Of all the circuits absent from the Formula One calendar over the past few seasons, Suzuka may be the one that fans and drivers alike have missed the most. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic has meant the Japanese Grand Prix did not feature in 2020 or 2021, but there's a return to the only figure-of-eight racetrack that F1 visits this weekend.
The undulations, gravel, and flowing nature of the track put Suzuka firmly in the "old-school" category of circuits that the 20 drivers will tackle this year. Following the gruelling two-hour, high-humidity street race around Singapore, taking on 3.6 miles of some of the most revered tarmac on the planet at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix will be a welcome change of pace.
Max Verstappen didn't have everything go his way last time in Singapore. First, a fuel issue prevented a pole position in qualifying before making a rare mistake in the race. The Dutchman finished a lowly P7, which wasn't enough for him to take the title. However, for the first time in 2022, being crowned champion is now only in his hands. A win and fastest lap will seal the deal.
The updated 2022 cars, which can follow in traffic much closer than their predecessors, should be in their element around Suzuka. There are plenty of mid and high-speed turns throughout the lap, and those are corner types the new aero regulations had in mind when introducing the changes for this season.
Although the session times favour the early bird this weekend, Friday's second Free Practice will be unusual for the teams. Pirelli will run the prototype 2023 tyres if the track is dry in an extended 90-minute session. The ten teams will run a blind tyre test, meaning that the drivers won't know if they are equipped with hard, medium, or soft rubber when they set laps.
Aside from the prototype tyes set for an FP2 appearance, the return of the Japanese Grand Prix will see Pirelli's three hardest tyre compounds in use. The C1, C2, and C3 tyres, last seen at Zandvoort, provide the most tyre life but are the least grippy of Pirelli's five options.
With F1 last racing here in 2019, when the cars were vastly different from the 2022 machines, Pirelli's cautious tyre selection may see some drivers struggle for grip at a track where cornering means everything.
The figure-of-eight layout means that tyre wear is spread across both sides of the car, thanks to a relatively even split of left and right-hand corners. As such, tyre life can last a little longer as all four wheels share the workload more than at a standard clockwise or counter-clockwise circuit.
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Max Verstappen's winning streak may have abruptly ended in Singapore, but Red Bull continued their march. Sergio Perez's second victory in 2022 represented his team's sixth consecutive triumph. There has been a Red Bull driver in P1 or P2 at every race this season since Round 2.
As Max Verstappen looks to bounce back, and with Red Bull seemingly in a league of one since the summer break, there doesn't look like much hope for the other 18 drivers. However, the circuit hasn't been kind to Red Bull in the turbo-hybrid era, with their last win in Suzuka coming in 2013 with Sebastian Vettel.
Mercedes showed they had caught up to Red Bull and Ferrari in Singapore. Lewis Hamilton seemed disappointed not to have taken pole position or a podium for his efforts, highlighting the progress the Silver Arrows have made since Bahrain back in March. It will be heartening for Mercedes to know they won the last six Japanese Grand Prix races, although it'll take a monumental effort to win in 2022.
Get ready for some unusual and inconsistent race times for the remainder of the season. You'll need an early night's sleep or a strong coffee because there's no Sunday lie-in this weekend, as the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix will begin at 6AM U.K. time.
Qualifying – On air: 6AM, Session start: 7AM Saturday 8th October
Race – On air: 4:30AM, Session start: 6PM Sunday 9th October
Qualifying – 10:50AM Saturday 8th October
Race – 12:30PM Sunday 9th October
Qualifying & Race – Rain has hit the Japanese Grand Prix many times, and some wet weather might also affect this weekend's event. Forecasts suggest that Sunday will see rain, but that any rain that falls is probably coming after the race is over. Probably...
