Japanese Grand Prix Facts & Stats

Wednesday, 04 October 2017 at 12:28

Suzuka is one of the great tracks used in Formula 1 today, providing a massive test of car and driver.

Built by Honda as a test facility in 1962, the track was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholz. A huge theme park was also constructed at the track, including the famous Ferris wheel which dominates the Suzuka skyline.

In 1987, having hosted various sportscar and F2 races, and having lost out initially to Fuji in the race to host the Japanese Grand Prix, Honda's influence finally prevailed and the Grand Prix had a new Japanese home. Apart from 2007 and 2008 aside Suzuka has remained on the calendar, providing the scene for many historic races.

Iconic moments have added to Suzuka's appeal with fans, with the Grand Prix now attracting some of the most passionate and knowledgeable crowds in F1 racing.

The track has also become a favourite with drivers, featuring some of the F1 calendar's most challenging corners.

Among the most popular are the high-speed 130R and the famous Spoon Curve. On top of this the circuit's figure-of-eight layout makes it unique in F1 racing.

Facts & Statistics

Lap distance: 5.807km. Total distance: 307.471km (53 laps).
2016 pole: Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes, One minute 30.647 seconds.
2016 winner: Rosberg
Race lap record: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) one minute 31.540 seconds (McLaren 2005)
Start time: 0500 GMT (1400 local)

Victories

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton has 60 career victories from 203 races and is second in the all-time list behind Michael Schumacher (91). Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel has 46.
Champions Mercedes have won nine of 15 races this season.
Ferrari have won 228 races since 1950, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Mercedes 73 and Red Bull 54. Former champions McLaren and Williams have not won since 2012.
There have been five different winners this season so far -- Hamilton (seven), Vettel (four), Valtteri Bottas (two), Daniel Ricciardo (one), Max Verstappen (one). That is the most in a season since 2013.

Pole Position

Hamilton has an all-time record 70 career poles.
Mercedes have been on pole in 67 of the last 73 races.
Four drivers have started on pole this season -- Hamilton (nine times), Vettel (three times), Bottas (twice) and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

Podiums

Hamilton has 114 podiums to date and is second on the all-time list behind Schumacher (155). Vettel has 96, Raikkonen 88.
Vettel and Bottas both have 10 podium finishes this season. Ricciardo has had eight.

Championship Points

Hamilton is 34 points clear of Vettel. It is the biggest lead either of the contenders has enjoyed this season.
Sauber's Marcus Ericsson is the only driver yet to score this season.
Hamilton now has 20 scoring finishes in a row, the longest such run of his career. Raikkonen holds the record of 27. Hamilton and Force India's Esteban Ocon are the only drivers to have finished every race so far.
Red Bull's Verstappen has retired seven times in the last 15 races. Three of those were on the opening lap.

Japanese Grand Prix

Mercedes won the constructors' championship in Japan last year but that will not happen this time.
Hamilton has won two of the last three races at Suzuka but has never been on pole there.
Ferrari have not won at Suzuka since Michael Schumacher's last Japanese success in 2004.
Vettel has been on pole and won four of the last eight Japanese Grands Prix, all with Red Bull. Only Schumacher (six times) has won more Japanese GPs.
Hamilton (2007, 2014, 2015), Alonso (2006 and 2008) and Raikkonen (2005) are all past winners in Japan.
In 28 races at Suzuka, the winner has come from the front row on 24 occasions and been on pole in 13. Raikkonen is the standout exception, winning from 17th on the grid in 2005.
Six of the last 12 winners have started on pole.
There have been 32 Japanese Grands Prix since 1976, four of them at Fuji.

Milestones

Vettel can take the 50th pole of his career, the fourth driver to do so.
This will be Honda's last home race with McLaren. They have not scored a point at Suzuka since the partnership started in 2014.