Live text
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day
Minute-by-minute updates for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka
A week after Singapore, Suzuka also returns to the calendar following a three-year absence, where Max Verstappen can claim a second F1 world title if he is 112 points clear of second place in the standings at the chequered flag.
The Red Bull driver starts on pole for Sunday's race, having escaped a penalty after a near-miss with Norris at 130R as both drivers came to prepare for their opening laps in the final stage of qualifying.
He will line up ahead of the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez joining the latter on the second row.
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
Live Text
Sort by
Oldest first
Oldest first
Newest first
Pit stop
And here come the leaders - Verstappen and Leclerc in from the lead at the end of lap 7. Double-stack for Red Bull, almost, as Mercedes brings in both cars too.
Stopwatch
A train of drivers pit three laps into the restart, while Vettel, the first to pit remember, sets a new fastest lap of 1m48.410s - four seconds quicker than the leaders on wets!
Quote
Alonso and Ricciardo come in, but Schumacher's staying out on the wets. "We're hoping for the safety car," says Gary Gannon, as Haas takes a punt.
Norris is the next to set a new fastest lap on the inters. Only Schumacher and Zhou remain on the wet tyres and are duly being swallowed up by the pack.
Verstappen passes Schumacher to regain the lead, as Leclerc also moves past the Haas.
Pit stop
Zhou bites the bullet and pits for intermediates and comes out in last place. It turns out the early inters move was the gamble worth going for.
Stopwatch
It's a 1m45.148s for Verstappen, who's absolutely loving these conditions. Leclerc's trying to catch him.
Stopwatch
And it's a 1m44.489s for Leclerc on lap 10, so there's certainly some success in his endeavours.
Stunning battle with Ocon, Schumacher and Hamilton. Ocon gets by the Haas at Spoon, and Hamilton can't find a way through 130R - but gets past Schumacher at the next corner.
Vettel is the big winner with the early inters switch, as he overtakes wet tyre-shod Schumacher to move up to sixth place.
Pit stop
Admiration goes to Haas and Schumacher for the wet tyre and waiting for a safety car plan but it hasn't worked. The German finally pits having dropped down to 10th and is now last and a long way back.
Leclerc's pace has dropped off a touch, which has allowed Verstappen to open a gap of 6.5s as of lap 14.
Quote
"Brakes are the same as Singapore quali," Russell reports on team radio. On that day he seriously struggled to control his car in the damp conditions, so is a repeat occurring? He's hassling home hero Tsunoda for 10th.
Quote
"Others struggling with the front as well," Hamilton is told, as it seems there's a bit of wear on the inters to contend with.
The gap between Verstappen and Leclerc is bordering on 10-second territory now, as the Ferrari is beginning to struggle more. Perez is closing in on Leclerc too.
After a few laps stalking Tsunoda, Russell gets ahead going around the outside at the end of the Esses to take 10th place.
"How many positions will we lose if we box?" Leclerc asks, and he's told he'd drop behind Alonso.
Russell is on the move, as he quickly clears Norris up the inside into the chicane to take ninth place. Now he's chasing down former team-mate Latifi.
It is getting gloomy at Suzuka but whatever happens the race will be timed out in 15 minutes. It looks like we'll have a race distance that means half points will be awarded.
Hamilton's been sellotaped to Ocon's gearbox for the last few laps, and a good run out of Spoon doesn't translate to a run in 130R on the Alpine driver. Bit of pit-chat between Hamilton and Pete Bonnington, as the bluffs begin...
Lead watch: Verstappen is 14s clear of Leclerc now. He makes it look easy, doesn't he?
Pit stop
Zhou, the driver to most recently pit for intermediate tyres, pits again for fresh inters and drops to last place.
Hamilton has half a look up the inside of Ocon towards the end of lap 19, but has to ease off through 130R. Ocon's defence was immaculate, and places his car to see off a threat in the Casio Triangle.
Pit stop
Next time around Stroll and Gasly both pit for fresh inters. Stroll drops to 16th and Gasly to 18th and last.
Stopwatch
Tsunoda pits from 11th and comes out in 16th, as Zhou demonstrates the power of fresh inters as he puts in a new fastest lap of 1m44.411s.
Perez is closing down Leclerc, the gap's down to two seconds between them. "Are you sleeping?" Perez asks engineer Hugh Bird. "You're just in the groove," comes the reply.
Hamilton's trying to deploy the traction of the Mercedes to nose ahead of Ocon, but he's being outfoxed by the Alpine's better straightline speed. A sneak attack at the hairpin is covered off by Ocon's right foot.
Pit stop
Alonso, who had been running in seventh tucked up behind Vettel, pits for fresh inters and rejoins the action in 10th.
Alonso makes light work of getting up to ninth as he passes Norris.
Perez is on Leclerc's tail, with that Red Bull looking much stronger in these conditions. Matter of time, surely.
And just as we say that, Alonso gets by Latifi for eighth, while further back Stroll overtakes Magnussen for 12th.
A Stroll vs Schumacher clash at the hairpin has been noted by the stewards.
Perez considered the hairpin to make a move, but Leclerc covers him off with the wide line. Meanwhile, we've five minutes left.
No further action taken on the Stroll vs Schumacher incident, as the German driver drops to last place with his pace seriously disappearing.
"Are we not going to box for new tyres?" Verstappen asks, hoping to have a chance to go for fastest lap. Red Bull replies in the negative.
Alonso has caught Russell in the fight for seventh and has about a lap and a half to make a move before the finish.
The timer's up, lap 28 is our final lap.
Alonso gets Russell to take seventh - now he's got less than a lap and 1.2s to find to catch Vettel.
Checkered flag
And Max Verstappen wins the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix!
But Perez is all over Leclerc like a rash, can he pass in the final few corners?
By: autosport.com
Published:
Page:
