2022 Formula One Japanese Grand Prix

guenther steiner at the japanese grand prix.jpg

Will Max Verstappen become World Champion this weekend?


  • Total voters
    974
One of the most exciting circuits on the F1 calendar will host the racing action this weekend as the field battles for late season points in Japan.

Suzuka’s complex layout has given F1 fans exciting races for decades, and this weekend’s grand prix looks to be no exception. The 2022 cars have allowed for longer and closer battles compared to recent years, and we can expect mid-pack scrapping in Japan this Sunday.

This is the first trip Formula 1 has made to Japan since 2019. Last time out, Sebastian Vettel was the winner, and Lewis Hamilton recorded the fastest lap. Neither of these facts is likely to repeat based on the 2022 results to date. Vettel has struggled for consistency and pace this season, and Hamilton has been unable to reach the championship form we’ve come to expect from him.

Just five races remain in the 2022 season. After Japan, the teams will face off in the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Behind the dominant Red Bull and Max Verstappen, rankings of cars and teams from P2 downward should see some reordering before the end of the season. Teams will be putting their best cars forward, and drivers will be trying to extract the most from them to score late season points.

The most recent F1 race, last weekend in Singapore, produced interesting results and saw Sergio Perez maintain a lead throughout nearly the entire race despite frequent safety cars and virtual safety cars in drying conditions.

The cars winding through the legendary S-curves and ripping through 130R flat out should provide exciting racing action this weekend. What are your predictions for the results? Let us know in the comments below.

Image via: Haas F1
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

Everyone knows what happened at Mercedes this season and why he had such a lousy start, the most unstable car, and the team experimenting with Lewis in the back. He's outqualified his teammate in every race since the bouncing stopped.
All i know is that he is being beaten by a teammate yet again :) Now excuses are cheap, but i can make a ton of them to explain the sudden Russell dip in outright speed, like them developing the car for Lewis. Still results are results, he better hurry up :)
 
None of that makes any sense, and it's kinda drivel. Even the FIA today isn't sure he should be the winner with the new cost cap controversy. There is just too much controversy regarding the 2021 season for Verstappen to be thought of as the unanimous winner, nevermind that this kind has never happened before where the race director directly involved himself in such a manner, and as a result losing his job.
Max is a double world champion. Nobody today says Schumacher is a 6 time wdc because of 1994. So just deal with it, stop spouting the same stuff over and over.
 
He means that it will be his first without having assistance, or controversy. Only his most ardent fans believe that he won in 2021.
I'm NOT an ardent fan, but I do believe the Mercedes TEAM cost Lewis the championship. They had two chances in the 2nd half of the race to pit for tires, but were so afraid of giving up track position they left him as vulnerable as a wounded Springbuck vs a hungry Lion.
 
Sergio Perez for Wing Man of the Year.

Pure and simple, he made Chuck Le Clerk crack.

Amazing, that last chicane figures in F1 title history again.

Chuck is relieved the illusion of a championship is over. Congrats Max.
 
nevermind that this kind has never happened before where the race director directly involved himself in such a manner, and as a result losing his job.

So what, 1st time for everything. The FIA will in no doubt be able to conjure up some more firsts in the coming years.

Max is a double world champion. Nobody today says Schumacher is a 6 time wdc because of 1994. So just deal with it, stop spouting the same stuff over and over.

None of that makes any sense, and it's kinda drivel.

Exactly, all that if ,then, but is drivel. MV won that 1st WDC, whatever controversy there is, there's always points during the season where FIA decisions are controversial and thus used as an excuse as to why a WDC winner isn't 'deserving' or the WDC is 'stolen' from another driver. Just as MS has won all his WDCs and nobody is stating otherwise.
 
Max is a double world champion. Nobody today says Schumacher is a 6 time wdc because of 1994. So just deal with it, stop spouting the same stuff over and over.
I never even addresed you in the first place man!

The bottom line is the controversy of that season will always come up when 2021 is mentioned whether you like or not. He's never going to be though as the unanimous winner of that season by everyone now go on somewhere out of my face.
 
Sergio Perez for Wing Man of the Year.

Yeah, weird season for SP. He won some races, again helped out MV in the race he won his WDC. But also during some points of the season having worse stats compared to MV previous 2 teammates comparatively.
 
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I never even addresed you in the first place man!

The bottom line is the controversy of that season will always come up when 2021 is mentioned whether you like or not. He's never going to be though as the unanimous winner of that season by everyone now go on somewhere out of my face.
Oh believe me, it won't, unless you are an Hamilton fan. In 20 years time, 2021 Max Verstappen WDC will be a line in the history books like all the others.
 
So what, 1st time for everything. The FIA will in no doubt be able to conjure up some more firsts in the coming years.





Exactly, all that if ,then, but is drivel. MV won that 1st WDC, whatever controversy there is, there's always points during the season where FIA decisions are controversial and thus used as an excuse as to why a WDC winner isn't 'deserving' or the WDC is 'stolen' from another driver. Just as MS has won all his WDCs and nobody is stating otherwise.
Michael Schumacher was a cheater period, but nothing regarding his career came close to what happened last year where a race director directly decided the winner of both the race and the season, and as a result lost his job for his actions. This is truly a first.
 
I'm NOT an ardent fan, but I do believe the Mercedes TEAM cost Lewis the championship. They had two chances in the 2nd half of the race to pit for tires, but were so afraid of giving up track position they left him as vulnerable as a wounded Springbuck vs a hungry Lion.
I disagree, the Mercedes assesement was correct not to pit because Verstappen was no where near Lewis until the race director involved himself to decide the winner. If he really wanted a shootout then he should have allowed Lewis to pit, both drivers perform a qualy lap to decide placement, then let them go to the end to decide the winner. He had other plans and in doing so it cost him his job.
 
Michael Schumacher was a cheater period, but nothing regarding his career came close to what happened last year where a race director directly decided the winner of both the race and the season, and as a result lost his job for his actions. This is truly a first.
HE didn't decide anything. Hamilton's pathetic defense aganst a slower car in a straighline was what decided it. Deal with it. MV had one shot at the overtake, he took it.

And why are you reashing AD here now»? The salt just because MV won another one is unbelievable...
 
An even more one-sided year than the dreary 2020, but at least 5 different drivers won races that year.
Pretty dull overall.
As a matter of fact, not only did four teams win in 2020 - every driver from 1-13 got at least one podium!
That's quite impressive - makes 2022 look extremely dull really; I should have another look at some of those races.
 
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I disagree, the Mercedes assesement was correct not to pit because Verstappen was no where near Lewis until the race director involved himself to decide the winner. If he really wanted a shootout then he should have allowed Lewis to pit, both drivers perform a qualy lap to decide placement, then let them go to the end to decide the winner. He had other plans and in doing so it cost him his job.
I think it was karma..the celebration on silverstone for all the bad luck moments and crazy penalties to Max that season. But we life now in 2022

get used to it... Max is the best right now and maybe the very best is yet to come. hard not to congratulate him
 
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I think it was karma..the celebration on silverstone for all the bad luck moments and crazy penalties to Max that season. But we life now in 2022
Karma doesn't exist in Formula One, decisions do however, and some of them are out of the drivers hands, especially in 2021.
 
Karma doesn't exist in Formula One, decisions do however, and some of them are out of the drivers hands, especially in 2021.
fine you your opinion but 2021 is history for me it's still being kept alive by the Lewis fans life goes on
 
fine you your opinion but 2021 is history for me it's still being kept alive by the Lewis fans life goes on
The 2021 season is also being kept alive by neutral fans. No one believes that he won unanimously with everything that happened and is still coming to the surface now. You ask ten people and you will get varied opinions from all.
 
The 2021 season is also being kept alive by neutral fans. No one believes that he won unanimously with everything that happened and is still coming to the surface now. You ask ten people and you will get varied opinions from all.
the neutral fans. enjoyed the Toto show.. I guess no no......I'll stop commenting.. otherwise I'll get some moderator again that I'm going to insult things.
 
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