© Getty ImagesHighs And Lows From JapanSuzuka is a race every driver,fan and team look forward to.. We’ve got plenty of memories from Japan, so let’s take a trip down memory lane…
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Now although we want to reflect on the bad and ugly as well as the good, it has to be said that Japan has seen a lot of highs for the Team over our 19 seasons not too many lows, so we’re going to focus on the good times – because let’s be honest, they’re much more fun…
The first podium in Japan was one to remember for Sebastian Vettel, he claimed pole on the Saturday and then led every lap of the race before taking the chequered flag. It was only the fourth win in his illustrious career but it was total domination. Mark Webber had a tough race, he started in the pitlane and then had some major issues, causing him to pit three times in the first four laps. He finished down in P17 but he was able to take the fastest lap.
Over our 17 trips to Japan, the Team has collected three one-two finishes at Suzuka,the first being in 2010. Seb took the win and Mark sealed the deal with P2 and fastest lap - momentous success, and a key addition to the Team’s points haul on our way to claiming our first double championship.
In 2013 Mark Webber took pole with Seb in P2. In the race, Mark collided with Lewis Hamilton causing him to lose places, Seb took the lead and Mark fought his way back to P2 to ensure the Bulls stood on the top two steps of the podium.
The most recent one-two finish was in 2022 with Max winning and Checo P2. Checo started P4 in the race with both Ferraris splitting the two Bulls. Checo battled his way to P2. He knocked Leclerc into P3 which guaranteed Max his second Drivers’ Championship title, which leads us nicely onto…
KickingButtAndTakingTitles
The Japanese Grand Prix has crowned 13 champions over the years, and the Bulls have had a slice of that success as well.
Sebastian Vettel claimed his second Drivers’ title in 2011. Heading into the race, Seb was leading the championship ahead of Jensen Button and only needed to claim one point to win. Jensen won the race with Fernando Alonso in P2. However, Seb took the third step on the podium and with it, the title.
Max also won his second Driver’s title in Japan, although it was much tighter for Max. Going into the race, Max needed to win and hope that Charles Leclerc didn’t finish P2, or else the title fight would continue onto the next Grand Prix.Enter the legend that is Sergio Perez who may have started in P4 but was able to get ahead of Leclerc and help Max claim the title.
During their two-and-a-bit seasons as teammates Max and Daniel Ricciardo only stood on the podium together four times. Twice in Malaysia, once in Germany and their last double podium was Japan in 2017.
Daniel qualified in P4 and Max one place behind him in fifth. Lewis Hamilton was on pole with Valtteri Bottas in P2 and Seb – driving for Ferrari – in P3.
With Daniel qualifying in P4 and Max in P5, they would have to pick off a Seb-driver Ferrari and Bottas in the Mercedes to both make it to the podium. Thanks to some car issues, Seb retired from the race and soon enough, both Bulls were able to get in front of Bottas. Max also got ahead of his teammate to finish P2 with Daniel finishing third.
KickingButtAndTakingTitles,TheSequel
Due to the dominance of Max and Checo in 2023 one of the best highs for the Team in Japan was claiming the Constructors’ Title with six races remaining.
Going into the race the Team were 308 points ahead of Mercedes and needed to outscore them by just one point to win the championship.
It wasn’t guaranteed it was going to happen, especially when Checo had to retire on lap 16 due to collision damage. But with Max taking the win and Hamilton only able to take P5 and George Russell in P7, the title was Oracle Red Bull Racing’s and they left Japan with their sixth Constructors’ Title!
This year the race has been moved to the spring, so nobody will be crowned champion, but you can guarantee a thrilling race nonetheless.