Nico Rosberg took his first victory at Suzuka comfortably from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and team mate Lewis Hamilton as the latter encountered a horrible start which dropped him down to 8th position before the first lap itself.
Rosberg’s win extends his championship lead to 33 points which ensures him of a championship even if Lewis Hamilton goes on to winning each of the four remaining races and he finishing second in them.
The Mercedes team also sealed the Constructors Championship with four rounds remaining.
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⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️
⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️LIGHTS OUT! HAM bogs down off the grid!
ROS leads the #JapaneseGP, PER up to P3 #F1 pic.twitter.com/reubHaSGbQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
Replay from the start #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/Jk0eHmwLyY
— Racing Humour (@racinghumour) October 9, 2016
ROS: "Harooo!" 👊 @nico_rosberg #JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/ikA3VeZwVm
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/amitdabhi44/status/785007003110412288
Pass me a trombone I could probs play the German national anthem by ear at this point #JapaneseGP #F1
— Soph 🏁 (@_zosophF1) October 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/GracenoteRacing/status/785006881513181184
ROS: "The whole weekend felt great from the word go. It's beautiful to win at this legendary track" #JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/B8auHGcM4V
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
The sweeetttt sweeetttt stench of champagne!!!!#F1 #JapaneseGP #TheTriple pic.twitter.com/NeJnYPeXs9
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) October 9, 2016
Hamilton charged from 8th position to finish third following a close battle with Verstappen who remained calm and composed to ensure the 2nd place for him. His team mate, Daniel Ricciardo finished down in 6th.
Now I know what 'Hammertime' really means! It's 'let's point the camera at Ham for a few laps and miss the action elsewhere' #JapaneseGP
— Craig Reid 🏴⛄ (@cr268_) October 9, 2016
LAP 52/3
Hamilton throws his Mercedes around the outside of VES at the chicane
HAM: "Max moved under braking" 📻#JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/XtO3FXE7Qu
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
It's like they had the flags prepared… #F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/biLp3G7g14
— Peter Hayes (@ThatPeterHayes) October 9, 2016
WINNER!
For his P2 finish at the #JapaneseGP, you have voted for @Max33Verstappen as #F1DriverOfTheDay at Suzuka 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/ND9S2NjdRF
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
Max? Driver of the day? Huh? #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/sQHHZd3v6X
— ghina #FuerzaIker 💪 | ᴷᴿ⁷🇫🇮 ᴵᶜ¹🇪🇸 (@fnabilaghina) October 9, 2016
The Ferrari strategies backfired again. Vettel was comfortable running in third position before the final pit stops where Hamilton came on top meaning Vettel finished fourth and Raikkonen 5th.
In the battle for the constructors championship between Force India and Williams, the former made advancements by finishing 7th and 8th ahead of the two Williams of Massa and Bottas in 9th and 10th respectively.
Shouldn't have taken the new engine Kimi. It back fired! Same old strategy nightmares for #Ferrari. #JapaneseGP
— World Champions! 🔴 (@liverpool_98) October 9, 2016
🎙JP, you are faster than JB. Can you confirm that you understand the message?🎙#JapaneseGP
— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) October 9, 2016
We can hear the theme tune from Jaws right now… #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/yrxcw6Hnt0
— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) October 9, 2016
"See you later!"
Hulkenberg, tras adelantar a Bottas. #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/iButKQRW6M— F1 en Movistar+ (@movistar_F1) October 9, 2016
Most of the front runners were complaining about blue flags and lapped cars at the ending stages of the race for which the Twitterati had some pretty brilliant response:
We should cancel blue flags to not hear all these complaining from race leaders #JapaneseGP #F1
— Ahmed Khattab (@AhmedRKhattab) October 9, 2016
It's a little ridiculous to expect backmarkers to jump out the way every time #JapaneseGP #F1
— motorsportcritic (@motosportcritic) October 9, 2016
Whoever gets Sebastian for secret Santa needs to get him a blue flag. #JapaneseGP
— Richard 'Pumpkin Spiced' Lartey ☕ (@giloi) October 9, 2016
Today's race
*Commentary*
Team Radio: "Blue flag!"
*Commentary*
Team Radio: "Blue flag!"
*Commentary*
Team Radio: "Blue flag!"#JapaneseGP— Motorsport Broadcasting (@f1broadcasting) October 9, 2016
I take it Seb is feeling blue #JapaneseGP
— Rishi #TeamLH (@onesquish) October 9, 2016
Donald Trump having a chance of becoming president is ridiculous.
Having cars on the track ahead of you ins’t ridiculous Seb. #JapaneseGP
— Fantasy GP (@Fantasy_GP) October 9, 2016
It is quite awesome – all 22 cars finished today the race! #JapaneseGP #F1
— Anna Grigoryan F1 (@annagrigoryanF1) October 9, 2016
Even the drivers room with the three drivers is sooooo boring…. Needs some Daniel RIccardo in there to make it more fun #F1 #JapaneseGP
— Miss Bee (@miss_bee_xoxo) October 9, 2016
The latest entry for fan hat of the weekend 😅
You'd never forget the iconic Suzuka figure of eight layout wearing this 🎩#JapaneseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/bRovIpq0B2
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2016
"More traffic than on the Dutch motorway" haha you wish :'( #JapaneseGP
— andae23 (@andae23) October 9, 2016
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Max is 19. He's not allowed to drink Alcohol. Japan law States 20 and above. But who cares!! 😂🍻🍻#F1 #JapaneseGP
— Okum (@Daddypeerow) October 9, 2016
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