1995 Japanese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher has won the Drivers’ Championship. He leads with 92 points; Hill is second on 59. The maximum available across the final two races is 20 points, meaning Hill cannot reach Schumacher’s total. The Constructors’ Championship remains open: Benetton leads Williams 123 to 102, with 32 points still available.

Previous race

Schumacher clinched the Drivers’ title at Aida. He started third, overtook Hill and Alesi during the pit stop sequence, and held on despite Coulthard leading on a two-stop strategy. Coulthard finished second, Hill third. Schumacher becomes the youngest driver to win two Drivers’ Championships.

Between-race developments

Jean-Christophe Boullion has been released from Sauber — his role since Monaco — and Karl Wendlinger returns to the second Sauber seat. Wendlinger is being given another chance following his near-fatal accident in Monaco qualifying in 1994, which left him in a coma for weeks.

Häkkinen returns to McLaren after missing the Pacific Grand Prix due to appendicitis surgery.

Hill has faced continued criticism in the British media after his performances in recent races. Williams team boss Frank Williams issued what was described as “an unequivocal vote of confidence” heading into the race.

Practice

Practice took place in dry conditions throughout the weekend. Schumacher was fastest in the first session (1:40.410), two tenths ahead of Häkkinen. In the second session, Häkkinen led (1:40.389) with Irvine a strong second for Jordan. Both Williams cars went off into the gravel during the session but Hill and Coulthard both made the top ten.

Schumacher secured his tenth career pole position (1:38.023), describing the Benetton as having been “one of the best cars I have had.” Alesi starts second. Häkkinen qualified third. Blundell had two crashes during the weekend — the second at 130R on Saturday was serious enough that medical advice ruled him out of the second session; he starts from the back of the grid. Suzuki crashed his Ligier in Saturday qualifying and was taken to hospital with a broken rib; he cannot start the race.