Track: Suzuka Circuit
Laps: 54
Race start: 1300 HRS SIN
Suzuka returns to the calendar after a 3-year absence, where Fuji Speedway took its place. Almost half of the drivers on the grid have never driven on it before, including Hamilton, Kovalainen, Sutil, Vettel, Grosjean, Buemi, Alguersuari, Nakajima and Glock. It is famous for its narrow, technically demanding and dangerous nature - the wrong racing line or the smallest mistake can result in a very slow lap time.
Amended starting grid:
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault
2. Trulli Toyota
3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
4. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber
5. Raikkonen Ferrari
6. Rosberg Williams-Toyota
7. Kubica BMW-Sauber
8. Sutil Force India-Mercedes *
9. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes *
10. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari
11. Button Brawn-Mercedes *
12. Fisichella Ferrari
13. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes **
14. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari *
15. Nakajima Williams-Toyota
16. Grosjean Renault
17. Alonso Renault *
18. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes **
19. Glock Toyota ***
20. Webber Red Bull-Renault ***
* Five-place grid penalty for not backing off under yellow flags
** Five-place grid penalty for changing gearbox
*** Will use new chassis so will start from the pitlane
Glock will miss the race due to the cut on his leg that he sustained in his qualifying crash.
Revised Japanese GP starting grid
1. VETTEL Red Bull
2. TRULLI Toyota
3. HAMILTON McLaren
4. HEIDFELD BMW
5. RAIKKONEN Ferrari
6. BARRICHELLO Brawn*
7. ROSBERG Williams
8. SUTIL Force India*
9. KUBICA BMW
10. BUTTON Brawn*
11. KOVALAINEN McLaren**
12. ALGUERSUARI Toro Rosso
13. BUEMI Toro Rosso*
14. FISICHELLA Ferrari
15. NAKAJIMA Williams
16. ALONSO Renault*
17. GROSJEAN Renault
18. LIUZZI Force India**
19. WEBBER Red Bull
*five-place grid penalty
**five-place grid penalty for gearbox change
Toyota is on the front grid....that should be interesting.
Japanese Grand Prix result (53 laps)
1. VETTEL Red Bull
2. TRULLI Toyota +4.8s
3. HAMILTON McLareen +6.4s
4. RAIKKONEN Ferrari +7.9s
5. ROSBERG Williams +8.7s
6. HEIDFELD BMW +9.5s
7. BARRICHELLO Brawn +10.6s
8. BUTTON Brawn +11.4s
9. KUBICA BMW +11.7s
10. ALONSO Renault +13.0s
11. KOVALAINEN McLaren +13.7s
12. FISICHELLA Ferrari +14.5s
13. SUTIL Force India +14.9s
14. LIUZZI Force India +15.7s
15. NAKAJIMA Williams +17.9s
16. GROSJEAN Renault +1 lap
17. WEBBER Red Bull +1 lap
R. ALGUERSUARI Toro Rosso +8 laps
R. BUEMI Toro Rosso +27 laps
DNS.GLOCK ToyotaFastest lap: WEBBER 1m32.569s (Lap 52)