Perfect end for Schu

FERRARI'S Michael Schumacher sealed his championship year with an emphatic victory in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka yesterday.

The German's ninth win of the season stretched his career record of victories to 53 and also earned him the all-time points record, as his GP points total now stands at 801, topping the previous record of 798.5 held by Alain Prost.

It was also his fourth win at Suzuka, a record in itself, as well as equalling his nine wins in a season record of last year, a feat also achieved by Nigel Mansell in 1992.

"Despite the records, to finish the season on a high in first position, is just what you wish to do before you go into the long winter break that we're going to face now," Schumacher said.

Schumacher jumped from pole position in his Ferrari to lead the grid into the first turn and, despite a number of different race leaders as the pitstops unfolded, ended up winning the race by just over three seconds from rookie Juan-Pablo Montoya in a Williams-BMW.

McLaren's David Coulthard secured the runner-up spot in the drivers' championship from Rubens Barrichello by taking the final place on the podium, while Barrichello ended up fifth - he needed to win the race to give Ferrari its first one-two finish in the drivers' title since 1979.

Coulthard's teammate, former world champion Mika Hakkinen, finished fourth in what was his final F1 race before taking a year off from the sport. Ralf Schumacher claimed the final points position for the Williams team in sixth.

Suzuka was also Jean Alesi's final outing in a Formula One car, but his day came to an early and abrupt end when his Jordan Honda was innocently caught up in the spin of Sauber's Kimi Raikkonen on lap six.

"It is sad to finish my career this way, but that is motor racing and I have to accept this situation," the 37-year-old French veteran said.

"Both Kimi and I were really lucky to get away without any injuries and I am so relieved that I did not hurt him as he spun right in front of me and there was no way I could avoid him." Known for his forceful driving, Alesi announced his retirement only four days ago in Tokyo as the British Jordan team sacked him to make way for young Japanese driver Takuma Sato, the new British F3 champion. He finished his 12-year career with one win from 201 starts.

Ferrari ended the season with 179 points in the constructors' championship, well ahead of McLaren with 102 points and Williams on 80 points. Sauber was the best of the rest, finishing fourth with 22 points, while Jordan and BAR tied for fifth with 17 points and Benetton and Jaguar tied for seventh with 10 points.

RACE RESULTS
1 Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1hr27min33.298sec
2 J-P Montoya (Williams BMW) +3.154
3 D Coulthard (McLaren Mercedes) +23.262
4 M Hakkinen (McLaren Mercedes) +35.539
5 R Barrichello (Ferrari) +36.544
6 R Schumacher (Williams BMW) +37.122
7 Jenson Button (Benetton Renault) +1:37.102
8 Jarno Trulli (Jordan Honda) +1 lap
9 Nick Heidfeld (Sauber Petronas) +1 lap
10 Jacques Villeneuve (BAR Honda) +1 lap DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
1 M Schumacher (GER) 123 points
2 Coulthard (SCO) 65
3 Barrichello (BRA) 56
4 R Schumacher (GER) 49
5 Hakkinen (FIN) 37
6 Montoya (COL) 31
7 Heidfeld (GER) 13
8 Villeneuve (CAN) 12
=9 Trulli (ITA) 9
=9 Raikkonen (FIN) 9
11 Fisichella (ITA) 8
12 Irvine (IRE) 7
=13 Frentzen (GER) 6
=13 Alesi (FRA) 6
15 Panis (FRA) 5
16 De La Rosa (ESP) 3
17 Button (UK) 2
18 Verstappen (NEL) 1 CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Ferrari 179
2 McLaren 102
3 Williams 80
4 Sauber 22
5 Jordan 17
6 BAR 17
7 Benetton 10
8 Jaguar 10
9 Prost 4
10 Arrows 1 Next round: Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, Melbourne - March 2002.