[E90SLAM]

Back to back weekends are great!
I'd bet Mercedes would be back on track this weekend, and Ferrari would be best of the rest. Wonder will Williams be a bit further up on the grid with a proper track.

Never forget, RIP Jules.

Race Date: 27 September 2015
Circuit Name: SUZUKA INTERNATIONAL RACING COURSE
First Grand Prix: 1987
Number of Laps: 53
Circuit Length: 5.807 km
Race Distance: 307.471 km
Lap Record: 1:31.540 - KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN (2005)

Tire Compounds Provided:
Prime: Hard (Orange)
Option: Medium (White)
Rain: Cinturato Intermediate (Green) / Cinturato Wet (Blue)

F1 TIMETABLE (Japan Local Time)
Fri 25 September2015
Practice 1 10:00 – 11:30
Practice 2 14:00 – 15:30
Sat 26 September 2015
Practice 3 12:00 – 13:00
Qualifying 15:00 – 16:00
Sun 27 September 2015
Race 14:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Pacific Time)
Thu 24 September 2015
Practice 1 18:00 – 19:30
Practice 2 22:00 – 23:30
Fri 25 September 2015
Practice 3 20:00 – 21:00
Qualifying 23:00 – 00:00
Sat 26 September 2015
Race 22:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Eastern Time)
Fri 25 September 2015
Practice 1 (THU) 21:00 – 22:30
Practice 2 01:00 – 02:30
Sat 26 September 2015
Practice 3 (FRI) 23:00 – 00:00
Qualifying 02:00 – 03:00
Sun 27 September 2015
Race 01:00

[Mtxzptlk]

Sucks that i'm gonna miss out on one of the few races I can watch on a saturday night at home; Currently out of town for work in DC. Big ups to the pope for the impending gridlock.

One mo' time! Mclaren infront of Manor, a Sauber and Maldonado; you heard it here first. Lol

Say it aint so, JB, say it ain't so.

[ashtaron14]

This is my last legit F1 race for now as I cancelled my cable tv service.

Lets hope it's a good show!

[ianbiz]

Originally Posted by Mtxzptlk

Sucks that i'm gonna miss out on one of the few races I can watch on a saturday night at home; Currently out of town for work in DC. Big ups to the pope for the impending gridlock.

One mo' time! Mclaren infront of Manor, a Sauber and Maldonado; you heard it here first. Lol

Say it aint so, JB, say it ain't so.

Speaking of Sauber, they started off the season super strong and seem to fallen off the face of the earth. They don't bring updates, they are never talked about, no team drama..

Originally Posted by ashtaron14

This is my last legit F1 race for now as I cancelled my cable tv service.

Lets hope it's a good show!

You can it via torrent a couple hours after the race or find somewhere online to stream it live.

[E9TOU]

I really like Suzuka mainly because I know the layout from playing Gran Turismo haha. I'm sure Mercedes will be back to their usual dominance and if not then even better.

[E90SLAM]

Fernando Alonso and McLaren braced for difficult Honda homecoming

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...ese-grand-prix

Fernando Alonso says it will be "difficult" for McLaren to be competitive at the Japanese Grand Prix, the home race of engine supplier Honda.

McLaren's troubled opening season with the Japanese manufacturer continued in Singapore as both Alonso and Jenson Button retired with gearbox issues. The team has just 17 points to its name as it arrives in Japan and Alonso expects the team's struggles to continue at the quick Suzuka circuit.

"Singapore is now behind us, but Suzuka will surely be a challenge," Alonso said. "Our car is well balanced and feels good to drive, but on a circuit with such a high average speed it will be difficult to beat our competitors. We'll take the samurai spirit with us to Suzuka, and as usual we won't give up."

Team boss Eric Boullier echoed Alonso's sentiments and insisted the team needs to work on reliability to have any chance of recording a positive result.

"First and foremost, to give ourselves any kind of fighting chance next weekend we must focus on our reliability after the disappointment in Singapore," Boullier said. "From Marina Bay, one of the lowest-speed tracks on the calendar, we go to Suzuka, one of the fastest, so preparation will be key.

"All of us at McLaren-Honda are working hard to continue to show our improving pace, and we hope we can put on a good show for our fans, partners and guests next weekend."

McLaren arrives at Suzuka with question-marks around Button's future, with reports in the British media suggesting the 2009 world champion is set to retire.

[Biorin]

I was reading the F1 trivia about a race in Japan where Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger were in the lead, and Senna moved over to let Gerhard win in the last corner due to a pre-race agreement. I know they were quite close, but does anyone know why that agreement was made?

[Wah]

Originally Posted by Biorin

I was reading the F1 trivia about a race in Japan where Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger were in the lead, and Senna moved over to let Gerhard win in the last corner due to a pre-race agreement. I know they were quite close, but does anyone know why that agreement was made?

If I recall Suzuka used to be one of the last races on the calendar back then. More than likely, Senna had the championship clinched so he let his teammate win a race.

[Biorin]

Originally Posted by Wah

If I recall Suzuka used to be one of the last races on the calendar back then. More than likely, Senna had the championship clinched so he let his teammate win a race.

Makes sense. Thanks!

[E90SLAM]

Forever in our hearts Jules...

[E90SLAM]

.

[E90SLAM]

Lotus freight arrives late in Suzuka after payment issue

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/...-payment-issue

Payment issues meant the Lotus F1 team's freight arrived late in Suzuka for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix and the team was locked out of its hospitality unit on Thursday morning.

By the afternoon equipment had arrived and was being unloaded into the garage while the hospitality unit remained empty with crates stacked outside. Lotus' Thursday press briefings took place in the middle of a wet Suzuka paddock, but driver Romain Grosjean said the team was working hard to catch up lost time.

"We've got all the parts, everything is ready," he said. "The guys are going to do their best as always. They are here, we are here to race. I have always said since day one that the group of people working at Enstone is unbelievable and again that's the proof."

Grosjean, whose car will be driven by Jolyon Palmer in first practice on Friday, joked: "As long as they catch up for tomorrow 2pm I'm happy!"

At the Hungarian Grand Prix the team had to miss FP1 due to a payment issue with Pirelli and in Belgium bailiffs arrived outside the garage to stop equipment leaving until a court claim had been settled. The team is waiting on a possible buyout by Renault, but is due back in court on Monday to continue an adjourned case brought against it by Britain's tax authority HMRC.

"It's just not nice for Enstone. It's just a situation which is very tricky. I explained a little bit why in Hungary, then I think Gerard [Lopez, team owner] explained a bit more last week. It's just waiting for answers and confirmation about the future of the team. But as I say the main thing is the spirit inside is still there and what we want is to race, race hard and go for it."

Grosjean said he had to have lunch at Renault while he waited for Lotus to set up its hospitality.

"It's quite good actually when you see the hospitality you get in the paddock when you are running out of food and teams are opening their doors. It's quite nice, we had lunch somewhere different from usual but hopefully it should all be sorted. The most important is we have what we need to race."

[E90SLAM]

..

[escobar929]

one of the great tracks on the calendar, hope Mercs gets back on track

[E90SLAM]

.

[xbook]

It's most likely a repost, but because it's Japanese GP weekend, I feel I have to share this.

[E90SLAM]

Charlie Whiting had a good laugh!

[E90SLAM]

Kvyat's crashed showed how unforgiving Suzuka and traditional tracks are. And that's why we love these circuits!

Glad he walked away from such a horrific crash...reminds me Robert Kubica's crash in Montreal!

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Kvyat's crashed showed how unforgiving Suzuka and traditional tracks are. And that's why we love these circuits!

Glad he walked away from such a horrific crash...reminds me Robert Kubica's crash in Montreal!

Indeed, but Kubica's crash was faaaaar worse in my opinion. That was one of the nastiest accidents I've ever seen. I remember at the time thinking there was no way he was walking away from that one. Amazing safety these cars have!

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Indeed, but Kubica's crash was faaaaar worse in my opinion. That was one of the nastiest accidents I've ever seen. I remember at the time thinking there was no way he was walking away from that one. Amazing safety these cars have!

Kubica was pretty bad since it impact with the concrete wall directly, with his feet exposed outside after the initial impact.

But when the Red Bull dug into the gravel and flipped, I was a bit worried it will stay up-side-down and Kvyat's head compressed into the gravel trap.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Kvyat's crashed showed how unforgiving Suzuka and traditional tracks are. And that's why we love these circuits!

Glad he walked away from such a horrific crash...reminds me Robert Kubica's crash in Montreal!

Had my heart in the throat until Kvyat's radio came on. Scary stuff, it shows how incredibly well designed these cars are to handle impact as long as there are no cranes etc. in the way. Still, scary as hell..

Just look at this:

http://wtf1.co.uk/kvyat-ok-after-hug...lifying-shunt/

[dim635csi]

I've noticed pretty complex removable collar structure covering driver's neck back and shoulders. While it takes more time to leave the car with it, driver's helmet sits lower and less prone to flying debris. I wish JW had that...