Japanese Grand Prix 2008 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Fernando Alonso secured his second consecutive victory with a dominant performance at the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway, controlling the race from start to finish to beat Robert Kubica and Kimi Räikkönen. The Spaniard's back-to-back wins briefly reignited talk of his championship credentials, while Lewis Hamilton's retirement after starting from pole position handed crucial momentum back to Felipe Massa in the title race with just two rounds remaining.

Starting from third on the grid behind Hamilton's pole position, Alonso made an aggressive start and seized the lead early in the race. The Renault driver then controlled proceedings with the authority of a double world champion, managing his tires perfectly on the challenging Fuji circuit located in the shadow of Mount Fuji. Alonso's pace was relentless, and he built a comfortable gap that allowed him to cruise to victory in the closing stages. The win marked Renault's resurgence after a difficult mid-season period and demonstrated that Alonso remained one of F1's elite talents.

Kubica drove a solid race to claim second place for BMW Sauber, while Räikkönen secured third for Ferrari, providing crucial constructor points as the Scuderia battled McLaren for the teams' championship. Hamilton's race ended in bitter disappointment when he suffered a tire puncture while running second, forcing him to retire and handing Massa - who could only manage seventh after a poor race - a lifeline in the championship battle. The race was affected by poor weather conditions, with rain threatening throughout but never arriving in sufficient quantities to force tire changes. Alonso's victory cut Hamilton's championship lead to five points with two races remaining, setting up a dramatic finale to one of F1's most thrilling seasons.