Button Wins Thrilling Japanese GP; Vettel Claims 2011 F1 Championship

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

 

 

The Grand Prix of Japan at Sukuza has often been a nexus point for the Formula 1 Drivers Championship thanks to its late season date. Thrilling with the famous deciding fight in the Prost/Senna battles of 1989 and 1990, the 2011 Formula 1 season's top driver Sebastian Vettel intends to celebrate clinching his second championship simply by scoring 1 point more than Jenson Button.

 

Starting Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, the reigning champion displayed he had no plans of playing it safe. In a last second qualifying run, Sebastian Vettel ripped off a flying fastest lap to claim pole position. Accustomed to the pace he has maintained all season in the Red Bull-Renault, Sebastian Vettel launched aggressively as the lights went out to start the Japanese Grand Prix. Racing against the front row-starting McLaren-Mercedes, Vettel feverishly held off the Jenson Button almost directing the second-place vehicle onto the grass. Button, requiring to slow down into turn 1, would also lose a position to teammate Lewis Hamilton as he exited turn 1 in 3rd place. Vettel earned some criticism from the McLaren team but was quickly defused as the race progressed.

 

With a race going textbook for Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull-Renault, the fight 2nd to 4th place would see Jenson Button reclaim his original spot from Lewis Hamilton on lap 8just before the 2008 World Champion pitted. Hamilton stopped his McLaren-Mercedes to the attention of crew early due to a recorded tire puncture. As the McLaren pit crew came to the aid of Hamilton, the race mechanics would be elevated to heroic. Pitting on lap 21, Jenson Button came to the attention of his crew members who performed a lightning fast pit stop compared to Vettel's Red Bull Racing mechanics. Gaining sizable track position, Button came out of the pits in front of the previously-pitted car of Sebastian Vettel. Exiting in 4th place overall at the lap 22 point in the Japanese Grand Prix, Jenson Button progressed to the lead.

 

With a safety car period slowing the Grand Prix of Japan as a result of debris (namely the carbon fiber pieces landing on track after Mark Webber's Red Bull-Renault made contact with the Mercedes GP car's Michael Schumacher in the 130R area of the Suzuka track. Off the restart, Jenson Button continued to pull away from Sebastian Vettel while the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso managed to fish around the Red Bull for an ultimate second place finish.

 

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

 

 

Jenson Button would hold on to win the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix for what was an big victory for the McLaren. Button had just signed a contract renewal with the McLaren Formula 1 team for several more season. The country of Japan has also been desribed as special to Jenson Button by post race comments. "It’s such an emotional victory for me: there’s so much history at this circuit, and the crowd here has been amazing, this is second only to a home victory for me." said Button. The British driver is personally connected to the country highlighted by a special race helmet he has worn at Monaco and again at this Japanese Grand Prix. That Jenson Button helmet will be auctioned off in the near future in support of the country of Japan currently rebuilding from the natural disaster earlier this year.

 

Michael Schumacher finished 6th in the Japanese Grand Prix but enjoyed one of the more momentous runs at Sukuza. In the latter 1/3 distance in the event, Schumacher's Mercedes GP MGP W02 race car led before a necessary pit stop. “I’m very happy with what we achieved in Suzuka today as we maximised our potential of the car, and managed to put in a good race." said 7-time Formula 1 champion Schumacher. While Michael Schumacher's teammate Nico Rosberg did not enjoy a front-running sprint in the grand prix, the young German did accomplish a hard-fought feat. Unable to log a lap in qualifying Saturday at Suzuka, Rosberg's Mercedes GP car was only granted a rear field starting spot after Formula 1 stewards permitted the team to run the Japanese Grand Prix. By lap 25, Nico Rosberg and his crew worked the car up to 13th place. At the end, a 10th place position and a single Formula 1 series point was earned by Rosberg.

 

After the race though, the man of the hour was the acclaimed 2011 Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Needing only a single point, Vettel displayed the same grand prix win-contending performance powerthe Red Bull-Renault driver plans in completing this near dream season. Finishing 3rd and on podium, Vettel was ecstatic about his 2nd straight championship by charging towards his Red Bull Racing crew members in celebration. Vettel clinches the Formula 1 championship with 4 races remaining in the 2011 season. Sebastian Vettel joins active drivers Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher as multiple time champions in Formula 1. 

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

Continuing with the late year Asian tour for the Formula 1 series, teams prepare for the Korean Grand Prix schedule in one week's time (October 16th).

 

2011 Formula 1

Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka Circuit

Race Results

 

1. 4 Jenson Button McLaren
2. 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
3. 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing
4. 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing
5. 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren
6. 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
7. 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari
8. 17 Sergio Perez Sauber
9. 10 Vitaly Petrov Lotus Renault GP
10. 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
11. 14 Adrian Sutil Force India
12. 15 Paul di Resta Force India
13. 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber
14. 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1
15. 19 Jaime Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso
16. 9 Bruno Senna Lotus Renault GP
17. 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams F1
18. 21 Heikki Kovalainen Team Lotus
19. 20 Jarno Trulli Team Lotus
20. 24 Timo Glock Marussia Virgin Racing
21. 25 Jérôme D’Ambrosio Marussia Virgin Racing
22. 22 Daniel Ricciardo HRT F1
23. 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT F1
24. 18 Sebastien Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso

IZOD IndyCar: Castroneves Leads Penske Qualifying Sweep in Japan

Photo Credit: Ron McQueeney

After 15 races, the 2010 IZOD IndyCar preultimate round brings the open wheel series to their only overseas engagement on the 1.55 mile oval called the Twin-Ring Motegi. A track owned and operated by local IZOD IndyCar engine supplier Honda, the planting in the series schedule shapes the Indy Japan 300 into a defining event for wrapping race seasons.

The renowned venue where open wheel's popular driver Danica Patrick won her first major racing event in 2008, the Twin-Ring Motegi oval was also significant to last year's IZOD IndyCar title chase. As Ryan Briscoe led the 2009 standings and appeared destined to perhaps clinch the series crown, Briscoe lost control of his Penske Racing owned machine banging it against the inner pit road wall. With the DNF at the Indy Japan 300, Ryan Briscoe would go on to lose out on the championship at Homestead Speedway to Dario Franchitti of rival team Target/Chip Ganassi Racing.

Entering into the 2010 edition, another Penske versus Target/Chip Ganassi battle appears firmly in the cards as Penske's Will Power holds a slim 17-point lead over Dario Franchitti. With Penske Racing drawing first blood through the two practice sessions on the Twin-Ring Motegi oval, the Captain's 3-car squad found all the speed they needed through IZOD IndyCar qualifying as all three stand at the top of the charts. Led by recent Kentucky Speedway race winner Helio Castroneves, the #3 car flew around the Japanese 1.55 oval in 201.992 miles per hour average during the 2-lap qualifying run. Despite a faster second lap, 2nd place Penske car of Ryan Briscoe started with a dismal first timed lap which resulted in an average 4/10ths a mile per hour slower run. Will Power rounds out for Penske Racing trio's dominant qualifying in 3rd place. Power is probably going to feel uncomfortable knowing his title rival Franchitti's #10 car will be starting right alongside his #12 Penske in the second row Sunday.

Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, and Ryan Hunter-Reay line up in the 5th through 7th positions all driving for Andretti Autosport. Fourth Andretti Autosport car and 2008 race winner Danica Patrick will take the green flag on the outside of the 6th row following a 12th place in the time trial session. As Patrick starts mid-field, the two other female IZOD IndyCar competitors Simona de Silvestro and Milka Duno exited the Twin-Ring Motegi qualifying will sadly start on the final two positions of the starting grid.

A Japanese event where two full-time drivers get welcomed home, native Hideki Mutoh delivered a 17th place run for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing but would be topped by series rookie and KV Racing Technology driver Takuma Sato. Averaging a pace good enough for 10th place, Former Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato has visited Honda's other popular motorsport park facility of Suzuka but competes in open wheels at the Twin-Ring Motegi oval for the first time. After what has been a first season filled with misfortune for situations out of his control, Sato found solace in the patriotic Japanese fans.

Starting with a 25-car field in Japan, North American fans of the IZOD IndyCar Series will have to stay or wake up at midnight Eastern time to catch the Indy Japan 300 on TSN2 for Canadian audiences or Versus for American viewers.


2010 IZOD IndyCar
Indy Japan 300
Twin-Ring Motegi
Qualifying Results 

1. 3 Helio Castroneves/Brazil/ Penske Racing

2. 6 Ryan Briscoe/Australia/ Penske Racing
3. 12 Will Power/Australia/ Penske Racing
4. 10 Dario Franchitti/Scotland/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
5. 26 Marco Andretti/United States/ Andretti Autosport
6. 11 Tony Kanaan/Brazil/ Andretti Autosport
7. 37 Ryan Hunter-Reay/United States/ Andretti Autosport
8. 8 EJ Viso/Venezuela/ KV Racing Technology
9. 4 Dan Wheldon/England/ Panther Racing
10. 5 Takuma Sato/Japan/ KV Racing Technology
11. 9 Scott Dixon/New Zealand/ Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
12. 7 Danica Patrick/United States/ Andretti Autosport
13. 34 Bertrand Baguette/Belgium/ Conquest Racing
14. 14 Vitor Meira/Brazil/ AJ Foyt Racing Enterprises
15. 19 Alex Lloyd/England/ Dale Coyne Racing
16. 02 Graham Rahal/United States/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
17. 06 Hideki Mutoh/ Japan/ Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
18. 22 Justin Wilson/England/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
19. 2 Raphael Matos/Brazil/ de Ferran Dragon Racing
20. 32 Mario Moraes/Brazil/ KV Racing Technology
21. 36 Roger Yasukawa/United States/ Conquest Racing
22. 24 Paul Tracy/Canada/ Dreyer and Reinbold Racing
23. 77 Alex Tagliani/Canada/ FAZZT Race Team
24. 78 Simona De Silvestro/Switzerland HVM Racing
25. 18 Milka Duno/Venezuela/ Dale Coyne Racing

Scott Dixon takes 2009 Indy Japan 300 win! Championship lead tighens

Across the Pacific Ocean, the IRL Indy Car series unleash their Honda engines at the auto manufacturer's 1.5 mile Twin-Ring Motegi oval. Scott Dixon started on the pole with Mario Moraes starting alongside on the front row.

On the upstart, the Twin Ring Motegi race's tone was dominated 2009 was set of Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars. Target #9 and LifeLock #10 cars driven by teammates Dixon and Franchitti led the lions share of race's 200 laps. without a serious challenge within the event with exception to pit stops. On the second round of green flag pit service Ryan Briscoe used showed some Team Penske fuel economy as he skated around the Motegi oval leading several laps.

Going past halfway without a single caution, the complexion the race was broken by a single car spin out-crash by Mike Conway on lap 106. The resulting caution was opportune to Penske Racing's Ryan Briscoe as he had just been coming into the pits for service. Taking advantage of the wide green flag interval to the second place car and the slowdown of the field under caution Briscoe appeared to have a chance to clinch the 2009 IRL Indy Car championship in Japan. Indeed an important moment for the championship, Ryan Briscoe's pit stop would be marred by a driver mistake when acceleration from the pit caused the tires to spin. The loss of traction sent Briscoe into the inner pit wall (fortunately being near the end of pit road meant no crews were in serious danger) and he struck a warning cone which would become wedged within the #6 Penske racer for several laps around the circuit. In a necessary but tim consuming repair to the front suspension, Briscoe returned 11 laps and allowed Dixon and Franchitti to bolt ahead of him in the championship points.

The second of two cautions was another single car crash of Ryan Hunter-Reay the AJ Foyt Racing #14 car after making a pit stop a few laps prior. The deciding factor for the race was superior pit stops performed by the #9 Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew. On the final pit stop as both Target Chip Ganassi cars addressed their crews for service, the #9 team kept Dixon ahead of his teammate Franchitti for victory in the Indy Japan 300. His 5th win of the 2009 Indy Car racing season, Scott Dixon also assumes a slight 5 point lead over Dario Franchitti. Behind the duo of Target Chip Ganassi, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing celebrated with Graham Rahal's 3rd place result tying a season best at Richmond International Raceway in June and a 4th by Oriol Servia. Mario Moraes, Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Dan Wheldon, Raphael Matos, and Helio Castroneves wraps up the top 10.

Ryan Briscoe, who finished 15 laps down in 18th place, saw his 25 point led evaporate to an 8 point deficit.

With a three-way battle for the championship, the 2009 Indy Car series will be decided at the Homestead-Miami Speedway where Scott Dixon won the 2008 event in what was than the season opener. However, the 2009 race has to take into account the return of Dario Franchitti and the vastly improved game of Ryan Briscoe. The Firestone Indy 300 will run in October 10th.


Graham Rahal