A terrific performance by Lewis to win in a thrilling wet Japanese GP.
Lewis ran a faultless race to win in what were very challenging conditions.
Well worth watching this one!
Ferrari start on wets - not extreme wets - in contravention to Charlie Whitings instructions to all teams before the race. Kimi and Felipe are brought into pits to fit the correct tyres - at this stage Kimi is last. In the press conference following the race - Ferrari via Kimi - claim they were not notified of this requirement.
Lewis with a clear track drives a fault free race - spins once when Kubica understeers into him but recovers.
Fernando drops away on the second set of tyres and bins it - and thankfully is unhurt in what was a big accident.
Vettel's stunning qualifying posi of 8th in the Toro Rosso bodes well - and he even leads when Lewis pits! At one stage behind the safety car Red Bull were 2nd withWeber, 3rd with Vettel and 4th with Coulthard. Unfortunately behind the safety car - Vettel runs into Weber - taking them both out! Tough debrief one assumes for the rookie - who up until this incident had put in a stellar performance.
Highlights towards the end were Kimi's relentless pursuit of Heikki - who provided Renault's first podium of the year and also some entertaining wheelbanging between Massa and Kubica on the last lap - reminiscent of Arnoux and Villeneuve's epic battle at Dijon many years ago.
With only 2 races to go Lewis now has one hand on the title - not a bad rookie season!
Japanese GP results:
1 - Hamilton2 - Kovalainen3 - Raikkonen4 - Coulthard5 - Fisichella6 - Massa7 - Kubica8 - Liuzzi9 - Sutil10 - Barrichello
Points in driver championship with 2 races to go:
1 Lewis Hamilton British McLaren-Mercedes 107 2 Fernando Alonso Spanish McLaren-Mercedes 95 3 Kimi Räikkönen Finnish Ferrari 90 4 Felipe Massa Brazilian Ferrari 80
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