USA: F1 heads for Suzuka showdown

By pitpass.com (29/09/2003)
September 29 2003

Team personnel and race fans are all wrapped up warm today as there's a definite nip in the air, in fact it's quite chilly. There's been overnight rain, though nothing like the downpour experienced on Friday night, and the track is still a little damp and slippery in places.

With the promise of rain later in the race, the fairly strong winds and the cold, conditions appear to favour the Bridgestone runners, mainly of course Ferrari.

However it's not over until the fat lady sings and we according to our sources she hasn't been heard gargling yet.

The start will be crucial here, as ever, and it's going to be fascinating to see how the various 'support' drivers in each of the three main teams play out their parts, even though the FIA will be watching for the merest hint of team orders or tactics.

The tyre warmers are left on until the last possible moment.. until finally the field heads off on the parade lap, everyone gets away cleanly.

A dreadful start from both Montoya and Raikkonen but great starts from Panis and Michael Schumacher. Everyone gets away cleanly but Montoya has already made his job just that little more difficult.

At the end of the first lap Raikkonen leads from Panis, Ralf and Michael, while Firman pits following a mishap at the start. Coulthard meanwhile has got past Barrichello.

Suddenly it starts to rain and Ralf is one of the first victims spinning off into the gravel trap after what appeared to be a minor coming together with Montoya. The Brazilian almost hits Montoya as he goes off which allows both Renault through, the Colombian's misery is compounded.

Three laps completed and Raikkonen leads Ralf by 3.2s followed by Panis, Michael, Coulthard, Alonso, Trulli and Montoya.

The yellow flags are waving and Michael Schumacher appears to pass Panis, however had he passed the Toyota before the yellows.

Montoya passes Trulli and sets off after Alonso as the rain continues to fall.

Five laps completed and Raikkonen leads Ralf by 1.4s form Ralf, Michael, Panis, Alonso, Coulthard, Montoya, Trulli, da Matta and Button.

Coulthard, Schumacher and Montoya are engaged in a thrilling fight as Panis is first to stop for tyres. The Scot gets past the German who slams the door in the face of the Colombian.

Schumacher is struggling on the Bridgestones especially on the banking and as a result gets by with ease. Alonso also gets past the Ferrari.

Seven laps completed and Raikkonen leads Ralf by 3.4s with Coulthard third followed by Montoya, Alonso, Michael, Trulli and Heidfeld.

Meanwhile news comes through that the stewards are investigating Montoya, most probably for the Barrichello incident. Fernando Alonso posts the fastest race of the lap (1:11.525) as Michael Schumacher begins to speed up as the rain stops and the track appears to dry.

Ten laps completed and Raikkonen now leads by 2s from Ralf with Coulthard third ahead of Montoya, Alonso and Michael, who posts the fastest time of the race in the first sector.

Coulthard, Montoya and Alonso are running together as linked by a piece of string, as Michael keeps a watching eye on developments.

Panis and Villeneuve have both jumped the gun by coming in for wets too early and have subsequently had to come back in for dry tyres. Poor Ralph Firman has made three stops.

1:11.473, fastest lap for Michael Schumacher as brother Ralf closes to within 1.2s of Raikkonen.

Montoya attacks Coulthard who gets it all wrong and goes way too deep which consequently allows Alonso through to take fifth.

Ralf is the first of the front-runners to pit, the German stopping at the end of lap fifteen, does this mean that Montoya will be stopping soon too?

Michael is all over the back of Coulthard, who is clearly struggling.

Sixteen laps completed and Raikkonen leads Montoya by 6.6s with Alonso a further 0.9s down the road ahead of Coulthard and Michael.

At the end of lap seventeen both Montoya and Coulthard pit, there's a problem with the first fuel rig in the WilliamsF1 pit, but the Colombian finally gets away having lost about ten seconds.

Next time around Alonso pits which puts Michael in second place behind Raikkonen.

At the start of lap eighteen it starts to rain again, at the end of the lap Raikkonen pits, he's out again (on dry tyres) in 10.9.

Michael Schumacher now leads Trulli followed by Webber, Button, Raikkonen and Wilson!

At the end of lap nineteen it's Michael's turn to pit, the German stationary for 9.8s but sticking with dry tyres.

Mark Webber is now leading the Australian GP followed by Button and Wilson, Justin forcing his way past the BAR driver to take second.

Finally it's announced Montoya has got a drive-thru for the Barrichello incident.

It's raining hard now and consequently Michael comes back in for wets as Ralf goes off as the conditions worsen. The German has hit the barriers causing damage to the rear of the car, his race is over.

It's absolute chaos out there.

Raikkonen pits for wets which promotes Frentzen to second behind Coulthard. Still with us? Webber's moment of glory is over, the Australian going off into the barriers in the awful conditions which are causing havoc.

OK. Jenson button now leads - with twenty-three laps completed - ahead of Frentzen, Wilson, Raikkonen, Coulthard, Alonso, Michael, Heidfeld, Trulli and Alonso.

Montoya, who has served his penalty and also taken a trip across the grass, finally pits for wet tyres, his dream is gradually becoming a nightmare. To make it worse, he's lapped by race leader Button.

Twenty-four laps completed and the order is: Button, Frentzen, Raikkonen, Wilson, Alonso, Michael, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Trulli and Fisichella.

Wilson's putting on a brave show but he's unable to hold off Schumacher, while Alonso is putting serious pressure on the Jaguar driver.

Schumacher is now lapping 2s a lap faster than his rivals and consequently sails (no pun intended) past Raikkonen to take third. Meanwhile the other championship contender Juan Pablo Montoya is back in eleventh, a lap down. To make his misery complete, Schumacher laps the Colombian halfway through lap twenty-nine.

Twenty-nine laps completed and Button leads Frentzen by 5.7s, followed by Michael, Raikkonen, Alonso, Wilson, Heidfeld, Trulli, Fisichella and Montoya. Panis becomes the fourth 'retirement' of the day as he goes off into the barriers.

Coulthard goes off on to the grass but is able to continue, and subsequently heads back to the pits where he puts on dry tyres!

Wilson (seventh) finally pits as Michael gets past Frentzen to take second, he's now 5.4s behind race leader Button.

Back to Wilson and if the kid hasn't proved himself today then he'll never do it. A great performance from the youngster.

Montoya is giving away 7s a lap to Schumacher, this is a massacre.

Another driver that deserves special mention is Jenson Button, a stunning performance from the English youngster. Brilliant.

Michael is all over Button as news comes through that Coulthard is under investigation, but what for?

Button tries to defend his position but the result is inevitable, Schumacher takes the lead and possibly the championship.

It's worth pointing out that we're still at half distance though.

Coulthard's penalty is for speeding in the pitlane.

Thirty-eight laps completed and Schumacher leads Button by 1.7s followed by Frentzen, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Fisichella, Alonso, Montoya, da Matta, Wilson, Villeneuve, Verstappen, Kiesa, Coulthard and Firman.

Montoya makes his fourth stop of the race exiting in front of - but a lap down on - Raikkonen. He appears to hold off the Finn in much the same way as Frentzen delayed him at Monza. The Finn finally gets past while Button stops on the main straight, his race over.

Raikkonen pits remaining stationary for 6.7s, which means he must surely make another stop.

Forty-three laps completed and Schumacher leads Frentzen by 10s, with Heidfeld a further 25.3s down the road. Raikkonen is fourth ahead of Fisichella, Trulli, Alonso, Montoya, Villeneuve and Wilson.

There's now a nice clear racing line and Schumacher is running almost half-a-second a lap quicker than Raikkonen.

In order to keep his championship dream alive Raikkonen must finish second, however that means getting past the two Saubers, which at this moment look very good and secure in second and third. Meanwhile Alonso's race is over as the Renault V10 blows big time.

At the end of lap forty-seven Schumacher makes his third stop of the afternoon, he's stationary for just 8.8s returning to the action in second behind Frentzen.

Next time around race leader Frentzen pits handing the lead back to Michael. Meanwhile Coulthard drives into his garage, his race is over.

At the end of lap fifty, Schumacher leads Heidfeld by 5.4s followed by Frentzen, Raikkonen, Trulli, Fisichella, Montoya, Wilson, Villeneuve and da Matta.

Heidfeld pits on lap fifty-two which promotes Raikkonen to third, but does the Finn have to stop again?

Ralph Firman is finally put out of his misery he pulls off track, his front-right wheel at a crazy angle.

Raikkonen is all over Frentzen but the two are held up by Giancarlo Fisichella in the Jordan. On the main straight Frentzen out-drags the Italian as the McLaren driver out-drags the pair of them.

Eighteen laps remaining and Michael leads Raikkonen by 20.2s followed by Frentzen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Fisichella, Montoya, Wilson, Villeneuve and da Matta.

The big question is, does Raikkonen have to make another stop for fuel? If he does his championship hopes could be over, if he doesn't then it could be going down to the wire at Suzuka.

Amazingly da Matta has made six stops - one of them a drive thru - but he's still ahead of both Minardis.

Fifty-nine laps completed and Michael leads Kimi by 22.2s with Frentzen a further 4.7s down the road and the second Sauber driver Hick Heidfeld a further 18.8s behind. Jarno Trulli is fifth ahead of Fisichella, Montoya, Wilson, Villeneuve and da Matta.

Montoya is pursuing Fisichella but the Italian is giving a superb performance, he's really pushing.

Trulli is chasing Heidfeld, the Italian surely deserves something this weekend. He finally gets past the Sauber and sets off after Frentzen who is 20s down the road.

A massive blow up sees the second BAR retire, Villeneuve wasting no time in getting out of the car.

Montoya is all over Fisichella and finally takes the Italian on the main straight, fifth placed man Nick Heidfeld, Montoya's next target, is a lap down the road.

With three laps remaining it looks as though Raikkonen is OK for fuel, which means the title fight does indeed go all the way to Japan.. looks like Bernie did it!

Michael takes the flag for victory number seventy and a Suzuka showdown.

Changeable weather conditions, silly mistakes by Juan Pablo and differing tyre performances, together with some outstanding performances form drivers we rarely get to see have made this quite a special race.

Special mention to both the Sauber drivers Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Nick Heidfeld who performed brilliantly as did Jenson Button, Justin Wilson and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Under the circumstances Kimi Raikkonen drove a great race and heads to Suzuka knowing that the title can still be won, but it's a tall order. To take the title he must win the race with Michael scoring no points - the last time Schumacher failed to score a point was way back in Brazil.

The German will be fully aware that he is just two weeks away from making F1 history.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.