Japanese Grand Prix Review

Finally, then, it's mission accomplished for Schumacher, for Jean Todt who was brought in to provide the stability and work ethic Ferrari needed to propel them to the top, and for Luca di Montezemolo who must have been wondering if this moment would ever arrive. And, in all likelihood, it's mission accomplished for not just the whole of Italy but all race fans around the world. 21 years is a long time to hold one's breath.

As a comparison, we used to think that Senna versus Prost was something to behold. At the 1989 Japanese GP, Senna was on pole with a time of 1 minute, 38.041 seconds. Prost was alongside him with a time of 1 minute, 39.771 seconds. We tend to take close qualifying times for granted these days, but this session was enough to leave everyone gasping for air. Schumacher went out and set a time, Hakkinen shaved a tenth off it, Schumi took another tenth off, Hakkinen leap-frogged him again, and then, remarkably, Michael beat the modern qualifying king by nine thousandths ­ nine thousandths ­ of a second.

Jaguar found something extra at Suzuka, and after such a trying year, that was pleasing to see. I doubt Bobby Rahal had anything to do with it, but it was a nice first up showing for the new man at the helm. For much of the session Eddie Irvine was 5th on the grid, and probably deserved to start there. Just to prove that it wasn't simply a matter of local knowledge on the Ulsterman's favourite track, Johnny Herbert also qualified in the top 10. Without doubt, Jaguar were the 4th best team this weekend, and surely their most impressive performance all season.

Come Sunday, there were two races on the track, the one at the front between Schumacher and Hakkinen, and the sideshow for everyone else, which, appropriately, was rather dull. Schumacher put his 'one move' on the McLaren, but just like in Hungary he could not prevent the Finn from getting past. Rubens Barrichello tried to put the squeeze on Ralf Schumacher, but ended up being pincered by Ralf and David Coulthard, and dropped back to 6th behind Irvine sweeping around the outside.

The championship battle up front was in many ways a repeat of Imola, with the additional element of the weather. Schumacher clung tenaciously to the back of the McLaren, despite Hakkinen's car being more balanced and able to use more kerb. In the dry, in race trim, the McLaren had it on the Ferrari, although the Maranello machine had been faster in practice. It's not the first time we've seen that this year. For a two stop race, the strategies employed for Schumacher and Hakkinen were rather unorthodox, but (at the risk of sounding like James Allen), if you think about it, it may well have been another stroke of genius from Ross Brawn, out-foxing McLaren's strategists, but only just. If so, then it was an extremely fitting way for Schumacher to clinch the title.

In turn, they could react by giving Schumacher exactly the right amount to give him two or three extra laps at the second stop, on which they pinned their hopes to get Schumacher ahead. It worked, but thanks also to Mother Nature for the sprinkling of rain. If it had bucketed down as was expected, then the title was Schumacher's, signed, sealed and delivered. But a sprinkle was enough to do it for the German anyway. Hakkinen is no slouch but there is no-one on the planet quite like Schumacher in greasy conditions, and it was an added bonus that Schumacher was only about a second behind Hakkinen, as opposed to two or three, before the second stops.

Schumi is known for getting fairly excited in the cockpit after any victory, but I can't recall seeing any response as intense as this, and with good reason. Some of you may be slightly shocked or amused if you've heard what he blurted out over the radio immediately after his triumph. But you can put it down as the response of a man who has just comprehended what he has achieved, and found it quite a scary thought to behold.

But, on a lighter note, for all the joy and raw emotion of the day, what was all that now familiar epileptic mimicry on the podium all about, huh? Conducting during the anthems has suddenly come in vogue, and it's a trend the FIA must put a stop to! In Germany, Barrichello looked like he was shadow boxing, while in Hungary Hakkinen looked like he was drunk. Here Schumacher simply looked like a lunatic. Racing drivers must have no sense of music! Having said that, to the former Italian President who condemned Schumacher for his supposed disrespect for the Italian anthem, get a life mate!!!

For the first time in five years, we had a dead race to end the season with. Although the constructor's title is still up for grabs, it will take a miracle for Ferrari to lose it. In a sense that's good, because we will probably see a true four-way dogfight between Schumacher, Hakkinen, Coulthard and Barrichello, all pressure to play the team game cast aside. Having said that, what price a gifted victory to Barrichello?