The start of the Japanese Grand Prix would see Michael leading from brother Ralf with the BAR's of Button and Sato third and fourth. Webber had dropped to sixth and by the end of lap one Michael was 1.1 seconds ahead of Ralf. By lap three Michael was pulling away from Ralf and his lead would grow out to be 12.8 seconds by lap four. Button was 4.6 seconds behind.

Lap five and the second Ferrari of Barrichello was way down in fourteenth. He would pass Panis for thirteenth. The Frenchman had lost out at the start of the race dropping down from his tenth place on the grid. In twelfth was the second FW26 of Juan Pablo, with Rubens close behind him. Lap seven and Alonso would pass team-mate Villeneuve for ninth. At the front Michael and Ralf continued to pull away from third placed Button. Such was Button's pace that his team-mate Sato was able to pass him for third. By the end of the lap Button was 1.7 seconds behind Sato. It looked like Button may be on a two stop strategy.

Villeneuve, in tenth, and Raikkonen, Juan Pablo, and Rubens were running close together. On lap nine Juan Pablo was able to pass Kimi and move into eleventh. On lap ten Ralf would be the first driver to stop, joined by Panis. Michael was now leading Sato by 18.5 seconds. Coulthard and Fisichella would pass the Jaguar of Webber. Webber would pit on lap twelve, followed in by Juan Pablo. They were joined by Massa and Glock. Sato would pit from second, coming back out behind Villeneuve. At the front Michael would set a new fastest lap, and on his next lap he would also stop.

Michael would come back out still in the lead of the race with Button second and Coulthard third. Ralf was now in fourth after his stop. Sato would pass Villeneuve for sixth. Lap fifteen and Alonso and Raikkonen would both make their first stops. Button would pit the next lap, 9.2 seconds. Villeneuve and Coulthard would also make their stops. Lap seventeen and the second Jaguar of Klein would stop while out on the track Fisichella would take to the gravel, damaging the bodywork of his car. At the front Michael was 18.3 seconds ahead of Ralf, with Sato and Button in third and fourth. Coulthard, Alonso, Trulli, and Webber completed the top eight.

On lap eighteen Juan Pablo would pass Webber for eighth going into the first corner, so we now had both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers in the points. On lap twenty Webber would make an early second stop. In seventh Trulli would have Juan Pablo just 0.5 behind him, with Rubens a similar margin behind the FW26. At the end of lap twenty one Michael's lead was now out to 20.0 seconds. After making his stop Webber would return to his garage the next lap to retire. He did not look happy as he left his car. It was later found out that Mark was suffer from intense heat inside the cockpit of his car forcing him to stop.

On lap twenty three Juan Pablo would try and pass Trulli and the chicane but would run wide allowing Rubens to pass him for eighth. Rubens would then pass Trulli going into the first corner. Fisichella would also pass Juan Pablo going into the same corner. Lap twenty five and Ralf would make his second stop, 7.2 seconds. He would come out behind Button and Coulthard, both of whom appeared to be on a two stop strategy. Down in tenth Juan Pablo would be attacking Fisichella who was just 0.5 seconds ahead.

On lap twenty seven Michael would pit coming back out still in the lead. The race win was looking to be Michael's. Sato would pit from second. Lap twenty eight and Fisichella would pit from ninth. Michael now had a lead of 21.7 seconds over second placed Button. Lap twenty nine and both Rubens and Juan Pablo would pit. Coulthard was in third with Ralf in fourth. Rubens would set a fastest lap, a 1m:32.730, while running in eighth. Lap thirty three and Coulthard was to make what should be his last stop of the race. Michael would make his second stop. On lap thirty five Button would make his second stop. He would come out ahead of Coulthard. The only driver yet to stop was Raikkonen.

He would make his stop at the end of lap thirty six, while at the front Michael was leading Ralf by 28.5 seconds. Rubens, who was following Coulthard, would have a collision with the McLaren with both cars pitting with suspension damage. Rubens would get out of his car to retire. Coulthard's McLaren would also retire. Lap forty and Michael would make his final stop returning to the track still in the lead. Ralf would also pit, while Michel was pushing hard setting a new fastest first sector time. Sato would pit from second at the start of lap forty two.

Juan Pablo and Fisichella would also stop from sixth and seventh. ON lap forty four Michael was leading the race from Ralf, 22.1 seconds, with Button third 6.5 seconds behind Ralf. In fourth was Sato with the rest of the top eight made up by Alonso, Raikkonen, Juan Pablo, and Fisichella. As the laps counted down Sato would have problem requiring him to take his hand from the steering wheel. It was later revealed that he was having severe shoulder pain.

The positions would not change and Michael would cross the line to take his sixth Japanese Grand Prix victory. In a great return to form Ralf would come home in an excellent second place, with Button third. Juan Pablo would finish in the points in seventh. With Raikkonen only coming home in sixth the BMW WilliamsF1 team would extend their points lead over McLaren in the constructors championship.

Pos Driver Team-Engine Time

1. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1h24:26.985
2. R. Schumacher WilliamsF1-BMW (M) + 14.098
3. Button BAR-Honda (M) + 19.662
4. Sato BAR-Honda (M) + 31.781
5. Alonso Renault (M) + 37.767
6. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) + 39.362
7. Montoya WilliamsF1-BMW (M) + 55.347
8. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) + 56.276
9. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) + 1:29.624
10. Villeneuve Renault (M) + 1 lap
11. Trulli Toyota (M) + 1 lap
12. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) + 1 lap
13. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) + 1 lap
14. Panis Toyota (M) + 2 laps
15. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) + 2 laps
16. Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) + 3 laps

Fastest Lap: Barrichello , 1:32.730

Not Classified/Retirements:

Driver Team On Lap
Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) 42
Barrichello Ferrari (B) 39
Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 39
Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 21