Sebastian Vettel took a giant leap in the 2012 driver’s championship battle at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka this evening, comfortably winning from pole position while Championship Leader Fernando Alonso's Ferrari crashed out at Turn 1 on the Opening Lap. The Red Bull driver had a perfect weekend, also collecting the fastest lap to complete a hat-trick. Felipe Massa received a big fillip to his hopes of retaining his Ferrari drive by taking a well-deserved 2^nd place, his first podium in two years. An exceptionally popular podium place was captured by home driver Kamui Kobayashi for Sauber in a strong third, only the second Japanese to stand on the rostrum at Suzuka.

Sebastian Vettel headed all-Red Bull front row on the grid, their first of the year, amid speculations the team were running a new double DRS. Button posted the third fastest time in qualifying but a 5 place penalty relegated him to P8. This elevated home driver Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber to 3rd, who was followed by Romain Grosjean's Lotus. The other Sauber of Sergio Perez and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso were P6 and P7. Lewis Hamilton started behind teammate Button on P9, and Felipe Massa lined up tenth in the second Ferrari. Penalties for Force India's Nico Hulkenberg, Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne and Michael Schumacher's Mercedes pushed them down the grid to 15th, 23rd and 19th respectively.

Felipe Massa performed to the very best of his abilities as with his back pushed to the wall, the Brazilian responded in his typical flamboyant manner as he drove a stellar race for a welcome return to the podium in 2nd place at the Japanese Grand Prix. This was Massa's first podium since Korea during the 2010 campaign. Fernando Alonso crashed out of the race at the very first corner itself after a rear-puncture sustained on his F2012, as after coming into contact with Kimi Raikkonen's front wing caused the subsequent spin and his retirement.

The Maranello based marquee had a mixed bag at the start of the race as Championship leader Fernando Alonso was caught in the gravel trap at turn 1, although Felipe Massa took advantage of the first corner mayhem to climb up to 4th place! Brazilian Massa was holding his own as the lone Ferrari ace was applying the pressure on 3rd placed man Jenson Button.

Cometh the hour, Cometh the man! as Sebastian Vettel barely flinched leading from start to finish taking a pulsating victory in an incident packed Japanese Grand Prix. The victory means Vettel closes right in on Championship leader Fernando Alonso to just 4 points as Alonso's race came to a premature end at the very first corner. Mark Webber also a victim of the first corner mayhem drove a damage-limiting race to finish in 9th place with his championship challenge has definitely headed south.

The Red Bull team steamrolled their opponents in Qualifying as the RB8s were in a class of their own as they locked out the front row for the very first time this season. The Red Bull of Mark Webber got involved in the first corner chaos which fortunately did not bring his RB8 to a stop.

Michael Schumacher hustled his Mercedes to the very brink extracting every bit of performance available at his disposal, but that was not enough to finish amongst the points in the Japanese Grand Prix as he finished in 11th place. Nico Rosberg's race came to an instant end as soon as Sunday showdown began as the "Young German" crashed out in the first corner chaos.

The German marquee had a downcast start to proceedings as Nico Rosberg's race came to a stop at the first corner, whilst Michael Schumacher made the most of the first lap chaos to run in 15th place after the restart.

Kimi Raikkonen finished the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in an efficient 6th place as he was the lone points scoring Lotus driver. The result however helps the Finnish ace to maintain 3rd place in the chase for the drivers' championship .Romain Grosjean was at it again as he was at the centre of yet another first corner pandemonium, as he ran onto the rear of Mark Webber's Red Bull, which earned the Lotus ace a stop-go penalty which all but ended his hopes of a points scoring return.

The black and gold Lotus cars had a mixed bag at the start of the race as French Speedster Romain Grosjean made a total mess at the first corner yet again this season as he ran into the rear of Mark Webber's Red Bull.

The McLaren team could not stamp their authority over the grid as Jenson Button finished just off the podium in a workmanlike drive from the Briton to finish in 4th place at the Japanese Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton could not capitalize after a strong start to the race as the Mercedes bound driver finished right behind his teammate in 5th place.

The Woking based McLaren team were left licking their wounds after a disastrous qualifying session in which both their cars failed to make the top 5! The start to proceedings on Sunday was a good one as both the McLaren's steered clear of trouble with Jenson Button running in 3rd place after the safety-car period.