2016 Formula 1 Japanese GP
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Japanese Grand Prix - Race
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We'll call it a day for our live coverage here - it's now a 33-point lead for Rosberg with four races to go, and deservedly so, as he's looked consistently the better Mercedes driver this weekend.
This probably isn't quite over, as Niki Lauda has hinted to Sky that race direction will check out Verstappen's late-race defence against Hamilton. If that results in a penalty, which would be a precedent, it would cut Rosberg's advantage to 30 points - still over a single grand prix.
See you next time out at COTA for the United States Grand Prix.
This probably isn't quite over, as Niki Lauda has hinted to Sky that race direction will check out Verstappen's late-race defence against Hamilton. If that results in a penalty, which would be a precedent, it would cut Rosberg's advantage to 30 points - still over a single grand prix.
See you next time out at COTA for the United States Grand Prix.
Not much chatting in the pre-podium room, the three drivers are barely acknowledging each other.
Verstappen finally initiating a chat with Rosberg. "You were a bit cruising in the end, no?"
Verstappen finally initiating a chat with Rosberg. "You were a bit cruising in the end, no?"
Rosberg's cushion now up to 33 points, which means Hamilton needs to make up an average of a little over eight points in the four remaining races.
Doable? Certainly. Easy? Far from it.
Doable? Certainly. Easy? Far from it.
World Constructors' Championship
| Pos | Teams | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mercedes |
593 |
| 2 |  Red Bull Racing |
385 |
| 3 |  Ferrari |
335 |
| 4 |  Force India |
134 |
| 5 |  Williams |
124 |
| 6 | McLaren |
62 |
| 7 | Toro Rosso |
47 |
| 8 |  Haas F1 Team |
28 |
| 9 |  Renault F1 Team |
8 |
| 10 | Manor Racing |
1 |
| 11 |  Sauber |
0 |
World Drivers' Championship
| Pos. | Drivers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nico Rosberg |
313 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton |
280 |
| 3 |  Daniel Ricciardo |
212 |
| 4 |  Kimi Raikkonen |
170 |
| 5 |  Max Verstappen |
165 |
| 6 | Sebastian Vettel |
165 |
| 7 | Valtteri Bottas |
81 |
| 8 |  Sergio Perez |
80 |
| 9 | Nico Hulkenberg |
54 |
| 10 |  Felipe Massa |
43 |
| 11 |  Fernando Alonso |
42 |
| 12 | Carlos Sainz Jr. |
30 |
| 13 | Romain Grosjean |
28 |
| 14 |  Daniil Kvyat |
25 |
| 15 | Jenson Button |
19 |
| 16 |  Kevin Magnussen |
7 |
| 17 | Jolyon Palmer |
1 |
| 18 | Pascal Wehrlein |
1 |
| 19 |  Stoffel Vandoorne |
1 |
| 20 | Esteban Gutierrez |
0 |
| 21 |  Marcus Ericsson |
0 |
| 22 | Felipe Nasr |
0 |
| 23 |  Rio Haryanto |
0 |
| 24 | Esteban Ocon |
0 |
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"So, one in the Land of the Rising Sun, good job, Nico."
"Amazing weekend, guys, and congrats on the win in the constructors'."
"Amazing weekend, guys, and congrats on the win in the constructors'."
Fourth for Vettel, then Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Perez, Hulkenberg, Massa and Bottas.
Trophy
Verstappen comes home second, Hamilton is third.
Mercedes has won the World Constructors' Championship.
Mercedes has won the World Constructors' Championship.
Chequered Flag
Chequered flag, Nico Rosberg wins the Japanese Grand Prix for th first time in his career!
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"Max moved under braking."
Hamilton isn't a fan.
It was another one of Verstappen's late changes of direction under braking in the chicane. Hamilton won't be a fan.
One lap to go, Hamilton having to take the escape road at the chicane as he tries to pass Verstappen!
Gap between them down to just three tenths on exit of Turn 1 after the DRS zone - but Verstappen again pulls away through S1.
Two laps to go. We almost certainly have our winner, the question is who finishes second.
And it's back into DRS range for Hamilton.
Meanwhile, there's a fight in the lower reaches of the top 10 all of a sudden, with both Bottas and Grosjean within a second and a half of Massa.
Meanwhile, there's a fight in the lower reaches of the top 10 all of a sudden, with both Bottas and Grosjean within a second and a half of Massa.
Gap between Verstappen and Hamilton is over a second for the first time in a few laps now. A little over three laps to go.
The duo approach Palmer in their fight for P2, but Palmer comes to a near-complete halt to not impede Verstappen and Hamilton.
It might have actually been an unrelated mistake by Palmer though, as he had locked up at the hairpin.
It might have actually been an unrelated mistake by Palmer though, as he had locked up at the hairpin.
Hamilton has had DRS for a few laps now, he's finding time at the end of the lap, but Verstappen keeps pulling away through S1.
Again, Hamilton closes in - and again, it takes a few corners of running behind Verstappen for him to have to drop back.
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"We've spoken to Charlie, and he's on the case," Raikkonen is informed.
"One lap. It took him one f****** lap for him to let me pass," says the Finn. We are not sure who he is complaining about now.
"One lap. It took him one f****** lap for him to let me pass," says the Finn. We are not sure who he is complaining about now.
And back to a second - it's not so easy for Hamilton in dirty air.
But both are still quicker than Rosberg at the moment. The German is almost certainly cruising.
But both are still quicker than Rosberg at the moment. The German is almost certainly cruising.
Half a second between Verstappen and Hamilton now.
But Hamilton is now within DRS range of Verstappen.
Vettel won't be a factor in this fight, he's dropped back to five seconds off the reigning champion.
Vettel won't be a factor in this fight, he's dropped back to five seconds off the reigning champion.
Gap between Verstappen and Rosberg is down to five seconds, as the Dutchman is told to pick up pace to get heat back into the tyres.
Hamilton about to get into DRS range of Verstappen.
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"Blue flags, I get them always up the hill and I can't get through," complains Vettel.
Verstappen is suddenly finding pace - he's posted a personal-best S1 time and he's kind of gaining on Rosberg.
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Vettel's teammate Raikkonen is also unhappy about the backmarkers.
"I'm losing so much laptime due to the f******* lapped cars."
"I'm losing so much laptime due to the f******* lapped cars."
It's stabilised between Verstappen and Hamilton now, they've been at two seconds apart for a lap or so.
The gaps are oscillating in a big way at the front because of backmarkers.
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More anger from Vettel over backmarkers. This time towards Kvyat.
Three seconds between Hamilton and Verstappen now, the Brit is making up massive chunks of time.
Hamilton now within five seconds of Verstappen and seems to have shaken off Vettel - for now.
Lap 39/53:
1. Nico Rosberg
2. Max Verstappen +4.614
3. Lewis Hamilton +9.843
4. Sebastian Vettel +11.386
5. Kimi Raikkonen +18.141
6. Daniel Ricciardo +32.096
7. Sergio Perez +46.854
8. Nico Hulkenberg +49.940
9. Felipe Massa +71.024
10. Valtteri Bottas +74.172
11. Romain Grosjean +75.072
12. Jolyon Palmer +86.016
13. Daniil Kvyat +92.288
14. Kevin Magnussen +1L
15. Marcus Ericsson +1L
16. Fernando Alonso +1L
17. Carlos Sainz +1L
18. Jenson Button +1L
19. Felipe Nasr +1L
20. Esteban Gutierrez +1L
21. Esteban Ocon +1L
22. Pascal Wehrlein +1L
1. Nico Rosberg
2. Max Verstappen +4.614
3. Lewis Hamilton +9.843
4. Sebastian Vettel +11.386
5. Kimi Raikkonen +18.141
6. Daniel Ricciardo +32.096
7. Sergio Perez +46.854
8. Nico Hulkenberg +49.940
9. Felipe Massa +71.024
10. Valtteri Bottas +74.172
11. Romain Grosjean +75.072
12. Jolyon Palmer +86.016
13. Daniil Kvyat +92.288
14. Kevin Magnussen +1L
15. Marcus Ericsson +1L
16. Fernando Alonso +1L
17. Carlos Sainz +1L
18. Jenson Button +1L
19. Felipe Nasr +1L
20. Esteban Gutierrez +1L
21. Esteban Ocon +1L
22. Pascal Wehrlein +1L
Vettel has dropped to a second off Hamilton as they hit traffic.
Hamilton, spurred on by Vettel, has made big gains on Verstappen - just seven seconds off now.
Not entirely certain what Vettel's plan is here, as he'll run his softs into the ground, but it sure is fun.
Not entirely certain what Vettel's plan is here, as he'll run his softs into the ground, but it sure is fun.
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"Which compound is the best for the next stop?" Sainz is asked.
"Will we have to overtake?" He replies.
The response is affirmative, and the Spaniard says "I don't know. the hards feel good."
"Will we have to overtake?" He replies.
The response is affirmative, and the Spaniard says "I don't know. the hards feel good."
Stopwatch
Fastest lap of the race - Sebastian Vettel, 1m35.118s.
Vettel is hurrying Hamilton, he's going to be a major problem for the Mercedes driver at this rate.
Stopwatch
Fastest lap of the race - Lewis Hamilton - 1m35.458s. But Vettel is all over him!
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