After Malaysia's dramatic swansong last weekend, Formula One heads to the Land of the Rising Sun -- and with just five grands prix to go this season, the title race is hotting up.
The Japanese Grand Prix so often makes or breaks championship campaigns with its position at the tail end of the calendar, and this season's race looks no different. Lewis Hamilton leads the championship by 34 points as his rivalry with Sebastian Vettel intensifies, but whose side are the omens on? Here, ESPN takes a look at all the stats that you need to know ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Can Mercedes continue their dominance in Japan?
Toto Wolff and co must love Suzuka -- Mercedes has locked out the front row in qualifying and taken victory in the last three consecutive Japanese Grands Prix.
Lewis Hamilton claimed victory in the torrential rain at the 2014 grand prix, with Nico Rosberg in second after starting on pole in a race that was cut short after 44 laps following the fatal accident which claimed the life of Marussia driver Jules Bianchi nine months later.
Hamilton was also victorious in 2015, again beating teammate Rosberg, who once again started on pole, to the chequered flag. The German got his revenge last season -- this time converting his pole position into a race victory on his way to the title. To make matters even better for Rosberg, Max Verstappen got his Red Bull in between him and Hamilton, finishing less than a second ahead of the Brit, to extend Rosberg's advantage at the top of the championship.
However, it is worth noting Hamilton has never secured a pole position at Suzuka, with Rosberg taking it at the last three grands prix in Japan.
Meanwhile, the omens do not look good for Ferrari in Japan. Both drivers crashed out on the first lap in Singapore and engine issues in Malaysia left the team with just 12 points from two races the car had the pace to win at. Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne's mood won't be helped by the fact that his team has not won in Japan since Michael Schumacher's 2004 victory.
The Race of Champions?
His team may have a torrid record in Japan in recent years, but one omen that might give Sebastian Vettel some encouragement is that the Japanese Grand Prix has a tendency to be won by the eventual world champion.
Rosberg's victory last season put him on course for his championship victory, while Hamilton's 2014 and 2015 victories also helped him to world championship glory. Vettel has also been a beneficiary of Japan's record during his time at Red Bull -- his world championship victories in 2010, 2012 and 2013 were all aided by victories in Japan.
The grand prix of 2012 is one that Vettel will look back on with particular fondness
Coming into Suzuka, Vettel was 29 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso, then of Ferrari. He started on pole, led every lap of the race and set the fastest race lap time to secure a much needed 25 points with the race victory. That, coupled with Alonso's first lap retirement for a collision with Rosberg, meant the title race swung wide open -- the rest, of course, is history. With Vettel in a similar situation this season, the Ferrari driver will be praying for a repeat of that grand prix five years on.
The only race since the turn of the decade that was not won by the eventual world champion was 2011's grand prix -- Jenson Button took the chequered flag on that occasion for McLaren.
Can Hamilton be the most consistent of them all?
Lewis Hamilton has been has been a record breaker already this season -- overtaking Michael Schumacher's record for the most Formula One pole positions earned, but now there is another record on the horizon for the Mercedes driver.
After finishing second in Malaysia, Hamilton has scored points in the last 20 consecutive grands prix. After his retirement in Malaysia 12 months ago, Hamilton went on a run of eight consecutive podiums -- five of those on the top step. Ever since, Hamilton has been the model of consistency, and he is now chasing down Kimi Raikkonen's record of 27 consecutive podium finishes.
If Hamilton can keep his consistency up, the Brit can equal Raikkonen's record at the second grand prix of next season, set to be the Bahrain Grand Prix, and he can snatch the Finn's record at the following race in China.
Stats Checklist
Lap Record: 1:28.954 [Michael Schumacher, Q2, 2006]
Race Record Lap: 1:31.540 [Kimi Raikkonen, 2005]
Laps: 53
Circuit Length: 5.807 km
Corners: 18 [8 left, 10 right]
Top Speed: 320.3 km/h
Race Distance: 307.471 km
Most victories: Michael Schumacher [6]
Normal overtakes in 2016: 30
DRS Overtakes in 2016: 19
Fuel Consumption: Medium
DRS Zones: One; activated after turn 18, down the pit straight to turn 1