formally japanese grand prix formula motor race held october japan 16th penultimate round formula season 26th japanese grand prix lap race won ferrari driver starting pole position finished second teammate finishing win confirmed drivers champion surpass points total race remaining started race alongside row grid attempted defend lead line moving path passed heading corner williams driver attempts pass maintain position managed close gap title rival lap passed second round pit stops allowed maintain second gap end race secure eighth victory season received praise formula community including ferrari president criticised italian president conduct played podium ferrari driver received predominant european press second place finish secured second position drivers championship ferrari extended gap championship thirteen points race remaining season report background grand prix contested teams drivers teams known ferrari jordan jaguar williams arrows bar tyre supplier brought different tyre types race medium dry compound wet weather compounds intermediate wet underwent minor circuit change ahead pit lane entry moved end left hand corner exit effort improve safety going race ferrari driver led drivers championship points ahead points fourth points fifth points maximum points available final races meant win title needed clinch victory race regardless finished points ahead race remaining win championship final race season malaysia scoring rival event points tie win championship count having wins championship ferrari leading points williams second points respectively jordan contended fourth place championship drivers gained second place finishes achieved place podium finishes value failure preceding race forced retire grand prix races season remaining point deficit losing lead drivers championship remained confident title chances know happened grand prix retire happen happen michael optimistic come prepared thinking races emphasised pressure leading championship going japan hasn time haven completely got states prepared sacrifice lot bring title said entire team ferrari team principal world champion called race fairly drivers ordered teams assist teammates championship battle following september teams conducted testing sessions racing circuits europe september prepare test driver flew undertake preparations development work car ferrari test driver spent days testing mechanical components ran artificially wet track testing wet weather tyre compounds williams rookie competitor went days tried wet weather tyres different aerodynamic configurations travelled test driver collected days chassis design data upcoming chassis opted miss testing prior event test driver tried developments incorporated car drivers meeting held friday event race director announced potential blocking manoeuvres interfered world championship battle result driver shown black white flag giving black flag signal disqualification race penalty potential ban events driver found breached new ruling agreed penalties team principal vocal opposing new rules believed arbitrary choosing team tactics unhappy inclusion italian lawyer race steward dennis held view decision biased ferrari teams modifications cars preparation event introduced powerful version engine saturday qualifying session race brought lighter components reduce weight cars williams team arrived revised rear wing williams engine suppliers confirmed running specification engine introduced belgium practice qualifying practice sessions held sunday race friday saturday friday morning afternoon sessions lasted hour final practice sessions held saturday morning lasted minutes friday morning afternoon sessions held dry warm weather conditions fastest practice session time ahead set fourth quickest time caused session yellow lost control car spun turns crashed perimeter fencing fifth fastest ahead set seventh ninth fastest times respectively jordan separated jaguar bar completed despite spinning circuit caused grass penetrate second practice session set fastest lap day tenths second faster trouble selecting gear final run set quickest time fourth fastest ahead button continued good form setting sixth seventh fastest times arrows driver completed fastest drivers session earthquake measuring scale felt structural damage reported circuit despite mild alarm weather remained dry warm saturday morning practice sessions set fastest time session quicker best friday williams drivers running quicker second button fourth separated set fifth quickest time ahead spun gravel late session completed final practice session set quickest time tenth second faster button happy performance car fastest maintained consistent performance set fourth fastest time despite spinning gravel traps ahead fastest time revoked exceeding track limits sixth tenths second faster completed ahead qualifying saturday afternoon qualifying session lasted hour driver limited laps grid order decided drivers fastest laps session rule effect necessitated driver set time quickest lap qualify race session held dry weather conditions air temperature ranged track temperature clinched eighth pole position season fifth circuit time joined row grid thousands second slower championship rival battled grid position session teammate qualified conceded quick challenge pole position williams drivers qualified row grid button ahead drivers mixed feelings performance jaguar drivers took seventh tenth pace reported car difficult handle happy manage qualifying position eighth took ninth despite suffering excessive unable improve time changed car opposite direction rounded felt qualified fourth row despite changes set qualified eleventh missed qualifying nearly thousands second teammate started twelfth position reported car lost performance morning practice sessions arrows drivers filled seventh row grid faster afflicted problems cars limiting running issues car handling qualified 15th qualified 16th ahead teammate limited qualifying time engine change managed 18th overall tenth row grid filled drivers spare race car issues fastest qualifying times laying oil circuit morning practice sessions drivers rear grid faster race drivers took track utc minute warm session took place dry weather conditions ferrari cars maintained good performance qualifying set fastest time ferrari car split drivers second rounded race started local time conditions race dry overcast race air temperature track temperature approximately people attended race final parade lap car developed leak hydraulic system caused smoke depart managed start started race jordan spare accelerated faster line german attempts maintain position clinch lead heading corner leading run corner moved ahead attempts pass position best start field moving 14th tenth end lap poor start lost places distance result anti stall system lap led button set fastest lap race lap began maintain gap drivers pulled away rest field moved eighth position passed lap seven clinched 11th teammate retirement race circuit gearbox problems lap drove garage pit stop lap starting round pit stops field increased gap seconds turn seconds ahead seconds second driver drawing ahead fifth pit stop tenth lap emerged 18th position runners pit following lap emerged pit stops lap lost time going track 19th lap pit stops button pit stops following lap rejoined ahead retired race engine failure spun circuit lap pit stop lap took lead lap pit stop lap giving took pit stop lap handing lead teammate lap passed turn seventh position drivers pit stops end lap race order button set new fastest lap race lap built gap seconds driver second pit stop lap light rain began fall lap track started slippery gap fell second driver encountered traffic lap lost sixth position teammate button making mistake lap pulled track entry curve retire hydraulic pump issue caused gearbox fail closed gap seconds lap minor contact laps later order overtook 13th position lap second round pit stops began lap pit stop second stop lap came pit lane seconds rival ahead began immediately pull away button remained fourth fifth positions respectively second stops lap went retirement spun sideways near entry pit lane lap took final pit stop lap emerged seconds sixth retirement race lost rear end spun gravel trap trying lap turn lap allowed enter points scoring positions sixth final driver scheduled pit stop lap conclusion lap scheduled pit stops completed order retired suspension failure lap passed 13th position lap forced gravel avoid contact position overtaking laps later race final retirement expired engine lap maintained lead remaining laps crossed finish line lap win eighth race season time average speed miles hour crowned drivers champion catch points total remaining race driver clinch title ferrari finished second seconds ahead teammate fourth button fifth rounding points scoring positions sixth rounded positions classified finishers post race drivers appeared podium collect trophies subsequent press conference revealed took cautious approach track slippery rain second stint added team adjustments stop helped contribute quick pace congratulated drivers championship said felt naturally disappointed admitted good winner good loser confirmed ferrari strategy lost chance victory acknowledged advantage second pit stop described race quiet lack action encountered admitted struggled handle car wet conditions title triumph received formula media german national newspaper said dream fulfilled far reaching consequences ferrari formula alive season new monument created hard work self sacrifice rewarded italy events held country celebrate championship victory director italian sports newspaper sport described moment dawn autumn sunday ferrari reconciled history ferrari president described title victory beautiful day life dedicated championship ferrari team worldwide fan base ferrari majority owner team sponsors suppliers continued support world champion praised ferrari expressed disappointment losing status final world champion ferrari president criticised conduct german traditionally imitated conductor heard responded saying mean cause offence insisted respectful national anthem track argument new rules implemented grand prix inclusion lawyer race steward renewed president published letter dated october accused damaging image formula recent stream comments issues defended race director announcement use racing flags caution drivers behaviour dennis responded comments saying intend bring formula cause certainly intention damage sport devoted working life said consequence race won drivers championship point gap championship rival turn confirmed runner championship maintained points points ahead championship ferrari increased lead thirteen points williams points increased gap rivals points bar passed jordan fifth place points race season remaining classification qualifying race championship standings race bold text indicates theoretical chance note positions included sets standings
2000 Japanese Grand Prix