Japanese Grand Prix 2018 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Lewis Hamilton secured his fifth World Championship with a cautious fourth-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix, joining Juan Manuel Fangio as only the second driver to win five or more titles. The Mercedes driver's measured performance at Suzuka, combined with Sebastian Vettel's collision with Max Verstappen, sealed the championship with four races still remaining.

Starting from pole position, Hamilton led the early stages but struggled with tire degradation as the race progressed. Valtteri Bottas eventually passed his teammate to take victory for Mercedes, while Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull after an aggressive drive. Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium for Ferrari in third place. The crucial moment came when Vettel, running fourth and attempting a desperate move to keep his fading title hopes alive, collided with Verstappen at Spoon Curve while trying to overtake. The contact spun Vettel to the back of the field and handed Hamilton the championship.

Vettel set the fastest lap but could only recover to sixth place, meaning Hamilton's championship lead became mathematically insurmountable. The victory marked Hamilton's fifth title in six years and confirmed his status among the sport's all-time greats, matching Fangio's tally that had stood for over 60 years. Only Michael Schumacher's seven championships remained ahead of him. Ferrari's season, which had promised so much, ended in crushing disappointment as Vettel's mistakes accumulated to a title-losing margin.