- Home >
- Motorsports >
- Formula 1 >
- F1 Raceweek: Vettel's Asian domination, Hamilton rains supreme - Japanese GP in numbers
F1 Raceweek: Vettel's Asian domination, Hamilton rains supreme - Japanese GP in numbers
A look at the pick of the Opta facts ahead of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix, including Sebastian Vettel's Asian success.
Sebastian Vettel pulled off a successful damage limitation job - during the race, at least - in Malaysia last time out, surging from the back of the grid to finish fourth and sit 34 points behind Lewis Hamilton at the top of the Formula One drivers' championship.
The campaign heads to Japan this weekend and Vettel will be encouraged by his stunning record in Asia over the years as he bids to bridge the gap in the remaining five races.
Lewis Hamilton has thrived in the rain in Suzuka, so may pray for wet weather in the build-up, while Kimi Raikkonen's wait for an F1 win rumbles on.
As the season edges ever closer to its climax, we take a look at some of the best Opta facts around the Japanese Grand Prix.
12 - Historically the Japanese GP is the most decisive in F1 history, with the Championship having been decided there 12 times.
6 - No driver has more wins (6), pole positions (8) or fastest laps (4) than Michael Schumacher in Japan.
3 - Nico Rosberg won the last F1 race at Suzuka from pole position, ending a three year streak in which the race was won by the driver starting from second on the grid (Vettel 2013 and Hamilton 2014 and 2015).
2 - Only at two of the last 10 editions of the Japanese GP has it rained and on both occasions Hamilton won (2007 and 2014).
20 - Hamilton is enjoying his best run of consecutive races earning points (20), only bettered in F1 history by Raikkonen (27), Michael Schumacher (24), Fernando Alonso (23) and Vettel (21).
90 - Raikkonen is now winless in 90 races; the record for the most races between one win and the next is held by Riccardo Patrese (99).
15 - Nico Hulkenberg is the only current F1 driver to have beaten his team-mate in all qualifying sessions so far (15-0 against Jolyon Palmer).
3 - Mercedes have been on pole and won the race in the last three Japanese races in a row.
214 - Ferrari need one more pole position to surpass Renault as the engine supplier with the most in F1 history (214).
0 - Valtteri Bottas has never finished on the top two spots of the podium at an Asian circuit.
26 - No F1 driver has won more times in Asia than Vettel (26 races).
