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Round 16 - Japan, Suzuka - Race Results
Conditions: cloudy, dry; Temperatures: track 26C, air 23C
| Position |
Driver |
Car (Tyres) |
Time/Retirement |
Laps |
Pitstops |
| 1 |
Rubens BARRICHELLO |
Ferrari (B) |
1h 25:11.740 |
53 |
3 |
| 2 |
Kimi RAIKKONEN |
McLaren Mercedes (M) |
+ 0m 11.085s |
53 |
2 |
| 3 |
David COULTHARD |
McLaren Mercedes (M) |
+ 0m 11.614s |
53 |
3 |
| 4 |
Jenson BUTTON |
BAR Honda (B) |
+ 0m 33.106s |
53 |
2 |
| 5 |
Jarno TRULLI |
Renault (M) |
+ 0m 34.269s |
53 |
2 |
| 6 |
Takuma SATO |
BAR Honda (B) |
+ 0m 51.692s |
53 |
2 |
| 7 |
Cristiano da MATTA |
Toyota (M) |
+ 0m 56.794s |
53 |
3 |
| 8 |
Michael SCHUMACHER |
Ferrari (B) |
+ 0m 59.487s |
53 |
3 |
| 9 |
Nick HEIDFELD |
Sauber Petronas (B) |
+ 1m 00.159s |
53 |
2 |
| 10 |
Olivier PANIS |
Toyota (M) |
+ 1m 01.844s |
53 |
3 |
| 11 |
Mark WEBBER |
Jaguar Cosworth (M) |
+ 1 lap |
52 |
3 |
| 12 |
Ralf SCHUMACHER |
BMW Williams (M) |
+ 1 lap |
52 |
4 |
| 13 |
Justin WILSON |
Jaguar Cosworth (M) |
+ 1 lap |
52 |
3 |
| 14 |
Ralph FIRMAN |
Jordan Ford (B) |
+ 2 laps |
51 |
2 |
| 15 |
Jos VERSTAPPEN |
Minardi Cosworth (B) |
+ 2 laps |
51 |
2 |
| 16 |
Nicolas KIESA |
Minardi Cosworth (B) |
+ 3 laps |
50 |
2 |
| Not classified |
| Ret |
Giancarlo FISICHELLA |
Jordan Ford (B) |
Ran out of fuel (rig fault) |
33 |
1 |
| Ret |
Fernando ALONSO |
Renault (M) |
Engine |
17 |
1 |
| Ret |
Heinz-Harald FRENTZEN |
Sauber Petronas (B) |
Engine |
9 |
1 |
| Ret |
Juan Pablo MONTOYA |
BMW Williams (M) |
Hydraulics |
9 |
0 |
Notes:
Verstappen started from the pitlane. Clean start by everyone, although I think I spotted a Sauber doing a spot of rallycross! Montoya's engine was puffing smoke during the first lap, hoped it was just oil overfill, but later events perhaps indicate otherwise.
Trulli and Ralf Schumacher, starting at the back, were up to 13th/14th by lap 2. Then Ralf suffered his first setback of the afternoon when he spun in the chicane and dropped back to 19th.
Montoya took the lead from Barrichello on lap 2 and pulled out a 4.5s lead. Raikkonen climbed to 5th, with Coulthard in 6th protecting his rear, but got bogged down behind da Matta and failed to make the progress he needed if he was to pull off the miracle of winning the Championship.
Michael Schumacher lost his front wing after contact with Sato in the final chicane, dropping to 19th after pitting for a new nose.
Montoya slowed and with a spluttering engine limped back to the pits to retire with a hydraulic leak. Williams' chances of the Constructors Championship looking bleaker by the lap. Frentzen stopped on the same lap with a blown engine.
Ralf Schumacher ran into trouble at the chicane for the second time, half-spinning but recovering without difficulty.
Button and Sato, both on 2 stop strategies, found themselves running running at the front when the first round of pitstops got underway. Barrichello, on a 3 stop strategy compared to Raikkonen's 2 stopper, regained the lead after the first round of stops.
Raikkonen was way off the pace in the second stint, coming out in 3rd behind Coulthard, he not only failed to close the gap but instead dropped further back. With Michael Schumacher up to 10th, Raikkonen was not showing the pace or commitment needed to win the title.
Fisichella retired when a refuelling problem led him to run out of fuel before his second pitstop.
Ralf Schumacher had his third "moment" at the chicane, nearly taking his brother out of the race in the process - Michael locked up to avoid running into the back of da Matta, Ralf locked up and didn't quite avoid running into the back of Michael, his front wing end plate coming into contact with Michael's left rear. Ralf pitted for a new nose and Ferrari held their breath waiting to see if Michael had suffered a puncture.
With nine laps to go - Barrichello was leading by 15s, Raikkonen was in 2nd with a clearly faster Coulthard in 3rd and Michael Schumacher was in 8th - positions which were to remain unchanged until the end of the race.
So, Michael Schumacher takes a record-breaking 6th Drivers Championship and Ferrari the Constructors Championship. While some might be surprised to hear me say it, the title was well-deserved - not only did he have 6 wins to Raikkonen's 1, but he, more than any other driver, pulled out the results when he really needed to. Congratulations to Michael ... although I can't help hoping that he will now seriously consider hanging up his gloves!
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