Formula 1 2019 Japanese Grand Prix

The gathering is the fourth of a series held in recent months specifically to shape the 2021 rules, with representatives of the GPDA invited to join the FIA, Liberty and teams.<br>Two subsidiary meetings were held at Suzuka this weekend by way of preparation. One saw team managers discuss details of sporting regulations, such as the revised curfew. The other was specifically for strategists, where ...

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Leclerc had qualified on pole for the previous four grands prix, a run that stretched his dominant run over Vettel in qualifying to nine races.<br>Suzuka marked the first time Vettel had outqualified Leclerc since June's Canadian Grand Prix, which was also the last time Vettel was on pole.<br>Asked if he had enjoyed a breakthrough during the Japan weekend, Vettel said: "Not really, just a clean ...

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Three-time F1 champion Niki Lauda died earlier this year, leaving a hole in the team that he had helped play a role alongside Toto Wolff in guiding to the top of the sport.<br>But while Mercedes' record-breaking run is something everyone at Mercedes is proud off, Hamilton says the shine has been taken off the 2019 success.<br>"It definitely feels a little bit different," said Hamilton. "Obviously ...

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Red Bull driver Albon dropped behind both McLarens on the opening lap and on lap four launched a move on Norris into the chicane from a long way back. <br>Norris took evasive action as Albon appeared on his inside at the apex of the corner, the two cars touched and Norris lost two more places as he skated across the run-off. <br>Immediately after the race Norris was unaware the two had touched ...

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Vettel's car moved forward briefly from his pole position slot before the lights had gone out to start the race at Suzuka on Sunday.<br>That inching forward appeared to be in contravention of the rules which are clear that cars must remain stationary before the start lights have gone out.<br>Article 36.13a) of F1's Sporting Regulations states a penalty will be given to any driver who "moved before ...

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Magnussen was eliminated early in qualifying on Sunday morning when he lost the rear of his car on the exit of the final chicane and crashed through the kink before the finish line. <br>Haas repaired his car and fitted a new gearbox in time for the race, which took place just a few hours later because of the unusual schedule at Suzuka enforced by Typhoon Hagibis, but Magnussen finished down in ...

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Leclerc had a slow start from second on the grid and was passed by Verstappen on the outside into Turn 1, then misjudged his speed into Turn 2 and ran wide into the Red Bull.<br>The clash forced Verstappen off-track and damage forced him to retire early in the race, while Leclerc eventually pit for a new front wing and recovered to sixth before penalties for the contact and staying out too long ...

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Verstappen had passed Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on the run to the first corner and kept to the outside as the track tightened into Turn 2, but Leclerc ran wide and his Ferrari clattered into the Red Bull.<br>Verstappen was shoved onto the grass and had a half-spin before rejoining in 18th, but retired on lap 15 after making little progress.<br>"It was a huge amount of damage to the floor," Red ...

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Racing Point protested Renault after the Japanese Grand Prix over an alleged pre-set lap distance-dependent brake bias adjustment system on both cars.<br>Representatives of both teams and one from the FIA technical department convened with the Japanese GP stewards on Sunday evening, and the stewards determined that the protest satisfied all relevant parts of the International Sporting Code and is ...

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Both Kubica and teammate George Russell had turns running the sole example of Williams's upgraded front wing during opening Suzuka practice on Friday.<br><br>Read Also:<br><br>Williams trials experimental front wing in Suzuka<br><br><br>Kubica was more positive about it, and it was kept on his car for second practice.<br>He said his expectation was that he would keep the wing for delayed ...

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Perez’s Racing Point was tapped into a spin by Gasly and came to a rest in the barriers on what was supposed to be the final lap of the race, after Perez had tried to pass the Toro Rosso for eighth place round the outside of Turn 2.<br>An error with the chequered flag light panel meant that the race results were ultimately taken at the end of the previous lap, allowing Perez to retain ninth ...

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The Japanese GP stewards have summoned representatives from both teams and they were due to begin hearings at 18.30 local time on Sunday.<br>According to the FIA documents, Racing Point has protested the cars of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg for a "pre-set lap distance-dependent brake bias adjustment system".<br>The summons referred to an "alleged breach of FIA Formula 1 sporting and ...

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Leclerc broke the left front endplate of his car in a second-corner clash with Max Verstappen at Suzuka, and the part dragged along the ground for much of the opening lap.<br>F1 race director Michael Masi had safety concerns about the part breaking off and, during communication with the team, he was advised that Leclerc would be pitted at the end of the second lap.<br>But, with Leclerc not losing ...

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The Suzuka race was supposed to run to 53 laps, but it is understood the chequered light was displayed on lap 52.<br>With F1’s regulations being strict that the race is declared as soon as the chequered flag is shown, it means the final result has to be taken at the completion of lap 52 rather than 53.<br>Article 43.2 of F1's sporting regulations states: "Should for any reason the ...

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Leclerc had started the race from second on the grid but got a poor getaway, while Verstappen was able to sweep his Red Bull past the fourth-starting Lewis Hamilton to gain an advantage heading into Turn 2.<br>But the Ferrari driver ran deep into the corner before going wide, then colliding with Verstappen and forcing him off the track.<br>The stewards initially deemed the collision a racing ...

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Vettel’s car, which had lined up on pole for the Suzuka Formula 1 race, had twitched forward before the start lights were out, which meant he was placed under investigation soon after.<br>But while Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen had got a penalty in similar circumstances in Russia, Vettel - who seemingly avoided leaving his grid slot and got the car stopped again in time for the official race ...

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Bottas launched from third to first on the run to the first corner, passing both Ferraris as Leclerc got away slowly and poleman Vettel erred significantly, losing time by moving slightly before the lights went out.<br>That put Bottas into a lead he never relinquished, while Vettel avoided a jump-start penalty – despite replays clearly showing he moved before the red lights went out – to ...

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Mercedes had a commanding advantage in Friday practice at Suzuka but, after a day without track activity thanks to Typhoon Hagibis cancelled Saturday’s running, Ferrari came to the fore in Sunday morning’s qualifying session.<br>Sebastian Vettel gave Ferrari its fifth straight pole as Charles Leclerc completed a front-low lockout, with Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton ...

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The Polish driver crashed out in the early stages of Q1 at Suzuka after dropping a wheel on to the grass on the run down to the start-finish straight.<br>His Williams car ran off into the barriers and was too badly damaged to get fixed in time for the start of the race.<br>Williams confirmed immediately after qualifying that it was attempting to build up a new chassis for him, but was facing a ...

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With rivals Mercedes having looked so fast on Friday, few had expected Ferrari to have a chance of maintaining a run of pole positions that stretches back to the Belgian Grand Prix.  <br>But the Maranello cars were dominant throughout the delayed Sunday morning Q3 session, with Vettel ending up on pole from his teammate by just under two tenths of a second.<br>Vettel said: “I think we are ...

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Sebastian Vettel claimed pole position with a commanding performance in qualifying for Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix, as Ferrari overturned Mercedes' practice pace advantage to lock out the front row.Vettel led the way throughout Q3 at Suzuka, setting a 1m27.2s lap on his first run and improving to a 1m27.0s best on his final run to claim his first pole since June's Canadian Grand ...

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The tyre company will now produce the extra sets of the new tyres to be run by all drivers on the Friday of the US GP, as well as giving the teams the information that will allow them to choose what combinations of compounds they wish to run in the two-day post-season test at Abu Dhabi.<br>Pirelli had requested the extra Barcelona test because it wanted to validate its final 2020 products on a ...

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Sochi poleman Leclerc gave Vettel a tow at the start of the race and did not defend into the second corner, allowing Vettel to pass the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and rise from third to first.<br>That meant Ferrari’s plan to hold the first two positions after the first lap succeeded, but Vettel was supposed to let Leclerc back ahead and then ignored a specific in-race instruction to do ...

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Hamilton holds a commanding 73-point lead over Mercedes teammate Bottas but cannot secure the title in this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.<br>However, he could wrap up a sixth championship in Mexico, if he extends his advantage by five points across the next two races.<br>Asked by Motorsport.com how he was looking at the drivers' championship, Bottas said: "I haven't thought in a way that 'that's ...

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McLaren announced at the Russian Grand Prix that it will be switching to Mercedes from 2021, meaning Renault will be left only building engines for itself.<br>But while Mercedes sees benefit in supplying a number of customer teams, Renault is adamant that there will be positive from being able to concentrate only on its works team.<br>Speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix, Renault F1's managing ...

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The American outfit has struggled to get its tyres working properly this year, but only recently realised that this was linked to an aero problem with updates rather than a design or concept issue.<br>It took experiments with using its Melbourne-specification aero package to get to the bottom of what has gone wrong, and it is only now that it has found the right hybrid combination of parts that it ...

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A change to next year’s FIA Sporting Regulations at this stage requires unanimity, and Motorsport.com understand that more than one team remains opposed to the plan, despite intense lobbying by the FIA and the F1 organisation.<br>However, a change for 2021 won’t require unanimity if made before the end of April 2020, so it’s possible that the idea will be postponed and tried a year later ...

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Most F1 sessions take place in dry conditions and when it rains drivers tend to wait and run intermediate tyres when the track is damp and avoid using full-wet Pirelli tyres.<br>This weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix’s Saturday action has been cancelled for safety reasons because of the threat of Typhoon Hagibis, but Raikkonen believes even less-dramatically bad weather conditions are a problem ...

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In his first year at Ferrari, Leclerc has taken five pole positions to Vettel's one, and he currently leads the four-time world champion by 215 points to 194.<br>Vettel was partnered with Nick Heidfeld on his debut with BMW Sauber, and his subsequent teammates in F1 were Sebastien Bourdais and Vitantonio Liuzzi at Toro Rosso, Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull, and Kimi Raikkonen and ...

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The DRS was introduced into F1 in 2011, giving drivers the opportunity to open a flap on the rear wing and boost straightline speed if they are within a second of the car in front during a grand prix.<br>It became part of F1 to combat the impact the cars’ increasing downforce levels had on the quality of racing, and the overtaking aid has since been adopted by other categories like the ...

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The impact of super typhoon Hagibis forced Suzuka chiefs to cancel all track running on Saturday, with qualifying and the race now taking place on Sunday.<br>Grosjean, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), says that the way that second practice turned into a potential qualifying session, and that all running will be done on two days, was a positive thing.<br>“We went ...

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The teams want to ensure that their cars and equipment are safe, and anything that was outside the garages has been safely stowed away. The hospitality buildings – which are basically metal and glass framed tents – have been emptied, with equipment going into more stable paddock structures until Sunday morning.<br>However, the priority is keeping the crew safe, and if you are responsible for ...

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The arrival of super Typhoon Hagibis has prompted race organisers to scrap all Saturday track action, with spectators, media and most team personnel told to stay away from the circuit on what should have been qualifying day.<br>And with the advice being for people to stay inside while the typhoon blows through, drivers have been pondering a host of different activities.<br><br>Read ...

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A ban on blankets has been a key part to the move to 18-inch tyres since it was announced, but Pirelli has latterly been pushing to keep them to make for an easier transition to the new size, and to aid with development.<br>Teams are generally also keen to keep them as learning how to engineer their cars to deal with the lack of blankets is an extra challenge that they now won’t have to ...

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Ricciardo and Hulkenberg finished FP2 in 17th and 18th places respectively, which will become their grid positions for the Japanese GP if qualifying is not run as scheduled at 10am on Sunday following the cancellation of Saturday's track action.<br>Renault has enjoyed a strong run since the summer break, consistently getting both cars into Q3.<br>But on Friday afternoon, the team opted to go for ...

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Reigning SUPER GT and Super Formula champion Yamamoto, a Honda-backed driver, stepped into Gasly’s car for FP1 at Suzuka.<br>Yamamoto lapped 17th-fastest, 3.2s off the pace and one tenth slower than Kvyat albeit on a different programme, and was the busiest driver in the session as he racked up 30 laps.<br>Asked by Motorsport.com to assess Yamamoto’s performance, Kvyat said: “I think he did ...

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