Final Suzuka grid reveals further changes

[Teutone]

Final Suzuka grid reveals further changes

04/10/09 05:41

F1-Live.com

Barrichello to start sixth in Japan
Widespread confusion about Sunday's grid for the Japanese Grand Prix has finally ended, and the big winner is Rubens Barrichello.

The Brazilian was penalised five grid places by the stewards for ignoring yellow flags in qualifying, but actually Barrichello will start sixth, just one place lower than his qualifying allocation.

At the same time, while just two places behind Barrichello in qualifying, and receiving the same five grid demotion, championship leader Button drops to tenth place.

The grid gap between the Brawn duo has therefore increased from two to four places, due to a complicated system whereby the grid is determined in the event of multiple penalties.

The grid is shuffled in the order the offences were committed, rather than all penalties being applied at the same time.

However, the governing body is being criticised in some quarters for allowing the confusion and misreporting to last so long, after FIA officials left the Suzuka circuit on Saturday night declaring that the actual grid order would only be published in the morning.

It was already being widely reported that Barrichello would start the race as low as tenth, with Button - who needs five more points than his team-mate to seal the title on Sunday - in 12th.


Suzuka staring positions, AFP

1st row:
Sebastian Vettel (GER/Red Bull-Renault)
Jarno Trulli (ITA/Toyota)

2nd row:
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)
Nick Heidfeld (GER/BMW-Sauber)

3rd row:
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari)
Rubens Barrichello (BRA/Brawn-Mercedes) (**)

4th row:
Nico Rosberg (GER/Williams-Toyota)
Adrian Sutil (GER/Force India-Mercedes) (**)

5th row:
Robert Kubica (POL/BMW-Sauber)
Jenson Button (GBR/Brawn-Mercedes) (**)

6th row:
Heikki Kovalainen (FIN/McLaren-Mercedes) (*)
Jaime Alguersuari (ESP/Toro Rosso-Ferrari)

7th row:
Sebastien Buemi (SUI/Toro Rosso-Ferrari) (***)
Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA/Ferrari)

8th row:
Kazuki Nakajima (JPN/Williams-Toyota)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Renault) (**)

9th row:
Romain Grosjean (FRA/Renault)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA/Force India-Mercedes) (*)

Pitlane
Mark Webber (AUS/Red Bull-Renault)

(*) Five position gearbox change penalty
(**) Penalised for failing to slow under caution
(***) Penalised for blocking.

E.A. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM