2012 Japanese Grand Prix
The 2012 Japanese Grand Prix (formally known as the 2012 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race that took place at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan on 7 October 2012 at 15:00 local time. The race was the fifteenth round of the 2012 season, and marked the 38th running of the Japanese Grand Prix.
| 2012 Japanese Grand Prix | |||||
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Race 15 of 20 in the 2012 Formula One World Championship
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| Race details | |||||
| Date | 7 October 2012 | ||||
| Official name | 2012 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||
| Location | Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie, Japan | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 5.807 km (3.608 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 53 laps, 307.471 km (191.054 miles) | ||||
| Weather |
Fine and Dry Air Temp 23 °C (73 °F) Track Temp 32 °C (90 °F) | ||||
| Attendance | 208,000 | ||||
| Pole position | |||||
| Driver | Red Bull-Renault | ||||
| Time | 1:30.839 | ||||
| Fastest lap | |||||
| Driver | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | |||
| Time | 1:35.774 on lap 52 | ||||
| Podium | |||||
| First | Red Bull-Renault | ||||
| Second | Ferrari | ||||
| Third | Sauber-Ferrari | ||||
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Lap leaders | |||||
Sebastian Vettel started the race from pole position for the fourth successive year at Suzuka, eventually leading the race from start to finish, winning by 20 seconds over Felipe Massa – who achieved his first podium since the 2010 Korean Grand Prix – in second place. Kamui Kobayashi achieved his first and only Formula One podium, the first for a Japanese driver since Takuma Sato in 2004, and the first for a Japanese driver at their home Grand Prix since Aguri Suzuki in 1990. As of 2022, this was the last podium for a Japanese driver. It was also the last podium for Sauber. The race was also Vettel's second career grand slam (leading every single lap from pole position and finishing with the fastest lap of the race). His first was the 2011 Indian Grand Prix.