Japan   07-09 Oct 2011
Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka City, Mie, Japan Event Description: Race Distance: 53 laps, 307.471 km

The famous Suzuka figure-8 started life in 1962 as a test track for the Honda company. Today, it's one of the world's most famous tracks, and a driver favorite. A combination of fast straights, tight hairpins and chicanes, long dynamic sweepers, and elevations changes leads to many overtaking opportunities. In addition to the cross-over bridge/tunnel that allows the figure-8 layout, Suzuka's other famous element is 130R, a 130 meter radius curve taken flat-out in an F1 car.

After a lap 1 safety car in 2010, RedBull continued their winning ways. Vettel won from pole, Webber made it a 1-2. Alonso kept in the championship hunt with a 3rd place finish. Qualifying Summary: Red Bull's perfect season of qualifying remains intact, but this time it's by a margin of just 0.009 seconds with Vettel over Button.

Hamilton seems assured of pole, but missed his final qualifying lap by being just an instant too late across the line, taking the checkers instead of starting his last lap. As it was, his earlier lap puts him 3rd.

Massa out qualifies teammate Alonso for only the 2nd time this season as they start 4th and 5th. Hometown hero Kobayashi stuns the crowd by making Q3 in his Sauber and starts 7th.

The top 10 in Japan:
VET BUT HAM MAS ALO WEB KOB MSC SEN PET Race Summary: Button does all he can to help his championship chances by winning the race, but with a 3rd place finish, Vettel becomes a double-world champion at Suzuka!

Button's brilliant pace all weekend long and smooth driving style allows him to save tires and take victory. Alonso similarly finds pace and good tire usage to take 2nd. Vettel cruises to 3rd and the championship, with teammate Webber next in 4th. Hamilton places 5th after an early puncture spoils his chances. Driver Classification for Round 15: Fantasy Results: Event Media: