Japanese Grand Prix 2019 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Valtteri Bottas secured victory at the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position, leading from lights to flag at Suzuka to delay Lewis Hamilton's championship coronation by one more race. The Finnish driver delivered a commanding performance at one of Formula 1's most challenging circuits, controlling the race throughout despite late pressure from Sebastian Vettel. Bottas's win represented his fourth victory of the season and kept his mathematical championship hopes alive, though he needed a miracle to overcome Hamilton's 64-point advantage with just four rounds remaining.

Vettel recovered from a poor qualifying to finish second for Ferrari, executing an excellent race strategy and benefiting from Ferrari's improved pace at the high-speed Suzuka circuit. The German driver started from pole position after penalties promoted him from third, and drove a measured race to secure the runner-up spot. Hamilton could only manage third place despite setting the fastest lap, as Mercedes struggled to match Ferrari's race pace on a weekend where straight-line speed proved crucial. The British driver's podium finish meant he would have to wait until Mexico to potentially seal his sixth World Championship.

The race was run in challenging conditions with Typhoon Hagibis approaching Japan, forcing officials to cancel all Saturday running including qualifying, which was rescheduled for Sunday morning just hours before the race. Charles Leclerc finished sixth for Ferrari after starting from the back of the grid due to power unit penalties, the result of Ferrari's ongoing reliability issues following the FIA's technical directive regarding fuel flow systems. Bottas's victory was clinical and professional, demonstrating why he remained one of the sport's top drivers even if he couldn't match Hamilton's championship-winning consistency across a full season.