Japanese Grand Prix: History, Previous Winners & More

Off the back of a strange Russian Grand Prix, the Formula One season heads to Japan for a weekend at the famous Suzuka.

Despite a clear pace advantage for the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton claimed victory in Sochi to extend his Drivers’ Championship lead to 73 points.

The duel between Leclerc and Vettel heated up further before the latter had to retire from the race two weekends ago. While Mercedes

boast a stellar record in Japan, Ferrari will be confident they can dominate again.

Let’s take a look at a bit of history about the Japanese Grand Prix…

Japanese Grand Prix: Brief History
The first two Japanese Grands Prix took place in 1976 and 1977 at the Fuji Speedway. The venue of a title showdown between Niki Lauda and James Hunt in ’76 (when Lauda refused to race in monsoon conditions), the track, like many at the time, was dangerous.

Gilles Villeneuve crashed and killed two spectators in 1977, and the race disappeared from the Formula One calendar until 1987.

When Formula One went back to Japan, Suzuka was the home of the race exclusively for the next two decades. In 1994 and 1995, however, a ‘Pacific Grand Prix’ was held in Mimasaka at the TI Circuit.

With two years of racing following at Fuji Speedway in 2007 and 2008, the Japanese Grand Prix moved back to Suzuka in 2009 with a plan to alternate between the two venues. This was part of the rivalry between Toyota and Honda.

The economic crash in 2010 saw Toyota pull out from the agreement, however, resulting in Suzuka holding every Japanese Grand Prix since.

With the race always late on the Formula One schedule, the Japanese Grand Prix has seen many a world title clinched. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost’s rivalry saw some of its most famous episodes in Japan in front of enormous crowds.

Michael Schumacher, the most successful driver in Japanese Grand Prix history, secured his third and sixth world titles in Japan.

Japanese Grand Prix: Suzuka

The 3.6-mile circuit combines winding corners with lengthy straights. Cars need to be well-balanced if they are to be truly competitive on Sunday at Suzuka, with the straight between turn 14 and 15 a particularly good opportunity to overtake.

The first sector of the lap, featuring the famous ‘S Curves’, was praised this week by Sebastian Vettel and is one of the most popular parts of track in the Formula One season.

Originally intended as a test circuit for Honda in the 1960s, Suzuka has a ‘figure 8’ layout, similar to a Scalextric track. Few tracks in the world have an overpass like Suzuka’s, making it a unique place to race.

Changes to the track layout have been relatively limited compared to some Formula One venues, though a lot has been done to improve run-off areas and driver safety through the addition of crash barriers.

The most notable change was the addition of a chicane into the last corner to limit speed as cars head onto the pit straight. Over the years, the chicane has been tweaked various times.

Japanese Grand Prix: Recent Winners
2018 – Lewis Hamilton

2017 – Lewis Hamilton

2016 – Nico Rosberg

2015 – Lewis Hamilton

2014 – Lewis Hamilton

Japanese Grand Prix: Most Wins
6 – Michael Schumacher

5 – Lewis Hamilton

4 – Sebastian Vettel

2 – Gerhard Berger, Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso

Japanese Grand Prix: F1 Betting Tips
Toto Wolff says Mercedes are bringing minor upgrades to Japan, which they need after spending a lot of time chasing Ferraris in the second half of the season.

The Silver Arrows have been dominant in Japan in the hybrid era, but that’s not enough for the F1 betting odds to be in their favour. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are both 7/4 to win the race.

Formula One news and tips will revolve around the Ferraris, and it’s not hard to see why. After a turbulent first half of the campaign, Leclerc has been dominant, and Vettel has regained race-winning form since a triumphant drive in Singapore.

The challenge of managing the pair, as they continue to clash, could put Mattia Binotto in a difficult position again this weekend. Hamilton will be right there to benefit from any error, strategic or otherwise.

Still a way off a truly competitive car, the situation at Red Bull remains interesting. Alex Albon drove superbly to work his way up the field in Sochi. Hopefully, Suzuka will finally let us see both Verstappen and Albon start higher up on the grid and race one another.

It would be foolish to ever write off Verstappen, but his 4/5 price to make the podium is on the short side considering the Red Bull’s performance.

With typhoon Hagibis set to arrive, the race – should it go ahead – will likely be held in wet and windy conditions, which could make for a dramatic race.

If it’s raining on Sunday, keep an eye out for Verstappen, who could quickly become a bargain at 5/1 to win.

October 9, 2019
Formula 1
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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Advanced Guide To Tennis Doubles Betting With 888sport

Doubles doesn’t get the attention of singles tennis, but it can still be a valuable area for bettors. Much like our in-play tennis betting guide this piece will run through a few tips and the intricacies of betting on doubles tennis.

Although the best doubles players in the world aren’t star names like Serena Williams or Roger Federer, it’s a form of the sport that many fans enjoy. The rapid rallies and greater potential for upsets make it fun to watch.

Here are a few things to consider as you prepare to place a wager on a doubles match…

 

Record Playing Together

Individual performances aren’t too important as you look to evaluate a doubles pairing.

Players who have played together are obviously at an advantage over partnerships that have recently started working together like Serena Williams and Andy Murray at Wimbledon earlier this year.

The Bryan brothers, with years spent together on court, are the best doubles team of all-time.

Neither are particularly impressive when left to battle it out in a singles match, but their understanding of each other, and acceptance of their respective roles, sets them apart from the rest of the world.

Even if it’s a partnership that haven’t played a huge amount together, it’s worth doing a bit of research to find out how they fared when they did.

Past success isn’t necessarily an indicator of a future winner, but it might make their odds seem better value. The reverse goes for doubles pairings who have struggled together in the past.

 

Different Surfaces

It isn’t necessarily as influential as it would be on a singles match, but the surface remains a factor that should be accounted for as you weigh up a doubles wager.

Players who have a torrid career record on the clay, for instance, aren’t going to be as effective at returning at Roland Garros as they will be at Wimbledon, even if they’re a very good doubles player.

The nature of doubles means some of these weaknesses can be papered over, but in a highly competitive match, it will still make a notable difference.

The best doubles pairings will find a way to work round any difficulties caused by a certain surface, but for a lot of tennis players, it will have a significant impact on their results, just as it does in singles.

 

Style Of Play

Playing doubles tennis is markedly different to having to cover all the court yourself. The ‘team’ element of playing as a two shouldn’t be overlooked when you’re scrolling through the tennis odds.

Complementary skillsets are vital. Two well-rounded players who want to grind it out from the baseline isn’t likely to be a formula for success, for instance, even if they are both superb singles players.

Returning and volleying are probably the two most important skills, and ideally both players will be comfortable at the net.

Tactics are different, too. Players need to show adaptability to alter their serving angles, awareness of positioning relative to their teammate on the court and become comfortable with shots down the middle of the court.

The movement element is particularly key – good doubles pairings will move as a unit, leaving no gaping holes on their side of the court.

As much as record, looking at how a partnership play together is crucial as you decide on your doubles bets. Tennis offers and promotions can give you extra value in doubles markets, but there’s plenty to consider before you place a wager.

 

Singles Form - Important Or Not?

Although previously downplayed in an earlier section, a player’s form in singles shouldn’t be entirely forgotten.

While they might not always be linked, it can be an indicator of a particular struggle. If a defeat came in a singles match because of a nightmare serving, that’s obviously going to impact their ability to compete in their following doubles match.

Players may often withdraw from doubles if they’re suffering with a slight injury, but it’s still something to keep an eye out for.

Multiple treatments needed throughout a singles match don’t suggest the player is in the best state for a doubles match whether later that day or in the next couple of days.

 

Straight Sets Wins For Heavy Favourites?

Much like in singles tennis, straight set victories are very common for heavy favourites in doubles. As shown here, a pair winning by straight sets can be a good bet when their outright match odds are short.

The downside, though, is that this is such a notable trend that bookmakers tend to have pretty accurate odds for such outcomes.

However, it is worth noting that matches without a heavy favourite are much more likely to go to three sets than either of the ATP or WTA singles tours.

Perhaps that’s the extra unpredictability of doubles shining through, but it can make the over 2.5 sets market an important one.   

 

Find the most up to date tennis odds at 888Sport

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Ng Han Guan / AP Photo*

October 9, 2019
Tennis
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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