Sebastian Vettel Wins Japanese GP

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel firmly won the Japanese GP to keep his slim title hopes alive but championship leader Brawn's Jenson Button stayed in control. Button pounced on an early tangle up ahead to finish in eighth, although a late safety car denied his Brawn team being crowned constructors' champions. The Englishman now leads the title race from team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who came seventh in Japan, by 14 points. Toyota's Jarno Trulli snatched second at Suzuka ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel led from start to finish after defending his pole position from reigning world champion Hamilton off the start. The young German grabbed 10 points with a stunning drive and now sits 16 points behind single-point scoring Button in the championship with 20 to play for. Ferrari's in-form Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth at the famously demanding figure-of-eight circuit ahead of Williams driver Nico Rosberg with BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld in sixth.