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Fantasy Formula 1 - Japanese GP Preview
7:23 PM on October 1st, 2012 by Nathan Susanto

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When the Japanese GP was established in 1963 the event was a sports car race. The venue was Suzuka at Honda's headquarters where the company tested its cars and motorcycles. The track was designed by the respected circuit designer John Hugenholtz, whose creations included Circuito del Jarama and Zolder and he was the circuit director at Zandvoort. His vision for the Suzuka International Racing Course evolved into a figure-of-eight configuration, which snaked around the undulating Honda property.

By the time Japan's premier race made its Formula 1 debut in 1976, the event had been moved to the Fuji Speedway, owned by Honda's rival Toyota. The lack of local interest, though, resulted in the grand prix being dropped from the calendar after the 1977 race and it only returned in 1987, this time back at Suzuka. After Fuji hosted the 2007 and 2008 races, it was decided the event should alternate with Suzuka to save on costs. However, Toyota decided to pull out of Formula 1 at the conclusion of the 2009 season, taking their venue with them. Suzuka is a popular circuit with the drivers, though, and it has changed little since its opening in the early 1960s.

Round fifteen of the 2012 Formula 1 season takes place at the Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan on Sunday, October 7th. Long-time championship leader Fernando Alonso still has a sizable cushion at the top of the standings but two-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel looked in ominous form on his way to victory in Singapore at the last event, moving him up to second in the standings. With only six grands prix remaining this term, the championship might be on the verge of becoming a two-horse race with Kimi Räikkönen 45 points adrift of Alonso and Lewis Hamilton - who will be driving the Silver Arrows Mercedes next season - is 52 points off the pace.

Remember to make your game picks in the 2012 Fantasy Formula 1 thread before the deadline of Saturday, October 6th at 12:55 AM ET, five minutes before qualifying begins. Here we run down some Japanese GP facts and season stats.



Race Info
Grand Prix Japanese GP
Round 15 of 20
Circuit Suzuka International Racing Course
Location Suzuka, Mie
Circuit Type Race circuit
Circuit Length 3.608 mi (5.807 km)
Circuit Direction Clockwise
Turns 18 (8 Left, 10 Right)
Lap Record 1:31.540, Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren), 2005
Race Length 191.224 mi (307.573 km)
Laps 53
2011 Polesitter Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2011 Winner Jenson Button (McLaren)
Timetable
Free Practice 1 Thursday, October 4th at 9 PM ET - 10:30 PM ET
Free Practice 2 Friday, October 5th at 1 AM ET - 2:30 AM ET
Free Practice 3 Friday, October 5th at 10 PM ET - 11 PM ET
Fantasy Deadline Saturday, October 6th at 12:55 AM ET
Qualifying Saturday, October 6th at 1 AM ET
Race Sunday, October 7th at 2 AM ET



Suzuka facts:
  • The polesitter has won eight of the last 11 races at Suzuka.
  • In the last 11 grands prix at Suzuka, the polesitter has only once failed to finish on the podium.
  • The polesitter last failed to finish the Japanese GP in 1998.
  • Three of the last ten Suzuka podiums have featured at least one driver who started behind the front three rows.
  • Four of the last ten podiums in Suzuka have included three drivers who started from the first two rows.
  • At the 2000 Japanese GP the first five on the grid finished in order.
  • Michael Schumacher (4) and Sebastian Vettel (2) are the only active drivers with multiple Suzuka victories.
  • Fernando Alonso is the only driver to have won the Japanese GP at both Suzuka and Fuji.
  • Ferrari and McLaren have both won at Suzuka a record seven times.
  • McLaren have won the most Japanese GP having won twice at Fuji to add to their seven Suzuka triumphs.
  • The most positions gained at Suzuka is 16 by Kimi Räikkönen in 2005.
  • Five of the last ten Suzuka races have seen fewer than five retirements.
  • One of the last ten grands prix at Suzuka has had a first lap retirement.
  • The safety car has been deployed at four of the last five Suzuka races.
  • Two of the last six qualifying sessions at Suzuka have been postponed a day due to heavy rain.



2011 Japanese GP Qualifying Results
Rank
Driver Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Grid
1.
Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull Racing
1:33.051
1:31.424
1:30.466
1
2.
Jenson Button
McLaren
1:32.947
1:31.434
1:30.475
2
3.
Lewis Hamilton
McLaren
1:32.843
1:31.139
1:30.617
3
4.
Felipe Massa
Ferrari
1:33.235
1:31.909
1:30.804
4
5.
Fernando Alonso
Ferrari
1:32.817
1:31.612
1:30.886
5
6.
Mark Webber
Red Bull Racing
1:33.135
1:31.576
1:31.156
6
7.
Kamui Kobayashi
Sauber
1:32.626
1:32.380
No Time
7*
8.
Michael Schumacher
Mercedes
1:33.748
1:32.116
No Time
8
9.
Bruno Senna
Renault
1:33.359
1:32.297
No Time
9
10
Vitaly Petrov
Renault
1:32.877
1:32.245
No Time
10
11.
Adrian Sutil
Force India
1:32.761
1:32.463
-
11
12.
Paul di Resta
Force India
1:33.499
1:32.746
-
12
13.
Rubens Barrichello
Williams
1:33.921
1:33.079
-
13
14.
Pastor Maldonado
Williams
1:33.781
1:33.224
-
14
15.
Sébastien Buemi
Toro Rosso
1:33.064
1:33.227
-
15
16.
Jaime Alguersuari
Toro Rosso
1:35.111
1:33.427
-
16
17.
Sergio Pérez
Sauber
1:34.704
No Time
-
17
18.
Heikki Kovalainen
Lotus
1:35.454
-
-
18
19.
Jarno Trulli
Lotus
1:35.514
-
-
19
20.
Jérôme d'Ambrosio
Virgin Racing
1:36.439
-
-
20
21.
Timo Glock
Virgin Racing
1:36.507
-
-
21
22.
Daniel Ricciardo
Hispania Racing
1:37.846
-
-
22


107% Time:
1:39.109



23.
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
No Time
-
-
23
24.
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Hispania Racing
No Time
-
-
24



Qualifying Notes
McLaren had two cars in the top-4.
Ferrari and Red Bull had two cars in the top-6.
Renault had two cars in the top-10.
Kamui Kobayashi only drove an out-lap in Q3 and so did not set a time.
Michael Schumacher, Bruno Senna and Vitalty Petrov did not take to the circuit in Q3 and so did not set a time.
* = Driving an out-lap takes precedence over not taking to the circuit.
Nico Rosberg, Vitantonio Liuzzi an Sergio Pérez had technical problems, preventing them to take to the circuit.
Nico Rosberg and Vitantonio Liuzzi were allowed to race because they had set lap times within the 107% time during free practice.



2011 Japanese GP Race Results and Drivers' Fantasy Points
Rank
Driver Team Retirement
Q.P.
R.P.
C.F.
L.L.
M.L.
F.L.
TOTAL
1.
Jenson Button
McLaren

3
40
1
1
2
1
48
2.
Fernando Alonso
Ferrari

1
38
1
1
0
0
41
3.
Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull Racing

5
36
1
1
0
0
43
4.
Mark Webber
Red Bull Racing

1
34
1
0
0
0
36
5.
Lewis Hamilton
McLaren

2
32
1
0
0
0
35
6.
Michael Schumacher
Mercedes

1
30
1
1
0
0
32
7.
Felipe Massa
Ferrari

1
28
1
1
0
0
31
8.
Sergio Pérez
Sauber

0
26
1
0
0
0
27
9.
Vitaly Petrov
Renault

1
24
1
0
0
0
26
10.
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes

0
22
1
0
0
0
23
11.
Adrian Sutil
Force India

0
20
1
0
0
0
21
12.
Paul di Resta
Force India

0
18
1
0
0
0
19
13.
Kamui Kobayashi
Sauber

1
16
1
0
0
0
18
14.
Pastor Maldonado
Williams

0
14
1
0
0
0
15
15.
Jaime Alguersuari
Toro Rosso

0
12
1
0
0
0
13
16.
Bruno Senna
Renault

1
10
1
0
0
0
12
17.
Rubens Barrichello
Williams

0
8
1
0
0
0
9
18.
Heikki Kovalainen
Lotus

0
6
1
0
0
0
7
19.
Jarno Trulli
Lotus

0
4
1
0
0
0
5
20.
Timo Glock
Virgin Racing

0
2
1
0
0
0
3
21.
Jérôme d'Ambrosio
Virgin Racing

0
0
1
0
0
0
1
22.
Daniel Ricciardo
Hispania Racing

0
0
1
0
0
0
1
23.
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Hispania Racing

0
0
1
0
0
0
1
Ret.
Sébastien Buemi
Toro Rosso
Wheel
0
0
0
0
0
0
0



2011 Japanese GP Teams' Fantasy Points
Team Drivers
Q.P.
R.P.
C.F.
L.L.
M.L.
F.L.
TOTAL
Red Bull Racing
(Sebastian Vettel/Mark Webber)
2
35
2
1
0
0
40
McLaren (Lewis Hamilton/Jenson Button)
3
36
2
1
2
1
45
Ferrari (Fernando Alonso/Felipe Massa)
2
33
2
1
0
0
38
Mercedes (Michael Scumacher/Nico Rosberg)
0
26
2
1
0
0
29
Renault (Bruno Senna/Vitaly Petrov)
1
17
2
0
0
0
20
Williams (Rubens Barrichello/Pastor Maldonado)
0
13
2
0
0
0
15
Force India (Adrian Sutil/Paul di Resta)
0
19
2
0
0
0
21
Sauber (Kamui Kobayashi/Sergio Pérez)
0
21
2
0
0
0
23
Toro Rosso
(Sébastien Buemi/Jaime Alguersuari)
0
6
0
0
0
0
6
Lotus (Heikki Kovalainen/Jarno Trulli)
0
5
2
0
0
0
7
Hispania Racing
(Daniel Ricciardo/Vitantonio Liuzzi)
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
Virgin Racing (Timo Glock/Jérôme d'Ambrosio)
0
1
2
0
0
0
3



Race Notes
Classified finishers Top-23 drivers.
Two classified finishers Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Force India, Sauber, Renault, Williams,
Lotus, Virgin, HRT.
Race leaders Jenson Button (McLaren), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull),
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari).
Laps led Vettel (1-9), Button (10), Massa (11), Vettel (12-18), Button (19-20),
Alonso (21), Massa (22), Button (23-36), Alonso (37), Schumacher (38-40),
Button (41-53).
Fastest lap Jenson Button (McLaren) on lap 52 (1:36.568).



Points and Bonus Points Key
Q.P.
Qualifying Points
R.P.
Race Points
C.F.
Classified Finisher(s) Bonus Point(s)
L.L.
Lap Led Bonus Point
M.L.
Most Laps Led Bonus Points
F.L.
Fastest Lap Bonus Point



Japanese GP 2002 - 2011 and This Season's Statistics
List
Driver/Team
TM
This
Races
Poles
Avg Start
Avg Finish
Best
Top-10
Top-5
Wins
FP/Race
A
Sebastian Vettel
RBR
Race
5
3
4.20
6.00
1
4
3
2
35.80
Season
14
3
5.14
6.50
1
11
10
2
33.21
A
Mark Webber
RBR
Race
10
0
8.67
11.50
2
5
3
0
21.00
Season
14
1
6.86
6.64
1
11
7
2
31.14
A
Jenson Button
MCL
Race
10
0
7.30
6.00
1
8
6
1
33.00
Season
14
1
6.57
9.14
1
9
5
2
27.14
A
Lewis Hamilton
MCL
Race
5
2
2.20
5.20
1
4
4
1
36.60
Season
14
5
3.15
9.36
1
10
7
3
29.07
A
Fernando Alonso
FER
Race
9
0
7.22
7.11
1
7
6
2
30.11
Season
14
2
6.43
4.93
1
13
11
3
35.79
A
Felipe Massa
FER
Race
8
1
8.88
10.13
2
6
1
0
24.00
Season
14
0
10.86
10.21
4
8
3
0
23.00
B
Michael Schumacher
MER
Race
7
2
7.14
7.00
1
6
2
2
32.71
Season
13
0
7.79
14.57
3
11
1
0
16.07
B
Nico Rosberg
MER
Race
6
0
9.80
11.83
5
3
1
1
19.67
Season
14
1
8.50
7.86
1
10
3
1
28.71
B
Kimi Räikkönen
LOT
Race
8
0
8.13
3.38
1
8
7
0
37.75
Season
14
0
8.07
5.29
2
13
9
0
33.43
B
Romain Grosjean
LOT
Race
1
0
18.00
16.00
16
0
0
0
11.00
Season
13
0
6.92
12.31
2
7
4
0
20.62
B
Paul di Resta
FI
Race
1
0
12.00
12.00
12
0
0
0
19.00
Season
14
0
10.79
10.14
4
8
1
0
23.50
B
Nico Hülkenberg
FI
Race
1
0
9.00
20.00
20
0
0
0
3.00
Season
14
0
12.14
11.71
4
6
2
0
20.07
B
Kamui Kobayashi
SAU
Race
2
0
10.50
10.00
7
1
0
0
23.50
Season
14
0
11.00
12.64
4
6
2
0
18.50
B
Sergio Pérez
SAU
Race
1
0
17.00
8.00
8
1
0
0
27.00
Season
14
0
12.64
10.71
2
10
3
0
22.14
B
Daniel Ricciardo
TR
Race
1
0
22.00
22.00
22
0
0
0
1.00
Season
14
0
14.21
12.79
9
3
0
0
17.50
B
Jean-Éric Vergne
TR
Race
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Season
14
0
16.64
14.79
8
2
0
0
13.93
B
Pastor Maldonado
WIL
Race
1
0
14.00
14.00
14
0
0
0
15.00
Season
14
1
8.36
15.00
1
2
1
1
15.00
B
Bruno Senna
WIL
Race
2
0
16.00
15.50
15
0
0
0
12.50
Season
14
0
14.64
13.14
6
7
0
0
17.21
B
Heikki Kovalainen
CAT
Race
5
0
12.40
12.00
2
1
1
0
19.60
Season
14
0
18.50
16.86
13
0
0
0
9.50
B
Vitaly Petrov
CAT
Race
2
0
11.50
15.50
9
1
0
0
13.00
Season
14
0
19.50
17.00
13
0
0
0
8.21
B
Pedro de la Rosa
HRT
Race
2
0
15.00
11.50
11
0
0
0
19.50
Season
14
0
22.36
20.00
17
0
0
0
3.36
B
Narain Karthikeyan
HRT
Race
1
0
11.00
15.00
15
0
0
0
13.00
Season
14
0
23.43
20.92
15
0
0
0
2.43
B
Timo Glock
MAR
Race
5
0
16.40
17.00
14
0
0
0
7.20
Season
13
0
21.23
17.46
12
0
0
0
8.15
B
Charles Pic
MAR
Race
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Season
14
0
21.93
18.57
15
0
0
0
6.07
TM
Red Bull Racing
RBR
Race
7
3
7.77
9.21
1
9
6
2
27.71
Season
14
4
6.00
6.57
1
22
17
4
33.43
TM
McLaren
MCL
Race
10
2
6.70
8.30
1
12
11
3
29.40
Season
14
6
4.93
9.25
1
19
12
5
29.21
TM
Ferrari
FER
Race
10
4
6.20
7.00
1
15
10
3
32.80
Season
14
2
8.64
7.57
1
21
14
3
30.07
TM
Mercedes
MER
Race
2
0
8.33
9.75
6
3
0
0
25.50
Season
14
1
8.14
11.21
1
17
4
1
22.57
TM
Lotus
LOT
Race
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Season
14
0
7.82
8.82
2
20
13
0
27.50
TM
Force India
FI
Race
4
0
14.63
15.63
11
0
0
0
12.25
Season
14
0
11.46
10.93
4
14
3
0
22.36
TM
Sauber
SAU
Race
10
0
11.00
9.65
2
15
1
0
24.60
Season
14
0
11.82
11.68
2
13
5
0
20.71
TM
Toro Rosso
TR
Race
6
0
13.92
14.42
6
4
0
0
15.17
Season
14
0
15.43
13.79
8
5
0
0
16.21
TM
Williams
WIL
Race
10
0
10.32
12.60
2
7
4
0
17.60
Season
14
1
11.50
14.07
1
9
1
1
16.14
TM
Caterham
CAT
Race
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Season
14
0
19.00
16.93
13
0
0
0
9.57
TM
HRT
HRT
Race
2
0
23.00
19.00
15
0
0
0
7.50
Season
14
0
22.89
20.46
15
0
0
0
3.21
TM
Marussia
MAR
Race
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Season
14
0
21.59
18.04
12
0
0
0
7.29



Recent Form Table
List
Driver/Team
TM
Last 4 Races
Poles
Avg Start
Avg Finish
Best
Top-10
Top-5
Wins
FP/Race
B
Kimi Räikkönen
LOT
6,5,3,2
0
7.25
4.00
2
4
3
0
36.00
A
Sebastian Vettel
RBR
1,22CF,2,4
0
5.75
7.25
1
3
3
1
31.25
A
Jenson Button
MCL
2,DNF,1,6
1
2.75
8.00
1
3
2
1
31.25
A
Felipe Massa
FER
8,4,5,9
0
9.25
6.50
4
4
2
0
30.75
TM
Ferrari
FER
3,3,DNF,5
1
8.00
7.38
3
7
5
0
29.50
8,4,5,9
TM
McLaren
MCL
2,DNF,1,6
4
2.75
10.13
1
5
4
3
29.50
DNF,1,DNF,1
A
Fernando Alonso
FER
3,3,DNF,5
0
6.75
8.25
3
3
3
0
27.75
B
Nico Rosberg
MER
5,7,11,10
0
12.00
8.25
5
3
1
0
27.25
TM
Red Bull Racing
RBR
1,22CF,2,4
0
7.38
9.25
1
5
3
1
27.00
11,20CF,6,8
B
Paul di Resta
FI
4,8,10,12
0
8.00
8.50
4
3
1
0
26.75
A
Lewis Hamilton
MCL
DNF,1,DNF,1
3
2.75
12.25
1
2
2
2
26.25
TM
Force India
FI
4,8,10,12
0
11.13
10.50
4
4
2
0
23.25
14,21CF,4,11
TM
Lotus
LOT
6,5,3,2
0
8.00
7.88
2
6
4
0
23.00
7,13,DNF,3
TM
Mercedes
MER
5,6,7,DNF
0
11.50
11.38
5
5
1
0
21.75
DNF,7,11,10
A
Mark Webber
RBR
11,20CF,6,8
0
9.00
11.25
6
2
0
0
21.00
B
Daniel Ricciardo
TR
9,12,9,15
0
16.00
11.25
9
2
0
0
20.50
B
Bruno Senna
WIL
18CF,10,12,7
0
14.25
11.75
7
2
0
0
20.00
B
Sergio Pérez
SAU
10,2,DNF,14
0
11.50
11.75
2
2
1
0
19.75
TM
Sauber
SAU
13,9,13,18
0
11.25
12.50
2
3
1
0
19.25
10,2,DNF,14
B
Nico Hülkenberg
FI
14,21CF,4,11
0
14.25
12.50
4
1
1
0
18.50
B
Romain Grosjean
LOT
7,DNR,DNF,3
0
6.33
11.33
3
2
1
0
18.00
B
Kamui Kobayashi
SAU
13,9,13,18
0
11.00
13.25
9
1
0
0
17.50
TM
Toro Rosso
TR
9,12,9,15
0
16.00
14.13
8
3
0
0
15.50
DNF,DNF,8,16
TM
Williams
WIL
DNF,11,DNF,13
0
10.25
14.13
7
2
0
0
15.50
18CF,10,12,7
B
Michael Schumacher
MER
DNF,6,7,DNF
0
11.00
14.50
6
2
0
0
15.50
B
Heikki Kovalainen
CAT
15,14,17,17
0
19.00
15.75
14
0
0
0
11.50
TM
Caterham
CAT
15,14,17,17
0
19.25
16.25
14
0
0
0
11.50
19,15,14,19
B
Pastor Maldonado
WIL
DNF,11,DNF,13
0
6.25
16.50
11
0
0
0
11.50
TM
Marussia
MAR
12,17,15,21
0
21.38
16.63
12
0
0
0
10.75
16,16,16,20
B
Timo Glock
MAR
12,17,15,21
0
21.00
16.25
12
0
0
0
10.50
B
Jean-Éric Vergne
TR
DNF,DNF,8,16
0
16.00
17.00
8
1
0
0
10.00
B
Vitaly Petrov
CAT
19,15,14,19
0
19.50
16.75
14
0
0
0
9.50
B
Charles Pic
MAR
16,16,16,20
0
21.75
17.00
16
0
0
0
9.00
B
Pedro de la Rosa
HRT
17,18,18,22
0
23.00
18.75
17
0
0
0
6.00
TM
HRT
HRT
17,18,18,22
0
23.13
19.88
17
0
0
0
4.00
DNF,19,DNF,DNF
B
Narain Karthikeyan
HRT
DNF,19,DNF,DNF
0
23.25
21.00
19
0
0
0
2.25

Sections: Main, Fantasy Games
Tags: Fantasy_Formula_1, Unofficial_Games, ASFL2_Fantasy_Games, Bonus_Points

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