F1 title rivals hit with grid penalties

By Alan Baldwin

SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - Jenson Button's hopes of wrapping up the Formula One title in Japan on Sunday receded after race stewards slapped a five place penalty on the championship leader.

The Briton was one of five drivers, including Brawn team mate and closest title rival Rubens Barrichello, to be punished for speeding in Saturday's crash-strewn qualifying while yellow warning flags were being waved.

Button can only win the championship on Sunday, with two races to spare, if he scores five points more than Brazilian Barrichello.

That looked unlikely as night fell at Suzuka, with the stewards announcing the starting grid demotions after deliberating for more than three hours.

Button, who needs to finish at least fourth if the title race is not to go on to Brazil in two weeks' time, will now start 12th on the provisional grid with Barrichello ninth.

Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel, the only other contender for the title, will be on pole position alongside Toyota's Italian Jarno Trulli after a chaotic session that had to be stopped three times due to crashes.

GLOCK INJURED

Britain's outgoing world champion Lewis Hamilton will line up third with BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld alongside after Force India's Adrian Sutil was dropped five places from fourth.