Lots of rain and treacherous driving conditions are nothing new to the Japanese Grand Prix. This year, Typhoon Hagabis may pass over the circuit on qualifying day.
A typhoon in the Pacific part of the world is a weather pattern similar to what we experience as a hurricane in the United States. Even more destructive is what’s called a cyclone, which packs winds as high as 300 miles per hour. Those storms are only possible in the area around India.
Typhoon Hagabis threatens 2019 Japanese Grand Prix (photo, Mirror)
Usually, there isn’t a connection between typhoons and Formula 1 racing. This week is an exception. That’s because this week’s race is the Japanese Grand Prix, an event that’s being held right in the middle of the Western Pacific typhoon season (October).
Worse yet, this week, Japan is being threatened by a so-called “Super Typhoon,” Typhoon Hagabis could pass right over the circuit where the Grand Prix will be run. If that happens, the result would be equivalent to what we know in the U.S. and nearby areas as a Category 5 hurricane–just like the one that struck the Bahamas recently.
If that happens, it won’t be the first time that Mother Nature has threatened a race here. In 1976, heavy rains fell on the Fuji course near Tokyo. The downfall made the race so dangerous that the driving leader that year, Niki Lauda, withdrew. His withdrawal gave his only challenger, James Hunt, a chance to win his first and only world championship.
Typhoons are nothing new to the Suzuka course, which is near Nagoya. In 2004, and again in 2010, qualifying sessions were moved up to clear-and-sunny Sunday mornings–even though drivers had to race that afternoon.
Overall, there has been a fair share of rainy race days at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. In 1994, the back end of Typhoon Zelda made for a wet race. And 20 years later, the race became the worse experience in the Formula 1 grid to date. Typhoon Phanfone caused two red flags and contributed to Frenchman Jules Bianchi’s fatal accident. That accident led to F1 adopting a virtual safety car period, which is still around today.
The podium (L to R): Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Renault, second; Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren, race winner; Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault, third. Formula One World Championship, Rd18, Japanese Grand Prix, Race, Suzuka, Japan, 9 October 2005 (photo, ESPN).
Heavy rain can give anybody a chance to win. Kimi Raikkonen, for example, got a victory from 17th position in 2005 when he passed Gian Carlo Fisichella with two laps left in the race.
With Typhoon Hagabis quickly approaching and due to hit the track on qualifying day, it looks sure to be the eighth rain event for the Japanese Grand Prix–1976 and 2007 at Fuji, and 1988, 1993, 1994, 2000, and 2014 at Suzuka.
Stay tuned!
