JimB

Finn & Ray,
I've met you both in person and you seem like smart, logical, marginally responsible guys. Given Kimi's history of finding ways to lose, why in the hell would you risk putting two bottles of Patron in AW's hands. I can't even imagine his posts after a few shots.

Fun race. Lot's of good racing for position. It’s good to see the Renault fast enough to be competitive. Assuming FA stays where he’s at, I’m really looking forward to next year. We should see some great racing.
Jim

Trucho-951

The Hamster choked again, he didn't need the win, no need to create all that drama in T1, what a rookie move!

A.Wayne

Here Ray let me help yah !



Fernando Alonso took his and Renault's second victory in succession in the Japanese Grand Prix, as title contenders Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton finished only eighth and 12th after a series of controversial early incidents.

Both Hamilton (McLaren) and Massa (Ferrari) were delayed by drive-through penalties - the Briton for forcing Kimi Raikkonen wide at the start, and Massa for pushing his title rival into a spin shortly afterwards.

Robert Kubica kept himself in title contention by finishing second for BMW, fending off Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

Hamilton made a slow start and was behind Raikkonen going into Turn 1, where the McLaren dived down the inside with a tyre-smoking move that took not only Hamilton and Raikkonen wide onto the run-off, but also caused their teammates Heikki Kovalainen and Massa to go off in avoidance.

That allowed Kubica and Alonso to slip into first and second ahead of the recovering Kovalainen, while Massa, Hamilton and Raikkonen fell back into the traffic.

On the next lap Massa ran wide into the Turn 10 chicane, allowing Hamilton to slip past and into fifth place, but the Ferrari fought back across the kerbs at the second part of the corner, punting Hamilton into a spin.

Both Hamilton and Massa would later receive drive-through penalties for their respective aggressive moves, consigning the title contenders to unproductive afternoons in the midfield.

At the front, Kubica held a narrow lead over Alonso and Kovalainen through the first stint, with Raikkonen swiftly hacking through the field and back up to fourth, then closing right in on the closely-matched top three.

But at the first stops Alonso managed to leapfrog Kubica and take the lead, and was able to charge away at the front.

Kovalainen's shot at victory ended at the same time, as his McLaren suffered what the Finn believed to be an engine failure.

By the time Alonso came in for his final stop on lap 43, he had established a 13-second lead over Kubica and an 18-second advantage over Raikkonen, and although both his pursuers were running several laps longer, neither was able to get anywhere near the flying Renault.

Alonso duly pulled away again after pitting, taking another comfortable victory that demonstrated Renault's huge improvements in recent weeks.

Raikkonen picked up his pace significantly prior to his second stop and was able to rejoin just metres behind Kubica. The pair then commenced a spectacular battle for second, running wheel to wheel into the first corner several times in the closing laps.

As they battled, Nelson Piquet closed in after a superb drive from 12th in the second Renault. A good start and very long stints allowed the under-pressure Brazilian to come through the field, and as Kubica and Raikkonen lost time fighting with each other, Piquet moved into podium contention.

Ultimately Piquet dropped back when he ran wide at Turn 5 in the closing laps, while Kubica managed to edge clear of Raikkonen as the Ferrari's tyres faded.

Jarno Trulli took fifth for home team Toyota, losing out to Piquet at the last stops, but his teammate Timo Glock was an early retirement with suspension damage from the first lap incidents.

Toro Rosso got both cars into the points, with Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel coming home sixth and seventh, ahead of the flying Massa, who at least reduced Hamilton's lead to six points.

Massa managed to salvage a point despite spinning when he banged wheels with Bourdais as the Toro Rosso rejoined following its final pitstop - an incident that will be investigated by the stewards after the race.

The Ferrari survived that tangle and produced a series of late passes to claim eighth, with Red Bull's Mark Webber his final target. The Australian had driven well on a one-stop strategy, but couldn't fend off Massa at the end.

BMW's Nick Heidfeld also used a one-stop plan to progress to 10th, ahead of Nico Rosberg (Williams) and the delayed Hamilton, who had pitted and taken on heavy fuel immediately after his tangle with Massa. This strategy failed to pay off, as although he was rapidly catching Massa in the middle of the race, he lacked the pace to make progress during his long final stint.

The sole Japanese driver in the field, Kazuki Nakajima, saw his first home race ruined at the start, when he lost his front wing on David Coulthard's Red Bull as it veered across his path after a dramatic suspension breakage. Coulthard, who suspected his suspension had been weakened in first corner wheel-banging, slammed into the barriers but was unhurt.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS

The Japanese Grand Prix
Mount Fuji, Japan;
67 laps; 305.416km;
Weather: Cloudy, dry.

Classified:

Pos Driver Team Time
1. Alonso Renault (B) 1h30:21.892
2. Kubica BMW Sauber (B) + 5.283
3. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) + 6.400
4. Piquet Renault (B) + 20.570
5. Trulli Toyota (B) + 23.767
6. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) + 34.085
7. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) + 39.207
8. Massa Ferrari (B) + 46.158
9. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) + 50.811
10. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) + 54.120
11. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) + 1:02.096
12. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) + 1:18.900
13. Barrichello Honda (B) + 1 lap
14. Button Honda (B) + 1 lap
15. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) + 1 lap

Fastest lap: Massa, 1:18.426

Not classified/retirements:

Driver Team On lap
Fisichella Force India-Ferrari (B) 22
Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 17
Sutil Force India-Ferrari (B) 9
Glock Toyota (B) 7
Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) 1


World Championship standings, round 16:

Drivers: Constructors:
1. Hamilton 84 1. Ferrari 141
2. Massa 78 2. McLaren-Mercedes 135
3. Kubica 72 3. BMW Sauber 128
4. Raikkonen 63 4. Renault 66
5. Heidfeld 56 5. Toyota 50
6. Kovalainen 51 6. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 36
7. Alonso 48 7. Red Bull-Renault 28
8. Trulli 30 8. Williams-Toyota 26
9. Vettel 29 9. Honda 14
10. Glock 20
11. Webber 20
12. Piquet 18
13. Rosberg 17
14. Barrichello 11
15. Nakajima 9
16. Coulthard 8
17. Bourdais 7
18. Button 3

All timing unofficial

fast_freddy

Well, Ferrari International Assistance stikes again. When it's obvious you have to penalize Ferrari (Massa into Hamilton) you have to equally penalize McLaren even though Hammy just outbraked Kimi into turn one. This is absurd, let these guys race. While Hammy needlessly drove like a knucklehead at the start worsening his position, the FIA as always manufactures the results. Max and his buddies need to be taken out back and shot.

BC

+1

BC

Give me a minute here:

Europe, in the 21st century, is moving to, simply speaking, an un-elected government. The people in each country of the EU elect thier represenation according to their laws. But the administration of the TRUE laws of the land there are held by an UNELECTED government, which is of course the EU. And THOSE laws are the ones that most must live by. Unacceptable, and very very scary. They are sort of shadow government,

Now allow me this logical leap: These fvcking idiotic "no-name" stewards are screwing with this sport. They are random in their appointments, but very specific in their attempts to shape the results. Its the same idea as the EU. A sort of back-room un-representative government - see the connection?

Idiotic to the core. And I love this sport. I look forward to every race.

Maybe I should just give it up. Get into The GT stuff. Or DTM?

A.Wayne

Bernie wants to thank Ferrari for providing the clowns again this weekend

I would also like to thank the Finn and Ray for providing the refreshments

Matias_S

So you think its ok that Hammy AND Heikki hits KR in the first corner, and damages KRs car??? WTF? Seriously...

Without KR being awake the two idiots would have caused a massive accident. You think KRs car was not damaged? Have a look at the race, the right hand side air guides were damaged.

Both Hammy and Heikki deserved their penalties.

Matias_S

Great race by FA, not much to add to that.

I disagree with KR being a clown, he was hit twice in the first corner by two clowns who damaged the front of his car. Considering this I think he drove a ok race. His and RKs racing was proper mature racing.

A.Wayne

Schreeh , squak Nelson you are 1 sec a lap fasten than Kimi , try and Pass , Squakkkkk.....

JimB

You might want to rewatch the start. Had Kimi been awake he would have protected the inside line and left t1 in P1. Instead he left the inside open, broke too early and nearly got run over by the whole pack. LH did not hit him. Keikki did but it was at least as much Kimi's fault as Heikki's.

A.Wayne

Sorry RB not even for 1 race ....................... Burp !

Matias_S

Ok, fair point. I had a watched the race again and you are right. Lewis did not hit Kimi. Heikki did, but Lewis outbraked himself so bad that if Kimi would have taken the apex both Lewis and Kimi would have been out (and KR was the only one in the 'pack' who could have hit the apex).

Heikki hitting Kimi was not at all Kimi's fault. How can the guy running out of track, while avoiding the one running wide be at fault?

I do not agree that Kimi was 'not awake'. Honestly, truly, sincerely, he was awake and did avoid collisions as far as possible.

I do agree Kimi should have gone on the inside on the start into T1 and also while racing Kubica.

Matias_S

and, and, and, and... What happened???

adrial

When you outbrake someone ... don't you have to make the corner, not drive off the track yourself the way Hamilton did?

If Hamilton's move was a good one ... he would have been in 1st place at the end of the corner ... not mid-pack as a result of driving off the track.

Hammy absolutely pushed KR out of the way ... and put himself in the middle of the pack (without the stop & go) as a result.