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.
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as for massa, his driving can't be describe as cunning, i can only say it's reckless and rubbish~ the FIA-Ferrari thing is really playing in his head and he is taking this for granted. He will never be a champion and he is not made of champion stuff~ a complete loser. how can he say his move on bourdias was ok and his move on hamilton was more ok then the first corner incident???
what hamilton did was only one bad (or i would say cunning) driving in the first corner of a race. If anyone of you look back the years, schumacher had been a master at all these kind of moves, and yet the FIA never intervent~ surely schumacher used to do a lot more of these half incident half deliberate moves, like three such moves in every race~
And to stave off the howls of derision that will surely follow that last posting of mine - no, I'm not an LH fanboy, I justlike to see fair play. Something that has been sadly lacking in this year's chamionship. Oh, for Kubica to take the title!!
"first chance he jumped ship and left for switzerland. he could not give two f&*%s about this country"
Given the number of drivers of many nationalities who reside outside their countries of birth (mostly in Monaco), hardly a convincing attempt at smearing LH :)
"he does however have a reckless and dangerous way of driving"
As do many of the current F1 drivers, including Massa. Come to think of it, so did Senna, Schumacher, Prost and many of the other "greats". It would appear that "recklessness", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
The season has descnded into farce, and exposed F1 for the sham that it has been for some time. The penalties are handed out on a whim. There is no consistency. If the penalties handed out to Massa and Hamilton were applied consistently across the season just about everyone would have been penalsed at some time or another, msotly on the first corner. The regular team of stewards was touted as a method of ensuring consistency across races. It has failed dismally. The sport is in disarray. Watch the BTCC - much more exciting and a much more pragmatic approach to racing. F1 has indeed become the "nanny state". Don't bother watching because the stewards will srely @#$% up the results one way or another through their inconsistent approach.
markrose260... violence on our streets is growing of the attitude created by the arrogance of ignorance clearly visibile in hamilton... the world does not owe him anything, even if he was still in diapers when he drove his first race... just like the world does not owe young people a living... that's what is at the root of the growing violence on our streets... arrogance...
maghinim... you are quite right, albeit vehement... hamilton is not the golden haired boy wonder mclaren and the british press are making him out to be... in fact, he is not even the second coming... he does however have a reckless and dangerous way of driving... if he were on the road, the police would be impounding his car and suspending his license here in canada... i guess his being a professional gives him a certain amount of freedom on the track... let's just hope he doesn't seriouly hurt anyone... though, at this rate, it's only a matter of time...
Rich L, NEVER! LH and McLaren don't deserve a loaf of bread. Don't even put them in the same class as Massa and Ferrari.
markrose260, I was not talking about a physical beating, I was talking about the racetrack. read my rant. LH needs a lesson in humility from his fellow drivers. They need to treat him the same way he treats them, with disdain and indifference. The scum comment is a bit strong, I apologize. McLaren and Dennis are Scum
thanks usalien1967 (post #790) i just signed the petition: savethecanadiangrandprix dot cee oh em ... and will pass it on and pass it on and pass it on... thank you...
Lets just give both Massa and Lewis co-championships and end it now.
markrose260, I'm not suggesting a physical beating you knuckelhead, read my rant. On the racetrack LH needs a lesson in humility. My point calls for the other F1 drivers to treat LH the way he treats them, with disdain and indifference. Scum might be a bit strong for LH, I apologize. McLaren and Dennis are Scum.
hey pdmcosworth, what about Massa and Webber? where was Massa going to go? into the wall? Webber saw Massa, taking the inside line, Webber gave him no room. Why do you have different views of similar situations. The Massa/Hamilton incident was all HAMILTONS fault! Massa was not running wide, that was the line for 99% of the drivers the entire race. Hamilton attempted another stupid move and could not handle the corner so he closed the inside line where Massa was running. Massa accelerated out of the corner and Hamilton was directly in front of him because he did not clear the corner (translation, hamilton was not ahead of Massa because his move could not be completed safely). This is why Hamilton needs to be stripped of his points and suspended from F1 for the rest of the year. As for Bourdais, where was he suppose to go, how about taking a right into the corner. He had the inside line which is a right turn, why was he going straight. All Massa did was turn into the corner. Based on you argument, Massa ran into Hamilton while Hamilton was ahead and turned into Massa going into the corner at the same time Massa ran into Bourdais while Bourdais was ahead because he did not turn into the corner. You cant have it both ways, unless you are a McLaren fan. Then it all makes sense. Blame Ferrari for McLaren's shortcommings
Bourdais penalty just reveals the sham that is the FIA. Where was he supposed to go? Massa had to avoid him as they were fighting for position, not barrel into him.
If Massa should win the title (I don't care who does), let him do it without FIA assistance, which will devalue it in many peoples eyes.
maghinim
Go away and come back when you grow up - to suggest that anyone 'needs a beating and is scum' is hardly reasoned opinion or informed debate. With that level of moronic advice its no wonder violence is growing in our streets.
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 this kid needs a beating, he is scum
sappercommando25
Not sure why you are slagging off Coulthard but for your information he was runner up in the world Championship to Schumacher (plus his support driver)
sappercommando25 what a k**b you are , you either know f**k all about f1 or are just stupid for a comment like that . So hear the facts you've overlooked with your insult . Coulthard's finished 3rd in the championship 4 times and was runner up once . Has had 12 poles and won 13 races and is the 19th highest winner of f1 races in the history of f1 . Whats your racing pedigree to be able to call him a waste of space , or do you just sit there in front of the tv dreaming ?
I think we have to admit that Alonso is great F1 drver
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