2007 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX PREVIEW
The Fuji Speedway is the location for the first of the season
culminating three fly-away races. Located in the shadow of
picturesque Mount Fuji, the redeveloped track has retained
some of the spirit of the original speedway.
The Fuji Speedway returns to the Formula 1 calendar after
a break of thirty years. Starting from 2009, it will alternate
the Japanese Grand Prix with Suzuka.
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso continue to lead the FIA
Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship, which has been
lead by a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver since the second
race of the season in Malaysia. Lewis has a total of 97 points,
with Fernando two behind on 95.
FAST FACTS
What is the history of Formula 1 at the Fuji Speedway?
Fuji has hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix on two occasions.
The first, the inaugural Japanese race took place in 1976.
That race saw an enthralling battle for the Drivers’
title between James Hunt in his McLaren and Niki Lauda. The
chaotic race, due to dreadful weather conditions, saw James
finish in third to win the Drivers’ crown. In 1977 James
Hunt again played a key part in the on track action, taking
the chequered flag by more than a minute. He then proceeded
to leave the track immediately to avoid the notorious traffic,
missing the podium celebrations. Part of the development of
the circuit has included the improvement of transport links,
meaning this shouldn’t be such an issue in 2007!
Fuji replaces Suzuka, which held the Japanese Grand Prix
between ’87 and ’06. In that time the team took
six wins, the most recent coming in 2005 with Kimi Raikkonen.
Fernando took victory at the event last year.
What are the key characteristics of the track?
The overall nature of the original track has remained, with
an epic straight, the longest in Formula 1 at approximately
1.5km, connected by a relatively simple loop. However additional
corners have been added to encourage more exciting racing
and overtaking. Key changes have focused on the end of the
track, where some slower corners have been added to decrease
entry speed for the start-finish straight. The main straight
creates slipstreaming opportunities as the cars power down
toward the right hander of turn one. This section of the track
will dominate the set-up, with a comprise in the low - medium
range to ensure performance on the straight is maximised.
Unpredictable weather is also another factor, with heavy rain
often falling over the track.
TEAM QUOTES
Fernando Alonso
"As this is a new track for all the teams, we are in
the same position with regards knowledge of the track. In
2006 I did a couple of demonstration laps with passengers
on the track and it seemed really good. It is going to be
a challenge to find the optimum set-up for the cars as you
have this really long, fast straight and then the rest of
the track is much slower. To be honest, we will have to wait
until after Friday free practice to tell you more, but I am
looking forward to seeing what it is like. We are not in any
position to make any predictions, but I am sure the Championship
will continue to swing between all four drivers. Ferrari were
strong at Spa, we were strong at Monza, everyone in the team
is pushing hard to be strong at Fuji, Shanghai and Interlagos.
We can still win races, and will be doing everything to make
this happen in Japan."
Lewis Hamilton
"I haven’t even seen Fuji Speedway yet, but I am
sure it will be a great place to race. Hopefully there will
be some overtaking opportunities because of the really long
start / finish straight. We will have to wait and see what
it is going to be like as I do not really have a major image
in my mind at the moment. I have to say when I was first asked
about my feelings of Fuji, I was a bit disappointed that I
wouldn’t be getting to race at Suzuka because everyone
goes on about how great it is, but this season I have really
enjoyed going to new tracks and learning them. It provides
a slightly different challenge so I am looking forward to
it. Everyone will be in the same boat and it should be quite
exciting. Everything is so close in the Championship now,
so we have to go out there in Fuji and get as many points
as possible. It would be great to win. Also, Japan is one
of my favourite countries and the fans are very enthusiastic,
so it would be even better to win in front of them!"
Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes
"It is always interesting to be racing at a new circuit,
it will place more importance on Friday’s running and
we expect to see a lot of track action as everyone becomes
acclimatised to the track and its new layout. From what we
understand of the track layout, it should lead to some exciting
racing. In addition its characteristics will suit the MP4-22,
but not necessarily with the margin we have seen at some tracks
such as Monza and Indianapolis. Three races to go, two points
separating Lewis and Fernando with the two main rivals both
within 20 points, it is going to be an absorbing end to what
we feel has been an exciting season for the sport."
Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"The Japanese Grand Prix’s return to the Mount
Fuji circuit after 30 years marks the beginning of the final
stages of the World Championship, with three races in four
weekends leading up to the finale in Sao Paulo on 21st October.
In 1976 and 1977, the circuit was the venue for two dramatic
season finales. The front straight of the remodelled Fuji
circuit is almost 1.5 kilometres long, the longest on any
current Formula 1 circuit. As we calculated, the top speed
at its end will be about 315 km/h, by which time the cars
will have raced at full throttle for some 20 seconds, which
is one of the longest full throttle sections on the calendar.
Whilst top speed is important on this straight, the set-up
has to be suitable also for the following six left-hand and
10 right-hand corners, which are all tackled at comparatively
low speeds. It will be a great challenge for drivers and engineers
to find the correct set-up, particularly, because no team
ever tested on this track before. It is our target for Fuji
to maintain our 1-2 lead in the Drivers’ Championship."
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFORMATION
Circuit length 4.563km / 2.835 miles
Race distance 305.721km / 189.975 miles
Laps 67
Number of corners 16
Inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix 1976
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES STATISTICS
Fernando Lewis Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Race Starts 102 14 628
Race Wins 19 3 155
Pole Positions 17 4 131
Points 476 96 3151.5
Podiums 47 11 412
Fastest Laps 11 1 134
2007 Constructors’ World Championship
Ferrari 161
BMW Sauber 90
Renault 39
WilliamsF1 28
Red Bull 18
Toyota 12
Super Aguri 4
Honda 2
2007 Drivers’ World Championship
Lewis Hamilton 97
Fernando Alonso 95
Kimi Raikkonen 84
Felipe Massa 77
Nick Heidfeld 56
Robert Kubica 33
Heikki Kovalainen 22
Giancarlo Fisichella 17
Nico Rosberg 15
Alex Wurz 13
David Coulthard 8
Mark Webber 10
Jarno Trulli 7
Ralf Schumacher 5
Takuma Sato 4
Jenson Button 2
Sebastian Vettel 1
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