Japanese Grand Prix – Highlights of previous events
Since 1976, the historic round in the Land of the Rising Sun has been the scene of many historic moments. Regularly placed last in the championship, many battles have been fought there. Let's take a look at three of them.
2005, a warrior named Räikkönen
The 2005 Japanese Grand Prix, held on October 9 at the Suzuka circuit, remains one of the most thrilling races ever run in Japan.
Due to rain during qualifying, several title contenders found themselves at the back of the grid, notably Kimi Räikkönen (17th) and Fernando Alonso (16th). It was Ralf Schumacher who took pole position ahead of Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella.
With the shuffled grid, the race the next day gave us the chance to witness legendary comebacks from both Alonso and Räikkönen. From the start, the Finn and the Spaniard launched spectacular charges, pulling off overtakes one after another on a circuit known for being difficult to pass on.
Alonso delivered a memorable overtake on Michael Schumacher at 130R, an ultra-fast corner.
As for Räikkönen, he continued climbing through the field and found himself battling for victory against another Renault, that of Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella. At the start of the final lap, the McLaren driver was right behind the Renault. He pulled off an incredible overtake around the outside of the first corner, taking the lead just a few kilometres from the finish line. He claimed victory after climbing from 17th to 1st, one of the greatest comebacks in F1 history.
1976, a double first
The 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, held on October 24 at Fuji Speedway, is one of the most famous races in Formula 1 history, notably due to the epic title battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, immortalized in the excellent film *Rush*.
The weather conditions were extremely poor, with the race held in torrential rain that made the track extremely dangerous and visibility almost nonexistent. Several drivers, including Niki Lauda, felt the conditions were too perilous to race. A few months earlier, Lauda had survived a horrific crash at the Nürburgring and was not willing to take unnecessary risks, especially since he had only just returned to his Ferrari and was still recovering.
By the second lap, Lauda made the courageous decision to withdraw from the race, stating that his life was worth more than a world championship. It was a brave choice, especially as he was still in the title fight.
With Lauda out, James Hunt needed to finish at least 4th to become world champion. He got off to a strong start and led the race, but as the track began to dry, strategy took over from pure driving. After a late tyre change, Hunt dropped down the order and seemed to be losing the title. But he wasn’t done yet. In the final laps, he overtook several drivers to finish 3rd. That was enough for him to be crowned 1976 world champion — by just one point over Niki Lauda.
This first-ever Japanese Grand Prix thus delivered, after a suspenseful and action-packed race, James Hunt’s first and only world championship title.
1998, another epic finale
The 1998 Japanese Grand Prix, held on November 1 at Suzuka, was once again the deciding round of the world championship. It pitted Mika Häkkinen in the McLaren Mercedes against Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari in a final title showdown.
A high-stakes finale:
Mika Häkkinen arrived at Suzuka leading the championship with 90 points, compared to Schumacher’s 86. The German absolutely had to win and hope that Häkkinen would finish outside the top two to take the title. It wasn’t looking great for Schumacher, but at the time, F1 cars weren’t as reliable as they are today…
Schumacher took a big step toward the title by securing pole position on Saturday.
However, a technical problem prevented him from making a good start. The Finnish driver took full advantage and immediately grabbed the lead as the lights went out. But you can never count out the tenacity of the “Red Baron”. One by one, he overtook rivals and worked his way back through the field. Scuderia Ferrari fans could genuinely believe in a showdown at the end of the race between the two champions.
But on lap 31, Schumacher suffered a puncture caused by debris on the track, likely from a collision earlier in the race. His rear tyre exploded, sending his Ferrari into a spin. The resulting retirement handed the title to Mika Häkkinen — his first — and sealed McLaren’s return to championship glory in 1998.
