Japanese Grand Prix 2003 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Rubens Barrichello won a thrilling Japanese Grand Prix, but Michael Schumacher clinched his sixth World Championship by finishing eighth to beat Kimi Räikkönen by just two points in the closest title fight since 1984. The Brazilian controlled the race from pole position, leading home teammate Schumacher's championship rivals while the German drove a calculated points-finish from 14th on the grid. Räikkönen finished second for McLaren, winning the battle but losing the war as his eight points fell agonizingly short of Schumacher's accumulated total.

David Coulthard completed the podium for McLaren, the Scot's third place adding to the silver team's disappointment at falling short in such a close championship. Räikkönen had done everything possible, winning in Malaysia and mounting a sustained challenge throughout the season, but Schumacher's experience and consistency proved decisive. The German's eighth-place finish - achieved after starting from the lower reaches of the grid following qualifying difficulties - demonstrated his championship mentality and racecraft under pressure.

Schumacher's sixth title surpassed Juan Manuel Fangio's legendary record and confirmed his status as the greatest driver in Formula 1 history. The two-point margin was the closest championship since Niki Lauda beat Alain Prost by half a point in 1984, underlining how fiercely contested 2003 had been. Eight different race winners, multiple teams fighting for victories, and a title battle that went to the final lap of the final race - the season had delivered everything Formula 1 fans hoped for after 2002's processional dominance. For Schumacher and Ferrari, the championship represented their greatest achievement yet, winning when genuinely challenged by formidable opposition.