Suzuka Grand Prix: Button wins in Japan, Vettel seals title
Posted 9th October, 2011 in Motorsport | Leave a comment
After missing out on pole – by 68 cm – Jenson Button made up a place, coming home first for McLaren Mercedes at today’s Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who tied up the drivers’ title for a second consecutive year. Today’s result makes him the youngest double-champion in F1 history.
Vettel’s Red Bull team-mate, Mark Webber finished fourth, with Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher securing fifth and sixth – some way back.
The race began with Button being forced onto the grass by Vettel, resulting in Hamilton slipping into second place until a puncture meant he had to make an early pitstop. Hamilton later went on to clash with the Ferrari of Massa, causing the safety car to come out while debris was cleared from the track.
This saw Vettel caught up in traffic, so he came in to pit for tyres. Button and Alonso ran three and four laps longer, before pitting, meaning they still came out ahead of a frustrated Vettel. The German was climbing all over the Ferrari until his team suggested that he didn’t need to take any risks to pick up the title today…
Full results
1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 53 Laps
2 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 53 +1.1 secs
3 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 53 +2.0 secs
4 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 53 +8.0 secs
5 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 53 +24.2 secs
6 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 53 +27.1 secs
7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 53 +28.2 secs
8 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 53 +39.3 secs
9 Vitaly Petrov Renault 53 +42.6 secs
10 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 53 +44.3 secs
11 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 53 +54.4 secs
12 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 53 +62.3 secs
13 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 53 +63.7 secs
14 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 53 +64.1 secs
15 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 53 +66.6 secs
16 Bruno Senna Renault 53 +72.6 secs
17 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 53 +74.1 secs
18 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 53 +87.8 secs
19 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 53 +96.1 secs
20 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 51 +2 Laps
21 Jerome d’Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 51 +2 Laps
22 Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 51 +2 Laps
23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 50 +3 Laps
Ret Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 11 +42 Laps
