The results of the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix would see the BMW WilliamsF1 team have a very disappointing end to their season. Juan Pablo would retire while in the lead with what appeared to be a gearbox problem and Ralf would not score any points, finishing in twelfth, after several spins from the German. This would see the BMW WilliamsF1 team lose any chance of them securing the constructors title end finishing the end of the season in second position. Juan Pablo and Ralf would finish the drivers championship in third and fifth respectively.

The race was won by Barrichello, with Kimi Raikkonen second. Michael would score the necessary point to win his historic sixth drivers title.

With the cars moving off on their formation lap there was a chance of rain 40 to 45 minutes into the race. Jos Verstappen would pull into the pit lane, from where he will start the race. The start of the race was clean with no incidents. Rubens Barrichello is first, Montoya second, and Trulli third. Montoya was to have smoke out he back of his FW25.

Michael Schumacher was still in 14th position as Montoya passed Barrichello going into the spoon curve. Raikkonen would move up to be sixth, behind Coulthard in fifth, while Trulli was now up to 13th position. Montoya was pulling out a lead, 2.242 second ahead of Barrichello. Sato, Wilson, Webber and Button are between Michael and eighth place, which he needs for the title. Lap three and Ralf would spin out of 14th place, and was at the back of the field.

Lap four and Michael Schumacher would pass Justin Wilson for 11th position. Kimi Raikkonen has moved up to fifth position and was starting to attack Da Matta, who was running in fourth. Coulthard was following his team-mate. Montoya would continue to extend his lead, 3.9 seconds, to Barrichello. Lap six and Michael was still behind Sato. Both McLaren's were been held up by the Toyota driver. On lap seven we had the sight of Michael pitting as he had lost his front wing. The wing was stuck under his car as he pulled into the pits.

Michael would be in the pits for 18.1 seconds. He was trying to pass Sato but was cut off by the Japanese driver and had his wing was knocked off by Sato's rear tyre. Michael would return in 19th, while rival Raikkonen was still in fifth. Ralf was down in fifteenth while his team-mate lead the race.

Lap eight and Kimi was some 18 seconds behind the leader. But the race would turn into a disaster for Montoya as he would slow. Barrichello was now first, Alonso second, and da Matta third. Ralf Schumacher was to collide with a Sauber. Montoya made it to the pits and with what appeared to be a terminal gearbox problem would end his season and any real hopes that WilliamsF1 had of winning the constructors title.

Lap ten and da Matta would pit, stopping for seven seconds, allowing Raikkonen to work his way forward. Frentzen would retire with a blown engine. The following lap and Panis and Trulli would pit. Raikkonen was now in third position as Alonso was closing in onto Barrichello. Barrichello's lead is only half a second.

Barrichello and Alonso would both pit, as does Coulthard. Barrichello's stop was 6.8, Alonso 7.0, as Raikkonen now leads the race. Michael Schumacher was now in 16th position. Raikkonen would stop on lap thirteen, stationary for a slow 9.2 seconds and goes out ahead of da Matta and behind of Coulthard. The two BAR's were leading the race with Barrichello and Alonso third and fourth.

Both BAR drivers would pit. Lap sixteen and Michael would pass Heidfeld for thirteenth. On the same lap Alonso would retire. He would stop his Renault just before the turn 130R. Lap seventeen and Barrichello was leading from Coulthard. Raikkonen was in third 20 seconds behind the Ferrari driver. He was also right behind his team-mate Coulthard. Michael was now up to twelfth. Ralf was in ninth behind Sato. Da Matta was in fourth. With Sato and Ralf arguing over eighth position, they were helping Michael by allowing him the opportunity to catch up to them in order to get the eight position he needs for a single point.

Lap twenty five and both Ralf and Michael would stop with Ralf returning ahead of his brother. Both Toyota drivers would pit, followed by both Rubens and Coulthard on lap twenty seven. Rubens would retain his lead of the race, while Coulthard was fifth.

Button and Trulli were third and fourth. Michael, after his stop, was down in twelfth. Brother Ralf was one place ahead of him but was been challenged by Michael. Raikkonen was yet to stop. Rubens lead over Kimi by lap thirty was over ten seconds. The track was dry but dark clouds were now moving over the circuit.

Lap thirty two and Trulli and Sato would pit. With twenty laps left to run in the fifty three lap race Raikkonen would pit. He would be joined by Button. After this round of pit stops Michael would move up into eighth, enough for victory in the drivers title. Fisichella would end his time with the Jordan team when he was to retire. By lap thirty six Rubens' lead over Raikkonen was thirty nine seconds, enough to make another pitstop and still lead the race.

Lap thirty seven and Da Matta was fourth ahead of Ralf and Michael in fifth and sixth positions. But Michael would pit again, stopping for 7.6 seconds. He would return in tenth position. Da Matta and Ralf would soon follow Michael into the pits. Lap forty and Rubens would pit from the lead. Ralf would try to pass Michael down the main straight but Michael was stop him. Lap forty one and Coulthard would pit from the lead, rejoining in third behind Raikkonen.

Lap forty two and Ralf would go off at the chicane after losing his front nose while trying to pass Michael, hitting the rear of the Ferrari. Michael was still in the eighth place he needed for the championship. Lap forty three and Rubens lead over Kimi was 16.4 seconds. The incident that involved Ralf and Michael appeared to be have been caused by Michael locking up at the chicane while trying to pass Da Matta.

Lap forty four and Ralf was down in thirteenth. As the laps started to count down Rubens held a comfortable lead over Raikkonen. Button, Trulli, and Sato were fourth through to sixth. Button and Trulli were having their own close battle. Lap forty nine with five laps left to run and Rubens was 16.3 seconds ahead of Kimi. With the BAR drivers running fourth and sixth, Button leading Sato, it would see them secure fifth in the constructors championship.

Lap fifty three and Rubens would start his final lap and would cross the line seeing not only a grand prix victory to add to his tally but the Ferrari team winning the constructors title and Michael Schumacher winning the Drivers championship.

Pos Driver Team-Engine Time

1. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1h25:11.743
2. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) + 11.085
3. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) + 11.614
4. Button BAR Honda (B) + 33.106
5. Trulli Renault (M) + 34.269
6. Sato BAR Honda (B) + 51.692
7. da Matta Toyota (M) + 56.794
8. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) + 59.487
9. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) + 1:00.159
10. Panis Toyota (M) + 1:01.844
11. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) + 1:11.005
12. R. Schumacher Williams BMW (M) + 1 lap
13. Wilson Jaguar Cosworth (M) + 1 lap
14. Firman Jordan Ford (B) + 1 lap
15. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) + 2 laps
16. Kiesa Minardi Cosworth (B) + 3 laps

Fastest Lap: R. Schumacher, 1:33.408, lap 43

Not Classified/Retirements:

Driver Team On Lap
Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) 34
Alonso Renault (M) 18
Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) 10
Montoya Williams BMW (M) 10