferrari
Giancarlo Fisichella - 7
Kimi Raikkonen - 7
BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica - 8
Nick Heidfeld - 9
Renault
Fernando Alonso - 6
Romain Grosjean - 6
Toyota
Jarno Trulli - 7
Timo Glock - 7
STR-Ferrari
Jaime Alguersuari - 6
Sebastien Buemi - 6
RBR-Renault
Mark Webber - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 8
Williams-Toyota
Nico Rosberg - 7
Kazuki Nakajima - 7
Force India-Mercedes
Adrian Sutil - 7
Vitantonio Liuzzi - 7
Brawn-Mercedes
Jenson Button - 7
Rubens Barrichello - 7
The track and TV coverage starts
Inside F1 - Japanese Grand Prix preview
Francis Collings is joined by former F1 driver John Watson to discuss whether Britain's Jenson Button can secure the driver's title in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka (UK users only).
Technical changes Singapore
Practice 1
Replay - Japanese GP first practice
Watch a full replay of the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Highlights - Japanese GP first practice
McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen sets the fastest time in first practice for the the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka with Kazuki Nakajima second.
Practice 2
Replay - Japanese GP second practice
Watch a full replay of the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Highlights - Japanese GP second practice
Force India's Adrian Sutil sets the fastest time in second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as heavy rain prevents any action taking place for the first hour.
Practice 3
Qualifying
Interview - Japan qualifying top three
Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel reflects on his pole position after an incident packed qualifying session at Suzuka. Jarno Trulli qualifies second and Lewis Hamilton third.
Vettel's in-car pole lap
An in-car replay of Sebastian Vettel's quickest lap in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix which sees him earn pole position.
Glock crashes in Japan
Toyota's Timo Glock runs into the tyre wall coming out of the final bend at Suzuka during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. He escaped serious injury.
Brawn trio pleased with qualifying effort
Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Ross Brawn give their thoughts on an eventful qualifying session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Japanese GP qualifying photos
Fuel Loads
Race
Highlights - Japanese Grand Prix
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel leads from start to finish to win the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Interview - top three drivers at Suzuka
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel describes his feelings after winning the Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.
Japanese GP post-race forum
A full replay of BBC Sport's interactive forum following Sebastian Vettel's victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. (UK users only)
Standings
TV times:
JAPAN - Suzuka
Friday 2 October
First practice: 0200-0330, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Second practice: 0600-0730, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Repeated on the Red Button service from 1600
Inside F1: 1830-1845, BBC News Channel, then repeated on the Red Button
Saturday 3 October
Third practice: 0300-0400, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 0500-0730, BBC One/BBC Red Button/Radio 5 Live/online
Qualifying re-run: 1300-1415, BBC One/BBC Red Button
Qualifying highlights: 1415-0500 Sunday, BBC Red Button (times and services vary on Freeview)
Sunday 4 October
Race: 0500-0800, BBC One/BBC Red Button/Radio 5 Live/online
Race re-run: 1300-1500, BBC One/BBC Red Button
Race highlights: 0800-1300 and 1500-1600 Tuesday, BBC Red Button (times and services vary on Freeview)
Interactive Forum: 0800-0900, BBC Red Button/online
Highlights: 1900-2000, BBC Three/BBC Red Button/online
Standings:
Track:
Track Diagram
Zoom in and fly around Suzuka
Zoom in and fly around the Suzuka circuit, host of the Japanese Grand Prix.
BBC Formula 1 circuit guides - 2009
Murray Walker's Japanese GP preview
Welcome back to fabulous, unique Suzuka as the host of the Japanese Grand Prix. There have been some great, great races there in the past, but this season has been so unpredictable that I've given up trying to forecast who's going to win each race. Here's my preview.
Circuit information
Location: Fuji, Japan
Grand Prix Held: 2
Years: 1976-1977
First Grand Prix: 1976
Last Grand Prix: 1977
Opened: December 1965
Circuit Length: 4,563 KM
Circuit width:
15-25m
Longest straight: 1,475KM
Turns:
10 right
6 left
Incline: Maximum descending 10.05% ; max ascending 8.88%
Spectator capacity grandstand: 22.288]
Weather Forecast
The Japanese Grand Prix has moved back from Fuji to Suzuka this year. Although Fuji will always be remembered for the downpours that greeted the 1976 and 2007 F1 races, Suzuka has had its share of wet weather as well.
Very heavy rain fell in 1994, almost causing the race to be abandoned. And showers hit the races in 1988, 1995 and 2000. In 2004 qualifying had to be moved after typhoon Ma-on hit the circuit on Saturday.
There is rain in the area at the moment and it is expected to remain until Friday at least. There is a reduced chance that further rain could liven up qualifying on Saturday, but early indications are that race day will remain dry. We’ll know more as we get closer to the day.
In the run-up to the sessions, keep an eye on this satellite graphic to see how rain could affect the race. See below for the location of Suzuka:
Suzuka - a Formula One set-up guide
Classic Grand Prix
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1976
Watch highlights from the inaugural Japanese Grand Prix as Mario Andretti wins and James Hunt finishes third at Fuji to win the 1976 world championship.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1989
Watch highlights from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix as Alain Prost wins his third world championship after Ayrton Senna was disqualified after winning at Suzuka.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1994
Watch highlights from the 1994 Japanese Grand Prix as Damon Hill wins on aggregate in torrential conditions from Michael Schumacher to keep his title hopes alive.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2000
Watch highlights from the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix as Michael Schumacher wins an epic duel with McLaren's Mika Hakkinen to end Ferrari's 21-year wait for the drivers' world title.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2005
Watch highlights from the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix as McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen wins after starting 17th on the grid in a race featuring two of the greatest overtaking manoeuvres in the history of F1.
Technical Changes - Singapore Grand Prix
Singapore Team Previews
Japanese Grand Prix - team and driver preview quotes
The mere mention of Suzuka sets drivers' pulses racing. This fabulous race track offers every type of corner in the book - from the spectacular esses after the start, to the challenging Spoon curve and the tight hairpin, all the way to the high-speed 130R. This weekend sees the teams return to the classic Japanese circuit for the first time since 2006. To say they are looking forward to it is something of an understatement…
News
- Massa back behind the wheel, on the road to recovery
Since fracturing his skull at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Ferrari's Felipe Massa has been at home in Brazil convalescing ahead of his planned Formula One comeback in 2010. This week Massa's recuperation took an encouraging step forward after he returned to the track to enjoy two days of karting. - McLaren target overtaking Ferrari
McLaren are aiming to end the 2009 season on a high by snatching third place in the constructors' championship from old rivals Ferrari. - Vettel: DNFs cost me title chance
Sebastian Vettel says the five non-finishes he has registered this season were the main reason his world championship challenge never came to fruition. - Button not thinking about title endgame
Jenson Button says he will not allow himself to be distracted by the possibility of clinching the world championship at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, and will instead approach the race like any other. - Kubica not getting hopes up for Japan
Robert Kubica says he cannot be confident that BMW's developments will bring it into contention in Japan as this season has been too close and unpredictable to have firm expectations. - Force India expects to resume progress
Vijay Mallya fully expects his Force India team to move back up the grid at Suzuka this weekend after struggling in Singapore, although he is setting his sights on a return to Q2 rather than a repeat of recent front-running form. - Hamilton can't wait to sample Suzuka
Lewis Hamilton is bubbling with excitement at the prospect of driving the revered Suzuka circuit for the first time in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Technical analysis: 2009 so far
Why hasn’t overtaking improved in 2009 as planned? And have double diffusers really made that much of a difference? John Beamer looks at the major technical developments this year.
Engine List
Engines - who has how many left?
Each driver may use a maximum of eight engines this season. Anything beyond that and they get a ten-place grid penalty per additional engine. With just three races remaining, most drivers are getting near the end of their allocation - and one has already exceeded it - meaning reliability will play an increasingly important role as the 2009 campaign approaches its finale.
Below is a list of how many new engines each driver has used thus far. If you drive a Renault or a Toro Rosso, then things are looking pretty rosy. If your name is Vettel or Kubica, however, then you are probably slightly worried. The one unknown, of course, is how many of each driver’s used engines is still useable - and how much life each has left in it…
McLaren-Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton - 7
Heikki Kovalainen - 7
Ferrari
Giancarlo Fisichella - 7
Kimi Raikkonen - 7
BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica - 8
Nick Heidfeld - 9
Renault
Fernando Alonso - 6
Romain Grosjean - 6
Toyota
Jarno Trulli - 7
Timo Glock - 7
STR-Ferrari
Jaime Alguersuari - 6
Sebastien Buemi - 6
RBR-Renault
Mark Webber - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 8
Williams-Toyota
Nico Rosberg - 7
Kazuki Nakajima - 7
Force India-Mercedes
Adrian Sutil - 7
Vitantonio Liuzzi - 7
Brawn-Mercedes
Jenson Button - 7
Rubens Barrichello - 7
The track and TV coverage starts
Inside F1 - Japanese Grand Prix preview
Francis Collings is joined by former F1 driver John Watson to discuss whether Britain's Jenson Button can secure the driver's title in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka (UK users only).
Technical changes Singapore
Practice 1
Replay - Japanese GP first practice
Watch a full replay of the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Highlights - Japanese GP first practice
McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen sets the fastest time in first practice for the the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka with Kazuki Nakajima second.
Practice 2
Replay - Japanese GP second practice
Watch a full replay of the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Highlights - Japanese GP second practice
Force India's Adrian Sutil sets the fastest time in second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as heavy rain prevents any action taking place for the first hour.
Practice 3
Qualifying
Interview - Japan qualifying top three
Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel reflects on his pole position after an incident packed qualifying session at Suzuka. Jarno Trulli qualifies second and Lewis Hamilton third.
Vettel's in-car pole lap
An in-car replay of Sebastian Vettel's quickest lap in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix which sees him earn pole position.
Glock crashes in Japan
Toyota's Timo Glock runs into the tyre wall coming out of the final bend at Suzuka during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. He escaped serious injury.
Brawn trio pleased with qualifying effort
Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Ross Brawn give their thoughts on an eventful qualifying session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Japanese GP qualifying photos
Fuel Loads
Race
Highlights - Japanese Grand Prix
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel leads from start to finish to win the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Interview - top three drivers at Suzuka
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel describes his feelings after winning the Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.
Japanese GP post-race forum
A full replay of BBC Sport's interactive forum following Sebastian Vettel's victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. (UK users only)
Standings
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