Japanese Grand Prix

Fuji Speedway
Race information
Laps	67
Circuit length	4. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan 563 km (2. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 835 mi)
Race length	307. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 57 km (189. 967 mi)
Most wins (drivers)	Michael Schumacher (6)
Most wins (constructors)	Ferrari McLaren (9)
Last race (2007):
Pole position	Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:25. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing McLaren, founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren (1937&ndash1970 is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK The 2007 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth race of the 2007 Formula One season. Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born Stevenage, 7 January 1985 McLaren, founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren (1937&ndash1970 is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the 368
Podium	1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 2:00:34. Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born Stevenage, 7 January 1985 McLaren, founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren (1937&ndash1970 is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the 579
Fastest lap	Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:28. Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born Stevenage, 7 January 1985 McLaren, founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren (1937&ndash1970 is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the 193

The Japanese Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is one of the most-loved F1 events of the season, due to the exciting and challenging layout of Suzuka Circuit which hosted many races in the past, and because of its traditional place at the end of the schedule which means that this event has seen a great number of Championship crowns being won and lost. Suzuka International Racing Course ( Suzuka Circuit for short is a co-host of the Formula One Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, and

In the twenty Japanese Grands Prix (1976-1977; 1987-2004), eleven have seen the title destiny decided (1976, 1987-1991, 1996, 1998-2000, and 2003), with five of those events (1976, 1996, 1998-1999 and 2003) being last race Championship deciders. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

In 1994 and 1995, Japan another Formula One event called the Pacific Grand Prix at TI Circuit, making Japan one of only six countries (the others being Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Italy and the USA) to ever host more than one Grand Prix in the same year. The Pacific Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship twice in the mid-1990s The Okayama International Circuit (formerly known as TI Circuit Aida) is a private Motorsport race track near Aida (Present Mimasaka) It was discontinued primarily due to its location in a remote area of Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

In 2007 and 2008, the race will be held at the redesigned Fuji Speedway, the site of the Japanese GP's inugural running back in 1976. Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan From 2009 onwards, the race will alternate between Fuji Speedway and Suzuka Circuit, owned by perennial rivals Toyota Motor Corporation and Honda Motor Co., Ltd., respectively. Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan Suzuka International Racing Course ( Suzuka Circuit for short is a co-host of the Formula One Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, and (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. This ended media speculation that Suzuka may retain a race under a resurrection of the Pacific Grand Prix moniker. The Pacific Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship twice in the mid-1990s ^[1]

History

Inaugural Races

The first Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, in 1976, was held at the Fuji Speedway, 40 miles (64 km) west of Yokohama. Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū and is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area The race was to become famous for the title decider between James Hunt and Niki Lauda as it was held during monsoon conditions. James Simon Wallis Hunt ( 29 August 1947 &ndash 15 June 1993) was a British racing driver from England who won the Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian Aviator, Entrepreneur A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Lauda, who had survived a near-fatal crash at the German Grand Prix earlier in the season, withdrew from the race stating that his life was more important than the championship. The German Grand Prix ( Großer Preis von Deutschland) is an annual automobile race Hunt scored the 3rd position he needed to win the title by the slender margin of one point. Hunt returned the next year to win the second Japanese Grand Prix, but a collision between Gilles Villeneuve and Ronnie Peterson during the race saw Villeneuve's Ferrari somersault into a restricted area, killing two spectators. Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve ( Gilles Villeneuve ʒil vilnœv ( January 18, 1950 &ndash May 8, 1982) was a Canadian This is about the racing driver For the ice hockey player see Ronnie Pettersson. Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing ^[2] The race did not reappear on the Formula One calendar for another decade.

Return to Japan at Suzuka

On Formula 1's return to Japan in 1987, the Grand Prix found a new venue at Suzuka Circuit, 50 miles (80 km) south west of Nagoya. Suzuka International Racing Course ( Suzuka Circuit for short is a co-host of the Formula One Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix, and is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan. The circuit, set inside a funfair, was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholtz and owned by Honda, who used it as a test track. Traveling carnival A funfair or simply fair (eg " County fair" " state fair" is a small to medium sized traveling Fair () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. Most notable initially for its layout—Suzuka is the only figure-eight race track to appear on the F1 calendar—immediately it saw another World Title decided, as Nigel Mansell injured himself when he crashed his Williams-Honda in practice and consequently could not start the race, effectively handing the title to his team-mate Nelson Piquet. Biography Mansell was born in Upton-upon-Severn, a small Town in the English county of Worcestershire. Nelson Piquet Souto Maior (born August 17, 1952) more commonly known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver who was Formula

Suzuka will always be chiefly remembered, however, for the legendary feud between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. Alain Marie Pascal Prost, OBE (born 24 February 1955 is a French racing driver Ayrton Senna da Silva ( pronounced, March 21, 1960 &ndash May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver and triple During the 1989 Grand Prix, Senna tried to overtake Prost to keep his Championship hopes alive, only for Prost to shut the door as he had stated before the race, saying he would not be giving up the position simply for McLaren not to be embarrassed by a double retirement. Prost was beached and got out of his car promptly, knowing he had won the championship whilst Senna got a push from the marshalls. However, it was deemed he had cut the chicane and eventually disqualified after making his way up to the lead and being first on the track. He was infuriated by the decision, as shown in a video of the pre-race drivers' briefing the following year^[3], as fellow driver Nelson Piquet argued it was dangerous for a driver to go against the traffic just to make the chicane. At the ensuing 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, Senna mimicked Prost's statement of the previous year saying he would not move over if Prost attempted to overtake in the first corner, resulting in the two crashing out and thus handing Senna his second world championship. Both drivers have been accused of crashing into the other deliberately and thus the two situations as well as their comments after both incidents have tainted both driver's reputations in the eyes of most but die hard fans.

The late 20th and early 21st century have seen a number of other, rather more sporting duels for the Championship at Suzuka, most memorably those between Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula Mika Pauli Häkkinen ( (born September 28, 1968 in Helsingin maalaiskunta) is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula The most notable of these was at the 2000 race, where Schumacher took advantage of his superior speed in damp conditions during a mid-race rain shower to secure the race win and his first World Title for Ferrari — his third in all, making up for his lost championship after stalling on the grid for the race despite being confident he would win it (even sporting a new, chrome helmet design that read "World Champion"). The 1998 Formula One season was the 49th FIA Formula One World Championship season

At the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher endured one of the most trying races in his illustrious career but managed to secure the point he needed to take his sixth World Championship, beating the record held by Juan Manuel Fangio. The 2003 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 12, 2003 at the Suzuka Circuit. Juan Manuel Fangio ( Balcarce, June 24, 1911 - Buenos Aires, July 17, 1995) nicknamed "El Chueco" ("knock-kneed" At the 2006 event Michael Schumacher led until an engine failure virtually ended his chances of an eighth championship. The 2006 Japanese Grand Prix was the seventeenth race of the 2006 Formula One season.

The qualifying session for the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix, due to have been held on 9 October, was postponed until race day after a typhoon hit Suzuka. The 2004 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 10, 2004 at the Suzuka Circuit. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. This led to the idea of holding qualifying sessions on a Sunday morning (an idea that was abandoned half-way through the following year). "F1 2005" redirects here For the video games based on the 2005 Formula One season see F1 05 & F1 Grand Prix.

Alternation between Suzuka and Fuji

It was announced on March 24, 2006 by the FIA that future races will again be held at the redesigned Fuji Speedway in the Shizuoka Prefecture^[4]. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines--> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū Island The news of the Japanese Grand Prix moving to the circuit redesigned by Hermann Tilke was met with some trepidation, as Suzuka was a favorite of many of the drivers and Hermann Tilke's tracks have received mixed reviews from the drivers and the fans. Hermann Tilke (born December 31, 1954 in Olpe) is a German Architect, designer of Formula One Motor racing circuits

On 8th September 2007, it was announced that Fuji will alternate the Japanese Grand Prix with Suzuka, starting from 2009 onwards. ^[5]

Winners of the Japanese Grand Prix

Repeat Winners

Only includes World Championship events

Number of wins	Driver	Years
6	Michael Schumacher	1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
2	Motoharu Kurosawa	1969, 1973
	Gerhard Berger	1987, 1991
	Ayrton Senna	1988, 1993
	Damon Hill	1994, 1996
	Mika Häkkinen	1998, 1999

Year by year

Events which were not part of the Formula One World Championship are indicated by a pink background. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula The 1995 Japanese Grand Prix (formally the XXI Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on October 29 1995 at the Suzuka Circuit The 1997 Japanese Grand Prix (officially known as the XXIII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on October 12 1997 at the It was joy for Michael Schumacher who claimed his third world title and the first drivers title for Ferrari since Jody Scheckter back in 1979 in a very tense race The 2001 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on on October 14, 2001 at the Suzuka Circuit. The 2002 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka on October 13, 2002. The 2004 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 10, 2004 at the Suzuka Circuit. (nicknamed) is a retired professional Japanese racing Driver who was a factory driver for Nissan. Gerhard Berger, (born August 27, 1959 in Wörgl) is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver who owns 50% of the Scuderia Results from the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix held at Suzuka on November 1, 1987. The 1991 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Suzuka on October 20, 1991. Ayrton Senna da Silva ( pronounced, March 21, 1960 &ndash May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver and triple The 1988 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Suzuka Circuit, Japan, on October 30, 1988. The 1993 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka on October 24, 1993. Damon Graham Devereux Hill OBE (born 17 September 1960 in London) is a retired World Championship winning British racing driver from England The 1994 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on November 6, 1994 at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka. The 1996 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 13, 1996 at Suzuka. Mika Pauli Häkkinen ( (born September 28, 1968 in Helsingin maalaiskunta) is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula The 1998 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Suzuka on November 1, 1998. The 1999 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 31, 1999 at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka,

Year	Driver	Constructor	Location	Report
2007	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	Fuji	Report
2006	Fernando Alonso	Renault	Suzuka	Report
2005	Kimi Räikkönen	McLaren-Mercedes	Suzuka	Report
2004	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
2003	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
2002	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
2001	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
2000	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
1999	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	Suzuka	Report
1998	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	Suzuka	Report
1997	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
1996	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Suzuka	Report
1995	Michael Schumacher	Benetton-Renault	Suzuka	Report
1994	Damon Hill	Williams-Renault	Suzuka	Report
1993	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Ford	Suzuka	Report
1992	Riccardo Patrese	Williams-Renault	Suzuka	Report
1991	Gerhard Berger	McLaren-Honda	Suzuka	Report
1990	Nelson Piquet	Benetton-Ford	Suzuka	Report
1989	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton-Ford	Suzuka	Report
1988	Ayrton Senna	McLaren-Honda	Suzuka	Report
1987	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	Suzuka	Report
1986 – 1978	Not held
1977	James Hunt	McLaren-Ford	Fuji	Report
1976	Mario Andretti	Lotus-Ford	Fuji	Report
1976	Jacques Laffite	BMW	Fuji	Report
1975	Masahiro Hasemi	March	Fuji	Report
1974	Not held
1973	Motoharu Kurosawa	March	Fuji	Report
1972	John Surtees	Surtees	Fuji	Report
1971	Kuniomi Nagamatsu	Mitsubishi	Fuji	Report
1970	Not held
1969	Motoharu Kurosawa	Nissan	Fuji	Report
1968	Moto Kitano	Nissan	Fuji	Report
1967	Tetsu Ikuzawa	Porsche	Fuji	Report
1966	Yoshikazu Sunako	Prince	Fuji	Report
1965	Not held
1964	Soukichi Shikiba	Porsche	Suzuka	Report
1963	Peter Warr	Lotus-Cosworth	Suzuka	Report

External links

• Japanese Grand Prix (Unofficial)

References