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Since its first inclusion in the Formula One (F1) Championship, the
Japanese Grand Prix has become synonymous with excitement and controversy.
Its traditional place at the end of the season means this event has seen a
great number of Championship crowns being won and lost. In the 19 Japanese
Grands Prix (1976-1977; 1987-2003, 11 have seen the title destiny decided
(1976, 1987-1991, 1996, 1998-2000, and 2003), with 5 of those events (1976,
1996, 1998-1999 and 2003) being last race Championship deciders.
History
The first Japanese Grand Prix, in 1976, was held at the Fuji circuit, 40
miles north of Yokohama. The race was to become famous for the title decider
between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. In monsoon conditions, Lauda, who had
survived a near fatal crash at the German Grand Prix earlier in the season,
decided his life was more important than the championship, allowing Hunt to
score the 3rd position he needed to win the title by the slender margin of
one point. Hunt returned the next year to win the 2nd Japanese Grand Prix,
but a collision between Gilles Villeneuve and Ronnie Peterson during the
race saw Villeneuve's Ferrari somersault into a restricted area, killing a
marshal. The race did not re-appear on the Formula One Calendar for another
decade.
On Formula 1's return to Japan in 1987, the Grand Prix found a new venue
at Suzuka, 50 miles south west of Nagoya. The circuit, set inside a funfair,
was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholtz and owned by Honda, who used it as
a test track. Most notable initially for its layoutSuzuka is the only
figure-of-eight race track on the F1 calendar - immediately it saw another
World Title decided, as Nigel Mansell crashed his Williams-Honda in
practice, handing the crown to his team-mate Nelson Piquet]]. Suzuka will
always be chiefly remembered, however, for the legendary feud between Alain
Prost and Ayrton Senna. During the 1989 Grand Prix, Senna tried to overtake
Prost to keep his Championship hopes alive, only for Prost to swerve into
him, taking both men out and handing the title to Prost. A year on and Senna
reciprocated, ramming Prost off the road at the first corner to secure his
own World Crown. Senna was to later admit that he had done this on purpose.
The late 20th and early 21st century have seen a number of other, rather
more sporting duels for the Championship at Suzuka, most memorably those
between Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. The most notable of these
being at the 2000 race, where Schumacher took advantage of his superior
speed in damp conditions during a mid-race rain shower to secure the race
win, and his first World Title for Ferrari - his third in all. At the most
recent Japanese Grand Prix, on October 12, 2003, Michael Schumacher endured
one of the most trying races in his illustious career but managed to secure
the point he needed to take his sixth World Championship, beating the record
held by Juan Manuel Fangio.
Japanese Grand Prix Winners
- 1976: Mario Andretti (Lotus-Ford)
- 1977: James Hunt (McLaren-Ford)
- 1987: Gerhard Berger (Ferrari)
- 1988: Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Honda)
- 1989: Alessandro Nannini (Benetton-Ford)
- 1990: Nelson Piquet (Benetton-Ford)
- 1991: Gerhard Berger (McLaren-Honda)
- 1992: Riccardo Patrese (Williams-Renault)
- 1993: Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Ford)
- 1994: Damon Hill (Williams-Renault)
- 1995: Michael Schumacher (Benetton-Renault)
- 1996: Damon Hill (Williams-Renault)
- 1997: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 1998: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 1999: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes)
- 2000: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2001: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2002: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2003: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)
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