2019 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka, Oct 11 - 13

[zibby43]

Tire Selections



2018 Results

Qualifying



Race



2018 Pole Lap



2018 Race Highlights

[PlatinumZealot]

Now for your obligatory beaten to death suzuka topic:

Can 130 R taken flat this year?

Begin.

[spin1/2]

Ferrari Qual adv seems to be lower on this track. Multiple long bending corners. Q could be a closer fight between Lec - Ham - Ver.
Tyre wear could hurt Ferrari more on this track. Race could be 1. Ham, 2. Ver, 3. Lec/Bot.

[ispano6]

Looks like rain on race day. That may be a blessing in disguise. Hoping it isn't torrential.

https://www.jnto.go.jp/weather/eng/index.php?day=6

[TAG]

This is one of those circuits Hamilton excels at but the Ferrari are going to be tough to beat without a wet race. Leclerc and Hamilton to fight it out once again is my prediction for the weekend.

[zibby43]

This track is packed with the types of corners that the Ferrari hasn't liked this year. This track requires a setup that can cope with all types of corners. Pirelli is also bringing the 3 hardest tire compounds (something else the Ferrari has struggled with).

If they're strong here, then they've entirely transformed their car.

[Sevach]

I think Ferrari smokes everybody on the back half of the circuit, the question is how well they hang through the "esses".

[izzy]

This track is packed with the types of corners that the Ferrari hasn't liked this year. This track requires a setup that can cope with all types of corners. Pirelli is also bringing the 3 hardest tire compounds (something else the Ferrari has struggled with).

If they're strong here, then they've entirely transformed their car.

Yes that would finish off the transformation wouldn't it, amazing job if they can do it.

And what about Max?? Jos will be in a massive sulk if Red Bull aren't right there on a circuit like this

It means so much for next year too

[Wouter]

This track is packed with the types of corners that the Ferrari hasn't liked this year. This track requires a setup that can cope with all types of corners. Pirelli is also bringing the 3 hardest tire compounds (something else the Ferrari has struggled with).

If they're strong here, then they've entirely transformed their car.

Yes that would finish off the transformation wouldn't it, amazing job if they can do it.

And what about Max?? Jos will be in a massive sulk if Red Bull aren't right there on a circuit like this

It means so much for next year too

Honda will bring a fuel upgrade and RBR a new frontwing.
And they have a fresh slightly upgraded spec 4 ICE.
Lets wait and see.
The weather forecast is not good. Much rain during the weekend.
Lets hope there will be less rain as predicted.

https://www.yr.no/place/Japan/Mie/Suzuka/long.html

[izzy]

Honda will bring a fuel upgrade and RBR a new frontwing.
And they have a fresh slightly upgraded spec 4 ICE.
Lets wait and see.
The weather forecast is not good. Much rain during the weekend.
Lets hope there will be less rain as predicted.

https://www.yr.no/place/Japan/Mie/Suzuka/long.html

oh good yes let's see, fuel is huge atm so that should help

gosh that rain is intense isn't it. it's great for the racing, as long as they can, but the spray does make me nervous, they often cannot see a thing, i keep thinking of Kimi when he span on the straight in Brazil and it was a Hubert/Correa so nearly, but they all missed him so nobody paid much attention

[auv]

Rain can save the weekend here for RBR, if Verstappen will manage to do another Hockenheim, of course.
Ferrari and Merc are planning to keep it 3 PU per year, while Honda is definetly not.
So, be it dry of wet race, i'm expecting Honda to use engine in the "banzai-mode" again, like they did on Red Bull Ring. Without that extra power, Max will be dusted by Hamilton and Leclerc.

[f1jcw]

Hypothetical question.

If the rain was so bad that they had to cancel Sunday and the race, what would happen.
1 less race helps Lewis and Mercedes against a resurgent Ferrari.

If the points were even closer I’d presume this would cause a big controversy, would it be case of just sucking it up

[langedweil]

Typhoon Hagibis is on it's way ...

https://twitter.com/sdietzf1/status/118 ... 38176?s=21

[godlameroso]

Looks like rain on race day. That may be a blessing in disguise. Hoping it isn't torrential.

https://www.jnto.go.jp/weather/eng/index.php?day=6

I have rain for qualifying. I have high hopes for Red Bull this weekend. Their engine upgrades are timed differently to Mercedes and Ferrari. So this next update should close the gap same as the upgrade closed the gap from Austria to Hungary. Perhaps even closer than that update because from a power perspective this one is bigger than spec 2.

[Zynerji]

Any thoughts on a surprise 4th engine for Merc/Ferrari? If it rains heavily, starting from the back might not be super terrible...