The return to Suzuka marked a return to form for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, after the disappointment of Singapore. But a return to form only within the modest targets the team can now set itself for the final part of the season, as all technical effort is focussed on next year’s car. Once again, Kimi Raikkonen produced a very strong drive to come home in fourth place, while Giancarlo Fisichella’s twelfth place finish is not an accurate reflection of how much progress he made this weekend in terms of getting to grips with the F60.
The race was won, with an impressive lights to flag performance by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, the German’s third victory of the season. Joining him on the podium in second place, to the delight of the Japanese crowd, was the Toyota, driven by Jarno Trulli, while third spot went to reigning champion, Lewis Hamilton. With the McLaren man picking up six points compared to Kimi’s five, the Scuderia’s lead over the English team in the battle for third place in the Constructors’ Championship is now down to just two points, the Scuderia on 67 and McLaren on 65. It’s going to be a tough battle over the remaining two races and as Team Principal Stefano Domenicali said after the race, Ferrari will be fighting "tooth and nail" to maintain the advantage.
With five drivers being given penalties, Timo Glock not taking part after his qualifying accident and Mark Webber starting from pit lane, the actual grid bore little relation to the actual times set on Saturday afternoon. Kimi Raikkonen, having qualified eighth was now on the third row in fifth place, with his Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team-mate, Giancarlo Fisichella moving up a row to fourteenth place.
As the lights went out on the downward sloping grid all but Buemi got away, with Vettel pulling out a big lead from pole after fighting off Hamilton at the first corner, who had gone from third to second ahead of Trulli, Heidfeld and Kimi fifth, with Giancarlo moving up to 12th. The gaps grow quickly at this long track and after just two laps, Vettel had a lead of 1.9 over his pursuers, with Kimi already 5.3 down. The tightest battles on around lap 6 were Sutil sitting on the gearbox of Kovalainen in eighth place and Giancarlo getting ever closer to Kubica who was eleventh. The positions remained unchanged for several laps after this. On lap 15, Hamilton was the first to put, followed by Sutil next time round. On 17, Trulli came in from second, then came Button and Giancarlo. The leader Vettel came in on lap 18, followed by Heidfeld, Kimi and Barrichello. So by lap 20, Vettel still led from Rosberg, Hamilton, Trulli, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Kubica, Kimi at 17.7 and Barrichello. Rosberg and Kovalainen came in on laps 23 and 25 respectively. By lap 30, Kimi was now up to fifth and one lap later, Alonso made his only pit stop. Five laps later, Kimi made his second stop, remaining on the soft tyre and this was enough for him to get ahead of Heidfeld. Lap 39 saw some action as Trulli pitted from second and managed to come out ahead of Hamilton to keep the same position. Kovalainen and Giancarlo came in together and although the Ferrari man got out slightly ahead, as the came past the end of the white line at the pit lane exit, the McLaren dived inside and just squeezed the F60 wide enough to get ahead of the Roman driver.
Lap 45 featured a huge crash for Alguersuari, who demolished his Toro Rosso at the 130R, which brought out the car and the field bunched up. At the restart, Kimi thought about making a move on Hamilton who was having a technical problem with KERS, but there was never a real opportunity. With only a few laps remaining after the SC pulled in, the order remained unchanged, so the podium places went to winner, Vettel, second placed Trulli and third man Hamilton. Behind them came Kimi in fourth, with the rest of the points going to Rosberg, Heidfeld, Barrichello and Button.
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