2008 Japanese Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 16 of 18 in the 2008 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | 12 October 2008 | ||
| Official name | XXXIV Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Sunto District, Shizuoka, Japan | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.563 km (2.835 mi) | ||
| Distance | 67 laps, 305.721 km (189.945 mi) | ||
| Weather | Cloudy with temperatures reaching up to 17 °C (63 °F) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Time | 1:18.404 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Felipe Massa
|
Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:18.426 on lap 55 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Renault | ||
| Second | BMW Sauber | ||
| Third | Ferrari | ||
|
|
|||
The 2008 Japanese Grand Prix (formally the XXXIV Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 12 October 2008, at the Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Japan. It was the 16th race of the 2008 Formula One season. The 67-lap race was won by Fernando Alonso for the Renault team from fourth position on the starting grid. Robert Kubica finished second for BMW Sauber, and Kimi Räikkönen third for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton, the eventual Drivers' Champion, led the Championship going into the race, and started from pole position alongside Räikkönen. Hamilton's McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen began from third, next to Alonso. At the first corner Hamilton braked late, forcing Räikkönen wide. Hamilton was later given a penalty, and was criticised by the British racing press for overaggressive driving. Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, Hamilton's principal Championship rival, was penalised after an incident on lap two in which he touched Hamilton's car, causing it to spin. The incident dropped Hamilton to the back of the field, from where he was unable to regain a points scoring position. Massa later collided with Sébastien Bourdais of Toro Rosso. Bourdais was penalised after the race, and demoted from sixth to tenth position. The penalty prompted widespread criticism from the racing media and ex-drivers.
...
Wikipedia