Looks like a long pitlane (from the map on the live timing, anyway). Anyone know what likely tyre strategies will be?

McLaren struggling again, disappointing but expected. Red Bull not as fast as I'd have thought in practice, but may well come through in the race.
I wonder if Rosberg can pull something mighty out of the bag to stop his team-mate or whether Hamilton will just overcook himself? Can't see any other ways of stopping him (ceteris paribus)

Hamilton looking imperious. Vettel looking ordinary. Torro Rosso looking good.

Vettel looking like a man who has begun an affair before breaking up with his wife...

Bottas giving it full beans - love it.

McLaren struggling... in fourth?

Nice one Jenson. Shame Valteri fell off at that last corner.

Superb attempt by Bottas! He has everything to be a future champion!
According to both Button and Magnussen, McLaren struggled in FP3.
But yes, great result for both McLarens in qualifying, Magnussen's penalty notwithstanding.
Grim interview with Button afterwards. Looking very much like someone who has been told he's surplus to requirements.
Which I suspect means retirement, unless he can talk Williams into replacing Massa. I hope he doesn't linger in a lower order team.

Are we racing in Japan again?

McLaren qualifying notes:

"The team made some imperfect decisions in FP3 this morning, eventuating in suboptimised car-development ahead of qualifying, but a reasonably successful recovery was achieved."

Can you tell Ron Dennis is back at the helm...?

Button to Williams. Exactly what I was thinking after watching qualifying this morning.

After translating from English to Arabic, to Spanish, to German, and thence once again to English, we get:



Amazing!

Placeholder

I personally think Jenson's low key demeanour after qualifying was due to respect for Jules Bianchi's situation, rather than any P45 from Mclaren.

The start is going to be nuts. They're going to run side by side through turns 1 and 2, doing 200mph into turn 3, which is very heavy braking on full fuel loads, cold tyres and brakes. Turn 3 also tightens on the exit, so cars will be running off and back into the track all over the place.

Watching the GP2 feature race yesterday (well done to Jolyon Palmer btw!!!), you can race hard and overtake on the circuit, which bodes well considering that everyone will be one-stopping, barring flat spots and safety car periods.

Hope you're right about Button; he is a GPDA representative I suppose.
You were right about the mad start, but only Rosberg seemed to leave his brain on the grid.
Still, looking likely to snatch a podium.

Is it just me or is Jenson catching up with Valtieri?

I dunno, I fell asleep sometime ago

That's enough footage of Putin and Bernie, thanks.

Pretty dull race as expected

Is it over? I hadn't noticed...

Hopefully it will soon share another fact with Korea, Valencia and India...

What the hell is Putin doing in the back room?

Is it christmas? There seem to be santaclauses all over.

Interesting I saw a list of the most valuable brands (I think, read brand names). Apple tops it by a long way (over $100bn) followed by Google (IIRC). Mercedes is the most valuable car brand followed closely by BMW. I don't suppose the constructor's title has harmed that value any.

Ha ha was just about to say is that the cast from "love actually"

Boring race!

Zzzzzzzzzzz

This really pissed me off. Precisely why Shifty was morally right about Russia and especially Putin using F1 to try and normalise an unacceptable régime. Naturally, rent-boy Bernie was all to happy to get on his knees and reach for the zip.