October 15, 2001	Monday	Rajab 27, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

SUZUKA (Japan), Oct 14: World champion Michael Schumacher underlined his season-long supremacy with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix Sunday, his ninth in 17 races which earned him an all-time points record for Formula One.

The German powered from pole position in his Ferrari to a 53rd career win with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya second in a Williams ahead of McLaren’s David Coulthard.

Another 10 points pushed Schumacher’s total to 801, ahead of Alain Prost in the all-time list. Earlier this season he overtook the Frenchman’s record of 51 race wins.

Schumacher ended the season with an unprecedented tally of 123 points — he failed to score in only two races.

“Despite the records, to finish the season with a high, in first position, that’s what you wish to do,” Schumacher told a news conference.

Briton Coulthard secured the runners-up slot in the championship with 65 points after Schumacher’s team mate Rubens Barrichello (56) finished fifth.

“In the situation Rubens was in, I could not be of any help,” said Schumacher.

“The plan was that he gets by the two Williams and then obviously I would let him by. As he couldn’t get by, then there was no point in me sacrificing my own race and making way.”

Coulthard said he was satisfied with his season. “I did everything I could this year and that was it. Second place was the best I could do.

Two times champion Mika Hakkinen, Coulthard’s team mate, was fourth in his last race before taking a sabbatical for 2002. Hakkinen ended with 37 points behind Schumacher’s younger brother, Ralf, on 49.

Ralf Schumacher’s Williams was sixth in Suzuka after an incident-packed race — the German received a 10-second penalty for missing the chicane to gain an advantage and appeared lucky not to receive further sanctions for his erratic driving.

Michael Schumacher edged ahead of Montoya at the first corner and built a sizeable lead before going into the pits on the 10th lap.

The lead swapped among the top drivers, including Hakkinen, before Schumacher took it back on the 38th lap of the 53-lap race when Montoya and Hakkinen both pitted.

The Colombian, in his first season of Formula One, nibbled at the world champion’s advantage in the final laps but, as for most of the season, there was little doubt who was going to win — the best driver in the best car.

“It’s been a good season, I was fairly unlucky on other occasions when I could have had a very good result,” said Montoya. “Being my first season, I think it’s pretty good.

Ferrari ended the season with 179 points in the constructors’ championship ahead of McLaren (102) and Williams (80).

Jean Alesi’s farewell race ended in spectacular fashion when the Frenchman crashed six laps into his 201st Formula One appearance.

The Jordan driver was following Kimi Raikkonen when the young Finn’s Sauber spun and Alesi was unable to avoid him.

Two wheels from the Finn’s disintegrating car bounced away across the track, narrowly missing approaching cars.

Alesi had hoped to close his career in the points and become the first driver since American Richie Ginther in 1964 to finish every race in a season.

“It’s a bit sad to finish my career like that. But that’s life, that’s motor racing, we just have to accept the situation,” said Alesi.

Result (53 laps, 310.331 km): 1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one hour 27 minutes 33.298 seconds (average speed 212.664 kph); 2. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:27:36.452; 3. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:27:56.560; 4. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1:28:08.837; 5. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:28:09.842; 6. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:28:10.420; 7. Jenson Button (Britain) Benetton 1:29:10.400; 8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan one lap; 9. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber one lap; 10. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR one lap; 11. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Minardi one lap; 12. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Prost one lap; 13. Olivier Panis (France) BAR two laps; 14. Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows two laps; 15. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows two laps; 16. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi three laps; 17. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton did not finish.

Not classified: Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar 45 laps completed; Tomas Enge (Czech Republic) Prost 42; Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 24; Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Sauber five; Jean Alesi (France) Jordan five.

Fastest lap: Ralf Schumacher (lap 46), one minute 36.944 seconds (average speed 217.573 kph).

Final standings:

Drivers: 1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 123 points; 2. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 65; 3. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 56; 4. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 49; 5. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 37; 6. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 31; 7. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 13; 8. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 12; 9. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Sauber 9; 10. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 9; 11. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 8; 12. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 7; 13. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan/Prost 6; 14. Jean Alesi (France) Prost/Jordan 6; 15. Olivier Panis (France) BAR 5; 16. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar 3; 17. Jenson Button (Britain) Benetton 2; 18. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 1.

Constructors: 1. Ferrari 179 points; 2. McLaren 102; 3. Williams 80; 4. Sauber 22; 5. BAR 17; 6. Jordan 17; 7. Benetton 10; 8. Jaguar 10; 9. Prost 4; 10. Arrows 1. —Reuters