Brazilian Nelson Piquet won his third Formula...

Brazilian Nelson Piquet won his third Formula One driving championship when teammate Nigel Mansell, the only driver with a chance to catch him, was forced to withdraw from Sunday’s Grand Prix of Japan because of injury.

Mansell, 33, was injured during Friday’s first qualifying session when his Williams-Honda spun at the start of the “S” corner and went out of control.

Piquet, the champion in 1981 and 1983, came to Japan with 73 points and a 12-point lead over Mansell. Because Grand Prix rules allow a racer to count only his top 11 scoring finishes, Mansell could have wrested the title from Piquet by winning the last two races--on the 3.66-mile Suzuka course Sunday and at Brisbane, Australia, Nov. 15.

Now, even should Mansell return and win in Australia, he could finish with a maximum of 70 points.