2009 Japanese Grand Prix Race day at Suzuka

It's game on in the drivers' championship race as Sebastian Vettel surges to victory, collects 10 points and hauls himself back into the title fight.

Brawn has been on the back foot in Japan all weekend, but Barrichello will be the happier of the two drivers, bringing the gap to Button down by one point.

It's all set for a great weekend of racing at Interlagos - Barrichello's home circuit - in two weeks' time.

This was the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix on AUTOSPORT Live. It has been a very strange weekend but we hope you enjoyed it and thanks for joining us. We will be back in a fortnight with all the action from Brazil.

Today's result keeps both title races open heading to Interlagos. Jenson Button has a 14 point cushon over team-mate Barrichello and today's winner Vettel is still in the fight from 16 points behind. Brawn now need half a point from the final two races to clinch the constructors' series, with the scrap between Ferrari and McLaren over third continuing to close. World Championship standings, round 15: Drivers: Constructors: 1. Button 85 1. Brawn-Mercedes 156 2. Barrichello 71 2. Red Bull-Renault 120.5 3. Vettel 69 3. Ferrari 67 4. Webber 51.5 4. McLaren-Mercedes 65 5. Raikkonen 45 5. Toyota 54.5 6. Hamilton 43 6. Williams-Toyota 34.5 7. Rosberg 34.5 7. Renault 26 8. Trulli 30.5 8. BMW Sauber 24 9. Alonso 26 9. Force India-Mercedes 13 10. Glock 24 10. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 5

Our round-up of the Japanese Grand Prix is now available:

Vettel storms to Japanese GP victory

Three weeks ago at Monza, Nick Fry stated that of the four rounds that were left at that time, Suzuka would be the track where his team would struggle.

He will be hoping that those words prove accurate, or Button and Barrichello might see their title hopes being pushed all the way to Abu Dhabi in November.

The dignitaries exit stage right as the champagne sprays on the podium at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Vettel takes a swig of the bubbly and cannot contain his happiness at this result with the Brawn pair hardly scoring.

Lewis Hamilton collects his trophy for third, perhaps a little disappointed to have lost out to Trulli at the final stops.

The crowd are delighted for Toyota's Jarno Trulli as he takes the prize for second place after a very impressive drive from the Italian. A great result for Toyota and Trulli.

The constructors' award is taken by Vettel's race engineer on the podium.

Sebastian Vettel takes his prize for a great drive in today's race. He is absolutely delighted with his day's work and has been punching the air in delight in parc ferme.

Vettel shows the joy of a man who knows he is back in the championship race.

The Austrian national anthem rings out over Suzuka to celebrate today's winning constructor, Red Bull Racing.

The top three drivers step out onto the podium at Suzuka and the German national anthem plays for today's dominant winner, Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel waves to the fervent crowd as he tours back to the pits as the dominant winner this afternoon.

Two drivers retired from the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix:

Sebastien Buemi retired early in the race and pulled his Toro Rosso into the garage.

Jaime Alguersuari crashed heavily exiting the 130r, bringing out the safety car and that frantic run to the end.

Alonso finished 10th, with Kovalainen 11th, Fisichella 12th, Sutil 13th, Liuzzi 14th, Nakajima 15th, Grosjean 16th and Webber in 17th place.

Vettel is delighted on the radio as he celebrates his third win of the season. He is 16 points behind Button with two races remaining.

Rubens Barrichello claims seventh place for two points, and Button defends against Kubica to claim the final point. The title battle continues on to Interlagos.

Nick Heidfeld secures sixth for BMW.

Hamilton holds on to finish third, ahead of Raikkonen and a charging Rosberg.

Jarno Trulli scores a brilliant second for Toyota, taking the place from Hamilton with a great drive in and out of the pits at the second stop.

Sebastian Vettel takes a domainant win for Red Bull in Japan.

The young German has been peerless all day and is the deserving winner today, keeping him in title contention as the circus heads for Brazil.

Lap 53: Kubica is right there ... but doesn't make a move at the hairpin on Button.

Lap 53: Kubica is tight up behind Button once again. If the Pole sends a move on this lap it could be a point lost for the championship leader.

Lap 53: Vettel starts his final lap on course for victory in Japan.

Lap 53: Barrichello is holding on to seventh place with Button eighth. They cross the line to start the last lap of the race.

Lap 52: Fernando Alonso has a look at Robert Kubica's ninth place as they shoot towards Turn 1, but doesn't go through with the attempt.

Lap 52: It is Vettel from Trulli, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Rosberg and Heidfeld as all the interest is on Kubica and the Brawns.

Lap 51: Button has great straight-line speed behind Barrichello but is hesitant to try and pass his team-mate. They are still running in seventh and eighth, but Kubica is not in the title battle and will not be worried about playing with the Brawns.

Lap 51: Raikkonen has fallen away from Hamilton with Nico Rosberg now pressuring the Ferrari.

Lap 51: Vettel sprints off into the distance and has already resumed a comfortable lead.

Lap 51: Behind the top three it is all action, with the cars very close together. Kubica in ninth has a go at Button at the hairpin! Robert backs out of the move at the last moment and avoids contact.

Lap 50: Hamilton is holding on for now as Raikkonen runs wide at the hairpin.

Lap 50: Raikkonen is having a look at Hamilton for the final podium place.

Lap 50: The safety car comes into the pitlane and we are racing once again.

Lap 49: Romain Grosjean is in between Vettel and Trulli as they head to the restart.

Lap 49: It will be a four lap shootout to the flag. Can Button pass Barrichello to extend his advantage in the points race? We will find out in a moment.

Lap 49: Hamilton continues to struggle with his KERS and now has Raikkonen behind him on the restart with a working system.

Lap 49: The safety car will pit at the end of this lap.

Lap 49: With the Toro Rosso now well away from the 130r, a team of approximately eight marshals are working frantically to re-stack the tyre wall.

Lap 48: The ambulance has appeared at the scene of the crash and Jaime Alguersuari has been helped into it. He is now on his way to the medical centre for checks.

Lap 48: Mark Webber comes into the pits for stop number five. He takes on a new front wing and rejoins in 17th place.