F1 Drivers will head into the 2022 Japanese GP this weekend for the 18th round of racing at the Suzuka Circuit.
Similar to Singapore GP, the Japanese GP will also arrive with heavy rain. The drivers will have to once again buckle up for a rainy weekend with teams trying to figure out a perfect race strategy.
On Friday, the track in Suzuka during practice is predicted to be drenched with heavy rain. The temperatures are expected to be around 19 degrees celsius which could cause a bit of a problem for the teams that struggle with warming up their tyres, such as Mercedes.
On Saturday, the qualifying is expected to be dry as the sun will shine throughout the day along with a bit of cloud.
The temperatures will rise up to around 20 degrees celsius which could lead to an exciting one-lap showdown in Q3 between the top teams. Although, the Suzuka circuit is said to favour Red Bull.
The drivers will experience a mixture of sunshine and showers on the race weekend on Sunday. The tricky weather situation will also lead the teams to make some smart strategies. With 20 degrees Celsius, the temperature will be able to aid the teams with the tyre warm-up.
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What to expect from the 2022 Japanese GP?
Heading to Suzuka, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen would be aiming to claim the victory as the win would also crown him as a two-time world champion.
Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko had previously stated his willingness to win the championship in Japan as it would be beneficial for their partnership with Honda.
Some start from Nico Hulkenberg at our last lights out in Japan 🤩#JapaneseGP #F1 @HulkHulkenberg pic.twitter.com/g6tXJTQsLj
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 4, 2022
Meanwhile, standing at P2 and only 2 points ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc would be hoping to increase his lead. Perez who claimed the glorious victory last time out in Singapore, on the other hand, would constantly be chasing the Monegasque.
Mercedes’ George Russell would also try to get in the mix at the top of the grid and as his reputation as ‘Mr Saturday’ goes, it remains to be seen if the W13 would be able to take on the leaders.
Things to know about the Suzuka circuit
The Suzuka Circuit is 5.807km in length and the drivers go around 53 laps to cover the 307.771km race distance.
The track has 17 twisty corners and the venue has hosted 31 races so far. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton set the lap record of 1:30.983 in 2019 at the track.
We return to Japan this weekend!!! 🇯🇵
Look at all these memories we’ve created at Suzuka 🤩#JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/7Swy1YyEPY
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 4, 2022
Similar to Singapore GP, the Japanese GP is also returning after two seasons. The last time race was held in 2019 and was postponed in the last two years due to the pandemic.
Last time out, Valtteri Bottas claimed the win at the track driving a Mercedes. The track has been home to several title deciders and the same is being predicted this year as well.
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