By The Wheel Master

F1 in Japan …. sounds about right and exciting to me!

It was an honor for me to be invited to Suzuka for Japan Formular One. I mean, I love the race, I love F1 and I love Japan! So not to wait a split second to say YES ! And there I was in Japan…

Suzuka Circuit is located in Ino, Suzuka city. 2 hours drive from Osaka.This track is designed as a Honda test track in 1962 by John Hugenholtz, Suzuka is one of few circuits in the world to have afigure 8 layout, with the back straight passing over the front section by means of an overpass.

Suzuka Circuit Diagram (image from www. formula1.com)

We arrived couple of hours before the race. It’s perfect to check out the surroundings….FOOD! Oh so many cute-looking food stalls around the circuit. I am a big fan of street food and Japanese food so this is just a perfect combo!

Japanese yummy street food

The circuit was packed by the Race-loving Japanese, with a beautiful blue sky and nice air. Oh I like my seat! Right at the hair pin!

The race started with dramatic clashes of 4 cars only a few meters from the start. Vitaly Petrov made contact with Nico Hülkenberg, then Felipe Massa cut across the first corner and slammed into Vitantonio Liuzzi. All four retired from the race.

At the lap 3/53,  Kubika was another early-retired. His right rear wheel was missing (!?!?) . HOW did that happen?!!??! I didn’t see when did the wheel go missing though. But well, weird. Then Hamilton lost his third gear causing him to run the rest of the race in 4th and above gear. Impossible to maintain the position especially at the slow corner and THAT haripin. He then lose it to his teammate, Jason Button. Later I found that Hamilton was dropped 5 grid places because of that stupid gear.

View from my seat - right at the hairpin!

The dramas still kept on coming. Our Jaime damaged his wing while fighting back Kobayashi at the hairpin. Then Force’s India’s Sutil pulled into pits after a spin with a smoking engine. Later we found it was an oil leak. He was then out.

Mercedes’s Roseberg accident was still in my head as it happened so in front of me! I was thinking then that could be my souvenir back home hahah. One of his rear wheel was jumping up-and-down into the air as he had some sorta problem with his left-rear. He was then out.

Red Bull’s Vettel had been a leader all the way. He even made a record of fastest lap (again and again). At the end of the race it was a chase between Webber and Vettel but no success.

Vettel won the race! Followed by Webber who also held the fastest lap of this race. The third is Alonso. Our STR boys got in at 10th and 11th place.

Webber still leads the championship on 220 points. Followed by Alonso and Vettel tied on 206points. Hamilton on 192 and Button on 189.

Very exciting and enjoyable race! Though I wished to see some dramas at the leader position. Well well, this circuit is so belong to Vettel (as he mentioned later to the press). He also won easily last year, then this year.

Okay, it’s time to go home. This circuit impressed me so much. Very good organization. Clean. And systematic. Just like a Japanese in another form.

See you later !