Kimi Raikkonen celebrated one of his best career wins on this day in 2005, having won from the 17th starting place by overtaking Giancarlo Fisichella in the final lap of the race.
After Alonso secured the title in Brazil, two races before the end of the season and became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, by the end of the year were still races in Japan and China that were to give the answer who will be the constructors’ champion – Renault or McLaren.
McLaren secured their first 1-2 of the season in Brazil and led Renault by two points and in Japan the qualifying were held in rainy conditions and brought an unusual start order.
Ralf Schumacher was on pole position for Toyota, his sixth and last career pole and first for Toyota, and Button in BAR Honda was second with just 0.035 seconds behind. Fisichella was third in Renault, Alonso was only 16th, and Raikkonen and Montoya 17th and 18th.
Ralf led from pole, but Montoya crashed out in the final chicane after colliding with Villeneuve in Sauber.
Start of the 2005 Japanese GP – Ralf Schumacher leads in ToyotaRaikkonen, thanks to a brilliant drive and good McLaren’s strategy, progressed to the second spot, and in the last round he attacked and beat Fisichella on the outside of the first corner.
“I think this was one of my best races with a lot of hard work and I really enjoyed it,” Raikkonen said.
“Taking into account all the problems we had here, winning is a fantastic result.”
“I pushed as much as I could and the car was getting better and better.”
“The seventh gear was a bit too short, so I hit the limiter, which made it difficult to overtake. I knew that Webber and Button had to pit before me, and after the second stop I had gained enough on Fisichella to go for it and I did. ”
“I passed him in the last lap, in the first corner, and that was one of those opportunities that you have to grab. Today’s result means we have the best possible chances for qualifying in China, but as this weekend proved, that is not a guarantee.”
“I look forward to Shanghai where we will do all we can to win the Constructors’ Championship.”
