September 22, 2023
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f1i.com |
It is time to go to Tokyo!! The Japanese Grand Prix is one of my favorites of the season with its high speed corners and amazing fan hats! Here is everything you need to know for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix:
Weekend Schedule (in EST): The time difference between the US and Japan makes things quite difficult.
Practice 1: Thursday 09/21, Already Happened
Practice 2: Friday 09/21, Already Happened
Practice 3: Friday 09/22, 10:30-11:30 PM
Qualifying: Saturday 09/23, 2:00-3:00 AM
Race: Sunday 09/24, 1:00 AM
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| Suzuka Circuit f1.com |
The Suzuka International Racing Course is one of F1’s most iconic venues. Sunday’s 53-lap race will cover 18 corners and 1 DRS zone. With snaking “S” curves and elevation changes, the first half of the track is highly technical with major emphasis on the car’s aerodynamics. The second half is more of a flat-out, high speed drive with some incredibly winding chicanes. Since the track features 4 heavy braking points and makes engines use maximum revs for about 70% of the lap, it is extremely taxing on the cars. Teams will opt for a medium-low downforce setup to ensure their cars and tires can last until the end of the race. With the only crossover of the season and grass lining the sides of the track, the figure-eight shaped circuit is known for its more “old-school” style.
Singapore was a weekend to forget for Red Bull. Neither car made it into Q3 and their highest result was P5. Had Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix, he would have the chance to win the Championship this weekend in Japan, just as he did last year. Due to the team’s blunder of a weekend, the earliest he can now win the championship is Qatar. Knowing Red Bull though, their lack of pace in Singapore was a one time thing. I wouldn't be surprised if they go back to winning every race for the rest of the season.
Just to live in last weekend's bliss for a little longer, here's the Carlando hug from last weekend formularapadia.net |
Red Bull’s misfortune in Singapore, however, made for a very interesting race. Ferrari ended up winning in the end, but it wasn’t without a fight. The close battle for podium positions was a testament to how close the battle for second place in the championship truly is. I know I say it every week, but the championship really is getting closer and closer by the weekend. Mercedes currently hold second, but they are only 24 points ahead of Ferrari. If Ferrari keep up their incredible form of the last two races, they will beat Mercedes in no time.
Aston Martin was a major contender for second at the beginning of the season, but it seems that their pace has dropped off recently. In a stark contrast to his previous comments on the car, Fernando Alonso actually lamented that the car was incredibly difficult to drive during the Singapore Grand Prix. And while Alonso is fighting for his life trying to get points, his teammate Lance Stroll struggles to even finish in the top 15. Last weekend, Stroll suffered a severe crash in Qualifying and withdrew from the race due to the physical toll it took on his body. He will be back for Suzuka and I can’t help but wonder how long the team will let Stroll continue like this, with no quantitative contribution to the team. We all know the reason Stroll has lasted so long in F1 is because his dad owns whatever team he drives for, but he used to at least try to prove that he deserved to be in F1. Now it looks like he has just given up.
McLaren have been benefiting off of Aston Martin’s recent slump, moving themselves up to fifth in the championship and less than one hundred points behind the green team. Both McLaren drivers have been consistently delivering amazing results since the British Grand Prix, and the car’s upgrades only seem to help them. This weekend, Oscar Piastri will be racing his first Japanese Grand Prix with the upgrades Lando Norris had in Singapore. With any luck, the two will be able to clinch a second straight podium, and possibly a win. On Thursday, McLaren announced a multi-year contract extension for Piastri. The Aussie will be staying with the British team until the end of the 2026 season, and this comes as no surprise. His performance throughout his rookie season has been impeccable, and his collaboration with the team can really be seen in his driving. I can’t wait to seem my papaya team thrive with Oscar and Lando for the next few years!
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"This Ken is ready for an F1 seat!" scuderia.alphatauri.com |
AlphaTauri had a decent weekend in Singapore. Liam Lawson got into Q3, making himself the highest qualifying Red Bull driver of the weekend, and scored points in just his third F1 race. The car’s overall pace seemed great and we probably would have seen more action if Yuki Tsunoda’s car lasted longer than three corners. After two unfortunate DNFs, none of which were actually his fault, Tsunoda will take his home race as a reset. The Japanese driver seems ecstatic to race at home, and with the Japanese fans behind him, it makes sense. Liam Lawson will continue filling Daniel Ricciardo’s seat this weekend, but it will most likely be his final F1 outing of the season. Ricciardo is expected to return for the Qatar race, so we will unfortunately have to say goodbye to Lawson after this weekend. Nonetheless, he will be making the most of this race. Lawson has been competing in Japanese Super Formula all year and has actually already driven at Suzuka. Although Super Formula cars are quite different to F1 cars, he has an advantage over the other rookies because he knows the track quite well. The Japanese fans will most definitely be supporting Lawson too. I understand that Daniel Ricciardo deserves an actual chance to prove himself worthy of the AlphaTauri seat, but I will always be pulling for a Yuki and Lawson 2024 lineup.
If the Japanese Grand Prix is anything like it was last year, it will be a sight to see. Last year’s race had lots of rain, delays, a few crashes, and of course, Max Verstappen winning his second straight championship. We won’t get that last part this year, but we should get a good race.
Happy Race Weekend!
- Divya
Where I got these
from:
https://www.mclaren.com/racing/formula-1/2023/japanese-grand-prix/guide-to-japan/
https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/formula1/articles/japanese-grand-prix-2023-preview
https://scuderia.alphatauri.com/en/2023-japanese-grand-prixview/
https://www.williamsf1.com/posts/a4d5c04f-afa7-490d-925d-c2f8137bf6db/alex-and-logan-speak-ahead-of-suzuka