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#fun fact I had to watch this race over two days bc F1 TV was being that laggy
racingliners · 1 year
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F1 Re-Watch 2022: Round 18 - Japan
Mild shock, I actually watched C4 highlights for this one!! And oh boy the immense emo feelings I had during Japan last year 😭 (yes I still think about the fan forum at the track with all the green lights and just how utterly lovely the fans were to Seb).
Oh and the race happened too, with Seb being an absolute badass in his battle with Alonso (and various other farcical things I’d rather not discuss). So, let’s get into it!!
I’m actually soooo excited to finally see this race in full! I did enjoy watching highlights iirc, Suzuka Circuit is so beloved
This was a wet race iirc?? I can’t remember just how wet though
Must have been very wet be the replay is three and a half hours long
*bopping to the F1 theme as I type*
(it’s still not The Chain though)
somewhat fun fact I do just about remember watching the practice session when Verstappen made his F1 weekend debut, yes I have been here a WHILE
“The forecast is 100% rain for the duration of the race” oh, so it’s WET wet
anyway: Starting Grid whiplash
Lance P18. ow. 
Mick P15, slightly less ow.
SEB P9!!!!!!!! INJECT ITTTTTTTT
Lewis P6 ☺️
JENSON COMMS HELL YEAH
also Yuki’s first home race, I cannot remember where he finished so if he doesn’t have a good race I will weep
[Formation Lap]: Oh no. That’s a lot of spray. I’m having Spa 2021 flashback.
“It’s gotten a lot wetter in the past five minutes” Ted I love you but that’s now what I wanted to hear
lol at that “The Battle for the Championship” graphic. We all know there was zero title battle last year 😭
arghhhhh I was excited now I’m nervous FUCK
Oh a Bono sighting that helps
[Start/Lap 1]: FUCK CHARLES V MAX LADS STOP IT
*distressed yelling*
oh no they’re saying Seb spun 😭😭😭😭
Sainz in the barrier 😳
aaaand Safety Car
Oh I do remember Gasly having some advertising boarding stuck to the front of his car
well, that was certainly a first lap
Seb spin replay, zero joy sparked
Ted also saying it’s now raining even harder 🥲
I heave clearly mis-remembered how much I enjoyed watching highlights.
[Lap 2]: oop red flag. We’re doing a Spa 2021 folks.
*rain delay content klaxon*
Helmet watch: Albon’s cherry blossom helmet is sooooooo pretty 😍😍😍
Alexa play Here Comes the Rain Again by Eurythmics bc there’s a river on the circuit
Charles just sat on the halo with his brolly, so unbothered 
ayyyyy the car tents!!!!
The AM mechanics with their ponchos >>>>>>
(welcome to racingliners.tumblr.com where we talk about everything but racing)
Though granted, no rain delay will have anything on quali at COTA in 2015, forever unmatched
Oh fuck me these lap one replays are literally just grey, that’s really not fucking good
Ted offering to giveaway the discarded advertising boarding from Gasly’s car, peak sports journalism
also we’ve only had one race weekend of Dan back in RBR blue in 2023 and already seeing him in McLaren papaya looks off. wild.
ayyyy Lance is up to P11 and Mick’s in P10!!! didn’t even notice amongst all the carnage, love that for them
vefvahefuh Jenson defending Seb in the accidental violence against Fernando by saying he probably couldn’t see anything in the spray, the Sebson girlies (gn) stay winning 
Breaking news: The Haas mechanics found the gazebo for Kevin’s car.
Yuki vibing in the the garage, if he does not have a good race I will RIOT
oop, the stewards haven’t given a re-start time yet. We really are doing Spa 2021 again.
Don’t cite the rules to us Crofty, we were there when they were written
“Cancel that right hand magic” Bono???? explain
Oh god not already talking about the title permutations 😭 I’m not strong enough for the impending nonsense
That and I’m also still trying to process what the hell Bono was talking about
Somewhat unrelated, Jenson talking about 2009 and I 🥺😭
“But I always used to swear at you” JENSON vfuivhesuhu
did not have Jenson on Crofty violence on my rain delay bingo
cut to shots of various drivers looking serious
I do love learning that Kevin’s hero is Evil Keneval though, ty F1 graphics team
cut to rain radar on the RBR pit wall, can confirm it’s still raining
(this rain delay is not quite passing the vibe check, Monaco was much more fun)
concerned Ferrari mechanics huddling around Charles’ car????? That is not reassuring
Lance sighting!!! 
oh not the camera making it look like Laurent Mekies was by himself on the Ferrari pit wall 😭
once again, Bernd Maylander for driver of the day (he rolled down his window to say hi to the camera)
ugh Alex had an engine problem?! I will add that engine to my post-season sledgehammer list
oh race resuming in 15 mins???
“This is good race control” Words I never expected Ted to utter in 2022. I am in shambles.
Ted is also once again trying to flog the discarded advertising board from Gasly’s car, this time by signing it as if it’s from Gasly esbihsjrthij
Mr Kravitz the man that you are
“There will be more than one lap behind the Safety Car” oh we really are doing a Spa 2021. Cheers FIA.
Mandatory wet tyres, which makes a lot of sense.
(Trying to not get too incensed at the fact there was a tractor on the track before the red flag bc it’s almost 11am and I would like to have a nice day today but please know that the FIA are very very very dumb)
ANYWAY: Helmet watch: Lewis’s rainbow flower helmet is iconic af
Cut to the Seb fans 😭 I’m fine 😭
Oh. There is an actual river on the right hand side of the start-finish straight. That’s fine.
Helmet watch: Mick’s cherry blossom helmet is also very pretty
in conclusion: Cherry Blossom helmets? Cherry Blossom helmets.
“Restart suspended” WELP buckle down fellas we’re in for the long haul
God I hope F1 mechanics are paid well to deal with the FIA’s nonsense
They’re still running the trackside rollercoaster in the rain aerguherughs I’m glad some fans are having fun
Lando and Andreas chilling on the McLaren pitwall, unbothered
oh to be an F1 mechanic dishing out cups of tea during a rain delay
SEB SIGHTING!!!!
idk why he’s still in the car but my boy!!!!!
cut to more drivers looking serious 
ooh the McLaren mechanics are dishing out soup now
while a fan in the grandstand has some ice cream, oh the duality of F1
F1 is such a technical sport that Aston Martin engineers will stick their hand out from under the pit wall canopy to see how heavy the rain is.
Hiiiii Yuki!!! 👋
Breaking news from the FIA medical car: the track is still wet
(oh what has this liveblog descended to?)
Oh I think the Haas mechanics win the rain delay tea award, one of them has a chocolate brownie.
replay of Lando’s start and.... you can barely see the rain lights of the cars in front in some parts. That is not good my dudes.
I am Esteban’s unimpressed shrug and Esteban’s unimpressed shrug is me
“What should have been a quacking race is actually one for ducks” ......Crofty
“You can’t see me but I’m pointing over there” Jenson comms >>>>>> 
“Weather forecast: It’s raining” no shit Ferrari radar
oh the Medical Car is going round for another run. Guess what: it’s still wet.
Maybe it’s actually Bernd Maylander v Alan van der Merwe for Driver of the Day
d’aw Yuki waving to the main grandstand 🥺
“I’m rather pessimistic unfortunately” Me too Andreas, me too
The AM mechanics waving their arms and clapping at the fans in the grandstand 😭 I love Team Green so much 💚💚
LEWIS SIGHTING!!!! 
eugsheu of course it was Mikey geeing up the crowd 
cut to McLaren mechanics playing Uno. Now we’re getting into the good rain delay content
you know what stuff the Grand Prix, let’s just have the mechanics interacting with the crowd instead it’s 11/10 wholesome
aaaaand cut to a tiny duck swimming across a large puddle. It’s that wet.
Lewis and Bono sighting!! Merc seemingly don’t do paper cups, but team branded mugs instead
Breaking News: Zhou has a very tiny rubber duck with the number 24 written on it in sharpie
slightly less breaking news I’m almost two hours into the race replay
Oh. it’s apparently getting a bit brighter. Obviously I know we get some racing but I legit cannot remember how many laps we got.
“I am optimistic” Ted v Andreas in the pitlane at 3
LEWIS AND ANGELA SIGHTING!!! 
Angela even got her name up on the screen, as she should
and I’m *now* two hours into the race replay
SEB AND MICK SIGHTING!!!!
*talks shit about you in German*
ngl I’m running out of things to talk about other then yelling every time I see my faves
Another AM mechanic going to wave at the crowd. Protect the mechanics at all costs!!
A mechanic and the crowd doing synchronised arm waving should not be making me emo. But yet, here we are
“But I’m staying positive” Ted is winning the optimism v pessimism war against Andreas
Seb at the AM pit wall looking at the radar. Shockingly, it’s still wet
Seb also looking very pretty but this is not breaking news.
‘Race will resume at 16:15 local time’ oh HELLO
cut to people manically sprinting up and down the pitlane
and then Kevin is just strolling over to his car, just viking things
aw someone from Aston went to give out caps to fans in the grandstand
“These cars are the best hoovers on the planet for water” I’m just going to take what Karun’s said and roll with it
Noooo someone at Alfa Romeo made a sign saying ‘You are the best’ and held it up for the fans to see 😭😭😭😭😭
I LOVE THIS DUMB SPORT SO MUCH
F1 personnel? Excellent. FIA and F1 big wigs? Very dumb. Hope this helps.
okay so because I had to give up watching this last night bc F1 Tv was being so laggy I have completely forgotten the running order so this is going to be fun
and oh my days the sky is finally light grey instead of dark grey it’s a miracle
[Lap 3]: THE CARS ARE ON TRACK!!!!!
actual liveblogging resumes, thank goodness
even though we’re behind the Safety Car bc it’s still really wet on track
‘Rolling start procedure’ I’m not sure I vibe with that
drivers reporting better visibility thank fuck
[Lap 4]: oh the Safety Car is still out that’s fine
I should note there’s no lap count on the screen so I’m just guessing that these are race laps
oh the Alpha Tauri mechanics using the tyre blanket to keep warm 🥺
oh never mind Ocon was talking nonsense the visibility for the cars in the midfield is actually not good
[Lap 5]: oof yeah. That is a lot of spray. Stop wanting to go racing just because you’re in P4 Esteban.
oh. the SC lights are off. we’re apparently going racing.
What has this race been?? I’ve absolutely no idea.
[Lap 6]: And we’re racing!!
Seb and Nicky have both pitted for Inters
There is A LOT of spray coming off the cars jeez louise
and Seb and Nicky have both been noted for an unsafe release defvoiheosh
[Lap 7]: Lando and Val also pitting for Inters
I am Anxious™️
Oh Kevin got past Lance on the inside of Degner 1. 
[Lap 8]: Verstappen and Charles both pit for Inters. Did not expect we’d be doing the pitstop shuffle so soon
Lewis and Perez also in
and Russell
oh my god Alonso’s leading
the pit lane said DRAMA
SEB FASTEST LAP INJECT IT!!!!!
And he’s back into P10. NICE.
oh my days MICK IS P3
STOP THE RACE
[Lap 9]: Alonso also pits and Verstappen re-takes the lead
Lap 8 you chose WAY too much chaos
so literally everyone has pitted apart from Mick and Zhou
oh Val v Kevin. Viking on Viking violence.
[Lap 10]: Zhou pits for Inters.
Lewis in P6 and Seb in P7. The besties that race together stay together 🥰
Ocon v Mick v Lewis is giving me stress with all the spray
[Lap 11]: Seb into P6!!!!!
Meanwhile Verstappen and Charles have just zoomed off into the distance
[Lap 12]: and Mick finally pits
NICKY IN P8!!!! STOP! THE! RACE!
the spray situation has improved a little bit, thank fuck
[Lap 13]: okay the on-track action has calm down a little bit
George don’t you dare get past Yuki
[Lap 14]: 7 seconds between Verstappen and Charles.... 
that does not pass the vibe check
oh jeez not people starting to complain about their tyres already. Pirelli make a better range of wet tyres challenge.
[Lap 15]: “We are expecting some spots within two minutes” With all due respect Xavi SHUT UP I do not want to know
Noooooooo Russell got past Yuki
RUDE
[Lap 16]: Lewis is still chasing down Ocon for P5
And Charles is seemingly not having a fun time with his tyres
“It is starting to unravel a bit for Charles Leclerc” Charles’ 2022 season in a nutshell tbh
“Alonso is rapid behind Vettel” how about no
[Lap 17]: Let’s hear it for column two of the sliding points scale apparently
ngl this Ocon v Lewis battle is actually pretty good
Let’s actually hear it for some MIDFIELD SPICE!!! 🥳
[Lap 18]: Seb v Fernando... it’s 2012 all over again
are we... going to get more pit stops???? with 16 minutes left???
[Lap 19]: ahhhhh cut to Seb v Fernando I’m ANXIOUS
stop talking about the gap between Verstappen and Charles I don’t. want. to. know.
Oh Zhou’s pitted for more inters. inch resting.
Not Lewis thinking about going around the outside of 130R. THINK OF MY NERVES
[Lap 20]: Okay he thought about it again on the main straight but Ocon is defending like it’s Hungary 2021
oh Lance and Gasly have pitted 👀
Lewis I know you’re the king and the goat but stop trying to pass round the outside of 130R MY HEART CANNOT TAKE IT
[Lap 21]: Yuki has also pitted
Perez within striking distance of Charles in 2 laps????
Ferrari what are you doing???
“Are you sleeping?” Okay that was funny Checo awifheoiaguh
[Lap 22]: Ten minutes remaining klaxon
Lewis is still behind Esteban
He did not try getting past througb 130R, my blood pressure is very thankful
[Lap 23]: Alonso’s pitted 👀
welp there’s Charles in front of Perez
[Lap 24]: slightly less joy being sparked from watching Charles v Perez knowing just how slow the Ferrari has been this race
And Alonso is up into P8
Lewis is still behind Esteban 
[Lap 25]: 5 minutes left klaxon!!
iirc Charles gets a 5 sec penalty for something??? 
[Lap 26]: And again I’m on my “You should get the fastest lap regardless of whether or not you’re in the top 10″ soapbox. Show the non-top 10 cars some respect!!!
also just over 2 mins left
This has certainly been A Race™️
[Lap 27]: Anyway Seb still in P6 which is all that matters
I’m equal parts watching Charles v Perez, the gap between Lewis and Ocon and the countdown clock I’m getting very cross-eyed
[Lap 28]: FINAL LAP
I’m equal parts relieved and exhausted
Alonso passes Russell
[Finish]: Verstappen won quelle surprise
Ohhhhh Charles cut the chicane, that’s what the pen was for
I mean he doesn’t have it yet but I know it happens adfvgheugh
Ocon P4, Lewis P5
AND SEB P6!!!!! A KING!!!!! 
No points for Yuki but he still had a decent home race!!
NICKY P9!!!! GOATIFI REIGNS SUPREME!!!!!
Whew. That happened. (Not discussing the post-race title nonsense bc 1. it’s been months and 2. I don’t have the energy).
Obviously watching wet races like this back is much better because you know that all the drivers were thankfully fine. If I had been watching it live I would not have enjoyed it as much. But, (rightful) rain delay aside, once the race did get going it was fun to watch with all the overtakes and proper battles.
So overall 7 front wings out of 10. Next race: USA! 
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