Lap by lap coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix (Part 1)
Controversy was at it peaks by the beginning of the race as this was a very rare occasion. A couple of hours after the qualifying session, the cars lined up across the grid before the start finish line. The qualifying session was postponed after a stormy
Saturday morning at Suzuka.
The mechanics rushed across the track to clear the grid as Sebastian Vetted led the field round the Dunlop Curve.Under the crossover bridge; the German continued setting his own pace around the hairpin. The Spoon Curve looked splendid in the sunshine as
the field began the uphill climb towards 130R. Felipe Massa and Kamui Kobayashi were on the harder tires, trying to make the long strategy work in the midfield.
Lewis Hamilton guided his McLaren from side to side, as he tried to generate heat into his soft tires as Vetted rounds the chicane. The fans stood out of their seats as the two Red Bulls pulled into their positions at the front of the grid after finishing
the parade lap.
The grid formed up nicely, Vetted pulled down his visor before the crowd, and the cars awaited the lights. The five red lights went out and the race was underway. Vettel got a good start and led into Turn 1, before a big crash involving Vitaly Petrov. He
was out of the race by the looks of it. The safety car was deployed because his car was stuck on the track. Petrov speared across the track and smashed into the retaining wall before the pack even arrived at Turn 1.
Vetted led Kubica keeping in mind he was going at a very good pace. Webber was in third place, followed by Alonso, Button and Hamilton in 4th, 5th and 6th places respectively. Felipe Massa was also out of the race with a
bent left front corner of the Ferrari along with Tonio Liuzzi and Nico Hulkenberg as the marshals began an extensive cleanup operation.
It was a good start for Hamilton, as he cleared Barrichello and Rosberg and it seemed that the McLaren would surely switch that pair of tyres due to their opposing strategies. Barrichello was seventh and Schumacher was up to eighth after a dramatic start
to the race.
Nico Rosberg, Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock and Bruno Senna all came into the pits now as replays showed that the championship leader Webber had a poor start, with Kubica taking advantage into Turn 1. Petrov made a good start, but clipped the corner of Hulkenberg's
Williams before turning left into the barriers according to the replays. Hulkenberg was very tardy off the line and his poor start triggered what was to follow.
Meanwhile, Jenson Button was also initially clear of a slow-starting Alonso but the Spaniard fought back in the second corner and came back ahead of the McLaren. This was a very good display of driving by Fernando.
Petrov came back in the pits and arrived at the Renault garage by the end of the 2nd lap. He was perfectly okay. Vettel had to be reminded by the safety car rules on the radio once again by his team.
Kubica started slowing down in the 3rd lap. The Pole toured into retirement and pulled off the circuit. The Renault of Vitaly Petrov was back in the pit lane after being removed on the back of a flatbed truck.
Kubica climbed out of his Renault after a disastrous opening phase of the race for his team. Vetted now led from Webber, Alonso, Button and Hamilton.
We now had just 18 cars remaining in the race after an eventful start to the race. The new teams eyed the possibility of some points if there were any further carnage. Replays showed that Kubica toured without his right rear wheel, although it was still
unclear where that fell off.
During the 5th lap, Barrichello ran in sixth with Schumacher seventh and Heidfeld eighth behind the top 5. Yamamoto made a good start in his home race as he passed Glock, Senna and Trulli on his way to 15th place.
The race was expected to be eventful and with just 18 cars remaining, God knows what would happen in the remaining 49 laps.
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