Japanese GrandPrix Preview

Circuit Length: 3.6135miles (5.807KM)

Race Distance: 307.471KM

Total Number of Laps: 53

Lap Record: Kimi Raikkonen – 1:31.540s (2005)

So I know it’s a little early as we have only just had the Singapore GrandPrix but I thought that I would do a preview of the next race – The Japnaese GrandPrix in Suzaka. This circuit is unique to Formula One in that it is the race on the calendar that features a figure of eight layout. I absolutely love the Japanese GrandPrix in my opinion it is one of  the highligt’s of the Formula One season. For years it was known for settling epic champiomship deciders the 1999 season stands out for me in particular when Mika Hakkinen beat Eddie Irvine to the title by a single point.

The weather in Japan for the GrandPrix is usually unpreidctable and last year’s race was a mararthon ue to the weather however McLaren’s Jenson Button domintaed to win the race and he will be hoping that he can have a repeat performance this season.

Kimi Raikkonen returns to a circuit where he has always done well and with the Lotus team expected to bring a massive upgrade package for the event he could be challenging for hid first win in Formula One since his return.

The Japanese fan’s are extremely passionate about Formula One and this goes back to the day’s of Senna and Prost in the late 1980’s. From the start/finish straight the driver’s fly down to turn one taking it flatout as turn one doubles up into turn two turn’s 3,4,5,6 and 7 all follow in quick succession as left, right, left combinations.

From turn 7, the driver’s then take the loop of the Dunlop Curve and fly towards turn eight known as the Degner Curve here is a perfect overtaking oppoerunity as mistakes can be made as theire is potential for driver’s to run wide by carrying too much speed into turn nine heading under the flyover driver’s pick up more speed as they head towards the heaving braking zones of turn ten and the tricky left handed hairpin, this is another excellent opportunity to overtake during the race because driver’s will tend to lock up heading into this turn unless they have the perfect race set up. Driver’s will be able to deploy KERS to complete a successful overtake through turn 11.

Turn 12 is another sweeping loop that will be taken flat out as the driver’s line –up for turns 13 and 14 known as the Spoon Curve this is another great overtaking opportunity and in some case cars have been known to run wide here too. From Spoon Curve the driver’s will head down the back straight, the perfect place to pull an overtaking manouver and they will get the added speed of The DRS as this is most likely to be the seocnd DRS detection zone.

Turn 15 is another great overtaking area as the cars will be flat out before the extremely heavy braking zone of the final chicane again of turns 16 and 17 again another great overtaking opportunity before they deploy the last of their KERS through turn 18 before activating the DRS once more done the main staaight to complete the lap.