  | Last Place Formula 1 |
 | ⇦ Login or Register New User |
 |  |  |
▜▛
Suzuka, JapanF1 heads to the old-school circuit of Suzuka for the first race of a triple-header, and the Japanese Grand Prix.
Designed as a motorcycle test track for Honda, Suzuka remains one of the original “Old School” racetracks and has been used by F1 since 1987.
The track features a unique figure-of-eight configuration with noticeable changes in elevation and a mix of low and high-speed corners.
The first sector begins with the fastest first corner in F1, that tightens into Turn 2 and is somewhat imaginatively called First CurveTurns 1 & 2.
It is followed by a fast and flowing sequence of long left/right turns known collectively as the EssesTurns 3 – 6,
that require good balance from the car and a good exit from each to set up entry to the next — finding a rhythm is essential.
The final exit from this set is at DunlopTurn 7 and begins the uphill run
to the two part DegnerTurns 8 & 9 curve which is a high-speed double right-hander,
before the cars accelerate under the crossover and flick right at a barely noticeable kink that is optimistically called Turn 10
before braking heavily into the low speed hairpin at Turn 11.
From here they accelerate again through Turn 12 into the high-speed double-left hander that is known as SpoonTurns 13 & 14
that exits downhill onto the back straightthat arguably should have a second DRSDrag Reduction System zone.
Following the crossover into the third sector, 130RTurn 15 used to be formidable as as a corner but nowdays is taken flat out before
the narrow and slightly curved approach to the chicane at Casio TriangleTurns 16 & 17 makes for a good overtaking opportunity before
piling on the power to sprint round Turn 18 towards the finish line.
Speed-wise Suzuka is not dissimilar to Spa and Silverstone and is one of the most demanding tracks of the year on the tyres as the high lateral loads heat the tyres and can cause thermal degradation if not properly managed.
It is a high-downforce track with good mechanical and aerodynamic grip being essential, and thus is not the easiest track to follow another car on, with perhaps the best overtaking opportunities being at First CurveTurns 1 & 2 and HairpinTurn 11.
| Predicted weather for the race: |  | 17°C |
 | ||||
| Dry Tyre Compounds | Cinturato Wet Tyres | |||
| Hard × 2 | Medium × 3 | Soft × 8 | Intermediate × 4 | Full Wet × 3 |  C1 (hardest) |  C2 (harder) |  C3 (midrange) |  |  Cold Start |