New Motorsport Week article: Formula 1’s only ‘cancelled’ race – the 1985 Belgian Grand Prix

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licenses/by/2.0)]

It looked fleetingly last weekend like the Japanese Grand Prix could be called off, with the impact of Typhoon Hagibis.

But the race went on. As in Formula 1 it always does in the end. Literally, as it may surprise to learn that never once in F1 history has a race been scratched after the meeting has got underway.

Well, apart from one time. Sort of. Then the race did happen, but some three months after the Friday running.

This was the Belgian Grand Prix in 1985. In my latest for Motorsport Week I tell the story:  https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/24833

1994 Japanese Grand Prix review for Motor Sport Magazine

Martin Lee from London, UK [CC BY-SA 2.0
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

The latest of my historic F1 articles for Motor Sport Magazine is here. And it's from the rich retro treasure trove that is the Japanese Grand Prix - the latest of which is this weekend.

And the one I've gone for is a classic tale of proving your doubters wrong. Damon Hill entered the 1994 Japanese Grand Prix viewed roundly as an impostor in that season's championship fight up against the imperious Michael Schumacher.

But in the most trying circumstances Hill showed he was much more than that.

I tell the tale via this link: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/i-was-driving-different-level-damon-hill-s-1994-japanese-grand-prix

Motor Verso F1 2018 Season Summary - Japanese Grand Prix review

Photo: Octane Photography

If the Japanese Grand Prix felt familiar that's because it was. The themes of recent weeks barely altered; the previous momentum was unchecked - maybe even accelerated. Lewis Hamilton won imperiously. Ferrari if anything got more risible than before. Lewis now has world championship match point.

The Motor Verso F1 season summary has been updated with my take on the Japanese weekend. As ever it's illustrated with fantastic Pirelli photography and my selection of the best of F1 content on YouTube.

You can check out the latest summary here: https://www.motorverso.com/2018-f1-summary/

Japanese GP Report - The Big Mo

"You wouldn't want to get in the way of the World Championship battle, would you?," asked David Coulthard of Max Verstappen after qualifying. The Dutchman's reply was typically pointed. "Is it still a battle? Not sure."

Continuing the recent theme, Lewis Hamilton won again
Photo: Octane Photography

Formula 1 is a lot like US presidential nomination races. While that may seem an unlikely analogy in either pursuit 'The Big Mo' - the intangible called momentum - counts for a lot.

In either pursuit too such runaway handcart scenarios can be felt in the positive or the negative. We're seeing both in F1 right now. The theme of recent weeks scarcely altered in Japan. If there was a shift it was only to gather pace in the direction it was already headed. Lewis Hamilton won from pole, barely looking troubled as he did so at this Suzuka track that perhaps suits the Mercedes better than any other.

While Ferrari's momentum in the negative also accelerated. It was perhaps further off the Merc pace than previously. And again Ferrari when up against it made things worse with acts of self-sabotage. This time it entered the realms of farce. Late in qualifying it sent both cars out on intermediate tyres - rain was expected at some point but in that moment the track was bone dry. The sight of the two cars crawling around the lap on utterly unsuited rubber was risible.

Suzuka Preview: Turning Japanese

Formula 1 appears to have entered one of its periodic states of inevitability.

On the face of it, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes
will be hard to stop at Suzuka
Photo: Octane Photography

It's very strange to think that just a month ago there appeared no way for Mercedes to beat Ferrari. Now the opposite appears true. Ferrari seems to have shot its bolt. It was hobbled by operational problems and mistakes in several rounds; more lately it lost its pace too. Lewis Hamilton's form is towering (in results anyway) and his points lead now looks insurmountable.

With five rounds remaining all now give the impression going through the motions until titles are confirmed. And this Japanese round coming should increase the sense of the inevitable. It's at mighty Suzuka, which is usually cited as Mercedes country. It has won the last four here and long fast corners are just its thing. Last year Hamilton won and Mercedes was one and two in qualifying (though Valtteri Bottas then got a gearbox grid penalty).

Yet in keeping with the Suzuka venue things this weekend may in fact not be that simple. One thing to consider is that, despite appearances, Hamilton hasn't always been that happy here. Yes he's won at Suzuka three times but last year was the first time he'd taken pole and by his own admission he's not always found an ideal set-up at this track. And of his three wins one was in the wet and another owed mostly to getting ahead of Nico Rosberg at turn one.

Japanese Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Deja vu all over again

At Suzuka it was deja vu all over again.

Photo: Octane Photography

Really. For the third race in a row Ferrari compromised itself from the first beat. And Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes helped themselves to a big points gain. Now the destination of the drivers' title their way looks certain.

For Motor Verso I give my take on it all, and shoehorn a few more Yogi Berra lines...

You can have a read via this link: http://www.motorverso.com/japanese-gp-2017-report-deja-vu/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Japanese GP Report - When things run away from you

It was deja vu all over again. Literally. In the Japanese Grand Prix for the third race in a row Ferrari was compromised from the first beat. For the third race in a row (in fact more than that) Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes made a major points gain. And now we're in the endgame.

No wonder he's smiling - in Suzuka Lewis Hamilton
all but wrapped up his fourth drivers' title
Photo: Octane Photography

This time it was a spark plug problem for Sebastian Vettel. Just as with Kimi Raikkonen in Malaysia, the Ferrari mechanics were frantic on the grid around Seb's car. Such reliability niggles are becoming a habit.

Unlike Kimi in Sepang Seb got going but the extent of his problem soon was evident. Max Verstappen ambushed him for P2 at the hairpin first time through, then Esteban Ocon, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas all swamped him on the pit straight next time past.

Quickly he was pulled in to retire, and Vettel later spoke like a man who knew the championship was gone.

"I think I need to protect them," he said of his team. "We've done an incredible job this year, it's like that sometimes.

Japanese GP Betting Preview - Turning Japanese

F1's battles at the front in recent times have been three way between Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. And the Japanese round this weekend once again in advance feels a close call between the trio - all approach the round with some reason for hope.

Will the 'big three' teams be evenly
matched again at Suzuka?
Photo: Octane Photography

Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari will not now be taking a gearbox grid drop in Japan, which brings him right back into the game. He has after all been the pace-setter in both of the previous two rounds, and more encouragingly for him the two tracks had very different demands.

It's not clear if the bookies have noticed - or perhaps they've noticed Ferrari's concurrent habit of treading on its own tail. Seb's 14/5 to win in Japan looks generous.

They have noticed Red Bull's improved form though, with Max Verstappen at a much tightened 5/1 (readers of the Malaysia betting preview will know Max could have been backed at 25/1 for his Sepang win) and Daniel Ricciardo at 7/1 to triumph this time. Flowing Suzuka will suit the RB13 - a few think Red Bull again has the best chassis in F1. If you fancy playing safer then Max is at 3/4 and Daniel 11/10 to get on the podium.

Suzuka Preview: Big in Japan

They don't make 'em like they used to.

It's not always true, but it sometimes is. It certainly is with Suzuka, the welcome stop-off for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Inimitable Suzuka
Photo: Octane Photography

Whatever the newer venues' merits none have got even close to quickening the pulse when cars circulate as they do at this venue. Not all that many of the older tracks have either.

The layout is dominated by challenging, snaking, undulating turns - the sort that separate the great from the good; the sort that would most likely be laughed out of court were they proposed now from the ground up.

The narrow circuit's challenge is like walking an ever-veering tightrope. There aren't vast run-off areas to use as a benign get-out. Precision counts.

New Vital F1 article: Let’s go back to the future on backmarkers

Photo: Octane Photography

The Japanese Grand Prix weekend was one for recrimination. And in the race we got a little more, with much complaining from some of those near the front about blue flags, and those being lapped not leaping out of the way sufficiently pronto.

In my latest article for Vital F1 I explain why, though it's nothing personal, they get no sympathy from me. And why if it was up to me we wouldn't have blue flags at all, as the sport would be better for it.

You can have a read here: http://www.vitalf1.com/sitepage.asp?a=3704

New Grand Prix Times article: Does F1 need to learn to love Lewis Hamilton?

The Japanese Grand Prix was all about Nico Rosberg's imperious showing, which send him a great stride towards this year's drivers' championship.

Photo: Octane Photography

Or rather it should have been. But instead the chat was again all about his team mate Lewis Hamilton. And not for anything he did on track. Instead it was for his antics in press conferences. Or antics not in press conferences as the case may be. Sure enough we got a giant wave of indignation.

But in my latest article for Grand Prix Times I ask whether Lewis has been rather maligned and not for the first time. And whether F1 needs to learn to love him a bit more.

You can have a read here: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/id/13069

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Japanese Grand Prix Review

The latest Lights to Flag podcast is here, and for the second week in a row Ewan and I were delighted to be joined by Jack Amey to look back at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Of course there's much fat-chewing over Lewis Hamilton, Snapchat and all that, but also at Nico Rosberg's dominant weekend that could well go considerable way to deciding this year's drivers' title destination.

And we chat about other news from on and off the track in Suzuka, including whither Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen's defence, Nico Hulkenberg's Renault switch, among many other things.

It's well worth the 58 minutes of your time, and you can listen via the player below.

As ever you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Will Hamilton Still Back Verstappen's Aggressive Moves?

Max Verstappen pulled off a 'Verstappen' on Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka. This made us wonder, will Lewis Hamilton still back Max Verstappen's aggressive moves? The Hamilton vs. Verstappen battle was our highlight moment!

The FIA had a chat with Verstappen and told him that they're 'watching' him. Well, if not for Verstappen, who have the FIA been watching all of 2016? This lad has had our eyes glued on him. Maybe, Baby Vettel is now THE Vettel for Red Bull Racing.

The Rosberg vs. Hamilton battle - we're hoping for at least one on-track battle between the two title rivals before this year's championship is concluded. However, it seems that Hamilton is hell bent on picking battles on and off track. We discuss the various avoidable episodes for the Lewis Hamilton camp from the last week. By the way, some of it reminded us of the prank played on Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004.

Will Nico Rosberg be a worthy Formula 1 champion? That's the latest debate on social media and while we're not taking sides, we do add our perspectives from this season. At the same time, we should be thankful that we've a fight on our hands (and on the telly) as we witness the 2016 Drivers' Championship being fought tooth-and-nail between two team-mates, driving for a team that's been very fair and just in their approach towards both contenders. On that note, THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS, Mercedes!

Mercedes to Formula E? We tell you why they're eyeing another single-seater championship and if Red Bull and Ferrari could follow suit too. Are Mercedes too bored of dominating Formula 1 and now have their sights on Formula E? Also, if Formula E's prowess grows in the coming years, will Formula 1 lose its relevance? And could Formula 1 go all-electric to remain relevant? The next few years will define the future of this category of racing.

Ferrari and McLaren - two of Formula 1's most-iconic teams seem unable to find an answer to their struggles. As for Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel, is the 'Michael Schumacher' dream going to remain a dream after all? And it seems that curse of the 'Number 2' got to Vettel in Suzuka, after all. Would a 16th and 18th place finish at Suzuka please Honda? Well, so long as Fernando Alonso didn't compare their Formula 1 engine to a GP2 engine!

We tell you why Nico Hulkenberg should hedge his bets and go off to Renault and how GP3 is trying all it can to make sure their drivers are Formula 1 ready from 2017 onwards. The one line we had fun reading in this episode was 'Jan wonders if his son will have a contract come Jan'! And finally, we scoop out some inside information to tell you why the revolutionary 'car-to-television' interview was deferred from Malaysia to Japan.

Tune in!

Japanese Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Rosberg Stands on the Brink

Photo: Octane Photography

We keep expecting him to falter now we're in the world championship crunch point. But he keeps refusing to. And, whaddaya know, now Nico Rosberg stands on the brink.

Don't let anyone tell you that this game's predictable in other words. And perhaps the last two races - seven days apart - sum up his charge. When he's not been on top things have gone his way. When he has been on top he's been almost literally flawless. Whatever, it's an equation that usually adds up to titles. Given where we've got to, now only the unusual can deprive Nico.

In my Japanese Grand Prix review for Motor Verso I try to sum up where we're at. You can have a read here: http://www.motorverso.com/japanese-gp-2016-review-rosberg-stands-brink/

Japanese GP Report - Everything's coming up Rosberg

It is our contradictions that make us interesting. Even as rational beings we often rely on explanations that have no more basis than hocus pocus. Even in F1, that most empirical of activities.

Nico Rosberg triumphed yet again
Photo: Octane Photography

But we can understand why, particularly after a weekend such as this for the Japanese Grand Prix. When things are going your way, they go your way. Somehow. And it continued that way when it mattered for our most unlikely of world championship interlopers called Nico Rosberg.

The rounds tick down; he remains on top. Things continue to go his way. Somehow.

But it would be wrong to suggest this one owed at all to fortune. Nico's was not a race but a weekend dominated in the finest style. Almost from a wheel being turned at the start of Friday practice he appeared on another level. Every session he topped. And all this with the drivers' championship pressure cranked up to 11. Not for the first time you suspect long-held assumptions about him are being recalibrated. His more entrenched critics will point out no doubt that ho hum Nico in his one trick won from the front. Maybe so (albeit it's a harsh criticism), but as Martin Brundle pointed out a few rounds back, he keeps getting to the front.

Suzuka Qualifying - When we were kings

To think we were all so convinced. Nico Rosberg might be shadow boxing, dancing around the ring, but as the title fight reached the critical point he'd become timid. And meet a knockout blow.

As the title fight reaches its final rounds, Nico Rosberg 
continues to float like a butterfly
Photo: Octane Photography

Not so. Or at least not yet. There seems a pattern being established just lately, the sort that adds up to a World Championship you might say. That when Nico's not on top things still go his way somehow. And when he is on top he's imperious. Today in qualifying, and indeed for just about all of this Japanese Grand Prix weekend thus far, we've got the latter. As the rounds are being ticked off, with him up on points, he remains sprightly. Confident. His dance to the title hasn't yet met the clunking fist we all were anticipating. More and more indeed, it appears it'll take something major like that to stop him.

Plenty said in advance of this one that Suzuka was Lewis Hamilton country. After all it's on a big, bold circuit, that usually is up his street, plus he won on both of the last two visits. But as ever in F1 it pays to dig a little deeper, Nico got both of the previous two poles and Hamilton by his own admission has often struggled for a set-up here. He's also never taken pole. And still hasn't.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Malaysia Grand Prix Review and Japanese Grand Prix Preview

The latest Lights to Flag podcast has landed, and Ewan Marshall and I were delighted to be joined by Jack Amey to look back at the Malaysia Grand Prix and ahead to the Japanese Grand Prix.

And what a dramatic race it was in Sepang - Lewis Hamilton dominated but was reminded that in this game it's never over until it's over. With big implications for the championship fight. Red Bull, with the popular Danile Ricciardo ahead, took full advantage. You can listen to the podcast via the player below.

As ever too you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Suzuka Preview: Big in Japan

They don't make 'em like they used to.

Inimitable Suzuka
Photo: Octane Photography

Such a claim isn't always true, but it sometimes is. And you might argue that it applies particularly to the F1 circuit. It certainly applies to Suzuka, the welcome stop-off for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Of course some of the sport's newer venues are better than others, but none have got even close to quickening the pulse among drivers and aficionados alike as happens when cars circulate this venue. In fairness, not that many of the older tracks have either.

This is mainly because the Suzuka layout is dominated by challenging, snaking, undulating turns, the sort that separate the great from the good, the sort that would most likely be laughed out of court were they proposed from the ground up.

Formula One Teams, TV Black Outs And Bernie Ecclestone - by Kunal Shah

The controversial TV blackout for Mercedes during the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix saw Bernie Ecclestone deny (twice) that it was done deliberately. For those who know the sport and Ecclestone, this was yet another questionable answer and tactic. After all, how would Mercedes AMG Petronas justify to their board (Mercedes Benz - the car company) six minutes' coverage (out of a possible ninety!) on global television for a race where they scored yet another 1-2 - basically were unbeatable yet again? (Read: Hamilton's Bad Hair Days Are Here To Stay)

Should Bernie, and F1, have a more professional approach?
Photo: Octane Photography

Force India faced a similar issue at the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix when the team deemed the race 'unsafe' after a few team members were attacked. While reasons for the recent TV snub at Suzuka will never be clear, one could imagine that this was in some way linked to Mercedes refusing to supply their hybrid V6 power plants to rival team Red Bull Racing for the 2016 Formula 1 Season. (Read: Bernie I Shrunk The Grid)

If that's really the case, will Ferrari face a similar snub in the upcoming 2016 Russian Grand Prix? While Ferrari hasn't refused to supply engines to Red Bull Racing, they've reportedly offered their 2015-spec engines for use in 2016. While Ferrari's reasons seem obvious, it would be imperative to state here that it is Formula 1 that needs Red Bull Racing and not Ferrari. (Read: Help, Red Bull Needs Energy)

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Fernando Alonso, The Unluckiest Double World Champion?

Fernando Alonso, what does he need to win to become a World Champion again? Leave Formula 1, say Mithila and Kunal in the latest episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast.

Tune in as they discuss Fernando Alonso's future in Formula 1, McLaren and Red Bull Racing's power issues, the controversial Mercedes black out and if Ferrari could be next (in Russia). They also applaud the efforts of the Lotus drivers in an otherwise grim Japanese Grand Prix for the team and finally, thank God for Max Verstappen.