2016 Japanese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Rosberg leads Hamilton by 23 points.

Previous race

Ricciardo won Malaysia for his first victory since the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix, with teammate Verstappen second — Red Bull’s first 1–2 finish since Brazil 2013. Hamilton retired from the lead with an engine failure sixteen laps from the end. Rosberg was spun to the back of the field after contact with Vettel at turn one on the first lap but recovered to third. Rosberg’s ten-second post-race penalty for that contact did not change his finishing position.

Between-race developments

Sebastian Vettel has been given a three-place grid penalty for his role in the first-lap collision with Rosberg in Malaysia.

Penalties

Vettel carries the three-place penalty from Malaysia. Kimi Räikkönen and Pascal Wehrlein each carry five-place penalties for unscheduled gearbox changes. Jenson Button carries a thirty-five-place penalty for exceeding his quota of power unit components.