Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro suffered a severe setback in its plans to win both World Championships when Michael Schumacher retired from the lead with engine failure in the penultimate round of the World Championship at Suzuka in Japan. Poleman Felipe Massa suffered a puncture early in the race, which also compromised his race, allowing World Champion Fernando Alonso to win the race. While Felipe salvaged second, Giancarlo Fisichella backed up teammate Alonso's win with third, giving Renault a nine point lead in the World Championship, while Alonso leads the Drivers' series by ten points.

Massa took the lead in front of a 161,000 crowd enjoying excellent conditions as they powered down to the first corner, where he was followed by the Schumachers, Michael ahead of Ralf. Alonso nipped past Jarno Trulli at the second part of the first corner, while Fisichella lost a place to Jenson Button, the Italian coming around seventh. Rubens Barrichello lost two places to Nick Heidfeld and Kimi Raikkonen, ending the first lap tenth.

Massa allowed Michael to take the lead on lap three, the pair only just ahead of Ralf still in third place, but followed closely by Alonso and Trulli. Then came a gap to Button being pushed by Fisichella, who overtook the Honda on lap five. Although Michael led, he was closely followed by Massa for the first 12 laps, when Massa pitted three laps early due to a slow puncture. Ralf and Alonso had managed to pull away from Trulli, even though the Spaniard had a brief moment off-circuit on lap nine, but both Toyotas had made their first pit stop by lap 13, explaining their speed in qualifying. Fisichella was next, having pulled away well from Button.

The Renaults, however, pitted on laps 14 (Fisichella) and 15 (Alonso) while Button came in on lap 16. Alonso, however, rejoined well ahead of the Toyotas in second place, also ahead of Massa, who had lost time behind Heidfeld when he rejoined. Michael pitted on lap 18 and rejoined in the lead, just over five seconds ahead of Alonso who in turn was 3.5s ahead of Massa. Raikkonen was fourth until he made his first stop on lap 22 and dropped to eighth. Michael came up on backmarkers and lost a little time, but further back, Massa was in tyre trouble as his stint had been lengthened by three laps, resulting graining which caused him to lose some seven seconds in ten laps. The Toyotas were now fourth and fifth, from Fisichella, Button and Raikkonen, but the Japanese cars came in for their second stops just after half distance. Fisichella came in on lap 33, while both Alonso and Massa pitted on lap 35, the pair now separated by ten seconds. Michael came in on lap 36, but halfway round lap 37, his engine suddenly started smoking and he pulled off and out of the race, estimated to be Ferrari's first race engine failure since 2000.

That left Alonso leading by 8.7s from Massa in second place, with Raikkonen in third but the Finn made a second stop on lap 41 which dropped him behind Fisichella who was third, and Button in fourth place. That was the way the trio finished at the end of the 53 lap race, with Alonso being 16s ahead at the flag.
 

Behind Raikkonen, the Toyotas salvaged sixth and seventh, while the final points scorer was Heidfeld who rather strangely twice held up his much faster team mate. Both championship contenders are now on an equal number of wins, but Alonso has a ten point advantage, meaning Michael Schumacher has to win in Brazil and Alonso not score if he is to win the championship, will be decided on the number of wins by each driver.

Jean Todt: "A feeling of huge disappointment today. We had within our grasp the possibility of turning up in Brazil with everything lined up to win both championships, having had Michael leading and Felipe third for around half the race. However, the situation was completely turned on its head and compromised our position. We are well aware that the basis of all success in Formula 1 is reliability and today we were lacking in that respect and hence we have paid a very high price. The drivers and the team did a very good job, as did Bridgestone. We must congratulate our closest rivals who have now staked a claim on both Championships. There is one race to go which will carry a special symbolism as it will be Michael's last one. As we have done for years now, we will put all our heart and soul into getting the best possible result. Today, however, we have a really bitter taste in our mouths."

Felipe Massa: "What happened to Michael when he was leading is a great shame. I also had a problem in the first stint, with a puncture in my right rear wheel, which had led to a slow but gradual loss of air. As a precaution, the team brought me in for my pit stop three laps earlier than planned. I went out on track behind a slower car and that cost me my chances of staying ahead of Alonso and, as things turned out, of winning the race. We can still win the Constructors' title, even if we know it is very difficult. For my home race in Brazil, I will give it my all to achieve that."

Michael Schumacher: "We are a great team. Our guys are the best and I have a great affection for everyone at Ferrari and am always more than satisfied in the way we work. Incidents like today's can happen and they are part of racing. You win together but you also lose together. Today we did our best, I was leading the race and then my engine broke. That's the simplest way to sum it up. That is Formula 1. We can be proud of what we have achieved since Canada: we were twenty five points behind and no one could have thought we would be back in the fight for the championship, but we did it. Now we are nine points behind in the Constructors' classification and we will do all we can to win this title in Brazil. As for the Drivers,' it is lost. I don't want to head off for a race, hoping that my rival has to retire. That is not the way in which I want to win the title."

Ross Brawn: "We are disappointed, very disappointed. It was a very hard race, but Michael was controlling the situation until his engine problem from which there was no escape. A puncture in the first part of the race compromised Felipe's chances of staying ahead of Alonso, as we had to bring him in early as a precaution, thus altering his strategy. The weekend had got off in the most promising way but finished in bitter disappointment for us. It's true that our chances of final victory are very slim, but there is still one race to go and we will do our utmost to end this year in the best way possible."

Japanese Grand Prix, Race Result: Felipe Massa: 2nd + 16.151 53 laps chassis 256; Michael Schumacher : R lap 37 36 laps chassis 255; Temperatures: air 24/23°C, track 31/32°C