Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 11:13:00 2008
Felipe Massa reduced the deficit on Lewis Hamilton in the World Championship title race to five points as the Briton failed to score in an incident-strewn Japanese Grand Prix.
Renault's Fernando Alonso made it two wins out of two with a fantastic drive as both Hamilton and Massa suffered drive-through penalties for mistakes early in the race - the second of which saw them collide.
BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica took second and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen also finished on the podium before Massa was promoted to seventh, earning two points, after Sebastien Bourdais was issued a post-race 25-second penalty for a coming together with the Brazilian.
Kubica is seven points behind Massa in the standings and a revitalised contender for the drivers' crown with two races to run.
Hamilton was penalised for forcing Raikkonen - who had started the better of the front-row drivers - off the tarmac at the first corner as David Coulthard flew into a tyre barrier and Kazuki Nakajima also came to a halt.
Hamilton and McLaren's other competitor Heikki Kovalainen also left the track and the former rejoined behind his team-mate, with Kubica and Alonso leading the race.
Massa was behind Hamilton and looked to attack on the second lap but was overeager in cutting a wide left-hander: he made up enough ground to clip Hamilton's back wheel and spin him out on the track, leaving him stranded until the entire field had passed safely - and earning Massa that later penalty.
Alonso, who took victory in the last round in Singapore, was relentless after assuming first place following the first round of pit-stops and never looked in danger of relinquishing the net lead.
His team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr - who inadvertently facilitated the Spaniard's victory in the night race when his smash brought out the safety car - drove brilliantly at Fuji to take fourth place at the end, with Toyota's Jarno Trulli, Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber of Red Bull also taking points after Bourdais's penalty.
Kovalainen retired after 15 laps with engine failure while Massa and Hamilton, 13th and 14th after serving their punishments, looked to make up places. However Hamilton, who had been forced to pit on the second lap for a new set of tyres, was less successful than Massa.
With 17 laps of the 67-lap race remaining Bourdais emerged from the pits alongside Massa and they touched wheels; the Frenchman, holding the inside of the track, continued on as Massa spun out. He was able to continue with little trouble, but race stewards saw fit to penalise multiple ChampCar champion Bourdais later, pushing him down to 10th.
As Hamilton struggled to make headway, eventually finishing 12th, Raikkonen bore down on second-placed Kubica. The Pole defended with zeal - even forcing Raikkonen off the track at one point - inside his faltering BMW as the Finn found another of his sporadic moments of form to attack repeatedly.
The challenge died off in the final laps and Piquet, by then quicker than the Ferrari, could have snatched a podium finish had he not made a small error that cost him vital late seconds.
Alonso was visibly ecstatic as he recorded a second straight win late in a season where he has competed in a largely uncompetitive car.
Comment 832 - 851 of 851
rick.m What do you call Massa's hit on Hamilton? all he did was spin him out with a love tap, on. I'm not suggesting that the drivers ram LH in the middle of a 180 mph strait, just cut in front of him and take off his front wing as he tries to pass in the corner or ram his @#$% end thru the esses, basically do the same thing to him as he has been doing to his fellow drivers all year. I do not, I repeat I do not want anyone hurt. But LH seems to drive with reckless abandon and puts everyones life at risk with total disregard for his teammates and fellow drivers. He does not appreciate that some of his success is due to his fellow drivers professionalism by allowing him the freedom to run without consequences. return the favor and keep him out of the winners circle and championship, Shumi, and Senna would have. Finally, I never said i did not like LH, I think he is exciting, talented, and passionate about F1 and winning. He is a pleasure to watch and I do enjoy his aggressive driving style, although he is dangerous and reckless. However, McLaren cheated when they stole and applied Ferrari technology to their cars and LH is the benefactor without paying his dues. He is a menace of the race track and has an arrogance that reveals his contempt and disdain for his fellow drivers. His punishment needs to begin in China.
Maghinim you are a two faced sh#t. you want more aggressive driving just as long as LH is not the driver. how biased is that?
Post 857: your demands that LH is taken out at the next races are a disgrace. Who are you to demand that the other F1 drivers crash him off the track.. There is no such thing as a soft crash in F1. It is impossible to predict the outcome of a crash at F1 speeds. You are calling for the death of a driver because you don't like him.YOU ARE AN ARROGANT SH#T and I hope someone takes you out on your way back from work, if in fact you have a job.
lol Massa's pass on Webber is considered as dangerous?
if that was LH doing the move then the headlines would be "The Best Pass".
plus sint this what F1 fans wanted? danger and thrills? well they are getting this now and people are still complaining. F1 fans are corrupted.
Once again we see the reckless exploits of LH rear its ugly head, during the JGP. LH is the most irresponsible and dangerous driver in F1. He should be fined, suspended and stripped of all his points. I am sick and tired of listening to English TV announcers extolling the virtues of LH driving skills while blaming all the other drivers for driving incidents. STOP - the man is a menace. Kubica is exactly right, LH needs to be taught a lesson. His fellow drivers need to deny him a title by taking him out in the next two races. Kimi should have put him into the wall at the start of the JGP. Why don't I hear any LH fans screaming for penalties after his pathetic and embarrassment JGP start. Why? because Kimi and his peers are professionals. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE LH FANS? You are not shy about calling for penalties for Ferrari and Massa, Massa did exactly what other drivers should do, run LH off the F&%$ road. Years ago Prost, Senna, Mansell, and Schumi would have run right over his @#$% from day one. They would have taken him out before the first corner was complete. Current F1 drivers are @#$%! Every time LH gets a nose he pushes fellow drivers off the track and they concede to avoid an accident. F&($ H!^! Scrafice a race or two until LH learns his lesson. He does not deserve that much respect, in my view he deserve no respect at all. Only three drivers remain in contention for the title and I am calling on all other drivers to make sure LH does not finish the next two races. I'm not calling for injuries, just take him out at a corner or chicane and let him know that his antics will not be tolerated. Enough is Enough. LH is a disgrace to F1, his team, his country and to himself. His total disregard for his teammate and fellow drivers needs to be dealt with by his fellow drivers. I am not suggesting that aggressive driving should be eliminated, too the contrary I want more. I also do not question LH talent and gift, refreshing. But he needs an @#$% kicking. McLaren Scum.
At present everyone is looking too deep at which driver should be blamed for what. The first thing to do is to cut the source of the problem, which is the "way of life" Italian corruption. Send a couple of F1 stewards for being caught with their hands in the Ferrari "fixers" till and send them ALL to jail for 5 years apiece!! Then you may see the drivers being able to sort it out between them.
By the way Bernie ... you have always been one of lifes takers ..... bend over because yours is coming!
At present everyone is looking too deep at which driver should be blamed for what. The first thing to do is to cut the source of the problem, which is the "way of life" Italian corruption. Send a couple of F1 stewards for being caught with their hands in the Ferrari "fixers" till and send them ALL to jail for 5 years apiece!! Then you may see the drivers being able to sort it out between them.
By the way Bernie ... you have always been one of lifes takers ..... bend over because yours is coming!
Oh yeah as for the Bordais incident it was scandalous. The way things are going the next penalty handed out will be for a car following a ferrari and being a distraction in his mirrors!!!!!
I would love to Hamilton win the title this year and and the post race press conference drop his his trousers bend over and tell Max and Bernie to kiss his @#$%!!!! cos he is going to race in another series that actually allows drivers to race each other...Cos love him or hate him he is the main attraction in F1 at the moment.... You only have to read all the comments posted here and other pages and you will see about 90% are regarding him in some way. I'm sure if he went to race in Indy ( or whatever it is called now days) Sky would be more than willing to give it some more airtime.
rest in peace F1...............
sigh Hamilton needs to sort himself out all he had to do was finish behind the front two cars he has only himself to blame
Massa a dirty little joe dackie who needs a good wash and some driving lessons,scum
ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
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ALL MATCHES ON WEB: PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES
@#$% yahoo @#$% are all @#$% with their 'invalid comment' @#$% every time I write an objective and fluent comment. All they seem to want is vitriole and a few @#$% and @#$% thrown in for a bit of scandal. So if I say that Max goes down on the poison dwarf while being fisted by Montezemelo, is that a 'valid comment'???
ATT EVERYBODY EMANYALENI is of to SUPPERLEAGE FORMULA
MIKE Q you say I really can’t get it, so why jump to conclusions, as far as I am concerned its S.B front wheel that touched the rear wheel of the FERRARI and not the other way round, if you have a recording play it again
Three reason why hamilton will not win the championship.
1. He is British
2. He drives for McLearn
3. His car is not red.
You just have to look at other sports, If england is involved in an incident with another country, 90% of the decisions goes against england. They are to many Blatta types running the governing bodies of sports. I know hamilton was a bit too late braking in the first corner, however it did not stop the Red cars from racing. Coultard got taken out completely, did anyone get a penalty, of course not he is british so it was a racing incident. I suppose that if the red cars break down in the next race, Mclearn will be accused of sabotage and Hamilton deducted points or given a time penalty. I don't really care who wins the championship, (i am a Rossi fan). I also folows the BSB, WSB and Moto GP, thanh heavens riders don,t get treated that badly for missing breaking points. It is all part of high speed sports
DO YOU THINK THE (F) IN F1 STANDS FOR FERRARI ARE NUMBER ONE THE WAY IT LOOKS AND THERE IS A (F) IN THE F.I.A? WE NEED TO GET RID OF FARTS IN THE F.I.A AND START AGAIN BEFORE F1 IS HISTORY
SUE
NORTHAMPTON THE HOME OF MOTOR RACING.
LH fighting for position at 1st corner, racing incident, no penalty. FM hit LH after cutting corner, should have given back position, stop go penalty for FM. FM hit SB rejoining race from pits, drive through penalty for FM. FM went over hatched area whilst overtaking MW, dangerous driving, immediate disqualification for FM. Either the part time stewards are stupid or corrupt, make up your own mind. By the way, I am a ferrari fan. SKIPPER081.
I agree Fresh F. F1 is a joke now. if a driver attempts to actually race, he gets penalised for it. Massa hasn't actually passed another semi-competitive car on the circuit all season, yet he's fighting for the title. What a joke.
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