2005 Japanese Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Japan
Grand Prix = Japanese
Official name = XXXI Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
Date = October 9
Year = 2005


Race_No = 18
Season_No = 19
Location = Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 3.608
Course_km = 5.807
Distance_laps = 53
Distance_mi = 191.224
Distance_km = 307.771
Weather = Fine
Pole_Driver = Ralf Schumacher
Pole_Team = Toyota
Pole_Time = 1:46.106
Pole_Country = Germany
Fast_Driver = Kimi Räikkönen
Fast_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Fast_Time = 1:31.540
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Finland
First_Driver = Kimi Räikkönen
First_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
First_Country = Finland
Second_Driver = Giancarlo Fisichella
Second_Team = Renault
Second_Country= Italy
Third_Driver = Fernando Alonso
Third_Team = Renault
Third_Country = SpainThe 2005 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 9, 2005 at the Suzuka Circuit.

Report

The 2005 Japanese Grand Prix was the eighteenth and penultimate race of the 2005 Formula One Season. After the track was subject to heavy rain, the familiar faces found themselves down the order, while Ralf Schumacher scored an unlikely pole. But by Sunday, the weather was warm, sunny, a nice fast track- a good track for the McLarens to excel. But with their drivers stranded well down the order (17th and 18th) a win seemed to be a difficult thing.

By the end of lap one indeed McLaren had hit trouble, with Juan Pablo Montoya retired and Räikkönen moving through the order, but slowly. Meanwhile, Alonso came from 16th to 10th in one lap.

After the first pitstops Ralf Schumacher went down to eighth position, and Giancarlo Fisichella took a comfortable lead. But, well behind Fisichella, Alonso and Räikkönen were charging through the field at a tremendous rate, but they were well down on Fisichella, so they were surely never going to be a threat.

But, by the end of the race, the stunning pace of Alonso and Räikkönen had become too much. Alonso moved up from a 16th position grid slot to third. On the last lap, Räikkönen pulled an impressive overtaking move on Fisichella on the main straight into the first corner, and came from 17th on the grid to take a memorable win.

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Classification

Qualifying

Race

Notes

*Lap Leaders: Ralf Schumacher 1-12 (12); Giancarlo Fisichella 13-20, 27-38, 46-52 (27); Jenson Button 21-22, 39-40 (4); David Coulthard 23 (1); Michael Schumacher 24-26 (3); Kimi Räikkönen 41-45, 53 (6)
* This was Kimi Räikkönen's last F1 victory with the McLaren team.
* This was McLaren's last F1 victory until 2007.
* Takuma Sato disqualified for causing the collision with Jarno Trulli.
* 25 seconds added to Jacques Villeneuve's race time for forcing Juan Pablo Montoya off the track.
* This was Ralf Schumacher's last pole position.

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Japanese Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2005
Previous_race_in_season = 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2005 Chinese Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 2004 Japanese Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 2006 Japanese Grand Prix