JapanJapan
2022 season
In a very wet race at Suzuka, Sebastian went from the back to finish sixth after early contact, while Lance produced a great first lap and a strong charge late on to finish in 12th position.
It has been a wonderful weekend, and to all the fantastic Suzuka fans I can only say, ‘thank you'.
Sebastian Vettel
"Obviously, it was a shame that we only got half a race – but at least the people in the grandstands got to see some racing.
"We were waiting in the dry for the restart, but I imagine it must have been rather unpleasant to sit outside in the wet for a couple of hours.
"I got a very good start – but then I collided with another car at the first corner. I really could not see anything – I am not sure, maybe I aquaplaned or I made a mistake – but I lost all the positions I had gained and ended up last.
"When the race restarted, we made a good decision to box immediately for Inters. It was a great stop, then I pushed like crazy and managed to undercut most of the field.
"It has been a dream weekend – for us to score eight points is a mega result. I feel sad to have driven my last race here, but it has been a wonderful weekend, and to all the fantastic Suzuka fans I can only say, ‘thank you'."
I had noticed a strip of drier asphalt and decided to go for it at the start. It was a really fun first lap.
Lance Stroll
"Before we got going, I had noticed a strip of drier asphalt and decided to go for it at the start. It worked out really well – it was a really fun first lap.
"There was not much grip on those early laps and very little visibility; it was a tough call for Race Control, but it was clear that the race had to be stopped when Carlos [Sainz] crashed.
"I do not think the visibility was much better when we restarted, but it did get better towards the end.
"All in all, it was an eventful race, the fans were incredible with the weather, and now we look ahead to Austin and Mexico City."
We scored our another sixth place, thanks to a fine drive by Sebastian and by a good strategy call.
Mike Krack
"Once the race finally got underway, it was a great one, albeit not a long one.
"But the main thing is that it provided excellent entertainment for the always-enthusiastic Japanese fans who braved the wet weather to fill the grandstands, and for viewers all over the world who stayed glued to their TV sets despite the long hiatus in the on-track action.
"From an Aston Martin point of view, we scored our second consecutive sixth place, thanks to a fine drive by Sebastian, facilitated by a good strategy call to fit Inters so soon after the restart and a superb pitstop that enabled him to exit the pit lane ahead of [Nicholas] Latifi.
"Lance pushed hard on his second set of Inters - another good call by our strategy team - and ended up a solid 12th."
Your guide to Japan
Insight and Speed
Unlocking the Lap
Revered by all drivers and one of the most spectacular places to watch a Formula One car on the limit, the opening snake through the Esses is as challenging as it is rewarding. The corners flow into each other, so learning and perfecting these entries and exits is critical to a quick time through the first sector.
There is little rest after the Esses; the Degner section of the circuit – two very tricky right-handers – follows immediately. The first turn is fast but has a very tight exit and it is easy to run wide. The second corner arrives almost straight away – it is slightly banked, but running wide is also commonplace and can ruin a quick-lap.
The left-handed double-apex Spoon Curve precedes the longest flat-out section on the circuit and is crucial to lap-time. The first part is very fast but drivers need to resist the urge to push too soon and run out of road before the second apex. The bend leads onto a long blast up to 130R and is easy to misjudge, being slightly off-camber.
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