By Brian Bielanski
(RacingWire) – McLaren Mercedes’ Jensen Button won the Grand Prix of Japan doing what he had to keep his chances for the 2011 World Championship alive, but Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel decided he didn’t want to wait another week to clinch the title.
All Vettel needed was to score one point at the Japanese Grand Prix to clinch the Formula One World Championship. He did that and more, with a third place finish behind race winner Jensen Button and second place finisher Fernando Alonso.
Vettel claims the World Championship with four races remaining.
“To win the championship here is fantastic,” said Vettel. “There are so many things you want to say at this moment but it’s hard to remember all of them. I am just so thankful to everyone in the team. We have got so many people here at the track but also at Milton Keynes working day in day out. Not only Friday, Saturday, Sunday, but also Monday to Friday, every day, pushing hard to build those two cars and to fight for a lot of points and to fight for the championship. We found ourselves in a very, very strong position and it is great to achieve the goal we set ourselves going into this year already now.”
The only drama in the race was at the start when Vettel moved Button into the grass on the run down to turn one. The stewards reviewed the incident for a possible penalty but in the end, decided to take no action.
“From my point of view I felt that he kept coming when I wasn’t alongside him but I had half my car up the inside,” said Button. “I thought he was coming across more than I expected and didn’t give me any room and I was on the grass but I am sure when I watch it back on TV, or maybe when I watch it back on TV, I will have a different opinion. But at that moment in time, yes, I felt that it was a little bit more than was needed. But it was obviously fair, as the stewards said it was fair, so that’s it.”
That allowed Vettel to keep the lead gained on the opening lap.
He led most of the first half of the race until pitting for tires on lap 19.
Button took over the lead when Vettel pitted and other than giving up the top stop while pit stops cycled through; Button led from lap 20 to the end earning him his third win of the 2011 season and his first win at the legendary Suzuka circuit.
“I think this circuit is very special to all of us,” Button remarked. “We love this place, so to get a victory here in front of such an amazing Japanese crowd really does mean a lot. I need to say a big thanks to the team for the improvements we have had over the last few races and today they have been impeccable.”
Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber finished fourth and McLaren’s Louis Hamilton came home fifth.
Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (Sauber). Vitaly Petrov (Renault), and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) completed the top-ten.
Home country favorite Kamui Kobayashi brought his Sauber home 13th.
Button’s victory was aided by a masterful restart on lap 28. The safety car came out to allow course workers to clear debris on the track. On the subsequent restart Button slowed the field down going into the final turn before the green flag and then shot out to a nice margin before reaching turn one.
In the closing laps Vettel was third behind Alonso but only needing a point to clinch the championship didn’t challenge the Ferrari driver instead choosing to motor home to seal the title.
Vettel becomes the youngest two-time World Champion.
