Vettel Makes Successful Last Minute Charge for Japanese GP Pole

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

After a season long dominance in grand prix qualifying, it appeared poised that the Red Bull-Renault could be defeated for the first time during the 2011 Formula 1 campaign. In a first set of runs for the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix, the McLaren-Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button had gained the provisional front row. Ahead of both Red Bull Racing cars of Mark Webber and 2011 Formula 1 championship contender Sebastian Vettel, the McLaren team was determined to present something other than Red Bull Racing colours on a Formula 1 pole position. Not since Williams took pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix has another Formula 1 team car claimed top spot in qualifying.

 

Unwilling to surrender, Red Bull Racing would not allow the McLaren Formula 1 team to gain this pole without a fight. With only seconds left in the Q3 session, Sebastian Vettel crossed the start/finish line securing one final lap in the final 10-minute session. In a show of last minute brilliance, the Red Bull-Renault was guided around the 18 turns of the 5.807 kilometer Suzuka track to a superior final run. Crossing the finish line with a 1 minute, 30.466 second lap time, Sebastian Vettel took pole for the third straight time at the Japanese Grand Prix.

 

Making a final effort, Jenson Button displayed near equal grace as Vettel in the very late stage of Japanese Grand Prix's Q3 session. Driving his McLaren-Mercedes, Button missed the pole position by an alarmingly tight 0.009 seconds. The McLaren team shows up at Suzuka with a rear wing specially designed for the Japan circuit and appears to be on an even playing field with the Red Bull Racing organization.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Not withstanding the intensity of the final qualifying runs of Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button, action on the Suzuka track was actually quite humdrum during the day. Through Friday practice, Formula 1 teams have become increasingly concerned about tire wear of the Pirelli racing slicks on the Japanese track surface. Only six of the ten eligible drivers and cars in the final Q3 session actually recorded runs. Several teams chose to preserve their fresh, allotted tires rather than improve position in qualifying.

 

Starting 7th for tommorow's Japanese Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher was the leader of the four-car pack recording no times with a final qualifying run. However, in the case of Schumacher and the Mercedes GP team, the fact a run was not registered in qualifying was blamed on poor planning for the time to release themselves on track. Exiting the track behind Vettel, Button and Webber, Michael Schumacher would not cross the start/finish line before the 10-minute session clock clicked down to zero. A sluffu for one Mercedes GP car, the second car piloted by Nico Rosberg did not even participate in the Japanese Grand Prix qualifying session to due a hydraulic issue with his car.

 

For this race weekend in Japan, the Suzuka is likely to play host to another championship in a long-running heritage for the circuit. Entering into the Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel needs only to gain a single point in the Formula 1 standings to lock up the 2011 Drivers Championship. The second straight Formula 1 championship title for the young German driver will also be secured if closest points rival Jenson Button does not win the Japanese Grand Prix event.

 

Running during what is expected to be a wonderful sunny day, the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix will start at 3PM in Japan (translating to 2AM Eastern time.

 

 

2011 Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka
Qualifying Results

 

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

 

 

 

Ex F1 driver Sato to wheel KV Racing's IndyCar effort

After a month of speculation, KV Racing Technology has named former Formula 1 pilot Takuma Sato as a newcomer to the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series. Announced in time for an open IndyCar test slated for last week at Barber Motorsport Park, KV Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser expresses that Sato's knowledge and experience will be a valued asset through this new relationship.

Having started in 90 Formula 1 races for Jordan, BAR, Honda and finally Super Aguri, (the most F1 starts for any Japanese driver) Sato's best career effort came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he finished 3rd in the US Grand Prix. In May 2010, Sato will return to the track to race on the more traditional 2.5 mile oval rather than the improvised road course for the Indy 500.

As a Japanese driver will has exclusively supported the effort of Honda Racing, it might be fair to say that the sole engine supplier to the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series might have been able to assist with networking one of their home country's most successful drivers with a team Spending 2009 as a healthy scratch from the grand prix grid, Takuma Sato declares it ".. a very exciting time for me and my supporters" claiming to look forward to the new challenge.

KV Racing Technology has been mentioned as a multi-car team for the 2010 IZOD IndyCar series with last year's driver Mario Moraes all-but confirmed to be joining Sato with the race team.