Alonso captures the Japanese Grand Prix

SUZUKA, Japan, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Spain's Fernando Alonso, diving a Renault, Sunday won the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix auto race in Suzuka 16.151 seconds ahead of runner-up Felipe Massa.

Alonzo, who is on the verge of his second consecutive F1 points championship, got a break when his chief rival, Michael Schumacher, suffered engine failure when the race was two-thirds over.

He had grabbed the lead from his Ferrari teammate, Massa on the third lap. Massa was the pole-sitter.

The victory was Alonso's seventh of the season and 15th of his F1 career.

He needs to score only one more point to clinch the driver's title, meaning he needs to be among the top eight finishers in the final race of the season Oct. 22 at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo.

Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault), Jenson Button (Honda), Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren), Jarno Trulli (Toyota), Ralf Schumacher (Toyota), and Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) completed the points-scoring positions.