A dominant performance saw Sebastian Vettel lead from lights to chequered flag as he closed within touching distance of Fernando Alonso in the Championship. The Ferrari driver crashed out at the start but team mate Felipe Massa had a better day after an opportunistic start propelled him on his way to a second-place finish…

Sebastian Vettel romped to pole position and then endured a long wait to see if he would get to keep it. A time of 1 minute 30.839 early in the final qualifying session was good enough to clinch the front spot. Kimi Raikkonen subsequently spun out, and the resultant yellow flags hindered anyone else’s chances of improving their times…

For many western travellers, Japan is like another planet. However, Japan has a rich Formula One history and some of the most enthusiastic fans – scores of supporters line the circuit entrance hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Most prepare banners and special outfits for the occasion…

With the driver market having seen its first major shift for some time in the past week, Formula One gets back down to the nitty gritty of racing at Japan’s spectacular Suzuka circuit. Last year, Sebastian Vettel clinched the World Championship at the iconic track but this time around he finds himself as the nearest challenger to Fernando Alonso, 29 points behind with six races remaining…

Jenson Button drove a controlled race to take an impressive victory in Japan but all eyes were on Sebastian Vettel as he resisted the urge to challenge Fernando Alonso for second place – third being more than enough to seal back-to-back World Drivers’ Championships for the Red Bull driver with four races remaining.

Pole number twelve for Sebastian Vettel as he took another step towards the World Championship in Japan. A time of 1 minute 30.466s was enough to eclipse Jenson Button by 0.009 seconds. Session pace setter, Lewis Hamilton had to settle for third after confusion at the final chicane saw Mark Webber and Michael Schumacher overtake him, costing the McLaren driver the chance of a final run.