Just a second, Humphries edges Lemoncello in capital race

Fernando Alonso insists he will not panic despite seeing his advantage in the drivers’ championship almost wiped out in one fell swoop at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver arrived at Suzuka with a 29point advantage over Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, but a first-corner crash and a consummate triumph for his rival narrowed the gap to just four points with five races left.

Red Bull were the dominant force over the course of the weekend, as Vettel took a clean sweep of pole position, fastest lap and race win, while Ferrari’s recent struggles continued.

Alonso started sixth on the grid, after being impeded by Vettel during qualifying, an offence his rival was reprimanded for, but did not make it beyond turn one.

The Spaniard made contact with the front wing of Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus as he edged to the outside on the run down to turn one, puncturing a rear tyre and sending the Ferrari into the gravel before coming to a halt in the middle of the track.

Vettel went on to cruise to a comfortable victory and on current form it is hard to see how Alonso can fend off the German’s push for a third-straight title given Red Bull’s edge in performance.

But the 31-year-old is determined to remain positive, despite his Suzuka setback. Road Runners) was 15th in 34:41 and Andrew Joyce (Stornoway) 21st in 35:38.

Manchester University’s Jess Coulson scored a surprise win over Scotland’s Olympic marathon runner Freya Ross, nee Murray, ( Edinburgh AC) in the women’s competition.

Coulson won in 33:12 while Ross, competing a week after her wedding, was runner-up in 33:48.

Freya said: “I am a little bit disappointed with that but it has been quite a hectic schedule what with the This result has practically wiped out the advantage I had before.

“But if I’d been told at the start of the season that we would have been in this situation five races from the end, I’d have happily signed for it,” he said.

“We must work a lot on the development of the car. I’m not worried, but we must react to the step forward that the other competitors have made.

“Now we start a sort of mini-championship, run over five grands prix.

“The aim will be to score

“There’s still a long way to go and we have to focus on every single race”

at least one point more than all the others. What happened to us today could happen to the others next time— the wheel turns and that is what races are all about.”

The next round in Korea is just a week away, a race Vettel won comfortably in 2011.

Although he is now the favourite to secure the crown in the eyes of many, Vettel chose to strike a cautious note.

“I’m very careful. I think we had a long journey so far, and it’s been a tough year,” he said.

“I don’t want to

talk Great Britain cross-country i n t e r n a t i o n a l Tom Humphries edged out Scotland’s Beijing Olympic steeplechaser Andrew Lemoncello (Fife AC) by one second to win yesterday’s Great Edinburgh 10km, while Caithness athlete Andrew Douglas settled for fourth position.

Humphries clocked an impressive 29min 23sec on the undulating course at Holyrood Park while Lemoncello, in only his second race of the year, also looked strong.

Derek Hawkins

( Kilbarchan AAC) was third in 30:14.

Lemoncello said: “It is rare to get outsprinted on a 10km finish but I came around the corner and my legs turned to jelly for some reason. I think it was maybe due to all the hills beforehand.”

Douglas, winner of the previous weekend’s Baxters River Ness 10km, was fourth in 31: 20. The Halkirk man was satisfied with his run.

He said: “It went well. I felt reasonably comfortable but didn’t want to push too hard given the high mileage I have been doing in training.”

William Jackson (Moray Road Runners) was the top finisher for the North of Scotland select team taking part in the Scottish interdistrict championships, which were incorporated in the race.

TheRAFmanrecorded a personal best 34:13 to finish 12th overall while Gordon Lennox (Forres Harriers) was 13th in 34: 23. Gareth Jenkins ( Moray wedding and so on. You do feel a wee bit that you don’t want to let anyone down.”

Aberdeen AAC’s Ellie Buchan was 11th in 41:27 and Elspeth Jenkins was the leading North select runnerwhenfinishing 13th in 41:33.

Aberdeen AAC’s Jordan Chapman was given second position in the accompanying 5km but shared the same time of 16:46 as first placed Luke Foss.

Lorena Villanueva-Almanza was first woman in 20:00.

UP, UP AND AWAY: Sebastian Vettel celebrates his win in Japan which has boosted his driver’s title hopes

Andrew Douglas: High mileage