2024 Japanese Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Grand Prix:Japanese
Previous Round:2024 Australian Grand Prix
Next Round:2024 Chinese Grand Prix
Details Ref:[1]
Date:7 April
Year:2024
Official Name:Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024
Race No:4
Season No:24
Location:Suzuka International Racing Course
Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Km:5.807
Course Mi:3.608
Distance Laps:53
Distance Km:307.471
Distance Mi:191.054
Attendance:229,000
Weather:Sunny
Pole Driver:Max Verstappen
Pole Country:NED
Pole Team:Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT
Pole Time:1:28.197
Fast Driver:Max Verstappen
Fast Country:NED
Fast Team:Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT
Fast Time:1:33.706
Fast Lap:50
First Driver:Max Verstappen
First Country:NED
First Team:Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT
Second Driver:Sergio Pérez
Second Country:MEX
Second Team:Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT
Third Driver:Carlos Sainz Jr.
Third Country:ESP
Third Team:Ferrari

The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024) was a Formula One motor race held on 7 April 2024 at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka, Japan. It was the fourth round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship. It was won by polesitter Max Verstappen driving for Red Bull, with teammate Sergio Pérez and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. behind him. Yuki Tsunoda of RB scored a point, the first Japanese Formula One driver to do so at their home race since the 2012 edition of the race.

Background

The event was held at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka for the 34th time in the circuit's history, across the weekend of 5–7 April. The Grand Prix was the fourth round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship and the 49th running of the Japanese Grand Prix.[2] The edition was the first time that the event was held as an early-season round, a departure from its traditional schedule between September and November.[3] The move was part of Formula One's regionalisation efforts, which put the Japanese Grand Prix between the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.[4]

Championship standings

Ahead of the weekend race, Max Verstappen led the Drivers' Championship with 51 points, four points from Charles Leclerc in second, and five from his teammate Sergio Pérez in third. Red Bull Racing led the Constructors' Championship with 97 points, separated from Ferrari by 4 points and from McLaren by 42, in second and third, respectively.[5]

Entrants

The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race.[6] Ayumu Iwasa made his Formula One practice debut for RB, driving in place of Daniel Ricciardo in the first free practice session.[7]

Tyre choices

Tyre supplier Pirelli brought the C1, C2, and C3 tyre compounds (the three hardest in their range) designated hard, medium, and soft, respectively, for teams to use at the event.[8]

Practice

Three free practice sessions were held for the event. The first free practice session was held on 5 April 2024, at 11:30 local time (UTC+9), and was topped by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari.[9] The session was red-flagged after Williams' Logan Sargeant lost control of his car and hit the wall, breaking his front wing. The second free practice session was held on the same day, at 15:00 local time, and was topped by Mclaren's Oscar Piastri ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The damp conditions prevented most drivers from completing a run, and only five set competitive lap times.[10] The third free practice session was held on 6 April 2024, at 11:30 local time, and was topped by Verstappen ahead of his teammate Pérez and George Russell of Mercedes.[11] [12]

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on 6 April 2024, at 15:00 local time (UTC+9).

Qualifying classification

DriverConstructor
Q1Q2Q3
11data-sort-value="ver" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-Honda RBPT1:28.8661:28.7401:28.1971
211data-sort-value="per" Sergio PérezRed Bull Racing-Honda RBPT1:29.3031:28.7521:28.2632
34data-sort-value="nor" Lando NorrisMcLaren-Mercedes1:29.5361:28.9401:28.4893
455data-sort-value="sai" Carlos Sainz Jr.Ferrari1:29.5131:29.0991:28.6824
514data-sort-value="alo" Fernando Alonso1:29.2541:29.0821:28.6865
681data-sort-value="pia" Oscar PiastriMcLaren-Mercedes1:29.4251:29.1481:28.7606
744data-sort-value="ham" Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:29.6611:28.8871:28.7667
816data-sort-value="lec" Charles LeclercFerrari1:29.3381:29.1961:28.7868
963data-sort-value="rus" George RussellMercedes1:29.7991:29.1401:29.0089
1022data-sort-value="tsu" Yuki TsunodaRB-Honda RBPT1:29.7751:29.4171:29.41310
113data-sort-value="ric" Daniel RicciardoRB-Honda RBPT1:29.7271:29.472data-sort-value="11" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A11
1227data-sort-value="hul" Haas-Ferrari1:29.8211:29.494data-sort-value="12" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A12
1377data-sort-value="bot" Valtteri BottasKick Sauber-Ferrari1:29.6021:29.593data-sort-value="13" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A13
1423data-sort-value="alb" Alexander AlbonWilliams-Mercedes1:29.9631:29.714data-sort-value="14" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A14
1531data-sort-value="oco" Esteban OconAlpine-Renault1:29.8111:29.816data-sort-value="15" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A15
1618data-sort-value="str" Lance StrollAston Martin Aramco-Mercedes1:30.024data-sort-value="16" align="center" style="background: silver" N/Adata-sort-value="16" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A16
1710data-sort-value="gas" Pierre GaslyAlpine-Renault1:30.119data-sort-value="17" align="center" style="background: silver" N/Adata-sort-value="17" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A17
1820data-sort-value="mag" Haas-Ferrari1:30.131data-sort-value="18" align="center" style="background: silver" N/Adata-sort-value="18" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A18
192data-sort-value="sar" Logan SargeantWilliams-Mercedes1:30.139data-sort-value="19" align="center" style="background: silver" N/Adata-sort-value="19" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A19
2024data-sort-value="zho" Zhou GuanyuKick Sauber-Ferrari1:30.143data-sort-value="20" align="center" style="background: silver" N/Adata-sort-value="20" align="center" style="background: silver" N/A20
107% time

1:35.086

Source:[13] [14]

Race

The race was held on 7 April 2024, at 14:00 local time (UTC+9), and was run for 53 laps.

Race report

Polesitter Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, led the race into the first corner before a crash involving Daniel Ricciardo and Alexander Albon neutralised the race for over twenty minutes while the tyre barriers had to be repaired.[15] Following the red flag period, the race restarted with a standing start on lap three. On lap 12, Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu retired due to a gearbox problem, the third retirement of the race. Verstappen remained unchallenged, eventually making his pit stop on lap 16. This handed the lead of the race to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, but Verstappen, who had a significant tyre advantage, closed the gap to Leclerc and by lap 20 retook the lead. By that point, it became clear that Leclerc was performing a one-stop strategy on his medium tyres, and swapped to hards by the end of lap 26. Leclerc's one-stop strategy would prove effective, while the Mercedes drivers of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who had swapped to hards during the red-flag period, were struggling with tyre degradation. A brief yellow flag period was observed on lap 42, after Logan Sargeant in the sole remaining Williams drove into the gravel at turn 9, but was able to reverse back on track and continue.[16] As the race entered its final laps, Carlos Sainz Jr. overtook Leclerc for the last spot on the podium behind Verstappen's teammate Sergio Pérez. Russell attempted to overtake Oscar Piastri at turn 16 in the closing laps; Piastri temporarily maintained his position, but on the final lap Russell successfully overtook Piastri to finish in seventh. Yuki Tsunoda of RB scored one point in tenth, the first Japanese Formula One driver to score a point at their home race since Kamui Kobayashi's podium at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.[17]

Race classification

DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredPoints
11data-sort-value="ver" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-Honda RBPT531:54:23.566126
211data-sort-value="per" Sergio PérezRed Bull Racing-Honda RBPT53+12.535218
355data-sort-value="sai" Carlos Sainz Jr.Ferrari53+20.866415
416data-sort-value="lec" Charles LeclercFerrari53+26.522812
54data-sort-value="nor" Lando NorrisMcLaren-Mercedes53+29.700310
614data-sort-value="alo" Fernando Alonso53+44.27258
763data-sort-value="rus" George RussellMercedes53+45.95196
881data-sort-value="pia" Oscar PiastriMcLaren-Mercedes53+47.52564
944data-sort-value="ham" Lewis HamiltonMercedes53+48.62672
1022data-sort-value="tsu" Yuki TsunodaRB-Honda RBPT52+1 lap101
1127data-sort-value="hul" Nico HülkenbergHaas-Ferrari52+1 lap12
1218data-sort-value="str" Lance Stroll52+1 lap16
1320data-sort-value="mag" Haas-Ferrari52+1 lap18
1477data-sort-value="bot" Valtteri BottasKick Sauber-Ferrari52+1 lap13
1531data-sort-value="oco" Esteban OconAlpine-Renault52+1 lap15
1610data-sort-value="gas" Pierre GaslyAlpine-Renault52+1 lap17
172data-sort-value="sar" Logan SargeantWilliams-Mercedes52+1 lap19
Ret24data-sort-value="zho" Zhou GuanyuKick Sauber-Ferrari12Gearbox20
Ret3data-sort-value="ric" Daniel RicciardoRB-Honda RBPT0Collision11
Ret23data-sort-value="alb" Alexander AlbonWilliams-Mercedes0Collision14
Fastest lap

Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT) – 1:33.706 (lap 50)

Source:[18] [19] [20]
Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
DriverPoints
1 Max Verstappen77
12 Sergio Pérez64
13 Charles Leclerc59
4 Carlos Sainz Jr.55
15 Lando Norris37
Source:[21]
Constructors' Championship standings
ConstructorPoints
1 Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT141
2 Ferrari120
3 McLaren-Mercedes69
4

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – F1 Race. Formula 1. 2 April 2024.
  2. Web site: Japan . StatsF1.com . 2 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Motor racing: Japanese F1 Grand Prix to take place in April next year. Kyodo News . 6 April 2024 . 6 July 2023 .
  4. Web site: Formula 1 announces calendar for 2024 . 6 April 2024 . www.formula1.com . en.
  5. Web site: Australia 2024 – Championship. Stats F1. 24 March 2024. 24 March 2024.
  6. Web site: 2024 Japanese Grand Prix – Entry List. . 5 April 2024 . 5 April 2024.
  7. Web site: Red Bull-backed rising star Ayumu Iwasa to make F1 weekend debut with RB during practice at Japanese GP. Formula 1. 2 April 2024. 30 March 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240330080909/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/red-bull-backed-rising-star-ayumu-iwasa-to-make-f1-weekend-debut-with-rb.6mRW558GisArscLn6MArX. live.
  8. Web site: 14 March 2024 . These are the P Zero compounds for Suzuka, Shanghai and Miami . 14 March 2024 . Pirelli.
  9. Web site: 22 March 2024 . 2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix – Friday Practice Results. 22 March 2024 . www.crash.net . en.
  10. Web site: FP2: Piastri sets fastest time as rain leads to limited running during second practice in Japan . Formula One . 5 April 2024 . en . 5 April 2024.
  11. Web site: Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – Full Timetable. Formula 1. 2 April 2024.
  12. Web site: 5 April 2024 . FP3: Verstappen leads Perez and Russell during final practice session in Japan . Formula One.
  13. Web site: Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying. Formula 1. 6 April 2024. 6 April 2024.
  14. Web site: Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – Starting Grid. Formula 1. 6 April 2024. 6 April 2024.
  15. Web site: Verstappen leads home Perez for Red Bull one-two at Japanese GP after early drama . Formula One . 7 April 2024 . en . 7 April 2024.
  16. Race Highlights 2024 Japanese Grand Prix . en . 7 April 2024 . www.youtube.com.
  17. Web site: 'Relieved' Tsunoda hails 'insane' RB pit stop as he nets a point on home soil . Formula One . 7 April 2024 . en . 7 April 2024.
  18. Web site: Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – Race Result. Formula 1. 7 April 2024. 7 April 2024.
  19. Web site: Formula 1 MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix 2024 – Fastest Laps. Formula 1. 7 April 2024. 7 April 2024.
  20. Web site: Japan 2024. StatsF1.com. 7 April 2024.
  21. Web site: Japan 2024 – Championship. Stats F1. 7 April 2024. 7 April 2024.