Magussen to Leave McLaren

Reserve driver Kevin Magnussen will leave McLaren at the end of the 2015 season after two years with the team.

New GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne is expected to take on the role of reserve to Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso for 2016.

Speaking on Twitter, Magnussen said: "I want to say thank you to my friends at @McLarenF1. There are a lot of great people there. #GoodLuckGuys

In an interview with motorsport.com, Magnussen confirmed he received the news of his exit on his birthday.

"When the date of McLaren's option on me passed, I was kind of waiting to hear from them," he said

"I didn't hear anything for a few days, and then, after about a week, when I saw an email from Ron's [Dennis, McLaren chairman] personal assistant Justine [Bowen] in my inbox, I had an idea of what it might be.

"It was a short paragraph explaining that there would be nothing for me in the future. It arrived on my birthday, actually."

In a statement, Dennis said: "Kevin has always done a very impressive and professional job for McLaren in the five years since he joined our Young Driver Programme in 2010.

"In 2014 he raced very well alongside Jenson, who is a hugely experienced and very quick World Champion. Kevin's Grand Prix debut in Melbourne last year was rewarded with a podium that day that he, and we, can be justifiably proud of."

Button gave an interview to Danish newspaper BT earlier this week, in which he stated his belief that Magnussen could be a success in Formula 1.

He said: "The Kevin I saw at the start of 2014 was a very different guy from the one I saw towards the end of our campaign together.

"He learned so much over the 12 months we spent working together, and he often pushed me to my limits, and even over my limits on many occasions.

"I don't know whether or not he's got a chance of bagging any of the remaining vacant Formula 1 seats, but he's clearly the best driver available, and I'd therefore very much recommend him to any team that has a vacancy.

"He's good enough not only to race in Formula 1, but also to help a team succeed in Formula 1."

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Hamilton Wins Japanese GP

Lewis Hamilton has extended his World Championship lead over Nico Rosberg by cruising to victory in Japan.

The Mercedes driver drew level with Ayrton Senna on 41 career wins after roaring ahead at the start, and now leads the world title race by 48 points.

Sebastian Vettel came home in third for Ferrari.

It was the perfect response from Hamilton and Mercedes after a disastrous Singapore Grand Prix the week before.

Hamilton was beaten to pole by Rosberg, but overtook his team-mate at the first corner before managing a perfect race.

Afterwards, the Brit said: "Fantastic job, guys. Great to be back up here. You did a flawless job as always."

The Russian Grand Prix comes next on the calendar in two weeks' time.

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Marussia Reject Suzuka Speeding Claims

Marussia have angrily rejected media reports suggesting the team contributed to Jules Bianchi’s life-threatening crash at the Japanese Grand Prix by telling him to ignore yellow caution flags.

The 25-year-old driver remains in hospital having suffered a diffuse axonal injury when he crashed into a recovery vehicle during the race. Bianchi’s condition is described as “critical but stable”, while his father, Philippe, said on Tuesday: “His doctors have told us this is already a miracle, no one has ever survived such a serious accident. But Jules won’t give up.”

Reacting to what it called “isolated media reports” that the team had urged Bianchi to go faster during the caution period in order to keep ahead of Caterham’s Marcus Ericsson, Marussia said: “We are shocked and angered by these allegations.

“At a time when its driver is critically ill in hospital, and the team has made clear that its highest priority is consideration for Jules and his family, it is distressed to have to respond to deeply upsetting rumours and inaccuracies in respect of the circumstances of Jules’ accident. However, given that these allegations are entirely false, the team has no alternative but to address these.

“Jules did slow down under the double-waved yellow flags. That is an irrefutable fact, as proven by the telemetry data, which the team has provided to the FIA. In the FIA press conference which took place in Sochi on Friday 10 October, Charlie Whiting, the FIA’s Race Director, confirmed that the team had provided such data, that he himself had examined this data and that Jules did slow.

“It is quite clear from the radio transmission and the transcript that at no point during the period leading up to Jules’ accident did the team urge Jules to drive faster, or make any comments suggesting that he should do so.

“The team sincerely hopes that, having clarified these facts, it can now avoid any further distractions to its primary focus at this time, which is providing support for Jules and his family.”

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Hamilton Recalls Kart Crash

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Lewis Hamilton has said that Jules Bianchi's crash at Suzuka during the Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday has brought back painful and "traumatic" memories of witnessing a fellow kart driver die in an accident when he was nine years old.

The world championship leader wrote on his BBC Sport blog that he has been "praying like crazy" for the Marussia driver who remains in a critical but stable condition at the Mie General Medical Centre in Yokkaichi after suffering a diffuse axonal injury in the collision with a tractor during the race.

"When I was nine, I saw a young driver die when I was racing karts," Hamilton wrote. "Even now I can remember standing on the bank beside a track with him with our suits on just before a race, all laughing and joking. And then the next thing I knew I was at his funeral."

Hamilton added that while the ramifications of Bianchi's accident were hard to banish from his thoughts, it had not made him question his desire to continue racing in Formula One.

He remained comfortable in a sport in which he excelled, despite the dangers, he said and the thrill was impossible to replicate doing anything else.

He was sure, he said, that Bianchi as "a real racer" would want the Russian Grand Prix to go ahead just as he would should anything unfortunate happen to him during a race. "He is here with us in spirit," he said.

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Lorenzo Holds Off Marquez

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Jorge Lorenzo ensured the MotoGP title race will go down to the wire as he won the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of championship leader Marc Marquez at Motegi.

The defending world champion started from pole and held off rookie Marquez for 22 hard-fought laps around the Twin Ring circuit to clinch his second straight victory.

The Yamaha rider took the chequered flag ahead of his Honda rival to trim the gap at the top of the standings to 13 points heading into the final race of the season in Valencia.

Marquez will need to finish no lower than fourth in Spain on November 10 to become the youngest world champion in the 64-year history of MotoGP.

The 20-year-old ended team-mate Dani Pedrosa's slim title hopes as his fellow Spaniard came in third, while Honda's Alvaro Bautista made it an all-Spain top four.

"This track is normally better for them so winning here in Honda's home race is a pleasure," Lorenzo said afterwards.

"It's been a really hard, physical race but I really kept my concentration and I really wanted this victory."

Marquez's eventful first season in MotoGP continued during the morning practice session when he lost control of his bike and slid into the trackside gravel trap.

He was cleared to start the race, but he slipped to third after two corners as Lorenzo got off the line well and Valentino Rossi stormed into second place.

But Rossi missed the braking point at a corner on lap two, allowing Marquez and Pedrosa to slip past, and the Honda pair soon closed the gap on leader Lorenzo.

However, the 26-year-old produced a near-flawless ride to hold off his rivals and clinch his seventh victory of the season, and the 30th of his MotoGP career.

"It was a difficult race for me because of this morning's big crash but also because it was my first time in this track," Marquez said.

"I tried to follow Jorge. In the middle of the race it looked like we were stronger but in the end I saw that Jorge tried to push a little bit more.

"I felt I was too much on the limit and I said 'okay, 20 points for the championship'. Valencia will be another race and very interesting for sure."

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