Jack Leslie F1: 2015 Japanese Grand Prix In Pictures

The Japanese Grand Prix is one of the most popular races on the F1 schedule and takes place at the unique Suzuka circuit.

Lewis Hamilton took victory for Mercedes, dominating the event to extend his championship lead. Here is the race weekend in pictures.

All of the images featured in this piece are courtesy of Octane Photographic. See more of their work here.

Friday

Conditions were cloudy, dull and wet for the first day of running at the Suzuka circuit.

Because of the weather conditions, there was only limited running in first practice.

Carlos Sainz Jr set the pace in FP1 for Toro Rosso, ahead of Daniil Kvyat and Nico Rosberg.

Felipe Massa was one of several drivers to suffer an off-track excursion in the tricky conditions on Friday.

Kvyat was fastest in second practice on Friday afternoon. More running than expected was completed but dry weather for Saturday and Sunday meant it wasn't very useful.

Max Verstappen's session was delayed after a screw got lost in his engine bay and Toro Rosso had to try and find it.

Jenson Button was 12th quickest in FP2 but his team-mate Fernando Alonso had an engine change and missed part of the session.

Saturday

With dry conditions for final practice, it was a very busy session, with cars queueing to get out of the pit lane.

Rosberg was fastest in FP3, three tenths ahead of his team-mate Hamilton.

Behind the Mercedes drivers, it looked close in terms of both qualifying and race pace between the Ferrari, Red Bull and Williams cars.

Marcus Ericsson spun at the Spoon curve during the first segment of qualifying.

Verstappen's car suffered a power problem and stopped at the hairpin in the closing stages of Q1, bringing out the yellow flags.

The yellow flags meant several drivers had to lift off, with Button failing to improve and being eliminated. He was joined by Ericsson, Felipe Nasr, Will Stevens and Alexander Rossi.

Pastor Maldonado was one of five drivers in the Q2 drop-zone. Hulkenberg was 11th, with Sainz Jr 12th, the Venezuelan 13th, Fernando Alonso 14th and Verstappen in 15th after failing to complete a lap.

A huge crash for Kvyat in the last minute of Q3 was the major talking point from Saturday. He clipped the grass at the kink before the hairpin, went off and rolled his car. Fortunately he was okay.

The red flags emerged in Q3 and that meant Sergio Perez was unable to set a lap, qualifying ninth, just behind Romain Grosjean and ahead of Kvyat - who would start from the pit lane.

Rosberg took pole position from Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Sebastian Vettel, Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo.

Sunday

To warm up the crowds on Sunday, a number of classic F1 cars were driven around Suzuka, including this McLaren MP4/6 - with Gerhard Berger at the wheel.

Hamilton got the best start and moved into the lead at Turn 1, as behind Ricciardo and Massa drop back after contact.

Rosberg was squeezed wide at Turn 2 by his team-mate and this dropped him to fourth place.

Ricciardo picked up a left-rear puncture after contact with Massa on the run to the first corner.

Meanwhile the collision gave Massa a right-front puncture and he also had to pit for repairs, as did Perez.

Hamilton soon established a comfortable advantage at the front of the field over Vettel and Bottas.

Behind, Raikkonen maintained his position, while Grosjean, Maldonado and Hulkenberg all made up ground.

McLaren struggled once again on the straights and Button was passed by both Nasr and Verstappen in one go once DRS was enabled.

Bottas tried to keep Rosberg behind but eventually lost out at the chicane after the first round of pit stops.

Alonso ran in the top 10 early on but quickly dropped down the field, much to his frustration.

It was a tough race for both Red Bull drivers, with Kvyat having to move up the order after starting from the pits.

The Lotus drivers stuck with each other for the majority of the Japanese Grand Prix, with Grosjean and Maldonado finishing seventh and eighth.

Hamilton dominated to take his eighth win of the season and second at Suzuka.

Rosberg was 19 seconds further back, with Vettel third, Raikkonen fourth and Bottas fifth.

28 September 2015

2015 Japanese Grand Prix In Pictures

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