Japanese Grand Prix facts and figures

Facts and figures for Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix: Circuit: Fuji Speedway Lap distance: 4.563km/2.835 miles Total distance: 67 laps 305.721km/189.975 miles Race lap record: no previous race. Resume of past Japanese Grands Prix (Suzuka)

2006 (Fernando Alonso, Renault) Alonso, who started in fifth place, hailed his surprise win as a gift from God after an engine failure 17 laps from the end left Michael Schumacher's title hopes in tatters. The result left Alonso 10 points clear with one race remaining.

2005 (Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren) Raikkonen produced one of Formula One's great drives,starting 17th and overtaking Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella on the last lap for victory. Renault's newly-crowned world champion Fernando Alonso was outstanding, twice overtaking Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to finish third after starting 16th.

2004 (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari) Schumacher romped to victory from pole position after a typhoon blew out Saturday qualifying, forcing it to be held on Sunday. His win was a record-equalling 15th of the season for Ferrari. Brother Ralf was second for Williams.

2003 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari) Schumacher needed just one point to be champion for the sixth time and he got it, finishing eighth after an early collision with BAR's Takuma Sato left him last.

2002 (Schumacher, Ferrari) Schumacher led a Ferrari one-two to take his 11th win of the season. Sato, the sole Japanese driver in the race,finished fifth for Jordan to huge acclaim.

The old Mount Fuji circuit hosted Japan's first two grands prix, in 1976 and 1977. Briton James Hunt finished third in 1976, while Mario Andretti won the race. Two spectators were killed at Fuji in 1977 when Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari crashed off the track after tangling with Ronnie Peterson's six-wheeled Tyrrell.

Formula One stayed away from Japan for 10 years after that accident before returning to Honda-owned Suzuka. Fuji will also host next year's Japanese Grand Prix but after that will alternate with Suzuka.

The new circuit mixes slow corners with a long main straight that should allow for overtaking. REUTERS