Grapevine: More News from the Paddock - Japanese GP

Not Team Orders

McLaren officials were quick to deny the use of pre-race team orders when they explained the non-appearance of Scot David Coulthard in the second practice session at Suzuka on Saturday. Coulthard was forced to sit in he garage as Raikkonen took over his car after crashing his own in the first session and the Finn will now use Coulthard's race car for the rest of the weekend, with Coulthard continuing with the T-car and Raikkonen's damaged race car now becoming the spare. It all enabled Raikkonen to get back out in the second session and complete the preparations for his crucial title showdown.

Welcome To Japan

The narrow and busy paddock at Suzuka can be crowded but it appears there is always one man from Japan who turns up every year just to welcome everyone to his country. Nobody knows the name of the well-dressed man, who hobbles along with a walking stick and says hello to everyone. "We don't know who he is," said one paddock regular. "But he is always here and he is always saying hello." One team offered the old man a morning drink of coffee but he refused the offer - and exclaimed "I am strong" as he asked for a beer instead.

Japan Tops Five Million

The organisers of the Japanese Grand Prix proudly announced this weekend that they have passed the five million spectators mark this year. The 2003 race marks the 17th time the event has taken place since it arrived on the calendar in 1987 and the total number clocked past the five million mark on Friday, with two days to go. They released a full list of figures for the race weekend attendances and it showed the race reached its peak for a weekend in 1994, which was the penultimate round of the world championship that year. The highest race day attendance also came in that season but was matched last year, despite the fact Michael Schumacher had won the championship almost half a season before. The attendance at Suzuka on Friday this year clocked in at 54,000, which was 1,000 higher than last year but actually below average and 15,000 short of the record 69,000 achieved in 1991.

Stepping Over The Line

Minardi driver Nicolas Kiesa picked up a $1,000 (US Dollars) fine in his first practice session at Suzuka on Friday but it was not for the usual speeding in the pitlane offence. The Dane was hit for crossing the white line at the pit exit instead, which according to the stewards breached Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 4 (e) of the International Code, so he was appropriately ticked off.

50 Not Out

Michael Schumacher's two end-of-season world championship rivals Kimi Raikkonen, who is still in with a chance of claiming the crown, and Juan Pablo Montoya will both clock up their 50th Grands Prix in Japan as their third year in Formula One concludes this weekend. Montoya, five years Raikkonen's senior, stepped into a top drive with Williams immediately whereas Raikkonen had to endure a year at Sauber before moving to McLaren last season. Montoya has three wins to Raikkonen's one, 11 poles to Raikkonen's two, nine fastest laps to Raikkonen's five and 163 points to Raikkonen's 116. But that will all mean nothing if Raikkonen can get one world championship to Montoya's none.