1996 Japanese Grand Prix

Report

Background and qualifying

This was the first time since 1977 that Japan hosted the final round of the World Championship. This was the final race broadcast on television in the United Kingdom by the British Broadcasting Corporation until the 2009 F1 season. Starting from 1997 until 2008, ITV would broadcast on British television. As a result, this would be Jonathan Palmer’s final race as commentator. This was also Steve Rider’s final race as anchor until 2006. In qualifying, Villeneuve beat Hill to pole position by nearly half a second, with a further 0.7 seconds back to Schumacher in third.

Race

On race day, the first start was aborted when David Coulthard stalled his McLaren. At the second start, Villeneuve made a poor getaway and fell to sixth behind Hill, Gerhard Berger, Häkkinen, Schumacher and Eddie Irvine. Meanwhile, Jean Alesi, attempting to make up several places after qualifying ninth, spun off at the second corner and destroyed his Benetton; Alesi was unhurt from the impact. On the third lap, Berger attempted to overtake Hill at the final chicane, only to damage his front wing; after having to pit for a new nosecone, Berger dropped to eighteenth, and last, place, effectively ending his challenge for the lead.

Thereafter, Hill gradually pulled away, with Schumacher overtaking Häkkinen for second during the first round of pit stops. Pedro Diniz had lost control of his Ligier at the final chicane and spun off into the gravel trap by lap 14. Hill pitted for his second stop with a 25-second gap to Schumacher, emerging narrowly ahead of the Ferrari, before pulling away gradually once again to lead by 13 seconds with ten laps remaining.

Villeneuve, meanwhile, passed Irvine, set the fastest lap of the race and ran fourth before his right rear wheel came off on lap 37 due to a wheel bearing failure (this was the same incident that happened to team-mate Damon Hill during the British Grand Prix, according to BBC pit reporter Tony Jardine), putting him out of the race and handing the Drivers' Championship to Hill, already dropped by Williams for the following season. Whilst fighting for fourth place, Gerhard Berger (having fought back to fifth place following his earlier collision with Hill) had another collision with the Ferrari of Eddie Irvine at the final chicane causing the Northern Irishman to spin out and retire, but Berger was able to carry on unscathed. A late fightback saw Schumacher close the gap to Hill, but Hill held on to win the race by 1.8 seconds, with Häkkinen a further 1.4 seconds back, while Berger recovered to finish fourth, Martin Brundle came fifth in his final Grand Prix, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen picked up the final point for sixth.

In the UK, this was the last F1 race until to be broadcast live by the BBC. As Hill crossed the line to win the race and the championship, commentator Murray Walker said, "And I've got to stop, because I've got a lump in my throat."

Classification

Qualifying

Race

Championship standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings

;Constructors' Championship standings

• Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

References

| Previous_year's_race = 1995 Japanese Grand Prix | Next_year's_race = 1997 Japanese Grand Prix

References

1. "1996 Japanese Grand Prix | Motorsport Database".
2. "2013 Japanese Grand Prix: Official Media Kit". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.
3. Derived from race distance (304718) and lap length (5859)
4. (5 October 2022). "Formula 1 Honda Japanese Grand Prix 2022 – Media Kit". [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]].
5. "F1 News - Grandprix.com > GP Encyclopedia > Races > Japanese GP, 1996". Grandprix.com.
6. "Murray Walker's Greatest F1 Commentaries (11:51)".
7. "Japan 1996 – Qualifications". StatsF1.
8. "1996 Japanese Grand Prix Classification Qualifying". Motorsport Stats.
9. "1996 Japanese Grand Prix". formula1.com.
10. "Japan 1996 - Championship • STATS F1".