Race: 2010 Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix

Race No. 7

Grand Prix: Turkish GP

Location: Istanbul Park

Held On: 30 May 2010

Race Winner: Lewis Hamilton

Winning Team: McLaren Mercedes

Source: Formula1.com

Image: TV.com

Fernando Alonso Wins Big in Bahrain

It was a 1-2 finish for Ferrari last week, with Spanish Ace Fernando Alonso leading the rest of the drivers to the finish line. Though Alonso started third in the grid, he certainly put the pressure on pole sitter Sebastian Vettel. The Red Bull driver kept both Ferrari drivers (Alonso and Felipe Massa) at bay during the early stages when they were on super-soft Bridgestone tires. But after switching to harder compounds at around Lap 16 or 17, Alonso started to close in on Vettel.

Vettel’s time began slipping noticeably. Then it all became clear come Lap 34. The Red Bull suffered from technical problems, which were later identified as spark plug failure. Massa and Alonso then passed Vettel without problems. Later on, Alonso would overtake his own teammate after running incredibly quick laps. Once Alonso had grabbed the lead from Massa, there was no one else who could challenge him.

Massa stayed behind Alonso, conserving his fuel. It was a good move for Massa, since a temperature issue in his cockpit required him to stop pushing too hard. Vettel, who was still running third, was then challenged by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 world champ pushed past the German driver at the circuit’s main straight in Lap 38.

Poor Vettel encountered more problems as Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg started putting the pressure on him. But the Red Bull driver held on to fourth place while Rosberg took fifth. Rosberg’s teammate, seven-time world champ Michael Schumacher advanced from seventh place to finish sixth. But it wasn’t an easy drive for Schumi, especially with 2009 champion Jenson Button hot on his heels.

Button, who started eighth, went on to finish seventh for the race. While Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber followed to finish at eighth place. Force India also got is first couple of points for this year, with Vitantonio Liuzzi’s ninth place finish. Then, taking the final point for the race was Button’s ex-Honda and Brawn teammate, Rubens Barrichello, for Williams.

There was a bit of drama going on at the start of the race when Webber’s car sputtered clouds of oil as he sped through Turn One. Renault and Force India drivers Robert Kubica and Adrian Sutil ran straight into the oil and their rides spun. The good news is that both drivers were able to finish 11^th and 12^th.

Ending the race at 13^th place was Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari. Alguersuari was followed by rookie Niko Hulkenberg (Williams) who also survived a wild spin during the almost 2-hour long drive.

Also making a great impression on their debut race was the Lotus team. Heikki Kovalainen showed everyone just how reliable a driver he was, finishing at 15^th. While teammate, Jarno Trulli’s ailing Lotus rolled on to 17^th place. Finishing between the Lotus drivers was Sebastien Buemi in his Toro Rosso.

As usual, we have our retirements. The BMW-Saubers, HRTs, Virgins, and Vitaly Petrov’s Renault all failed to finish the race. While it would’ve been exciting to watch the late, great Ayrton Senna’s nephew, HRT driver Bruno Senna in the same circuit as Ayrton’s rival, Schumacher—it didn’t happen. Senna’s ride ate its engine. Senna’s teammate, Karun Chandhok crashed his HRT on Lap 2.

The Virgins driven by Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock also suffered from mechanical problems. While what would’ve been a great run for Vitaly Petrov was cut short after the Renault was discovered to have suspension problems.

All in all, it was an exciting race. And I for one, am looking forward to the Australian Grand Prix next week.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Telegraph.co.uk (Photo Credit: AP)

Button Joins McLaren for 2010

Yes, it’s an all-star British lineup for McLaren next year. With 2008 F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton racing with Button, this is the first time since Jim Clark and Graham Hill’s stint with Lotus that we’re seeing two British world champs driving for a single team.

News of Button’s move came after much speculation about his future with Brawn. Button, who has been with the same team (Honda, Brawn) since 2003 was expected to stick with his championship team. But as Button puts it:

“It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long, but life is all about challenges – and, most important of all, it’s about challenging yourself.

“So, although I won the world championship with Brawn GP last year, and I’ll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges. So that’s why I’ve decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.”

Martin Whitmarsh, team principal of McLaren, was happy to have Button onboard. According to Whitmarsh:

“Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jenson to our team. It has always been our policy to employ the two very best possible drivers – and, in Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the 2010 grid, but also the two most complete, professional, and dedicated drivers in Formula One.”

Whitmarsh also made it clear that Button’s decision to move to McLaren had little to do with the supposed “very generous offer” given by McLaren.

“I want to make clear that Jenson’s decision to join us was in no way motivated by money. We’ll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and the fact is a reflection of not only Jenson’s belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season,” Whitmarsh said.

2008 World Champ Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton also had great words to say about Button. According to the 2008 champ:

“I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together… We both really want our team to succeed. Although we’ll be pushing each other hard, I’m sure we’ll very quickly establish a great working relationship. He’s an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience.

“I think we’ll complement each other very well, and our collaboration will make the team stronger as a result. Also, I’m delighted to be racing alongside a fellow British world champion, and I believe we can pull together to make Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the best team on the grid,” Hamilton said.

As for Button, well, the British driver is understandably happy about his decision to join McLaren.

“You can’t help but be affected by this team’s phenomenal history…McLaren is one of the greats of world sport, and its achievements and list of past champions read like a Who’s Who of Formula One – Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team mate Lewis Hamilton. I’ve followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it.

“It’s also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British world champion. Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and he’s a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula One driver. I’m sure there’s plenty that we can learn from each other, and I’m really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push forward,” said Jenson.

Good choice on McLaren’s part! And it’s wonderful to see how competitive and yet supportive both drivers can be. Really looking forward to seeing both Button and Hamilton battle it out next year.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: WorldCarFans.com, Mirror.co.uk

Vettel: Number 1 at Abu Dhabi GP!

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) may have been fastest at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifyings, but a braking problem stopped him from finishing the race. This was good news for Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, who was tailing the McLaren from the get-go. After spectacular driving from the Red Bull driver, Vettel went on to win the Yas Marinas race, cementing his second-place position in drivers’ standings this year.

It was a good start for Hamilton who established a 1.4-second gap between him and Vettel by the 17^th lap. Last year’s F1 Champ headed for a quick pitstop while Vettel continued driving until Lap 20. With Hamilton temporarily out of the circuit, Vettel established a considerable lead but faced quite a challenge when Lewis exited the pits. Unfortunately for Lewis, his excellent driving just wasn’t enough once trouble with his brakes started. Soon after that, Hamilton was out of the race.

Formula1.com reports that Hamilton’s car was suffering from excessive wear on the rear brake pads at the right side of the car. This forced McLaren to pull out its number one driver at the final race of the 2009 Formula One Season.

With Hamilton out of the picture, Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber was free to move on to second place. Following the two Red Bulls were the two Brawn drivers, F1 World Champion Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

At the start of the race, Barrichello was successful in overtaking his teammate. He was running fine until he clipped the left rear wheel of Webber’s car. Damage on Barrichello’s ride resulted in understeer that allowed Button to overtake him.

Fantastic Red Bull 1-2 Finish

But Webber wasn’t ready to give up second place. In a brilliant maneuver, the Red Bull driver hogged the inside line, forcing Button to take the outer lane. It was really exciting racing between those two, with Webber finishing just 0.6 seconds ahead of Button.

At the back of the grid, the race was pretty humdrum. Nick Heidfeld finished BMW Sauber’s final F1 race with a great fifth place finish. He was followed by Toyota’s über-talented new find, Kamui Kobayashi who ended the race a place ahead of his teammate Jarno Trulli. Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi overcame a hard challenge and a brush with Robert Kubica, letting Buemi finish at eighth.

Kubica spun after contact with Buemi, landing him at tenth behind Williams’ Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton’s teammate Heikki Kovalainen went from 18^th to 11^th, a place ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen who took 12^th. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams) then went on to take 13^th place with single-stop Fernando Alonso (Renault) following him. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India) finished the list of unlapped drivers in the Abu Dhabi GP. At 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th place respectively were Giancarlo Fisichella (Ferrari), Adrian Sutil (Force India), and Romain Grosjean (Renault).

Aside from Hamilton, Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari also failed to finish the race. His car stopped on the track after he mistakenly pulled up at Vettel’s Red Bull pit instead of his own.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Guardian.Co.UK, SMH.com.Au

Sebastian Vettel Wins Final Race for 2009 F1 Season

Race: 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Location: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi

Pole Starter: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

Race Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

Source: Formula1.com

Image: Mirror.Co.UK

The 2009 F1 Champions!

Red Bull’s Mark Webber may have won at the Brazilian Grand Prix, but he’s not the only one celebrating. With just a single race (Abu Dhabi) left in the 2009 Formula One Season, Jenson Button’s amazing fifth place finish made him uncatchable in points standing. This makes Button the 2009 F1 Drivers’ Champion.

His excellent performance and back-to-back multiple wins in the start of the season allowed the British driver to gain enough points to make him almost unstoppable. Prior to the Brazilian race, it was a three-driver race to the championship, with his challengers being his own teammate, Rubens Barrichello, and another Red Bull driver, Sebastian Vettel.

And while Vettel too, had an exciting drive last Sunday, his 11-place leap to finish at fourth still wasn’t good enough. Button, who overtook his way from 14^th to 5^th gave the Brawn driver just enough points to put himself out of reach for both Barrichello and Vettel.

As for Barrichello, well, one can’t blame the guy if he felt a bit blue after enduring a late race puncture that saw him start the race at pole position and finish at eighth place. To make things worse, Barrichello just found himself going from second place in points standings to third place, with second-place Vettel’s 74 points against his 72. As for Button, well, with 89 points, no outcome in Abu Dhabi could dethrone the Briton champ.

"Great Button!"

Meanwhile, it was Barrichello’s and Button’s stellar season-long performance that ensured that their team, Brawn, would be winning the 2009 F1 Constructors’ Championship.

If you think about it, it’s a fairytale story for Brawn. After Honda backed out from the sport in December, 2008—nobody was sure if Button, Barrichello, and the ex-Honda team would be back in time for the 2009 F1 season start. And now, they are this year’s undisputed champions. Great season for Button and Brawn, yeah?

Been a big Button fan for the past four years, and I think this championship is, without a doubt, well-deserved. Great job Button, Brawn, and Barrichello!

Source: Formula1.com

Images: i.Telegraph.co.uk, Metro.co.uk

Glock, Hamilton, and Alonso on Singapore GP Podium

Race: 2009 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix

Location: Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore

Held On: 27 September 2009 (Sunday)

Pole Winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

Race Winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

Source: Formula1.com

Image: i.telegraph.co.uk

Podium Finish for Button, Barrichello, and Raikkonen

The Brawn boys are at it again! While Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) may have gotten pole for the Monza race last weekend, it was Rubens Barrichello who took the top step in the Italian Grand Prix podium. Barrichello’s teammate, current points leader Jenson Button also had a great finish for the race—tailing the Brazilian driver by just 2.8 seconds. The last step on the podium was taken by Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari), who started third in the grid and finished third in the race.

Barrichello’s win and Button’s second place finish has just increased Brawn GP’s lead in the constructor’s championship.

The Italian Grand Prix was a dramatic race filled with exciting and unexpected events. One of the most shocking being pole sitter Hamilton’s last lap race retirement after his car endured accident damage.

Barrichello is Beyond Happy about his Win

As we all expected, the race was at first dominated by Lewis Hamilton. The young British champion used his KERS to create a large gap between him and second position grid starter Adrian Sutil (Force India). With his lightly-fueled McLaren, Hamilton pushed and pushed to get a good lead over the rest of the drivers.

Barrichello and Button, who started at fifth and sixth places respectively, vaulted ahead of Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren). It was a good move for both Brawn drivers as Kovalainen could have held them back because his McLaren was carrying a lot of fuel. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India’s newest driver (replacing Giancarlo Fisichella who is now with Ferrari), was also aggressive from the start. From seventh place, Liuzzi overtook Kovalainen to get the sixth spot.

Hamilton Walks Away after Crash

Back to the front of the grid, we have Hamilton extending his lead further—trying to get in as much space between him and the rest of the drivers before refueling. Hamilton eventually refueled on Lap 15. Following closely after Hamilton was second-place starter Sutil, who headed for a pit stop at Lap 17. Two laps later, Räikkönen was also in the pits getting more fuel into his Ferrari. That left Barrichello and Button in the lead until they had to refuel much, much later in the race.

Button eventually made a pit stop in Lap 28, with Barrichello following at Lap 29.

When the Brawns exited the pits, they found themselves behind Hamilton, Räikkönen, and Sutil. But all three drivers still needed to refuel eventually, so falling at fourth and fifth for the meantime wasn’t a problem for the Brawns. At Lap 34, race leader Hamilton stopped for more fuel and found himself behind Barrichello and Button.

Brawn Team Celebrates

To everyone watching, it seemed like the race was set. But Hamilton is one tough fighter, and he continued to push, probably hoping that he could overtake at least one of the two Brawns in front of him. Unfortunately for Hamilton, his aggression only got him in trouble. He lost control of his vehicle and he spun out of control. His car bounced against the inner walls and debris from his vehicle was strewn on the road.

The Safety Car was released, and Barrichello cruised to his second victory this season.

This is an excellent victory for Brawn and Barrichello. The 1-2 Brawn finish has just extended Brawn GP’s constructor’s lead over Red Bull, 146 to 105.5. As for Barrichello, finishing ahead of his teammate allowed him to cut Button’s driver’s championship lead by 2 points, with their current scores being: 80 for Button and 66 for Barrichello.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: i.Telegraph.co.UK,

Rubens Barrichello in his Brawn

Race: Formula 1 Gran Premio Santander D’Italia 2009

Location: Monza (Italy)

Held On: 13 September 2009 (Sunday)

Pole Winner: Lewis Hamilton

Race Winner: Rubens Barrichello

Source: Formula1.com

Image: GPEuropa.net