2008 Japanese Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Japan
Grand Prix = Japanese
date = 12 October
Year = 2008

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Caption = Fuji Speedway
Race_No = 16
Season_No = 18
Official name = XXXIV Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Location = Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Sunto District, Shizuoka, Japan
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 2.835
Course_km = 4.563
Distance_laps = 67
Distance_mi = 189.945
Distance_km = 305.721
Weather = TBA
Pole_Driver = Lewis Hamilton
Pole_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Pole_Time = 1:18.404
Pole_Country = United Kingdom
Fast_Driver = TBA
Fast_Team = TBA
Fast_Time = TBA
Fast_L

Fast_Country =
First_Driver = TBA
First_Team = TBA
First_Country =
Second_Driver = TBA
Second_Team = TBA
Second_Country=
Third_Driver = TBA
Third_Team = TBA
Third_Country =The 2008 Japanese Grand Prix is the sixteenth race of the 2008 Formula One season. It will be held on 12 October at the recently revised Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Shizuoka. For 20 years the Japanese Grand Prix was held at Suzuka, but in 2007 it returned to Fuji for the first time since 1977.

In 2007, the Pole position, the fastest lap and the race itself were all won by Lewis Hamilton, who extended his lead in the championship to 12 points with 2 races remaining. Fernando Alonso won the 2006 race, almost guaranteeing him the World Championship for that year.

Two other 2008 drivers have won the Japanese Grand Prix. Kimi Räikkönen won the 2005 event driving for McLaren, while Rubens Barrichello won in 2003 to secure team-mate Michael Schumacher the World Title.

The World Championship has been won several times in Japan, with winners James Hunt at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix; Nelson Piquet in 1987; Ayrton Senna in 1988, 1990 and 1991; Alain Prost in 1989; Damon Hill in 1996; Mika Häkkinen in 1998 and 1999; and Michael Schumacher in 2000 and 2003.

The Grand Prix will see the debut of Bridgestone's Green Striped grooved tyres as part of the FIA's Make Cars Green campaign, an initiative demonstrating that Formula One’s teams and partners are backing the Make Cars Green campaign’s goal to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment.

Report

Practice

The first practice session saw McLaren's Lewis Hamilton take the fastest lap with a 1:18.91, beating Brazilian title hope Felipe Massa by 0.153s. 3rd was Hamilton's teammate Heikki Kovalainen who finished 3rd in 2007 to get his first ever podium. Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the top 4, the Scuderia Ferrari driver looking to keep his title hopes alive by hopefully winning the race and hoping Massa and Hamilton did not score points. The top 8 was finished by Fernando Alonso, Nelson Piquet Jr., Sebastian Vettel, and Polish driver Robert Kubica. The 2nd practice threw up a surprise, with Toyota's Timo Glock grabbing the fastest lap, ahead of Alonso. [cite news|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gpzpZq65OHi0WkdxTrpFexWtDnEA|title=Hamilton takes edge over Massa in Japan GP|publisher=AFP|accessdate=2008-10-11]

Qualifying

In qualifying Lewis Hamilton did well, taking pole position. There was no such luck for Felipe Massa, who could only manage 5th. Fernando Alonso, who suprised everybody with his win at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, qualified well too, ahead of Massa in 4th. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7664875.stm|title=Japanese Grand Prix|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-10-11] Kimi Räikkönen looked to have pole after a flyer at the end of Q3 but had to settle for second when Hamilton bettered his lap. Hamilton's McLaren team-mate, Heikki Kovalainen, got 3rd place. Robert Kubica, Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock, who was fastest in the 2nd practice session on Friday, Sebastian Vettel, and Sébastien Bourdais rounded out the top 10. [cite news|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=44218|title=Hamilton claims crucial Japan pole|publisher=ITV-F1.com|accessdate=2008-10-11]

Classification

Qualifying

References

External links

* [http://www.manipef1.com/results/2008/japan.php Detailed Japanese Grand Prix results]

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Japanese Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2008
Previous_race_in_season = 2008 Singapore Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2008 Chinese Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 2007 Japanese Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 2009 Japanese Grand Prix