Japanese Grand Prix: Key figures
As the Japanese leg approaches, it's time to take a look back at the Japanese Grand Prix, which will take place this weekend.
53: That’s the number of laps to complete on the Suzuka Circuit…unless there’s a major interruption!
5,807 km: This is the length of the Japanese track. It has only been modified three times in its history.
1962: The Suzuka circuit was opened this year.
1’27″064: This lap time is the fastest ever achieved on this track. It was completed by Sebastian Vettel in 2019: the qualifying session took place on Sunday morning due to the weather conditions the day before.
13: In the history of Formula 1, the title has been decided thirteen times in Japan. The first was James Hunt (1976), followed by Nelson Piquet (1987), Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991), Alain Prost (1989), Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999), Michael Schumacher (2000, 2003), and Sebastian Vettel (2011). If you counted twelve titles at Suzuka, that’s normal: the only exception dates back to 1995 when Michael Schumacher was crowned at Aida, for the Pacific Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen could be crowned on Sunday in Japan and become the 14th to do so in this country.
3: The Land of the Rising Sun has been devoid of F1 for three years… it was about time!
0:
No Japanese driver has managed to win on their home soil in the Formula 1 World Championship.
Takuma Sato scored his only points in 2002, with Jordan-Honda (5th), and finished 6th in his only race in 2003 (6th in his BAR-Honda). Kamui Kobayashi achieved an heroic 3rd place in 2012, emulating Aguri Suzuki at Fuji in 1989.
Unless an implausible scenario happens, the odds of Yuki Tsunoda winning at home must be enormous… would you dare to bet on it?
17: Out of 33 Grand Prix races held in Suzuka, 17 drivers have converted their pole position into a victory. In other words, there is a 50% chance that the pole sitter will win this weekend!
The most skilled in this exercise was Michael Schumacher (six wins, including five from the pole).
2:
Among the Japanese engine manufacturers in Formula 1, only Honda managed to succeed in its home country, doing so twice: first in 1988 with Ayrton Senna and again in 1991 with Gherard Berger. As for pole positions, Ralf Schumacher achieved this feat in 2005 with his Toyota.
