Grand Prix 2014 Japanese Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Lewis Hamilton is quoted as saying that whilst some are interested in getting the winning trophies from the F1 classics of Monaco and Monza he is much more interested in winning the ‘modern classics’ such as Silverstone, Spa and Suzuka. The fact that Suzuka is now a classic F1 race is not in doubt in my mind and whilst there was a move for it to be shared with Toyota’s home track in the late noughties it has been a staple diet on the F1 calendar since the 80’s. It has a much fabled history and was setting for the most talked about battle blows between Prost and Senna and whilst it won’t decide the championship this season it has been the deciding round on many occasions. Track wise its not the easiest one to pass on but it is unique in being a figure of eight and having a cross over point. It also has the much fabled 130R and I for one am looking forward to seeing how the 2014 spec F1 cars look going through it this year.

Last season was the first time since 1987 that the manic Japanese fans did not have a home driver to cheer on but, barring a sudden Caterham driver change, this year they will have Kobayashi to cheer on. In fact there is an official Kobayashi stand at the track this year. Kobi has very much been a legend with overtakes and performance on this track however you would think that he has his work cut out in the shopping trolley like Caterham car this year. The other home interest is of course Jenson Button who is judged as being Japanese through marriage. JB has always been good round here and whilst the Mclaren is not a race winner this year it does seem to be getting better and Button’s form has actually, whilst unheralded, has been very good this year and I expect him to push for a top 6 finish.

Championship wise this is a complete opposite to Singapore with neither Merc drivers having good form on this track. Results wise this is Lewis Hamilton’s worst track with a 3rd in 2009 behind Vettel and Jarno Trulli in a Toyota (!) being his best result. That’s not to say he hasn’t been quick round here but its just that the results have not come. Nico Rosberg meanwhile has never got higher than eighth but will have the bit between his teeth after a nightmare Sunday at Singapore. I expect the race win to be a battle between the two Mercs and if I had to put money on it then I’d give it to Hamilton but then I’d have said that at every round this year.

Down the field it will be interesting to see if Ferrari are as on from as they were in Singapore and also if Alonso can beat Kimi like he has all season when Suzuka is most certainly Kimi territory as he has had some mighty mighty drives around here. The Vettel/Riccardo scrap has been fascinating all season and I’ve no doubt it will be a close one yet again with Vettel seemingly at least on terms with his impressive young team mate in the last few races. Williams are impossible to predict as they seem to have a super car one week and a midpack car another but its interesting to see that Massa’s form has certainly improved of late. JEV comes to Japan after an brilliant drive in Singapore and seemingly with his young Russian team mate now in hand.

Its an early morning race start if you are based in Europe and a very late night if you are over the Americas but I’m sure you’ll all be watching. Are you a Japan fan or does this race bore you to tears? Will be interesting to hear people’s views on both the race and what you expect to happen in 2014.

 

[teabagyokel]

To be fair, they did find a decent window to run an intermediate race. I don't think the conditions would be considered extreme apart from the first two stupid laps.

If there was a change in time, it had to come on Friday to give opportunity to prepare.

I'm sure we'll see a more cautious approach to Race Control in the near future, and considering Brundle's miss in 1994 as well, a rethinking of arrangements at Dunlop.

 

[Mezzer]

We've seen them race in weather just as bad, worse possibly with cars falling off all over the place. It really is a freak accident that a) the tractor was hit, and b) it was hit somewhere that meant the height of the impact was at a level with the driver's head. I'm unimpressed with the self-congratulating that Massa has been doing, perhaps instead of "screaming on the radio" he should have been getting on with the business and growing a pair like everyone else.

 

[teabagyokel]

I'm unimpressed with the self-congratulating that Massa has been doing, perhaps instead of "screaming on the radio" he should have been getting on with the business and growing a pair like everyone else.

Yeah, he wasn't screaming enough to pit for full wets, was he?

 

[RasputinLives]

Mezzer I completey disagree on the 'freak accident' point. I think its sheer luck we've not had it happen before. Anyone who watches the Sky F1 coverage will know Brundle is always raising a concern whenever he see's a vehicle on the track due to him having such a close call.

Basically you have to think is that if one car has gone off somewhere than another can too - especially if its wet and aqua-planning as both Bianchi and Sutil did.

Its a matter of risk assessments. If Bianchi had gone into Sutils car it would have been a bad accident but he'd have walked away from it.

I'm not suggesting a red flag situation for all these incidents but a proper assesment of when to bring vehicles on the track is certainly needed and I would say if they are needed then a safety car should be called and they come on when everyone is formed up behind it.

I'm not blaming anyone for this but F1 needs to learn its lessons and realise its been a bit lucky on this front for quite a while. Labelling it a freak accident is F1 sticking its head in the sand.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

There is footage of the crash going around the internet at the moment. I will not post it as it is highly distressing viewing.

What I will say is what an incredible job the FIA do with their stringent crash tests. Without those tests making sure the survival cell is as strong as they are we would have had a fatal incident yesterday.

 

[Incubus]

A big argument shold be put forward for the validity of having safety-cars leading the pack for long periods in the wet. Someone - I can't remember whom - spun off in the queue behind the safety-car in the first few laps of the race didn't they?

It's impossible for drivers to keep brakes and tyres in temperature under those conditions. These cars are not designed to be driven slowly for long-periods.

 

[mjo]

Grosjean in Hungary.

 

[Mezzer]

RasputinLives I understand your perspective, but note that my observation was double-pointed, not solely that the tractor was there to be hit but that it was hit in a position that caused the issue. Also not that cars have run into each other off circuit many many times and there was no undue response. Hitting the tractor in a place other than where it happened would be no different than hitting a concrete wall, of whith there are many still around F1 circuits, although thankfully fewer and fewer each week. I don't agree with Villeneuve's (will he ever shut up?) perspective that the safety car should come out every time, perhaps a more efficient way of moving the cars (large cranes?) could be used, but that has practical issues too.

 

[The Artist.....]

whenever you have cars in the run-off area, there is the possibility of another car hitting them; in fact if one car has spun off in one area, it actually makes it far more likely that another driver will spin off in the same place, as there must be something fundamental that made the corner the first driver spun off on more dangerous than the ones he hadn't...

I'm always reminded of this incident:

 

[snowy]

The problem with marshals attending stricken cars is not restricted to large tractors with their particularly hard, awkwardly placed surfaces. There is the safety of the marshals to consider, Martin Brundle narrowly missed hitting the JCB but he didn't miss the poor marshal who was standing next to it. Jacques Villeneuve is absolutely right when he suggests that taking human error out of the equation will ultimately save lives. Endless safety car periods are not at all appealing to me but the alternative is more "freak accidents" like this. And this is not a freak accident at all, it was an avoidable accident. They avoid this type of accident every day in the states.

 

[The Artist.....]

snowy - not really

(Why Montoya was not banned for life from all motorsport for this, I will never know!)

 

[snowy]

In theory...

 

[sobriety]

According to Wiki, the cause of that accidident was the rear suspension collapsing on Montoya's car. You can hold him responsible for a lot of things, but probably not that one!

 

[Bushi]

Don't know if this has been posted yet:

Embedded media from this media site is no longer available

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I don't think anyone has wanted to post it due to the distressing nature of accident.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

It's impossible for drivers to keep brakes and tyres in temperature under those conditions. These cars are not designed to be driven slowly for long-periods.

This is one aspect of the problem that seems to be overlooked. Why are the cars so poor in the wet? Surely it would increase safety (and even relevance to road car technology if desired) if the cars could handle wet conditions better. Low profile tyres springs to mind as the obvious one (F1 tyres are frankly an anachronism), but also handling of cold brakes, ability of engine to idle without overheating etc.

 

[sobriety]

Why is there a green flag waving in that video before the JCB is clear? Or is it just an optical illusion caused by the camera?

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Bloody lucky a marshall didn't get hit too.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

The green flag is after the incident. Normally it's the point where the cars can begin racing each other again.

 

[Mezzer]

Ouch, not good on the vid. He seemed to be carrying a lot of speed so going into the tyres nose first wouldn't have been fun either. Hopefully it's an incident that Bianchi will live to shake his head at in years to come.