2012 Japanese Grand Prix fastest laps

2012 Japanese Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel couldn’t resist pumping in the fastest lap of the race on his penultimate tour of Suzuka despite his team urging him to take it easy.

Vettel was consistently lapping in the low 1’37s late in the race before producing a 1’35.774 that was eight-tenths of a second faster than anyone else managed.

That was over four seconds off the all-time lap record for Suzuka of 1’31.540, set by Kimi Raikkonen in 2005. However it was quicker than Jenson Button’s 2011 fastest lap of 1’36.568.

Here are all the drivers’ lap times from the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese Grand Prix lap times

All the lap times by the drivers (in seconds, very slow laps excluded):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2012drivercolours.csv

1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253
Sebastian Vettel117.872158.82699.84199.52399.80299.54599.4599.34199.1899.20299.23299.42799.51599.72799.579100.128101.809116.43599.20799.49799.06398.44998.85598.86298.59698.90398.52498.24698.63798.66398.9997.96198.15498.49398.50998.768100.238115.09596.6397.42597.33997.44597.15997.12896.87596.46697.21697.22596.96297.0297.17395.77498.261
Mark Webber173.742130.556100.612100.949100.9101.3101.683101.321101.109101.622102.532101.889100.829100.551100.768100.181100.338100.65100.246100.10899.90499.78999.98499.72599.663101.984115.76898.92999.19699.78199.39899.14599.12699.31198.58998.47898.99698.24498.01498.40897.88297.68897.797.77297.20897.50397.31597.1397.12897.20697.21197.26897.588
Kamui Kobayashi119.454158.635100.366100.39100.028100.114100.03899.96599.8499.98399.853100.06199.951101.903118.223101.454101.22499.32199.30499.43499.30898.99399.00899.11399.59399.72999.8399.7899.659100.025102.174114.73598.31398.46598.34898.11398.797.76697.73597.60897.70197.8697.75897.45497.22697.73296.896.84796.98896.9996.76296.67997.447
Romain Grosjean131.428155.098106.027103.553103.126101.554105.418127.375100.843100.683100.347100.13100.163100.245101.02599.794102.303102.054103.191100.58100.901103.905115.68998.644100.66798.63798.43798.40599.86198.50898.34198.277100.493100.771100.32598.3298.36998.2998.49999.02299.75699.16299.22598.68198.96499.8399.10799.345100.041103.205106.714
Sergio Perez124.801154.922102.648101.498100.9100.37599.891100.05599.97199.862100.387100.952101.323100.171104.834118.7898.98399.277
Fernando Alonso
Kimi Raikkonen124.257155.337101.282100.434100.361100.433100.426100.467100.55100.446100.498101.273103.291119.563100.02599.95799.75699.74399.92999.71899.86399.68599.49799.46999.5599.81899.599.26299.584102.002115.18899.90899.08799.08698.73598.70199.01198.43798.62298.12998.12498.20998.17898.29398.2297.95598.04398.32797.88697.93498.02498.21698.377
Jenson Button121.866156.703100.681100.298100.473100.033100.234100.299100.117100.033100.001100.362101.648115.664100.869101.456102.8698.95399.87599.73699.67299.48899.50499.48499.73499.3998.94299.2699.38199.53999.52298.98298.62499.508100.878115.15197.99797.91497.54597.42297.22497.52497.25697.00797.1697.53297.0996.996.76496.62396.60696.61896.938
Lewis Hamilton125.742154.395101.947101.409100.549101.661100.892100.99100.415100.315100.372100.358100.487100.102101.755101.543116.56499.39299.637100.236100.557100.459100.25899.94599.59399.13999.00899.00799.13799.237100.183114.51898.38798.5997.94798.54498.50698.59398.2597.93798.00797.9798.11398.18397.7697.89598.12698.33997.80598.2298.03398.2799.455
Felipe Massa123.402155.664100.673100.493100.392100.16100.235100.353100.136100.016100.176100.27100.29999.66699.37100.041101.467115.71398.92599.24298.87699.25698.84598.81398.66898.83599.08698.9899.58199.04599.96298.83399.03399.0899.629101.684115.40497.57997.45597.18997.37197.38197.40997.52597.27397.11997.05196.91696.93896.89497.10497.39897.976
Paul di Resta134.512148.753103.792103.698101.291101.52102.086101.923102.212101.993101.458101.852103.711117.572100.688101.065100.725100.725100.844100.75100.298100.2100.114100.296100.14100.336101.712100.06100.06299.86199.821102.32118.00198.12598.07998.32697.93198.04698.19798.24398.24398.34598.44598.58798.35798.20698.50697.53598.03298.15798.13998.45299.36
Pastor Maldonado127.35153.718102.907101.749101.454100.984101.032101.003100.958100.976100.831100.792101.147100.594100.795102.538118.422102.52599.79299.24799.14599.60399.45199.35899.58199.38299.3998.41498.56898.87598.58698.409100.335115.70498.69598.19897.96998.40998.69698.44298.16298.37898.1798.15197.77197.77397.82198.02598.10697.96897.91498.04498.299
Nico Rosberg
Daniel Ricciardo128.624152.67103.161102.455101.095100.865101.033100.99100.908100.86101.182100.97101.285101.08101.223101.502105.336118.779100.20299.75699.4999.23399.32499.93599.47799.84399.03699.2699.07799.20299.39299.4799.355101.693117.16498.30898.72898.84398.34198.55399.26398.08197.87898.16297.97298.52997.99798.14698.05997.45597.63198.26198.027
Nico Hulkenberg126.454154.022102.576101.557100.967100.431101.037101.15100.585100.405100.495100.389102.31117.446101.593100.9699.36899.58199.496100.08299.916100.01599.96199.78699.69699.62699.40699.4199.73699.581101.079116.16498.77198.48198.27298.2298.28498.20898.16698.30198.11498.42898.1298.26898.02197.93898.13798.07998.06698.1697.98897.98298.117
Bruno Senna143.885143.376105.427104.489102.952101.563102.878102.214101.93101.093100.616101.352100.875100.814101.086103.401118.909100.07899.75999.743101.602110.68199.23799.7399.81101.02699.63799.09599.1699.11398.57498.57699.107101.787114.79899.39297.33797.15798.39798.87498.44697.19697.15596.81997.26197.04197.78498.3898.31298.28598.80599.638100.299
Heikki Kovalainen131.897150.411103.252102.638102.239101.942101.999102.139102.056101.783101.733101.677101.621101.811102.466103.679102.098104.533120.819101.046100.769100.992100.681100.927101.648101.255102.4100.513100.771100.673100.694100.604101.496100.657100.505102.146100.381100.729100.463100.356102.321119.796101.37898.932102.33899.45798.9598.79398.6398.66398.30798.043
Timo Glock130.677151.487104.518104.869103.65102.566102.375102.793102.328102.179101.945102.848102.969102.501102.366103.078102.039102.539102.281104.808118.42100.923100.892101.061100.71100.565100.538100.819101.005101.777100.677100.542101.018100.812101.852100.997100.661100.513100.744102.542119.051100.597100.42699.02698.89999.02998.85898.75698.82100.61999.09199.588
Jean-Eric Vergne133.918149.043103.87102.381101.949101.905101.916102.243102.105101.749101.696101.786101.592102.208102.937103.103102.329106.109122.316100.022100.85799.02399.718100.63699.0198.97199.08398.7898.73899.19999.1899.09698.88499.065100.936116.21997.81897.66397.53397.56497.58197.91298.18598.53398.73598.2698.36598.42998.26998.27699.00999.669100.514
Pedro de la Rosa136.9147.65104.539103.859103.445103.195103.101103.276103.772103.058103.092103.734103.774104.044103.364103.662107.773124.594101.713101.768101.299101.517101.186101.31101.339102.607101.545101.632101.631103.024101.967102.163103.342102.127102.647105.308119.225100.13102.006101.999100.657100.568100.12899.809100.439103.22100.21999.50499.82199.35199.38399.938
Charles Pic137.884147.187107.287106.055104.004103.732105.567103.249103.139103.103102.882103.091103.252106.221118.155100.622101.001100.802101.099101.047101.118101.213100.577100.932101.176102.431101.431101.567102.348104.125106.034140.85104.855100.493100.663102.193106.327
Vitaly Petrov139.668145.501105.06103.301103.427103.124103.056104.147103.209102.713104.161102.977103.657103.796103.644103.194103.035102.751106.587118.875101.497101.644101.211101.019101.037100.61100.92100.874102.249101.254101.85100.825100.669100.708102.561101.037101.042100.836101.244102.393103.415105.939118.51999.057101.8398.91998.344100.711110.14498.52498.79499.806
Michael Schumacher135.845147.792103.987104102.029101.925101.783102.034101.732101.823101.596101.282101.937101.674102.772102.47104.958116.299.72699.62199.46799.56499.38299.31999.823100.12599.4599.3299.00698.85698.88599.18299.02999.98299.375101.275114.04297.74797.66597.40997.38197.50196.94297.0197.41297.72197.77598.22398.04297.78997.31998.28498.523
Narain Karthikeyan140.43145.666105.635103.926105.3103.836103.27104.339103.372103.419102.802103.407103.989103.556106.099123.13101.835102.262101.465101.472101.388101.716104.02101.694103.588102.58101.656103.293102.111102.005103.55103.943

Japanese Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

RankDriverCarFastest lapGapOn lap
1Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’35.77452
2Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’36.6060.83251
3Kamui KobayashiSauber-Ferrari1’36.6790.90552
4Bruno SennaWilliams-Renault1’36.8191.04544
5Felipe MassaFerrari1’36.8941.12050
6Michael SchumacherMercedes1’36.9421.16843
7Mark WebberRed Bull-Renault1’37.1281.35449
8Daniel RicciardoToro Rosso-Ferrari1’37.4551.68150
9Jean-Eric VergneToro Rosso-Ferrari1’37.5331.75939
10Paul di RestaForce India-Mercedes1’37.5351.76148
11Lewis HamiltonMcLaren-Mercedes1’37.7601.98645
12Pastor MaldonadoWilliams-Renault1’37.7711.99745
13Kimi RaikkonenLotus-Renault1’37.8862.11249
14Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’37.9382.16446
15Heikki KovalainenCaterham-Renault1’38.0432.26952
16Romain GrosjeanLotus-Renault1’38.2772.50332
17Vitaly PetrovCaterham-Renault1’38.3442.57047
18Timo GlockMarussia-Cosworth1’38.7562.98248
19Sergio PerezSauber-Ferrari1’38.9833.20917
20Pedro de la RosaHRT-Cosworth1’39.3513.57750
21Charles PicMarussia-Cosworth1’40.4934.71934
22Narain KarthikeyanHRT-Cosworth1’41.3885.61421
23Fernando AlonsoFerrari
24Nico RosbergMercedes

2012 Japanese Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    5 comments on “2012 Japanese Grand Prix fastest laps”

    1. Just like in Singapura Bruno Senna was one of the fastest and even managed to be the fastest at some point of the race. What he ‘s been lacking is qualifying, where he has had the same kind of problems that even experienced drivers like Massa (since 2010), Webber (last year) and Button (this year) also had – difficulties in adapting a particular driving style to the performance window of the tyres. I don’ t know if pressure is also a factor in his bad qualifyings but I think he can still recover, not in Korea but in the venues after that.

    2. @keithcollantine It would be interesting to see where drivers used DRS on their fastest laps. Vettel’s lap is just astonishing (especially if it was without DRS). I believe Button’s lap was with DRS when he was chasing down Kobayashi.

      1. It’s only one straight, so I don’t think the benefit would be more than 0.2s. Moreover, unless you get the DRS from a backmarker, you will be within one second of another car for a whole lap, so definitely in the dirty air.

        1. @adrianmorse Surely in F1, 2 tenths is still substantial. Vettel was just 8 tenths faster, if he used DRS on a back marker then it gave him that difference, otherwise he could’ve been only 6 tenths. Or if Jenson didn’t use DRS on his lap then he could’ve been over 1 sec slower – which could indicate that the Red Bull is way ahead of its competitors right now.

          1. @vho It certainly does and you’re right, somewhere between .6-.8s is susbstantial indeed.

            I guess it’s a case of having DRS is great, but so is having clean air ahead of you.

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