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The Japan Grand Prix 2022 is here and will be taking place this Sunday, October 9. It is set to be yet another exciting race over 53 laps of the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka International Racing Course. What makes this particular race even more thrilling are the F1 predictions and the possibility of Verstappen grabbing the World Champion crown this weekend, after missing his opportunity to do so last week in Singapore, when his car almost went into anti-stall mode.
Contents
Japan Grand Prix 2022 Schedule
First Practice Session
04:00 - 05:00
Second Practice Session
07:00 - 08:30
Team Pit Stop Practice
01:15 - 01:45
Third Practice Session
04:00 - 05:00
Qualifying Session
07:00 - 08:00
Drivers’ Parade
04:00 - 04:30
Japan Grand Prix 2022
06:00 - 08:00
The schedule is accurate as of 06/10/21. Subject to change.
Drivers Championship and Japan
F1 Predictions: Verstappen
Where does Verstappen currently stand?
With 11 wins, 13 podiums and 341 points, Verstappen have an excellent track record behind a potential win this weekend at the Japan Grand Prix 2022. He is currently leading Charles Leclerc by 104 points, with Sergio Perez on Leclerc’s tail, behind by 2 points. This makes F1 predictions for this year’s Drivers Championship a much easier job than in 2021, as Verstappen is far ahead of his competition.
How can Verstappen win the championship in Japan?
In order to clinch, or rather hold onto, the championship title, Verstappen needs to come out of the Grand Prix this weekend with a lead of 112 points. So not only does he need to win the race, but he also needs to win the bonus point for the fastest lap. Verstappen essentially needs to have a perfect race (no pressure!).
Can he accomplish this?
Looking at Verstappen’s past performance, yes. Leclerc has had 3 wins, while Verstappen has a whopping 11 wins under his belt. So can Verstappen win the Grand Prix this weekend? Absolutely. But the bonus point could go either way, as Verstappen has won the fastest lap 5 times, while Leclerc has won 3 times. Verstappen’s performance is entirely in his hands, but whether he wins the championship title this weekend in Japan is also in the hands of his contenders.
Who are Verstappen’s greatest contenders?
As astonishing as Verstappen’s performance has been, his biggest competitor, Leclerc, is worth noting.
F1 Predictions: Leclerc
If Verstappen wins the race this weekend but doesn’t get the bonus point, he needs Leclerc to finish lower than the second position in order to win the championship in Japan. And even if current runner-up Leclerc finishes second this weekend, and then wins the remaining races of the season, as well as the Sprint in Brazil, and even the bonus points for the fastest lap, he will still only draw with Verstappen in the end.
Is there hope for Leclerc to become champion this year?
Mathematically, yes. Realistically? No. If Leclerc wins every single tournament and bonus point on offer, including this weekend’s Grand Prix in Japan and the Sprint race, he could be declared champion. If Verstappen monumentally fails, then Leclerc has a shot. But looking at Verstappen’s track record, this is very unlikely. Leclerc could master the Japanese track this weekend, but he most likely will not be wearing the crown by the end of the season.
F1 Predictions: What About Perez?
As with Leclerc, Perez could mathematically win the championship. But that’s relying almost entirely on Verstappen and Leclerc having catastrophic races. If Verstappen wins this weekend, Perez will instantly be out of the picture for the championship title, no matter where he comes in the race. Nevertheless, as a fellow Redbull team member, Perez is incentivised to do the best that he can to secure a win in the Constructors Championship.
The Constructors Championship
This season hasn’t just seen fantastic competition between Verstappen and Leclerc, but also between their teams, Redbull and Ferrari. Recent years have seen an intense fight for the team championship between Redbull and Mercedes, who had been taking centre stage. So the emergence of Ferrari came as a breath of fresh air.
What are the current standings?
Redbull is in the lead with 576 points, with Ferrari behind them with 439 points, and Mercedes in third place with 373 points. F1 predictions for the Constructors Championship are in line with this ranking, with only a few races left to go for this year’s season.
Ferrari’s Re-Emergence
For over a decade, Redbull and Mercedes had been taking the lead with both the Drivers and Constructors Championships. But while a young Redbull has 5 Constructors Championship wins, and an even younger Mercedes has 8 wins, Ferrari has won a historical 16 Constructors Championships. And it seems that Ferrari is now back in the game, after years of blending in the background. In fact, it seems like midfield was exactly where Ferrari needed to be. During this time, they truly fine-tuned and worked on the performance of their car. And we can see the results of this now.
But Ferrari’s rise hasn’t all been down to their car performance. Their drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have shown tenacious racing spirit and excellent teamwork. The beginning of the season showed that Leclerc could be a serious contender, ready to match Verstappen’s infamous aggression on the track. And when Ferrari took the first two podiums in Bahrain after 45 races with no victories, it became clear that Ferrari is back.
Nevertheless, Verstappen came through and took charge. Ferrari has essentially accepted that they will not be champion this year. Verstappen will win the crown. But they won’t finish the season without a fight, so we can expect to see some strong battles on the track. And for the first time in a long time, we’ll go into next year’s championships with Ferrari on our minds as a serious contender.
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