News

Japanese Grand Prix - Fuji Speedway - Oyama, Japan

The Formula One championship has been a four-man race since the beginning, and it still is, with three races left in the season.

McLaren's rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton leads the series with three wins and 97 points. But after opening with nine consecutive podium finishes, Hamilton left the door open by finishing off the podium in three of the last five events.

Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, also of McLaren, has seized on the opportunity winning two of the last five events to close to within two points of Hamilton.

Despite being teammates, the two drivers don't get along which has created friction on the team. It didn't help that Alonso came to the team expecting to be the No.1 driver but feels he hasn't been treated that way.

Then there is the whole "spygate" fiasco that cost McLaren the manufacturers championship. After he was given immunity, Alonso testified that McLaren did indeed have and use the Ferrari data that was given to McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan. He is not on speaking terms with McLaren boss Ron Dennis.

"In Fernando's mind, there is the firm belief that our policy, whereby each driver receives equal treatment, does not properly reflect his status as World Champion," Dennis said.

Expect Alonso to be driving for a different team in 2008.

Unless Michael Schumacher comes out of retirement, expect both Ferrari drivers to return in 2008. Both are still in the championship battle and both have shown they can win on any given Sunday.

In his first year with Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen has won a series-high four times and sits 13 points behind Hamilton. Felipe Massa is fourth overall, with three wins and is 20 points back.

The Japanese GP has been held at Suzuka International Racing Course for the last 20 years, but will return to the Fuji Speedway for the first time since 1977. Formula One has raced there two times.

In 1976, Mario Andretti won a rain-filled race in his Lotus, but James Hunt won the championship by out-pointing Niki Lauda. Lauda withdrew from the race after three laps citing dangerous conditions.

The next year, Hunt won the race, but Gilles Villeneuve was involved in a crash that killed two people on the side of the track. After the event, Japan would not hold another F1 race for 10 years and then the venue was shifted to Suzuka.

In 2003 the Fuji circuit was closed for redesign by Hermann Tilke. It reopened in 2005 with a 1.5 km straight, which will be the longest in F1.

It should be an interesting "first" visit.

About 724Sports.com

724Sports.com is an online gambling site with sports betting, online poker, online casino and horse racebook. At our online sportsbook you can bet on NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Football, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Baseball and Horse Racing.