F1 Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Final
for this game
Japanese Grand Prix Preview
Sep 29, 2007 - 10:59 AMSeptember 30, 2007
Fuji Speedway
Oyama, Japan
Race 15 of 17 in Grand Prix Series
Laps: 67
Track length: 2.835 miles
Race length: 190 miles
DRIVERS TO WATCH
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Fernando Alonso (Spain)
Team: McLaren
2007 Points: 95 (2nd)
Finished third at Belgium and and now trails rookie teammate and
series leader Lewis Hamilton, who was fourth, by just two
points; won the Italian Grand Prix prior to Belgium; finished
third at the Turkish Grand Prix and ran fourth in Hungary prior
to that; won the Grand Prix of Europe to also climb within two
points of Hamilton on July 22; has finished in the top five in
12 of 14 starts this season; finished seventh at both the French
and Canadian Grands Prix; placed second at the Santander
British Grand Prix and was runner-up to Hamilton at
Indianapolis; won at Monaco and ran third at hometown Spanish
Grand Prix; stormed to an easy victory at Malaysia and
registered a second-place finish in his McLaren debut at
Australia, finishing 7.2 seconds behind Kimi Raikkonen; won this
race last season.
Lewis Hamilton (Britain)
Team: McLaren
2007 Points: 97 (1st)
The points leader was fourth at Belgium, ran second to Alonso at
Italy and now leads his teammate by two points atop the
standings; finished fifth in Turkey two weeks after winning the
Hungarian Grand Prix; finished ninth at the Grand Prix of
Europe; took third in back-to-back races at the British Grand
Prix and Magny-Cours after making history at Canada where he
became the first black driver to win a Formula One race;
followed that victory in Canada by winning the United States
Grand Prix; placed second in four consecutive races prior to his
back-to-back wins; rookie sensation has burst onto the circuit
by storm, running third at Australia and placing second at
Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain and Monaco; finished 18 seconds behind
Alonso at Malaysia and is the first rookie in series history
since 1964 to capture podium finishes in his first three races;
also is the first black driver in series history; has finished
among the top five in all but one start this year.
Nick Heidfeld (Germany)
Team: BMW Sauber
2007 Points: 56 (5th)
Ran fifth at Belgium and remains fifth in the standings; was
coming off consecutive fourth-place finishes at Italy and
Turkey; was third in Hungary following consecutive sixth-place
finishes over the previous two races; still seeking first win of
the season; opened the year with three consecutive fourth place
finishes at Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain; had best race of
the season at Canada where he finished second; forced to retire
at Spain and the United States Grand Prix; has nine top-five
finishes in 14 starts this year; ran eighth at this race last
season.
Felipe Massa (Brazil)
Team: Ferrari
2007 Points: 77 (4th)
Finished second to teammate Kimi Raikkonen at Belgium and now
trails his Ferrari teammate by five points for third place;
retired from the Italian Grand Prix with suspension problems,
dropping to fourth place in the standings; bounced back from a
13th-place finish at Hungary by winning in Turkey; posted a
runner-up finish at the Grand Prix of Europe after slipping to
fourth place following a fifth place finish British Grand Prix;
was runner-up to Raikkonen at Magny-Cours; also was
black-flagged at Canada; ran third at Indianapolis and Monaco
after capturing two straight checkered flags at Bahrain and
Spain; finished fifth at Malaysia; kicked off his campaign with
a sixth place at Australia; has nine top five finishes in 14
starts this season; finished second to Alonso at this race last
year.
Kimi Raikkonen (Finland)
Team: Ferrari
2007 Points: 84 (3rd)
Won at Belgium to move within 13 points of Hamilton; finished
third at Italy to move up to third in the standings; ran second
at Turkey, following a runner-up finish Hungary; retired from
the Grand Prix of Europe after consecutive checkered flag wins
at the British Grand Prix and Magny-Cours; has four wins and 11
top-five finishes in 14 starts; finished fourth at Indianapolis
and fifth at Canada; struggled to eighth place at Monaco and
retired due to electrical problems at Spain, dropping him from
first to fourth in the standings; had a dazzling debut with new
team Ferrari, capturing the checkered flag in the season opener
at Australia; joined Ferrari after spending the last five years
with McLaren; finished fifth at this event last season.
2006 Top 10
-----------
1. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault
2. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari
3. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Renault
4. Jenson Button, England, Honda
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, McLaren
6. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota
7. Ralf Schumacher, Germany, Toyota
8. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, Sauber-BMW
9. Robert Kubica, Poland, Sauber-BMW
10. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Williams-Cosworth
Past Champions
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2006 Fernando Alonso, Renault
2005 Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren
2004 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2003 Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari
2002 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2001 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2000 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
1999 Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes
1998 Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes
1997 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
1996 Damon Hill, Williams
1995 Michael Schumacher, Benetton
1994 Damon Hill, Williams
1993 Ayrton Senna, McLaren
1992 Riccardo Patrese, Williams
1991 Nelson Piquet, Benetton
1990 Alessandro Nannini, Benetton
1989 Ayrton Senna, McLaren
1988 Gerhard Berger, Ferrari
