With
Bridgestone set to be the sole tyre supplier next season, Michelin is keen to end the year on a high and will look to try and repeat its performance at Suzuka last year – when
Kimi Raikkonen stole a dramatic victory on the very last lap and Michelin shod cars locked-out the top six places on the results.
However the unique nature of the Suzuka circuit, being the only figure of eight on the calendar, means it can be hard on tyres – especially through the series of high-speed bends that characterise the first half of the lap and in the fearsome 130R, one of the most daunting corners on the
F1 schedule.
"Suzuka is one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar,"
Formula One director Nick Shorrock said. "In terms of severity it is quite similar to
Silverstone – and that is where we tested to prepare tyres for this weekend's race. Suzuka's figure-of-eight configuration might even things out in terms of wear rates, but it still puts significant mechanical forces through the tyres.
"Following the Silverstone test, our six partners selected a range of compounds and we will have 10 different products available. A small section of the famous Suzuka crossover has been resurfaced since we last raced there, but I don't expect this to make a great deal of difference. The fact that we are using V8 engines, however, has allowed us to reduce the tyre rigidity by up to one step."
THE TRACK:
Race Distance: 53 laps - Circuit Length: 3.608 miles (5.807 kms)
Situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz, a Dutchman who also produced Zandvoort and Jarama, and was completed in 1962. Originally used as a test circuit by
Honda, the track is now just one component of a giant amusement park and other facilities.
