Vettel throws race wide open

It was an important step today but theres still a long way, said Vettel after holding aloft the winners trophy and making the familiar raised forefinger gesture as number one. These things happen and obviously you dont hope for those things to happen to yourself, he added of Alonsos exit into the gravel following contact with former Ferrari champion Kimi Raikkonens Lotus. We have so many races,it could happen. We dont know what happens in the next race,its good to take the points today.

Ferraris Felipe Massa came second,20.6 seconds behind Vettel,for the Brazilians first podium finish since October 2010 with Japans Kamui Kobayashi delighting his home crowd with third place for Sauber. Only the third Japanese to stand on a Formula One podium,he was the first since Takuma Sato at Indianapolis in 2004. Only Aguri Suzuki,in 1990,had previously finished in the top three at Suzuka.

Fantastic,unbelievable, he said,sharing a podium with Vettel for the first time since their Formula Three days and addressing the fans in Japanese.

Out of podium practice

Massa seemed so out of practice at being on the podium that he knocked over his bottle of champagne,spilling some of it on the stage before he had a chance to shake the bottle as he collected his trophy. The victory was Vettels third from pole in Suzuka in the past four years and he also set the fastest lap after leading from start to finish in the Suzuka sunshine with the team warning him to be careful.

In truth,he had nothing to worry about with Massa far behind and Kobayashi fighting to keep McLarens Jenson Button behind him right to the finish. Button,last years winner,crossed the line 0.5 adrift of the Sauber. McLarens 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus and Germanys Nico Hulkenberg for Force India.

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado scored his first points since he won the Spanish Grand Prix,ending a run of nine races without scoring for Williams. Australian Mark Webber was ninth for Red Bull after starting on the front row following Red Bulls first one-two of the season in qualifying,and then having to fight back from last place after a collision with Frenchman Romain Grosjeans Lotus at the start.

Grosjean,banned for the Italian Grand Prix in September,was handed a stop-go penalty for the incident. Webber branded him a first lap nutcase and suggested it might be time for him to take another holiday. Australian Daniel Ricciardo took the final point for Toro Rosso,denying Michael Schumacher a top 10 placing in what was the Germans final Japanese appearance before retirement.

The safety car was deployed after the first lap with Alonso trudging back to the paddock after his Ferrari went spinning onto the gravel and then back on to the track facing the oncoming cars. Five great races coming! If the enemy thinks in the mountains,attack by sea,if they think in the sea,attack by the mountains, the Spaniards official Twitter feed declared.

Schumachers team mate Nico Rosberg also retired after a collision with Williams Brazilian Bruno Senna,who was given a drive-through penalty.

Force India pick points

Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg collected six points after finishing seventh while his team-mate Paul di Resta returned pointless at 12th spot. Hulkenberg improved four places from his 11th place start at the grid to end the 53-lap race in 1:29:47.401. Di Resta clocked 1:30:19.702 to finish just behind Schumacher at the race which saw elimination of championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari after being hit by Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus at the first corner. Hulkenberg is now at the 14th spot in the Drivers Championship with 37 points while di Resta is 12th with 44 points.