Japanese GP: Vettel’s win puts title on knife-edge
Red Bull driver now trails leader Alonso by just four points.
SUZUKA:
Sebastian Vettel slashed the Formula One title race to just four points yesterday as he stormed to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix after championship leader Fernando Alonso span out on the first turn.
Red Bull’s double defending world champion escaped a chaotic start and sped away to win by more than 20 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and home favourite Kamui Kobayashi, whose first podium received huge roars from the capacity crowd.
The 25-year-old Vettel, who won in Singapore two weeks ago, threw the championship wide open as he became the only man this year with back-to-back victories. With five races left, Vettel now has 190 points to Ferrari driver Alonso’s 194.
Alonso was eliminated when he was hit by rival Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus at the first corner and suffered a puncture, kicking up plumes of dust as he skidded into the dirt. As carnage ensued behind him, Vettel was left out in front and he raced to a luxurious triumph, the 24th of his career, a feat that drew him level with the legendary Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio in the record books.
“I saw the safety car at the beginning, but I had a very good start and that was very important,” said Vettel. “I knew behind me there was a crash and I saw a Ferrari was out, but wasn’t sure which one. Halfway through I was looking to see the others and I saw their (Ferrari) car still racing. It was Felipe, I didn’t know what happened to Fernando.”
‘Long way to go’
But Vettel warned there was much racing left in an unpredictable championship which now has every chance of going down to the wire.
“It was an important step today, but there is still a long way to go. Look at the last couple of races and since Spa (Belgium) — it’s been very much up and down. We don’t know what will happen in the next race, but let’s try and take the points. It’s been a long season with crazy racing.”
Alonso criticised Raikkonen for his first-lap mistake and admitted he had now been plunged into a tight race for the title. “We have five races and they will be like five finals, five championships — a big fight every time now,” he said.
Jenson Button finished fourth for McLaren ahead of his Mercedes-bound teammate Lewis Hamilton, with Raikkonen sixth behind the two Britons.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2012.
Sebastian Vettel slashed the Formula One title race to just four points yesterday as he stormed to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix after championship leader Fernando Alonso span out on the first turn.
Red Bull’s double defending world champion escaped a chaotic start and sped away to win by more than 20 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and home favourite Kamui Kobayashi, whose first podium received huge roars from the capacity crowd.
The 25-year-old Vettel, who won in Singapore two weeks ago, threw the championship wide open as he became the only man this year with back-to-back victories. With five races left, Vettel now has 190 points to Ferrari driver Alonso’s 194.
Alonso was eliminated when he was hit by rival Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus at the first corner and suffered a puncture, kicking up plumes of dust as he skidded into the dirt. As carnage ensued behind him, Vettel was left out in front and he raced to a luxurious triumph, the 24th of his career, a feat that drew him level with the legendary Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio in the record books.
“I saw the safety car at the beginning, but I had a very good start and that was very important,” said Vettel. “I knew behind me there was a crash and I saw a Ferrari was out, but wasn’t sure which one. Halfway through I was looking to see the others and I saw their (Ferrari) car still racing. It was Felipe, I didn’t know what happened to Fernando.”
‘Long way to go’
But Vettel warned there was much racing left in an unpredictable championship which now has every chance of going down to the wire.
“It was an important step today, but there is still a long way to go. Look at the last couple of races and since Spa (Belgium) — it’s been very much up and down. We don’t know what will happen in the next race, but let’s try and take the points. It’s been a long season with crazy racing.”
Alonso criticised Raikkonen for his first-lap mistake and admitted he had now been plunged into a tight race for the title. “We have five races and they will be like five finals, five championships — a big fight every time now,” he said.
Jenson Button finished fourth for McLaren ahead of his Mercedes-bound teammate Lewis Hamilton, with Raikkonen sixth behind the two Britons.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2012.