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Event

Japanese Grand Prix

Date
Sun 7th October 2018 (UTC)

Timestamp

Time

14:10:00 UTC

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League
Formula 1

Season
2018

Round
17

Status

Location
Suzuka International Racing Course

Video Highlights

Description

One of the greatest tracks used in Formula One racing today, Japan's Suzuka circuit is a massive test of car and driver ability.
Built by Honda as a test facility in 1962, the track was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholz, the Hermann Tilke of his day. A huge theme park was also constructed at the track, including the famous big wheel which dominates the Suzuka skyline.
In 1987, having hosted various sportscar and F2 races, and having lost out initially to Fuji in the race to host the Japanese Grand Prix, Honda's influence finally prevailed and the Grand Prix had a new Japanese home. And - 2007/8 aside - at Suzuka the race has stayed ever since, providing the scene for many nail-biting end-of-season deciders, including the now infamous collisions involving Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
Such moments only added to Suzuka's appeal with fans, with the Grand Prix now attracting some of the most passionate and knowledgeable crowds in F1 racing.
The track has also become a favourite with drivers, featuring some of the F1 calendar's most challenging corners. Among the most popular are the high-speed 130R and the famous Spoon Curve. On top of this the circuit's figure-of-eight layout makes it unique in F1 racing.

Lewis Hamilton moved to the brink of a fifth World Championship with a lights-to-flag Japanese Grand Prix victory. Mercedes' Hamilton was dominant as title rival Sebastian Vettel ran into trouble attempting to gain ground from eighth place on the grid. Vettel spun to the back after colliding with Max Verstappen when trying a move for third place at the difficult Spoon Curve - but recovered to finish sixth. The result means Ferrari's Vettel is 67 points behind Hamilton.
The Briton will secure the title at the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in two weeks' time if he wins the race and Vettel is lower than second, or if Hamilton scores eight more points than him.
Hamilton was in total control, but while Mercedes looked to be heading to an easy one-two after the pit stops, his team-mate Valtteri Bottas found himself under pressure from Red Bull's Verstappen.
After a virtual safety car, called after Leclerc pulled off with a mechanical failure, Bottas began to run into blistering problems with his tyres. Bottas dropped back from Hamilton and Verstappen was soon on the Finn's tail, and although he pressured him the end, the Red Bull driver could not get through.
It was an impressive drive from Verstappen, despite a five-second penalty served at his pit stop for rejoining the track dangerously in the incident with Raikkonen.

Reports

Result List

01	Lewis Hamilton	27:17.1
02	Valtteri Bottas	+0:12.919
03	Max Verstappen	+0:14.295
04	Daniel Ricciardo	+0:19.495
05	Kimi Raikkonen	+0:50.998
06	Sebastian Vettel	+1:09.873
07	Sergio Perez	+1:19.379
08	Romain Grosjean	+1:27.198
09	Esteban Ocon	+1:28.055
10	Carlos Sainz Jr	+1 Lap
11	Pierre Gasly	+1 Lap
12	Marcus Ericsson	+1 Lap
13	Hartley Hartley-Smith	+1 Lap
14	Fernando Alonso	+1 Lap
15	Stoffel Vandoorne	+1 Lap
16	Sergey Sirotkin	+1 Lap
17	Lance Stroll	+1 Lap
18	Charles Leclerc	DNF
19	Nico Hulkenberg	DNF
20	Kevin Magnussen	DNF

Result Description
Pos/ Driver/Car/Laps/Time/Retired /Pts

1 /Lewis Hamilton /Mercedes /53 /1:27:17.062 /25
2 /Valtteri Bottas /Mercedes /53 /+12.919s /18
3 /Max Verstappen /Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer /53 /+14.295s /15
4 /Daniel Ricciardo /Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer /53 /+19.495s /12
5 /Kimi Räikkönen /Ferrari /53 /+50.998s /10
6 /Sebastian Vettel /Ferrari /53 /+69.873s /8
7 /Sergio Perez /Force India Mercedes /53 /+79.379s /6
8 /Romain Grosjean /Haas Ferrari /53 /+87.198s /4
9 /Esteban Ocon /Force India Mercedes /53 /+88.055s /2
10 /Carlos Sainz /Renault /52 /+1 lap /1
11 /Pierre Gasly /Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda /52 /+1 lap
12 /Marcus Ericsson /Sauber Ferrari /52 /+1 lap
13 /Brendon Hartley /Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda /52 /+1 lap
14 /Fernando Alonso /McLaren Renault /52 /+1 lap
15 /Stoffel Vandoorne /McLaren Renault /52 /+1 lap
16 /Sergey Sirotkin /Williams Mercedes /52 /+1 lap
17 /Lance Stroll /Williams Mercedes /52 /+1 lap
NC /Charles Leclerc /Sauber Ferrari /38 /DNF
NC /Nico Hulkenberg /Renault /37 /DNF
NC /Kevin Magnussen /Haas Ferrari /8 /DNF

Driver Standings
Pos /Driver /Car /Pts

1 /Lewis Hamilton /Mercedes /331
2 /Sebastian Vettel /Ferrari /264
3 /Valtteri Bottas /Mercedes /207
4 /Kimi Räikkönen /Ferrari /196
5 /Max Verstappen /Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer /173
6 /Daniel Ricciardo /Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer /146
7 /Sergio Perez /Force India Mercedes /53
8 /Kevin Magnussen /Haas Ferrari /53
9 /Nico Hulkenberg /Renault /53
10 /Fernando Alonso /McLaren Renault /50

Constructor Standings

1 /Mercedes /538
2 /Ferrari /460
3 /Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer /319
4 /Renault /92
5 /Haas Ferrari /84
6 /McLaren Renault /58
7 /Force India Mercedes /43
8 /Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda /30
9 /Sauber Ferrari /27
10 /Williams Mercedes /7

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