Hamilton takes points lead into Japanese GP
At this time, F1’s governing body, the FIA, has no plans of canceling or changing the start time of the Japanese GP; however, the FIA will continue to monitor weather conditions in the area throughout the weekend.
F1 is in Sochi, Russia next week for the inaugural running of the Russian Grand Prix.
On Friday, Mercedes drivers and championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were once again the fastest in practice. Rosberg led the way in the opening session with a lap in 1 minute, 35.461 seconds, while Hamilton was just 0.151 seconds behind.
In P2, Hamilton posted the quickest lap of the day in 1:35.078. Rosberg was second in 1:35.318.
“Qualifying is going to be very important, as it is quite difficult to overtake here (at Suzuka),” Hamilton said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with the weather this weekend. It’s such a challenging circuit, but we always come to the weekend prepared for everything. I just want to race.”
Hamilton currently holds a three-point lead over Rosberg in the world championship standings. Rosberg relinquished the top spot in the rankings after his retirement in the Sept. 21 Singapore GP. He experienced an electrical problem before the race started, and after completing just 13 laps, the issue had forced him out of the event.
“I had said before that Singapore was probably the toughest moment of my year so far, and looking back on it, I still think that is true,” said Rosberg, who held a 22-point lead over Hamilton prior to Singapore. “To have the chance for a top result basically taken away before you even reach the grid is hard to swallow, and of course, it was a lot of points lost in the championship battle.”
Hamilton started on the pole and won both the Italian Grand Prix (Sept. 7) and the Singapore GP. He scored a victory in the Japanese GP during his 2007 F1 rookie season, but that race was contested at Fuji Speedway.
“Suzuka is one of the races on the calendar that drivers love the most, and it’s arguably one of the greatest tracks in the world,” Hamilton said. “There’s so much history, and there have been so many defining moments there – like those unforgettable battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. I’ve never won at this circuit and have only made the podium once, on my first visit way back in 2009.”
In last year’s race here, Hamilton, in his first season with Mercedes, started third but suffered a puncture in his right-rear tire on the first lap. It caused significant damage to his car, forcing him out of the race after seven laps.
Series: Formula One. Date: Sunday, Oct. 5. Race: Japanese Grand Prix. Site: Suzuka Circuit. Track: 3.608-mile (5.807-kilometer), 18-turn road course. Start Time: 2 a.m. ET. Laps: 53. Miles: 191.117 (307.471 km). 2013 Winner: Sebastian Vettel. Television: NBC Sports Network.
Categorized in: FIA