Nico Rosberg has increased his championship lead with a win at the Japanese GP.
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The Formula One championship makes its final stop in the Far East this weekend, with the Japanese Grand Prix comprising Round 17 of 21 in 2016. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race from 4pm AEDT.
Suzuka has been the scene of many classic moments in Formula One, with many titles having been decided at the Japanese circuit.
It has also seen some sad moments too, with the tragic events of the 2014 edition still very much in our minds.
Nevertheless, Suzuka is a unique circuit. Despite being one of the most technical circuits in the world, it is essentially has a ‘figure of eight’ layout.
The 5.8km track will be lapped 53 times come Sunday, with the hard, medium and soft tyres being available for the drivers.
Strategy may once again be a variable in deciding who wins this race.
Mercedes AMG were the team to beat during qualifying. Nico Rosberg has had the upper hand over his teammate Lewis Hamilton all weekend, though in qualifying the margin was much closer.
Pole position has traditionally not been converted into the race win at Suzuka. You only have to look at the past two seasons as an example, where Rosberg was on pole on both occasions, yet it was Hamilton who triumphed in the race.
A fascinating contest should emanate between the two championship rivals. 23 points is the margin now, following Hamilton’s retirement at the previous race.
Does the Briton have the mental strength to bounce back from that episode? Or has Rosberg already got his hand on the winner’s trophy?
Despite qualifying behind Ferrari in fifth and sixth, Red Bull have had positive race pace as expected. This is due to the fact the circuit is better suited to their chassis.
Both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo will start ahead of the fourth placed Sebastian Vettel however, with the German having to serve his three-place grid penalty from Malaysia.
It was a record-breaking qualifying for the Haas team, with both their cars earning Q3 berths. Will they be able to fend off the likes of the Williams team, Toro Rossos and McLarens, who’ve all qualified behind them?
The forecast isn’t entirely clear either for the race, so could weather play a part in deciding the result of this event?
Join The Roar for a live blog of the race from 4pm AEDT.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Thanks again for joining me on The Roar for coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix. We'll see you in a fortnight from the Lone Star State, for the United States Grand Prix. Adios.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
That concludes the second leg of the Asian portion of the championship. It is arguable that Nico Rosberg has one hand around the championship, but with four rounds remaining in the season - anything can still happen.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Mercedes AMG then have sealed their third consecutive constructor's championship, with Nico Rosberg claiming his ninth victory of the season in clinical fashion. Lewis Hamilton recovers for third, after a shocking start that saw him as low as eighth. The lead in the championship has drifted away from him, but he is still a mathematical chance for the title. A strong result for Max Verstappen in second, to hold off Hamilton for that position. Especially as his teammate Daniel Ricciardo suffered through a lonely race to finish sixth and behind the Ferraris. Both Force Indias finished ahead of both Williams in seventh and eighth. Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez held on in the end ahead of their rivals in the constructor's standings.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Rosberg is just too good really.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 313 - Nico Rosberg 280 - Lewis Hamilton 212 - Daniel Ricciardo 170 - Kimi Räikkönen 165 - Sebastian Vettel 165 - Max Verstappen 81 -- Valtteri Bottas 80 -- Sergio Perez 54 -- Nico Hulkenberg 43 -- Felipe Massa 42 -- Fernando Alonso 30 -- Carlos Sainz 28 -- Romain Grosjean 25 -- Daniil Kvyat 19 -- Jenson Button 7 --- Kevin Magnussen 1 --- Jolyon Palmer 1 --- Pascal Wehrlein 1 --- Stoffel Vandoorne 0 --- Esteban Gutierrez 0 --- Marcus Ericsson 0 --- Felipe Nasr 0 --- Rio Haryanto 0 --- Esteban Ocon
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 593 - Mercedes AMG 385 - Red Bull Racing 335 - Scuderia Ferrari 134 - Force India Mercedes 124 - Williams Mercedes 62 -- McLaren Honda 47 -- Scuderia Toro Rosso 28 -- Haas Ferrari 8 --- Renault Sport 1 --- Manor Mercedes 0 --- Sauber Ferrari
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
PODIUM INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Kai Ebel ROSBERG - "What an awesome weekend for sure." "Beautiful to win for sure." VERSTAPPEN - "We saved the tyres in the last stint and we had a great strategy." HAMILTON - "Did the best I could from where I was in the result. "
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Here are the results from the Japanese Grand Prix 1 N. Rosberg 2 M. Verstappen 3 L. Hamilton 4 S. Vettel 5 K. Räikkönen 6 D. Ricciardo 7 S. Perez 8 N. Hulkenberg 9 F. Massa 10 V. Bottas 11 R. Grosjean 12 J. Palmer 13 D. Kvyat 14 K. Magnussen 15 M. Ericsson 16 F. Alonso 17 C. Sainz 18 J. Button 19 F. Nasr 20 E. Gutierrez 21 E. Ocon 22 P. Wehrlein
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 53/53: FINAL LAP NICO ROSBERG wins the Japanese Grand Prix in rather clinical fashion to extend his championship lead. MAX VERSTAPPEN holds off the charge from LEWIS HAMILTON in the end for second on the podium.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 52/53: Hamilton still in pursuit of Verstappen and is 0.3 seconds. They go at it at the Casio Chicane! And Hamilton is forced to go straight on. Verstappen maintains the ascendancy.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 51/53: 2 LAPS TO GO
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Thanks for the continual support Mark! Good to have your company.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 47/53: Mercedes AMG pushing Hamilton on to close the gap to Verstappen. It's about half a second now.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 44/53: Hamilton within a second of Verstappen now, the Briton still can finish second in this race on his three lap younger hard tyres.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Hey Jawad, just to let you know, for about the 14th time this year I am reading your live blog of the race and appreciating your effort. Nice work mate!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 41/53: ROS VES HAM VET RÄI RIC PER HUL MAS BOT is the top ten at present.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 37/53: Vettel responds with his own fastest lap of a 1:35.118.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 36/53: Hamilton the fastest driver on track with a 1:35.458. He's currently third on track. Vettel within a second though of the Mercedes AMG driver. Game on.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 35/53: Race leader Vettel takes on a new set of soft tyres. He exits in fourth.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 33/53: Delayed pit-stop for Ricciardo and he goes onto a new set of hard tyres.