http://www.formula1.com/news/features/ en-GB Formula1.com Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:35:16 GMT Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:35:16 GMT 15 http://www.formula1.com/photos/225x150/manual/trenkler-2008jp-sunday-01.jpg http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8522.html Fernando Alonso (ESP), Renault, Renault R28, Japanese Grand Prix 2008, Fuji Speedway, Sunday, 12 October 2008. © Martin Trenkler / Reporter Images Major chinks appeared in the armour of the leading title contenders at Fuji. As Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa lost their cool, it was left to a former two-time champion to show the young pretenders how it should be done. Avoiding the first-corner melee, Fernando Alonso made the most of his second-row grid slot, excellent strategy and a superbly balanced car to give Renault an unlikely second successive win, making the team firm favourites for fourth in the constructors' championship… http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8522.html Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:33:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8522.html Formula1.com Saturday's morning rain at Fuji hampered some teams more than others as it washed away the rubber laid down on Friday, but most had already made their set-up and tyre choices, so it was not as disruptive as it might have been. There was disruption, however, in Ferrari's qualifying form book. Kimi Raikkonen rediscovered his Saturday speed, while Felipe Massa's deserted him, with mistakes that could prove highly costly to his title chances... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8514.html Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:46:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8514.html Formula1.com Back to the normal daytime schedule of two hour and a half sessions, the Formula One drivers all worked through their tyre evaluation and set-up programmes in a dry track in warm weather conditions which were a stark contrast to last year's at the Fuji Speedway. Finding a decent compromise between terminal speed on the long pit straight and grip round the rest of the lap posed the usual conundrum for the race engineers. http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8506.html Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:37:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8506.html Formula1.com This weekend's Japanese Grand Prix takes place at the Fuji Speedway, but back in 1989 it was Suzuka that had the privilege of hosting a race which saw the culmination of one of the most hotly-contested inter-team rivalries in Formula One history - and a surprising victory for one of that season's lesser-known drivers. If we're talking 1989, the duelling team mates have to be McLaren's Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. The pair had already banged knuckles the previous season, with Senna ultimately victorious, his eight wins to Prost's seven bringing him the drivers' crown. And with the McLaren enjoying similar performance levels in '89, the duo was just as dominant and the antagonism between them just as potent. http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8504.html Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:25:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8504.html Formula1.com In Japan on Thursday Lewis Hamilton said that he is ready to become history's youngest world champion. While conceding that he did not fully appreciate the situation he was in this time last year, prior to a superb victory for McLaren in the rains of Fuji, he said: "Last year I was a little bit younger and so excited by the fact that I had just arrived in Formula One. So much was going on, the controversies, and so much to learn and take on board... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8498.html Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:47:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8498.html Formula1.com After 20 years at Suzuka, Formula One racing returned to the Fuji Speedway for the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix. With the revamped circuit new to almost all the drivers - and with the world championship still wide open - it promised to be an exciting event. Four men still had a chance of winning the drivers' crown. Lewis Hamilton led the way on 97 points from McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso (95), but it was Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen (84) and Felipe Massa (77) who appeared most confident, arriving in Japan on the back of an emphatic one-two in Belgium. http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8496.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:13:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8496.html Formula1.com The Fuji International Speedway mixes very slow corners with a long main straight designed to encourage overtaking manoeuvres. The teams therefore need to adopt a compromise in terms of set-up, in order to balance straight-line speed with grip in the low-speed sections. Mechanical grip and an engine with good low-end performance will hence pay dividends and count towards a competitive lap time. Renault explain how they plan to tweak the R28's set-up for the Japanese circuit… http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8497.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:57:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8497.html Formula1.com This weekend Formula One racing returns to the revamped Fuji International Speedway near Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, for the 16th of the 18 races that will decide this year's world championship. And the title battle between McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa will get even hotter as the Brazilian seeks to claw back some of the seven-point advantage the Englishman opened up at the Singapore Grand Prix... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8493.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:25:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8493.html Formula1.com Formula One teams agree that the sport must respond in a responsible way to the environmental challenges we face. Speaking to its governing body, the FIA, leading figures in three major Formula One teams express their thoughts on eco-technology, environmental initiatives and Formula One racing's green future… Ross Brawn, Team Principal, Honda “The pressure on the modern world to address the causes of climate change is continually increasing and Formula One is not exempt from this... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8486.html Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:37:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8486.html Formula1.com Toyota's motorsport division has been based in Germany since 1978, but its links to the company's Japanese homeland remain as strong as ever, making this weekend's Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway a very special event. Boasting over 30 nationalities amongst 650 or so staff, Toyota is one of the most international of the 10 Formula One teams. Of course, they have more than their fair share of Japanese workers in their ranks - most notably third driver Kamui Kobayashi… http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8479.html Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:10:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8479.html Formula1.com This weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, round 16 of the 2008 championship, is a special race for Honda - not only is it their home event, but located 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Tokyo in the Shizuoka region, Fuji Speedway is close to where company founder Soichiro Honda was born in 1906. Fuji staged two races in the '70s, before returning last year after a facelift by renowned track designer Hermann Tilke. It's a circuit where small errors can cost you huge chunks of time, as Honda's Alex Wurz explains… http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8474.html Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:30:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8474.html Formula1.com Next season could see a lot more passing thanks to a unique collaboration between three top Formula One teams. Backed by the FIA, design engineers from Ferrari, McLaren and Renault have together contributed to revised aerodynamic regulations that should increase overtaking. A driver currently needs to be as much as two seconds a lap faster than the car in front to have a realistic chance of passing. That should be halved in 2009 thanks to changes, including front wings that can be adjusted by the driver... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8472.html Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:53:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8472.html Formula1.com With the demise of Super Aguri and the accompanying departure of Takuma Sato earlier this year, all eyes will be on Williams' Kazuki Nakajima at next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. The sole Japanese entrant, Nakajima will be out to impress as he races a Formula One car in front of his fellow countrymen for the first time. Is the 23 year-old up to the task? A cursory glance at the season's scoreboard would suggest yes. Not only has he finished 13 of the 15 races run this year, but he has also scored nine points - no mean feat in a debut season, especially one with what is currently a midfield team. http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8467.html Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:21:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/10/8467.html Formula1.com Either by luck, or shrewd placement on the calendar, most Formula One races occur in dry conditions. However, as has been seen more than once in the past year, rain does fall during races and a wet event is a very different proposition from a dry one. From hot, dry weather to heavy rain, Bridgestone has a motorsport tyre to suit, and as Formula One prepares for its annual visit to Japan - which last year saw one of the wettest races of the season - thoughts turn to the wet-weather tyres... http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/9/8459.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:32:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/9/8459.html Formula1.com The visibility concerns proved unfounded, the predicted thunderstorms never came, and the drivers quickly discovered they could overtake. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix, the first Formula One event under lights, was a huge success and produced one of the most fascinating races of the season. Few could begrudge Fernando Alonso his first '08 victory, despite good fortune playing a part. The Spaniard was quick all weekend and excellent strategy from Renault helped him win from 15th on the grid… http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/9/8456.html Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:39:00 GMT http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/9/8456.html Formula1.com