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Hamilton wins with help from weather

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes jumps on the podium after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday at the Fuji Speedway near Gotemba, Japan. PHOTO: EPA

Lewis Hamilton moved to the brink of making Formula One history -- with a little help from the weather.

The British driver won the Japanese GP on Sunday, using his pole position to avoid dangerous spray from rival cars in wet and wild conditions.

Rain caused race organizers to begin the race behind a safety car until conditions improved.

"I think for me [it was] one of the most, if not the most, difficult races I had to do. The conditions were changing so much," Hamilton said.

Hamilton took a 12-point lead in the overall standings over defending champion and McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso, who crashed out of the race, while the Ferrari drivers had tire trouble.

Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen was second and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third.

Hamilton can become the first rookie to win the world title if he finishes the Chinese GP on Sunday with at least an 11-point lead over Alonso and Raikkonen third.

Hamilton has 107 points, Alonso is second with 95 and Raikkonen has 90.

The last race of the season is in Brazil on Oct. 21.

"There are two races to go. I need to knuckle down and I won't be going partying," Hamilton said. "The key for me is to focus on the next race and take it as it comes."

Hamilton led a procession around the Fuji speedway for 19 laps with Alonso second. After the safety car left the track, the cars began spraying water far behind them, causing viewing difficulties for all except Hamilton, who led the pack.

After 25 laps, Hamilton and Alonso were 2.7 seconds apart before Hamilton was bumped by Robert Kubica and both spun briefly.

A little while later, Alonso and Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel had an identical incident.

Alonso knew something was wrong.

"I think the car was damaged quite a bit by that but I was able to continue," Alonso said.

Hamilton regained the lead with 25 laps to go, but Alonso's race ended with the 42nd lap when he spun and hit the wall hard, sending his car across the wet track.

Alonso said there was too much water on the track to control his car.

"When I was braking for turn five I just aquaplaned the car and spun," he said. "Unfortunately the walls at that corner are very close to the track so I hit the barrier heavily and that was it."

His car stopped in the middle of the track with debris around him. The Spaniard was helped out of the car and stayed behind a fence for a few laps to contemplate what had happened before leaving the scene of the accident.

Hamilton maintained the lead without a problem for his fourth victory of the season, tying him with Alonso and Raikkonen for the most wins this year.

"It is a big boost in terms of confidence and my drive to be world champion," Hamilton said.

Alonso, however, said he hasn't totally given up hopes of a third straight title.

"I'm not throwing in the towel, but unless there is a retirement from Hamilton we have to be realistic and see that it's very hard to recover six points per race," Alonso said.

Kovalainen and Raikkonen fought hard in the final lap, with the Finnish Ferrari driver overtaking his compatriot twice before Kovalainen came back to regain second and finish on the podium for the first time.

"Everybody has asked me about the last few laps with Kimi, but my mirrors had steamed up completely and I couldn't see him," Kovalainen said.
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