Suzuka is the track where the car has to change direction fast and stay stable while it does it. The first sector is one long sequence, and you cannot fix a mistake in the middle of it.
So the setup is low, with a strong rear wing and a rear anti-roll bar that helps the car rotate. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2019 Japan setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 3 | 7 |
| Camber | -2.50 | -1.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 2 | 3 |
| Anti-roll bar | 4 | 10 |
| Ride height | 1 | 2 |
| Tyre pressure | 23.8 psi | 21.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 65% |
| Differential off throttle | 63% |
| Brake pressure | 83% |
| Front brake bias | 53% |
In F1 2019 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2019 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works at Suzuka
The lap is 5.807 km with 18 corners, in a figure of eight. The back straight crosses over the first part of the lap on a bridge. There are two places where drag matters, the back straight and the pit straight. Everywhere else you are turning, mostly fast.
The wings. 3 and 7. I run the same pair in Germany. The gap between front and rear is big, four clicks. The rear at 7 holds the car in the Esses, in Dunlop and in 130R, where a loose rear ends the lap. The front at 3 keeps the drag down, and the anti-roll bars give the front its bite back.
The differential. 65% on throttle and 63% off. More lock than on most of my setups. At Suzuka you go back to the throttle at high speed, with the car loaded. A more locked differential keeps the rear calm when you do it. The cost is a bit of wheelspin out of the hairpin and the chicane, the only two slow exits.
The brakes. 83% pressure and 53% front bias. The bias is the most rearward in my list. I only go this far back here and at Silverstone. At Suzuka you often brake while turning, into turn 2, Degner 2 and Spoon. A rearward bias helps the car rotate in that phase.
The geometry and tyres. Camber -2.50 and -1.00, toe 0.05 and 0.20. All four are the least angle the menu allows. Pressures are 23.8 at the front and 21.5 at the rear. A firm front tyre answers quickly in the Esses.
Low, with a stiff rear bar
Ride height is 1 and 2. I only go this low here and in Russia. A low car has less drag and more grip from the floor, and at Suzuka most of the lap is spent in fast corners where that grip counts.
The anti-roll bars are 4 and 10. A soft front for grip on turn in, a stiff rear to make the car rotate. In the Esses you change direction four times in a few seconds. A car that rotates on its own saves you steering angle every time.
Springs are 2 and 3. On the soft side. They let the low car take the kerbs at the chicane and at Degner without bouncing.
If the rear feels nervous, the rear bar is the first thing to touch. Not the wing.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The rear snaps in the Esses | Rear anti-roll bar 10 to 8 | A softer rear bar gives the rear more grip |
| Understeer in the Esses and Dunlop | Front wing 3 to 4 | More front load at speed |
| The rear moves when you brake into Degner 2 | Front brake bias 53% to 55% | More of the braking goes to the front |
| Wheelspin out of the hairpin | On throttle differential 65% to 55% | A more open differential is gentler on the inside rear tyre |
| Front tyres lock into the chicane | Brake pressure 83% to 80% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
| The car hits the kerbs at the chicane | Ride height 1 and 2 to 2 and 3 | More room under the floor |
| Too slow on the back straight | Rear wing 7 to 6 | Less drag. 130R gets harder |
For a race
The Esses load the front tyres for a long time, lap after lap. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Front wing 3 to 4. Less understeer means less sliding on the front tyres.
- Rear anti-roll bar 10 to 8. A calmer rear when the tyres are worn.
- Ride height 1 and 2 to 2 and 3. A full tank pushes the car down onto the kerbs.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to brake pressure around 78%, front brake bias at 55% and the rear anti-roll bar at 8.
F1 2019 has manual ERS modes. Spend the battery out of Spoon, all the way down the back straight, and on the pit straight. Save in the Esses. You pass into the chicane and into turn 1.
Where the lap time is at Suzuka
- Turns 1 and 2. Turn 1 is fast, with a lift or a light brake. Turn 2 is tighter and you brake for it while still turning. Give up a little in turn 1 to be on the right line out of turn 2.
- The Esses. Left, right, left, right, uphill. Do not attack the first one. Take every apex a little late so the car already points at the next corner.
- Dunlop. The long uphill left. Keep a steady throttle and be patient. It opens at the end.
- Degner 1 and 2. The first is fast and narrow. The second is slower and tighter than it looks. Brake in the short gap between the two.
- The hairpin. Brake in a straight line, late apex, and be gentle with the throttle. With the differential at 65% the inside wheel spins easily here.
- Spoon. A double left. Carry speed into the first part, then tighten for the second apex. The exit starts the back straight, so the second half matters more.
- 130R. Flat with this setup and low fuel. Turn in once and keep your hands still.
- The chicane. The last big stop. Brake late in a straight line, right then left, and get on the throttle early for the pit straight.
If you take one thing from this page: the first Esse decides the next four corners. Go in a little slower than you think and the whole sector gets faster.
Suzuka in 2019
The 2019 Japanese Grand Prix was round 17 of 21, on 13 October. Typhoon Hagibis passed over Japan on the Saturday, so qualifying was moved to Sunday morning, about four hours before the race. The wind was still strong, and two cars crashed at the last corner in Q1.
Sebastian Vettel took pole position in 1:27.064, with Charles Leclerc next to him on the front row. It was the fastest lap ever driven at Suzuka at that point, and the last pole of Vettel's Formula 1 career.
At the start Vettel moved a fraction early, stopped, and then got away slowly. Valtteri Bottas went past him into the lead and won. Vettel was second and Lewis Hamilton third. Hamilton set the fastest lap, a 1:30.983 on lap 45. The race was scheduled for 53 laps and the result was taken after 52.
More F1 2019 setups
All the tracks are on the F1 2019 setups page. Japan is round 17. The round before it is the F1 2019 Russia setup and the next one is the F1 2019 Mexico setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2018 Japan setup, my F1 2020 Japan setup and my F1 25 Japan setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2019 setup for Japan?
Front wing 3, rear wing 7, differential 65% on throttle and 63% off, suspension 2 and 3, anti-roll bars 4 and 10, ride height 1 and 2, brake pressure 83% with 53% front bias, and tyres at 23.8 and 21.5 psi.
What wing levels should I run at Suzuka in F1 2019?
3 at the front and 7 at the rear for time trial. For a race I would run 4 at the front to look after the front tyres.
Can I use this Japan setup in a race?
Yes, with small changes. Front wing to 4, rear anti-roll bar to 8 and ride height to 2 and 3.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes. I would lower the brake pressure to around 78%, move the front brake bias to 55% and soften the rear anti-roll bar to 8.
Why is the front brake bias only 53%?
To help the car turn under braking. At Suzuka you brake while turning into several corners, and a rearward bias helps the rear rotate. If the rear moves too much, go to 55%.
Where can I overtake at Suzuka in F1 2019?
Into turn 1 at the end of the pit straight, with DRS. The chicane at the end of the back straight is the second place.
How long is Suzuka in F1 2019?
5.807 km with 18 corners, in a figure of eight layout. The real race is scheduled for 53 laps.