Red Bull desperately needed a victory to get back into the world championship chase, and Sebastian Vettel delivered it in fine style in a dry Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday. And to make things even better, Mark Webber brought the sister car home second.
Vettel snatched the lead at the start from his Australian team mate, and apart from a time when McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton ran second for a while before his tyre stop, they were never seriously challenged.
Polesitter Webber stayed close to Vettel until the stops, but lost two and a half seconds in his tyre stop because of a wheel-gun problem, and finally finished 4.8s behind.
Nico Rosberg was Mercedes GP’s sole finisher in third, after Michael Schumacher retired early on, and he headed home Robert Kubica who scored yet again for Renault. The Pole pushed the German hard, but was never able to challenge seriously.
The race up front wasn’t a repeat of Melbourne’s excitement, but the McLaren and Ferrari drivers provided plenty of thrills as they recovered from their lowly grid positions. Hamilton was 12th by the end of the first lap after starting 20th, but having run second, after staying out on hard rubber until the 30th lap, he was unable to pull an overtaking move on Adrian Sutil once he had switched to soft Bridgestones.
The German kept his head and drove a superb race for Force €ndia to take fifth. Hamilton pushed him very hard, but had to be content with another sixth place ahead of Felipe Massa who was Ferrari’s sole finisher after a feisty battle from the back of the grid.
McLaren’s Jenson Button took eighth, after making an early stop to switch from his soft tyres and having to make the hard replacements last a long time. He was overtaken briefly on the 55th lap by a challenging Fernando Alonso, but as the Ferrari slid wide in Turn One after braking too late Button repassed, and then immediately the Spaniard’s engine broke, dropping him back to a 13th-place finish.
Jaime Alguersuari again drove an excellent race for Toro Rosso and was rewarded with two points for ninth, with Nico Hulkenberg taking the final one for Williams thanks to Alonso’s misfortune.
Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi was 11th from Rubens Barrichello, whose Williams bogged down so badly at the start that Alonso had to make a phenomenal avoidance.
Despite a wing-damaging brush with Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus, Lucas di Grassi brought his Virgin home 14th and best of the newcomers after a strong drive, while Karun Chandhok also beat the Lotuses on their home ground to bring his HRT home 15th ahead of team mate Bruno Senna. Jarno Trulli was 17th as Lotus’s better finisher, with Kovalainen taking 18th after a long pit stop for mechanical attention.
Vitaly Petrov ran well initially, earning Hamilton a stewards’ warning after the Briton weaved too much keeping him at bay down the pit straight, but retired his Renault with mechanical trouble. Vitantonio Liuzzi also ran well, ahead of the Russian, before his Force €ndia retired. He was classified 20th ahead of Schumacher and Kamui Kobayashi, who also suffered engine trouble in his BMW Sauber.
Virgin’s Timo Glock also failed to finish after a spin which put him into Trulli, spinning the Lotus. And Pedro de la Rosa did not take the start after his BMW Sauber stopped out on the circuit on the grid formation lap.
The result dramatically closes the championship points battle. Massa now leads with 39 from Alonso and Vettel on 37, Button on 35, Hamilton on 31 and Kubica on 30. €n the constructors’ stakes Ferrari still lead with 76, but McLaren now have 66, Red Bull 61, Mercedes 44 and Renault 30
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Lauda: Schumacher will be back on form by Malaysia
Returning from horrifying injuries in 1976 to take the second of this three drivers’ titles the following year, Niki Lauda is the ultimate comeback kid. Who better then to assess Michael Schumacher’s Grand Prix return at last weekend’s season opener in Bahrain? Race winner Fernando Alonso, ill-fated pole sitter Sebastian Vettel and the three new teams also come under the scrutiny of the outspoken Austrian in our exclusive interview…
Q: Niki, with everyone running low fuel this season qualifying should really show who is quickest. Were you surprised that it was Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull who were the pacemakers in Bahrain?
Niki Lauda: No, because to be surprised I would have had to have known who was the fastest. Everybody who thought they would be able to make a prediction after testing is an idiot. Nobody tested under similar conditions, so whoever made a statement before Saturday afternoon was at best a phony.
Q: Would you have guessed that McLaren and Mercedes would be off the pace on Saturday?
NL: It’s the same answer as before - how should I know? But what we have seen - Vettel on pole position and the Ferraris snapping at his heels, followed by Lewis (Hamilton) and Nico (Rosberg) - is something that we will very likely see a lot this year.
Q: How would you rate Michael Schumacher’s return?
NL: It was a perfect performance. You can hardly start any better. He ran very little over the winter, due to test restrictions, and got into a modified car he had never driven before, so it was simply impossible for him to clock a qualification lap at the push of a button. I’d suppose he needs about three races to get back up to the same level he was at. When you take all that into account, he did a superb qualification lap, even compared to Nico who was only three-tenths faster. My guess is that in Kuala Lumpur he will have regained that ability to switch on for a fast lap that every permanent driver has to have.
Q: What are your thoughts on the outcome of the Bahrain race?
NL: Ferrari delivered a perfect race. Their win was well deserved and they finished the race. You know that saying, ‘to finish first you first have to finish’. Lewis, Vettel and both Mercedes were very close, so it definitely looks like we are going to see a very tight championship. The question now will be about who can develop at the fastest rate.
Q: Jenson Button was a bit off the pace compared to his team mate Hamilton. Were you surprised?
NL: No, that was what I expected. Lewis knows the team, so it is not surprising that he can control Jenson.
Q: What is your advice for Sebastian Vettel? He wasn’t happy with fourth…
NL: He should keep at the level he was at in Bahrain. He is the fastest car/driver combination at the moment, and even if he didn’t win he can head to Australia quite satisfied. Up until his car troubles he had dominated the race very clearly. Nobody behind him had the slightest chance of catching up.
Q: Fernando Alonso was always one of the favourites for the title, but his odds must be even better now after he won in Bahrain…
NL: He won the race because Sebastian had problems with his car. So let’s wait until Australia to see if he was just sailing due to somebody else’s bad luck, or if he can do it by himself.
Q: Was a pecking order established in Bahrain?
NL: Yes, for the moment it is Red Bull as the leader of the pack, followed by Ferrari, then McLaren and Mercedes are almost even.
Q: What did you think about the performances of the new teams?
NL: The only benefit of the new teams is that the grid looks more impressive on TV and you have the benefit of beating more cars when you win. I am not the right person to ask as I hardly look at them - I am only interested in the top teams. The gap suggests that somebody should pull them up and get them to develop faster
Q: Niki, with everyone running low fuel this season qualifying should really show who is quickest. Were you surprised that it was Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull who were the pacemakers in Bahrain?
Niki Lauda: No, because to be surprised I would have had to have known who was the fastest. Everybody who thought they would be able to make a prediction after testing is an idiot. Nobody tested under similar conditions, so whoever made a statement before Saturday afternoon was at best a phony.
Q: Would you have guessed that McLaren and Mercedes would be off the pace on Saturday?
NL: It’s the same answer as before - how should I know? But what we have seen - Vettel on pole position and the Ferraris snapping at his heels, followed by Lewis (Hamilton) and Nico (Rosberg) - is something that we will very likely see a lot this year.
Q: How would you rate Michael Schumacher’s return?
NL: It was a perfect performance. You can hardly start any better. He ran very little over the winter, due to test restrictions, and got into a modified car he had never driven before, so it was simply impossible for him to clock a qualification lap at the push of a button. I’d suppose he needs about three races to get back up to the same level he was at. When you take all that into account, he did a superb qualification lap, even compared to Nico who was only three-tenths faster. My guess is that in Kuala Lumpur he will have regained that ability to switch on for a fast lap that every permanent driver has to have.
Q: What are your thoughts on the outcome of the Bahrain race?
NL: Ferrari delivered a perfect race. Their win was well deserved and they finished the race. You know that saying, ‘to finish first you first have to finish’. Lewis, Vettel and both Mercedes were very close, so it definitely looks like we are going to see a very tight championship. The question now will be about who can develop at the fastest rate.
Q: Jenson Button was a bit off the pace compared to his team mate Hamilton. Were you surprised?
NL: No, that was what I expected. Lewis knows the team, so it is not surprising that he can control Jenson.
Q: What is your advice for Sebastian Vettel? He wasn’t happy with fourth…
NL: He should keep at the level he was at in Bahrain. He is the fastest car/driver combination at the moment, and even if he didn’t win he can head to Australia quite satisfied. Up until his car troubles he had dominated the race very clearly. Nobody behind him had the slightest chance of catching up.
Q: Fernando Alonso was always one of the favourites for the title, but his odds must be even better now after he won in Bahrain…
NL: He won the race because Sebastian had problems with his car. So let’s wait until Australia to see if he was just sailing due to somebody else’s bad luck, or if he can do it by himself.
Q: Was a pecking order established in Bahrain?
NL: Yes, for the moment it is Red Bull as the leader of the pack, followed by Ferrari, then McLaren and Mercedes are almost even.
Q: What did you think about the performances of the new teams?
NL: The only benefit of the new teams is that the grid looks more impressive on TV and you have the benefit of beating more cars when you win. I am not the right person to ask as I hardly look at them - I am only interested in the top teams. The gap suggests that somebody should pull them up and get them to develop faster
Sunday, 14 March 2010
2010 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts
1 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 49 1:39:20.396 3 25
2 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 49 +16.0 secs 2 18
3 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 49 +23.1 secs 4 15
4 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 49 +38.7 secs 1 12
5 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 49 +40.2 secs 5 10
6 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 49 +44.1 secs 7 8
7 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 49 +45.2 secs 8 6
8 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 49 +46.3 secs 6 4
9 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 49 +53.0 secs 12 2
10 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 49 +62.4 secs 11 1
11 11 Robert Kubica Renault 49 +69.0 secs 9
12 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 49 +82.9 secs 10
13 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 49 +92.6 secs 18
14 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 48 +1 Lap 13
15 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 47 +2 Laps 21
16 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 46 +3 Laps 15
17 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 46 Hydraulics 20
Ret 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 28 Hydraulics 14
Ret 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 17 Mechanical 23
Ret 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 16 Gearbox 19
Ret 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 13 Suspension 17
Ret 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 11 Hydraulics 16
Ret 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 2 Hydraulics 22
Ret 20 Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1 Accident 24
1 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 49 1:39:20.396 3 25
2 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 49 +16.0 secs 2 18
3 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 49 +23.1 secs 4 15
4 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 49 +38.7 secs 1 12
5 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 49 +40.2 secs 5 10
6 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Benz GP Ltd 49 +44.1 secs 7 8
7 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 49 +45.2 secs 8 6
8 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 49 +46.3 secs 6 4
9 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 49 +53.0 secs 12 2
10 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 49 +62.4 secs 11 1
11 11 Robert Kubica Renault 49 +69.0 secs 9
12 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 49 +82.9 secs 10
13 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 49 +92.6 secs 18
14 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 48 +1 Lap 13
15 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 47 +2 Laps 21
16 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 46 +3 Laps 15
17 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 46 Hydraulics 20
Ret 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 28 Hydraulics 14
Ret 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 17 Mechanical 23
Ret 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 16 Gearbox 19
Ret 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 13 Suspension 17
Ret 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 11 Hydraulics 16
Ret 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 2 Hydraulics 22
Ret 20 Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 1 Accident 24
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Vettel beats Massa to Bahrain pole
Sebastian Vettel showed that Red Bull have the fastest Formula One car at the moment after the fight for pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix with the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso ended in his favour by 0.141s.
Vettel was in excellent form, and used Bridgestone’s softer tyre to record 1m 54.101s in the final, Q3, session. Felipe Massa, also on the softer tyre, got closest with 1m 54.242s...
Vettel was in excellent form, and used Bridgestone’s softer tyre to record 1m 54.101s in the final, Q3, session. Felipe Massa, also on the softer tyre, got closest with 1m 54.242s...
The Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most spectacular events in world sports. It doesn't just feature the most famous sight in Formula One, but probably the most familiar four or five. From 'the bit where they go 120mph underneath a hotel' to 'the bit where they go round that hairpin with that palm tree' to 'the bit where they can cut the chicane at the bottom of the hill' and 'the bit where they drive along the harbour', every turn and every straight in the Monaco Grand Prix is a sporting icon. Which is why, if Lewis Hamilton wants to become a sporting icon himself, he must perform in this testing arena, where Senna won six times and Schumacher five.
Monaco is arguably the biggest test in Formula One. The racetrack - ordinarily the winding regular roads of Monte Carlo - is narrow; the pressure - with large stretches devoid of tyre-walls - is immense; the history is inspiring; the weather - ranging from baking hot sun to tropical downpour - is grueling. Overtaking is nigh-on impossible, but so too is avoiding serious mistakes. Hamilton crashed out of practice on Thursday and walked away unhurt. Others have not been so lucky.
Some have hailed Hamilton as the greatest F1 rookie of all time with an excellent chance to win the World Championship at the first time of asking. Others have doubted whether he has the experience, patience, technique and instinct to convert his good start into a serious title challenge. Monaco, on Sunday, will go a long way to telling us.
By Paul Bowers, I write about fashion or lifestyle issues and in particular about stockings, corsets, designer lingerie, pyjamas, swimwear and glamorous womens shoes. I am especially interested in new brands or cutting edge, innovative new designers from France and Italy.
Other passions of mine are specialist lingerie such as lumpectomy bras and mastectomy bras for cancer patients or plus size bras and lingerie.
I hope that you enjoy my articles and gain benefit from them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Bowers
Monaco is arguably the biggest test in Formula One. The racetrack - ordinarily the winding regular roads of Monte Carlo - is narrow; the pressure - with large stretches devoid of tyre-walls - is immense; the history is inspiring; the weather - ranging from baking hot sun to tropical downpour - is grueling. Overtaking is nigh-on impossible, but so too is avoiding serious mistakes. Hamilton crashed out of practice on Thursday and walked away unhurt. Others have not been so lucky.
Some have hailed Hamilton as the greatest F1 rookie of all time with an excellent chance to win the World Championship at the first time of asking. Others have doubted whether he has the experience, patience, technique and instinct to convert his good start into a serious title challenge. Monaco, on Sunday, will go a long way to telling us.
By Paul Bowers, I write about fashion or lifestyle issues and in particular about stockings, corsets, designer lingerie, pyjamas, swimwear and glamorous womens shoes. I am especially interested in new brands or cutting edge, innovative new designers from France and Italy.
Other passions of mine are specialist lingerie such as lumpectomy bras and mastectomy bras for cancer patients or plus size bras and lingerie.
I hope that you enjoy my articles and gain benefit from them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Bowers
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