THE JAPANESE GP

THE MAIN EVENT

The first outpost in Formula 1’s eastward expansion, Japan is home to some of the sport’s keenest fans – and they have to be, for Suzuka, the Japanese GP’S traditional home, is some way off the beaten track, though only 40 miles south of the city of Nagoya. Suzuka makes the most of a narrow and undulating piece of real estate, even folding in on itself. It’s the only circuit on the calendar with a figure-of-eight layout.

The area’s sharply bumpy topography has made it difficult to update the circuit to modern standards, so the track itself is narrow and the run-off areas not especially generous. Drivers are prepared to forgive Suzuka this, though, for in a properly set-up car it is an absolute delight to string together a lap around its flowing, swooping curves.

Overtaking is possible, but not easy, and one of Suzuka’s most frequent challenges is a truly unpredictable one: the weather. October comes at the tail end of Typhoon season, so when the rain comes it does so with great force.

CLASSIC RACE: 2007

Torrential rain meant that the first Japanese GP at Fuji for 30 years had to be started behind the Safety Car, which led the field, headed by the Mclarens of polesitter Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, for the first 19 laps. When racing got underway Hamilton put in a controlled performance for a fifth win of his debut season, when others seemed determined to make mistakes. Ferrari had their cars on the wrong (‘standard’ and not ‘extreme’) wets at the start and were forced to pit to rectify this. Hamilton led until his only stop on lap 28 and even when punted into a spin by Robert Kubica on lap 34 he was back in the lead after 41 laps, just as Alonso crashed out.