By pitpass.com (12/10/2003)
October 12 2003

Michael Schumacher starts from fourteenth position on the grid for today's Japanese GP, his worst qualifying position since Germany 1998 when he started ninth. Kimi Raikkonen starts from eighth, however twice this season the Finn has failed to post a time therefore starting twentieth. Today history could be made. Michael Schumacher could win a record sixth title while Ferrari could win its fifth successive Constructors' Championship. On the other hand Kimi Raikkonen could become the youngest World Champion in F1 history while WilliamsF1 could win it's first constructors' title since 1997... however there's a long way to go.

It's cloudy and overcast at Suzuka as the cars prepare for the warm-up lap, but it's dry. That said, Ross Brawn is 'confident' that it will rain within the next two hours.

The cars head off on the parade lap everyone getting away cleanly, the question is will any of the cars nip into the pits for a re-fuel, Ralf or Trulli for instance? The answer is yes, but it's Minardi's Jos Verstappen that will start from the pitlane.

Everyone gets away cleanly with both Kimi and Michael avoiding trouble. Barrichello leads into the first corner ahead of Montoya and Alonso.

At the entry to Spoon Montoya passes Barrichello with ease while Alonso is all over the Ferrari.

At the end of the first lap it's Montoya from Barrichello, Alonso, da Matta, Coulthard, Raikkonen, Panis and Button, with Michael in twelfth.

Montoya is pulling away, the Colombian setting a blistering pace. WilliamsF1's title hopes take a massive dive when Ralf spins at the chicane.

Schumacher passes Wilson to take eleventh, his next target is Sato then Webber.

Montoya continues to pull away but Rubens appears to have shaken off Alonso.

Raikkonen is all over Panis, the Finn has to get past he's already over 10s behind race leader Montoya. The Finn gets by and closes on his team-mate who is all over da Matta.

Six laps completed and Montoya leads Barrichello, Alonso, da Matta, Raikkonen and Coulthard, while Michael is all over Sato. It's a thrilling battle between the German, the Japanese racer and Webber.

On lap seven Schumacher heads into the pits having lost most of his front wing, a coming together with Sato? Yes coming into the last chicane Schumacher tries a move that doesn't quite come off. Schumacher re-joins in last behind Verstappen.

Lap nine and Montoya is going very, very slowly her appears to have an engine problem, Barrichello is through as is Alonso, da Matta and Raikkonen. Meanwhile Ralf has his second spin of the afternoon.

Montoya drives into his garage, his race over.

Frentzen goes off smoke pouring of the back of his car while da Matta stops for fuel.

Barrichello leads from Alonso by 0.7s with Raikkonen closing steadily but still 14s behind the race leader.

Panis pits as does Trulli as Michael is slicing his way through the field, meanwhile despite two spins Ralf is up to eighth.

Barrichello and Alonso both pit on lap twelve and despite a lengthy stop for the Ferrari, the Brazilian gets out ahead of the Spaniard.

Raikkonen now leads while his title rival is running sixteenth, next time around the Finn pits, he's stationary for 9.2s rejoining behind his team-mate.

For the second race in succession Jenson Button leads a GP, the English youngster followed by Sato, Barrichello and Alonso.

Sato pits as Coulthard posts the fastest lap of the race, the Scot leads his team-mate by 3.6s while Michael Schumacher is only up to fourteenth and all over Nick Heidfeld.

Barrichello leads Alonso, Coulthard, Raikkonen, da Matta and Button.

Alonso pulls off track, his race over, which is good news for Raikkonen, coming in the wake of Michael's mishap and Montoya's retirement.

With 35 laps remaining Barrichello leads Coulthard and Raikkonen, da Matta, Button, Panis, Webber and Trulli, while Michael is back up to twelfth and again closing on Wilson.

The two McLarens are separated by seven second with Coulthard 15s behind race-leader Barrichello.

Ralf Schumacher is up to tenth place and is all over Sato with brother Michael keeping a watching eye on the duel ahead. The Japanese driver refuses to capitulate to the WilliamsF1 driver while Michael closes in.

Ralf and Michael both head into the pits exiting again moments later in the same order, now running eleventh and twelfth.

Next time around both Barrichello and Coulthard pit, as does Ralph Firman. Seven seconds later Rubens is back on track, DC is stationary for 7.6s.

At half-distance Barrichello leads Raikkonen, Button, Trulli, Coulthard and Sato, Heidfeld and da Matta, with Michael still running twelfth.

Rubens leads the Finn by 9.2s while Button is a further 8.6s behind.

Michael is all over Ralf now with Panis a mere 1.2 ahead.

Barrichello continues to pull away from Raikkonen as Ralf gets past Panis but Michael doesn't. At the end of lap thirty-one Schumacher sweeps past the Frenchman at the chicane promoting himself to eleventh.

Only three retirements so far and both BARs looking good for points finishes, indeed Button could be heading for the podium.

Having started from the back of the grid Jarno Trulli has made a great recovery, running fourth the Italian stops for fuel at the end of lap thirty-two. Sato also pits.

The Schumacher brothers are now running nose to tail and have closed up on Mark Webber while Kimi Raikkonen makes his second stop of the afternoon, as does Button. The Englishman exits the pits behind Michael Schumacher who is now eighth - thanks to the pit stops - and has one hand on the championship.

With thirty-four laps completed Barrichello leads Coulthard by 23.9s with Raikkonen a further 14.2s down the road. Da Matta is now fourth ahead of Ralf, Michael, Button and Webber.

Michael is lapping almost 2s a lap faster than Raikkonen, the German clearly isn't ready to 'settle' for a couple of points.

Fisichella's miserable season with Jordan comes to an end, the Italian stopping in the first sector.

Michael makes his last pit-stop and exits ahead of Heidfeld in tenth, Next time around da Matta (4th) and Ralf (5th) pit, with Ralf exiting behind his brother who is now running ninth. Ralf is all over his brother clearly not prepared to give him an 'easy ride'.

On the main straight Ralf attempts to out-drag his brother but the Ferrari driver is having none of it and slams the door firmly in his place.

Barrichello makes his final stop of the day handing the lead to Coulthard, who still has to stop again.

At the end of lap forty-one Coulthard pits, the Scot exiting behind his team-mate.

At the chicane Ralf and Michael are at it hammer and tongs, almost tripping up over Panis they both go across the chicane with Ralf losing his front wing. That's Ralf's third 'off' of the race and has virtually assured Ferrari of the Constructors' Championship.

Barrichello now leads Raikkonen by 16s with Coulthard just 0.2s behind the Finn. Button is fourth ahead of Trulli, Sato, da Matta and Michael, the German all over the back of the Brazilian. Meanwhile Ralf is back in thirteenth but posts fastest lap of the race - 1:33.408.

Coulthard is clearly faster than his team-mate but holds position.

Forty-six laps completed and Barrichello leads Raikkonen by 15.7s who in turn is 0.4s ahead of Coulthard. Button is 18s behind the Scot followed by Trulli, Sato, da Matta, Michael, Heidfeld and Panis.

Providing the cars - and engines - hold together the BARs are looking good for fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

Webber is running eleventh ahead of Ralf, Wilson, Firman, Jos and Kiesa.

The status-quo is maintained, Barrichello leads Raikkonen by 16.4s with Coulthard still hot on the heels of his Finnish team-mate. Meanwhile Michael eases off, he knows the title is his.

It's a historic day as Michael wins his sixth - and fourth successive - World Championship, and Ferrari it's fifth successive Constructors' title.

An odd, incident filled race, with the race win going to the best man while Raikkonen simply failed to deliver when it mattered most, wonder how much that had to do with the fact that he swapped cars with DC, clearly the Scot was much faster today.

It's what F1 needed, a down to the wire title fight, which thanks to some of the new rules, and of course the weather, it got. Let's hope that the sport doesn't take a backward step next season by adopting some of the new ideas that are being proposed.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.