1996 Japanese Grand Prix

The 1996 Japanese Grand Prix (officially known as the XXII Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix ) was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka on 13 October 1996. It was the sixteenth and final race of the 1996 Formula One World Championship .

Hill was the first son of a World Champion to win the championship himself, his father Graham having been champion in 1962 and 1968 . This was also the final race for Martin Brundle , who had been competing in F1 since 1984 and finished on the podium 9 times since 1992 , as well as the last race for Pedro Lamy , Giovanni Lavaggi , Footwork and Ligier .

This was the first time since 1977 that Japan hosted the final round of the World Championship. This was the final race broadcast on television in the United Kingdom by the British Broadcasting Corporation until the 2009 F1 season . Starting from 1997 until 2008, ITV would broadcast on British television. As a result, this would be Jonathan Palmer ’s final race as commentator. This was also Steve Rider ’s final race as anchor until 2006. In qualifying, Villeneuve beat Hill to pole position by ne...

Thereafter, Hill gradually pulled away, with Schumacher overtaking Häkkinen for second during the first round of pit stops. Pedro Diniz had lost control of his Ligier at the final chicane and spun off into the gravel trap by lap 14. Hill pitted for his second stop with a 25-second gap to Schumacher, emerging narrowly ahead of the Ferrari, before pulling away gradually once again to lead by 13 seconds with ten laps remaining.