Alonso crashes out of Japanese GP

Ferrari's Formula One championship leader Fernando Alonso crashed out of the Japanese Grand Prix seconds after the start on Sunday.

The Spaniard, who led Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel by 29 points with five races remaining after Suzuka, had started in sixth place and was sent spinning into the gravel at the first corner after contact with Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus.

Germany's Nico Rosberg also retired his Mercedes while Australian Mark Webber went from the front row to the back of the field after his Red Bull was in a collision with Frenchman Romain Grosjean's Lotus.

The incidents brought out the safety car for one lap. Vettel was leading from pole.

Image: Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari is helped from his car by race marshalls after spinning out at the first corner at the start of the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday

Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images