2002 Japanese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher holds 134 points as champion; Barrichello has secured second place with 71 points, 27 clear of Montoya in third. Ralf Schumacher is fourth on 42, Coulthard fifth on 41 — three drivers separated by one point in the battle for third in the championship. Ferrari are Constructors’ Champions; Williams second, McLaren third.

Previous race

At Indianapolis, Barrichello won in a near-dead-heat finish, crossing the line 0.011 seconds ahead of Schumacher — the second-closest margin in Formula One history after Peter Gethin won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix by 0.01 seconds over Ronnie Peterson. Schumacher slowed dramatically in the final lap to allow his teammate to catch up. A collision between the two Williams drivers on lap two — Ralf Schumacher losing the rear while Montoya attempted to pass on the outside — effectively ended both their championship hopes. Coulthard finished third.

Between-race developments

Massa returns to the Sauber race seat after Frentzen’s two-race stand-in arrangement. Most teams ran three-day tests at Circuit de Barcelona, with McLaren test driver Wurz breaking the track lap record on day two. Ferrari did four days at Mugello and additional wet-weather tyre testing at Fiorano.

This is the final race for Toyota’s Mika Salo and Jaguar’s Eddie Irvine. The Suzuka Circuit has been shortened by 38 m from 5.859 km to 5.821 km, with the S-curves and Dunlop Curves partially realigned and retaining barriers relocated to allow wider run-off areas.

All teams are focused on their 2003 cars and have introduced no major technical innovations this weekend.

Milestones

Schumacher has a chance to become the first driver to finish on the podium at every round of a season. McLaren won 15 races in 1988; Ferrari have won 15 this season, and a win at Suzuka would match that record.

Practice

Four sessions in sunny conditions. Schumacher led the first three; Ralf Schumacher moved to second overall in the fourth.

In Friday’s first session, Villeneuve lost the rear at the Spoon Curve exit — possibly a traction control issue — and spun heavily into the tyre barrier. The impact scattered carbon fibre across the circuit and practice was stopped for ten minutes. Panis’s engine stalled when he slowed to check on his teammate. In the second session, Räikkönen was fastest. Montoya understeered off at the first Degner Curve and hit the tyre wall, severely damaging the left side and rear; he was unhurt. Yoong had a hydraulic problem and a minor fire under the car.

In Saturday’s final practice session, McNish’s engine failed at the exit of the 130R corner. He lost control, went backwards over the run-off area, and smashed through the tyre wall and metal barrier, the Toyota vaulting the barrier and coming to rest on the grass bank beyond. McNish exited unaided with a limp. Qualifying was stopped for 75 minutes for barrier repairs and debris removal. The FIA’s medical delegate Sid Watkins subsequently advised McNish not to participate further due to a mild concussion and a bruised knee; Toyota has withdrawn him from the race. McNish’s escape — crashing backwards — was credited directly to safety measures adopted after the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix fatalities.