May 23, 2009

Formula One drivers championship leader Jenson Button grabbed pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday with a perfectly timed hot lap in the final seconds of qualifying.

The 29-year-old Englishman delivered a best time of 1min 14.902sec in his Brawn GP car on Saturday to secure his fourth pole in six races this year, and the seventh of his career.

He outpaced nearest rival Kimi Raikkonen, of Ferrari, by 0.02sec in a dramatic conclusion to a keenly fought session.

"I think Jenson is getting into the habit of saving the best for last," Brawn team chief Ross Brawn said.

"He knew that was the lap where he had to produce it, and he's just driving exceptionally well at the moment."

Button's Brawn teammate, Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, was third-fastest ahead of Sebastian Vettel, of Red Bull, and Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.

German Nico Rosberg was sixth-fastest for Williams, with Heikki Kovalainen seventh for McLaren-Mercedes ahead of Australia's Mark Webber in the second Red Bull, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, of Renault, and Japan's Kazuki Nakajima in the second Williams.

McLaren No.1 Lewis Hamilton, who won in Monaco in 2008, crashed during the first session and will start 16th.

Button has won four of the first five races to lead Barrichello by 14 points and Vettel trails Button by 18 points in third.

Monaco Grand Prix: Final Qualifying Times
1. Jenson Button (GB) Brawn-Mercedes 1min 14.902sec
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1min 14.927sec
3. Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Brawn-Mercedes 1min 15.077sec
4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull-Renault 1min 15.271sec
5. Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1min 15.437
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 1min 15.455sec
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 1min 15.516sec
8. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault 1min 15.653sec
9. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1min 16.009sec
10. Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams-Toyota 1min 17.344sec

May 25, 2009

World championship leader Jenson Button made it five wins out of six races this season when he drove his Brawn GP car to a consummate triumph in the Monaco Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old Englishman delivered a flawless performance as he and 37-year-old Brazilian team-mate Rubens Barrichello came home one and two for the second race in succession and third time this year.

Starting from his fourth pole position of this fairy-tale season and the seventh of his career, Button pulled clear at the start and, apart from brief interruptions due to pit-stops, led all the way with a supreme performance of mature and well-judged racing.

“Yeah, Monaco baby!'' he screamed on his car-to-pits radio after becoming the first man since German great Michael Schumacher in 2006 to complete a hat-trick of consecutive Grand Prix wins.

His win lifted him to 51 points in the drivers' standings after six of the 17 races in this year's championship, giving him a 16-point lead over Barrichello and increasing the Brawn team's advantage at the top of the constructors' standings to more than 40 points.

It was Button's first win in Monaco and he becomes the sixth British winner of the classic event around the streets of Monte Carlo.

The Ferrari duo of Finn Kimi Raikkonen and Brazilian Felipe Massa maintained the Italian team's improvement following their appalling start to the year by coming home third and fourth.

Australian Mark Webber finished fifth for Red Bull after his team-mate German Sebastian Vettel, 21, for once betrayed his relative inexperience by crashing, and German-born Finn Nico Rosberg, son of former champion Keke, was sixth for Williams.

Two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso also drove a measured race to finish seventh for Renault ahead of Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, who gave his countrymen something to celebrate by bringing his Toro Rosso car home for a point in eighth place.

Defending world champion Briton Lewis Hamilton, who started from last on the grid, endured another torrid afternoon and finished 13th while his McLaren Mercedes team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen completed a disappointing weekend for them by crashing while running seventh.

On a sunlit Mediterranean afternoon, a light breeze and blue skies made for an air temperature of 25 degrees, with a track temperature of 42 as the race began.

At the start, Barrichello made an excellent getaway and took advantage of Raikkonen's surge in pursuit of a pass on pole-sitter Button.

The Brazilian, third on the grid, followed his Brawn team-mate through Ste Devote and they were running first and second at the front.

After six laps behind Vettel's Red Bull, Massa attempted to pass him and overran at the chicane where he bounced across the run-off kerbs allowing not only Vettel but also Rosberg to overtake him when he rejoined and slowed.

Vettel, his tyres shot to pieces, was passed by Rosberg, Massa and Kovalainen before he pitted after 11 laps when Swiss Sebastien Buemi in his Toro Rosso crashed into Nelson Piquet's Renault.

On fresh tyres, Vettel tried too hard to rejoin the fray at the front and he showed his inexperience when, after 17 laps, he slid off and crashed into the barriers at Ste Devote, his race over.

Vettel said afterwards: “It's one race. It doesn't help if you don't score points when the others do, but it's a long way (until the end of the season) and there are a lot of races (left).''

Piquet, under pressure to keep his seat with Renault, was livid and said: “It was a stupid accident. These young drivers need to calm down, Buemi just slammed right into the back of me.''

Kovalainen, running seventh, crashed out after 53 laps when he lost control at the Swimming Pool exit and wrecked the front end of his McLaren.

“That was my mistake, I lost the car and I crashed. It was my mistake, nothing else. I took the kerb too much, lost the rear and came over,'' Kovalainen said.

Button was chased hard for one lap by Massa, before the Brazilian pitted again, after which it was business as usual with the two Brawns cruising home ahead of the two Ferraris.

F1GP - Monaco Grand Prix
Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 20 Jenson Button Brawn 01:40:44.2820
2 21 Rubens Barrichello Brawn 01:40:51.9480
3 4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 01:40:57.7240
4 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari 01:40:59.3920
5 14 Mark Webber Red Bull 01:41:00.0120
6 16 Nico Rosberg Williams 01:41:17.8680
7 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 01:41:22.1210
8 11 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso 01:41:47.4240
9 19 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India 01:41:49.3220
10 10 Timo Glock Toyota +1 Lap
11 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +1 Lap
12 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +1 Lap
13 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota +1 Lap
14 18 Adrian Sutil Force India +1 Lap
15 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams DNF
16 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren DNF
17 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber DNF
18 15 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull DNF
19 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault DNF
20 12 Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso DNF


Pos Driver Team Pts
1 Jenson Button (GBR) Brawn 51
2 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Brawn 35
3 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 23
4 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 19.5
5 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 14.5
6 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 12
7 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 11
8 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 9
9 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 9
10 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 8
11 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 7.5
12 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 6
13 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 4
14 Sebastien Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 3
15 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 2
16 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
17 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
18 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 0
19 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 0
20 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 0


Pos Team Pts
1 Brawn 86
2 Red Bull 42.5
3 Toyota 26.5
4 Ferrari 17
5 McLaren 13
6 Renault 11
7 Williams 7.5
8 BMW Sauber 6
9 Toro Rosso 5
10 Force India 0

June 21, 2009

Rising German star Sebastian Vettel maintained his challenge in this year's drivers' world championship when he cruised to a comfortable victory in the British Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old tyro finished 15.188 secs ahead of Red Bull teammate Mark Webber to prove that the much-improved Milton Keynes-based team have the potential to challenge in the second half of the season.

It was a repeat of their result in China in April.

Vettel started from the fourth pole of his career and was never challenged as he pulled clear from the start and delivered a perfectly-judged drive to secure the third win of his brief career - and his first in dry weather.

His two previous wins came in torrential rain in Italy last year and China earlier this season. This time he was able to reel off a series of fastest laps as he dominated proceedings under a partly-sunny sky.

Webber came home second ahead of Brazilians veteran Rubens Barrichello in a Brawn and his compatriot, Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari.

German Nico Rosberg finished fifth for Williams ahead of world championship leader Jenson Button in his Brawn, Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and German Timo Glock for Toyota.

"Thank you guys," said Vettel to his team on the slowing down lap.

"It is a dream coming true! We have won the British Grand Prix."

Vettel's win cut Button's lead in the drivers championship - the Briton now has 64 points with Barrichello second on 41, Vettel 39 and Webber 35.5.

In the constructors' championship, Brawn lead with 105 ahead of Red Bull on 74.5.

After all the political chicanery for the previous three days, the race was a rather dull and predictable affair with a huge crowd, and a paddock packed with celebrities, treated to a demonstration drive by Vettel.

In what is widely expected to be Silverstone's final British Grand Prix, 60 years after hosting the first world championship race in 1950, there was precious little for the home fans to cheer.

Button started from sixth and struggled with his tyres as he battled to finish sixth while defending champion Lewis Hamilton gave everything in a spectacular and incident-filled outing, starting 18th and finishing 16th.

Pos Driver Team Pts
1 Jenson Button (GBR) Brawn 64
2 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Brawn 41
3 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 39
4 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 35.5
5 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 21.5
6 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 16
7 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 15.5
8 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 13
9 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 11
10 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 10
11 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 9
12 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 6
13 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 4
14 Sebastien Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 3
15 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 2
16 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 2
17 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
18 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
19 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 0
20 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 0

Team Pts
1 Brawn 105
2 Red Bull 74.5
3 Toyota 34.5
4 Ferrari 26
5 Williams 15.5
6 McLaren 13
7 Renault 11
8 BMW Sauber 8
9 Toro Rosso 5
10 Force India 0

July 11, 2009

After more than 100 attempts, Australian driver Mark Webber has finally grabbed the first pole position of his Formula One career.

Webber outpaced all of his rivals in qualifying for Sunday's German Grand Prix.

The 32-year-old Red Bull driver made the most of changeable weather conditions to emerge in front with a best lap of 1min 32.230 secs.

This lifted him clear of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP, who was second fastest, as dry weather followed a rain-hit session.

Championship leading Briton Jenson Button, in the second Brawn, was third fastest ahead of German Sebastian Vettel in the second Red Bull.

"Great, thank you guys – awesome!" said Webber on his slowing down lap after being told that after 128 races he had topped the times to take the prime starting position for a grand prix.

Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for McLaren-Mercedes, proving that his team's efforts to improve their car were working at last after a series of desperately-disappointing performances.

His teammate Heikki Kovalainen was sixth ahead of German Adrian Sutil of Force India, in their first top 10 position, Brazilian Felipe Massa and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen with Brazilian Nelson Piquet 10th for Renault.

After an early foray by Button, who was first out on track without clocking a time, the top 10 cars delayed until the final three minutes before attacking the clock to deliver their best laps. Barrichello was first to take top spot, but was soon overtaken by Hamilton in the final dramas.

On another cool, overcast and sometimes wet day, Vettel was the first man out of the pit lane at the start of the session run in front of a big crowd of German fans congregated in the Eifel mountains.

The young German's appearance heralded a rush of lap times from everyone, the weather clearly persuading all the teams that it was necessary to clock a fast early time before any heavy rain fell.

The Red Bulls made the most of the brief respite from wet conditions when Vettel went top and he was soon followed by teammate Webber before the skies opened and the session was, effectively, curtailed.

Webber ended Q1, the first mini-session, on top ahead of Alonso with Vettel third and Hamilton fourth in the resurgent McLaren, but it was "goodbye" for the bottom five.

That meant the exit of Pole Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber, Swiss Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso, Italian Giancarlo Fisichella of Force India, German Timo Glock of Toyota and Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais in the second Toro Rosso.

It was particularly bad news for the French driver who, according to the paddock rumour machine, was preparing for his last race with the team before being replaced.

But it was disappointing also for the crowd to see Glock departing – one of five Germans in the 20-car field – and the BMW-powered car of Kubica failing to deliver a competitive performance.

When Q2 began, the steady drizzle and the wet track conditions caught several drivers out as they slithered around on their slick tyres. Japanese Kazuki Nakajima in his Williams slid off the track, Hamilton brushed a kerb and Massa ran wide and off the track across grass.

The field dived into the pits for intermediate tyres.

With six minutes remaining, Barrichello chose to switch back to dry tyres and went out and clocked the fastest lap by almost four seconds – making the most of a brief dry window before rain returned.

These capricious conditions caught several drivers and teams out when the rain returned and in the panic in the pit-lane Vettel managed to collide with Nakajima, both cars emerging without serious damage.

Button, with a late lap, just squeezed through into the top ten with Hamilton as both Alonso and Raikkonen slipped off the slippery surface.

In the end, the rain claimed the hopes of German Nick Heidfeld in his BMW, Alonso, fuming as he stepped out of his Renault, Nakajima, Italian Jarno Trulli of Toyota and German Nico rosberg of Williams.


Starting grid
1. Mark Webber (AUS/RBR)
2. Rubens Barrichello (BRA/BRA)
3. Jenson Button (ENG/BRA)
4. Sebastian Vettel (GER/RBR)
5. Lewis Hamilton (ENG/MLA)
6. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN/MLA)
7. Adrian Sutil (GER/FOR)
8. Felipe Massa (BRA/FER)
9. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/FER)
10. Nelson Piquet (BRA/REN)
11. Nick Heidfeld (GER/BMW)
12. Fernando Alonso (ESP/REN)
13. Kazuki Nakajima (JPN/WIL)
14. Jarno Trulli (ITA/TOY)
15. Nico Rosberg (GER/WIL)
16. Robert Kubica (POL/BMW)
17. Sebastien Buemi (SUI/TOR)
18. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA/FOR)
19. Timo Glock (GER/TOY)
20. Sebastien Bourdais (FRA/TOR)

July 12, 2009

Mark Webber secured his maiden Formula One victory and Australia's first since 1981 when he led teammate Sebastian Vettel home in a triumphant one-two for the Red Bull team in the German Grand Prix.

Webber, in his 130th F1 race after eight years in the sport, started from his first pole position and overcame a drive-through penalty for a first lap collision on his way to a spectacular win at the circuit in the Eifel mountains.

The 32-year-old driver from Queanbeyan, in NSW, came home 9.3 seconds clear of Vettel as he raced to a victory that threw the fight for the world championship wide open.

Webber is third in the title race with 45.5 points behind leader Briton Jenson Button on 68 points and Vettel on 47. Brazilian Rubens Barrichello has 44 points and is fourth.

The two Red Bulls finished first and second ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa of Brazil, who grabbed his first podium finish of the year, with German Nico Rosberg fourth for Williams.

Button battled through to finish fifth ahead of teammate Barrichello, the Brawn pair resisting a late charge from two-times world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault.

Finn Heikki Kovalainen came home eighth for McLaren Mercedes.

Defending world champion Briton Lewis Hamilton finished 18th and last after a hot-headed attack on the opening lap saw him involved in a collision with Webber's Red Bull that cost him a puncture.

Webber bashed into Barrichello's car on the run from the start to the first corner, a collision for which he was punished with his drive-through penalty, but he overcame that with a dazzling drive to victory.

Watched by his father Alan, a motorcycle dealer in Australia, Webber romped to a triumph that ended Australia's long wait for another winner since Alan Jones won at Las Vegas in the 1981 United States Grand Prix.

As he completed his final lap, Webber screamed with joy: "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Oh yes. You beauty! Yes."

And his teamboss Christian Horner said: "Mark Webber - you are a Grand Prix winner. Well done. You did it."

Last November, he broke his leg and a shoulder in a collision with a car while riding a bicycle in Tasmania.

On a much warmer day, under a cloudy sky, the race started with high drama when Webber, from his first pole position, was marginally slower off the line than Barrichello and steered to his right to bump cars and push the Brazilian towards the barriers.

It was a solid knock, but not enough to slow the Brawn car which pulled away to lead into the first corner ahead of the Australian while another spectacular incident saw Hamilton flying off the track.

The defending champion, from fifth, applied his KERS to pass almost everyone into the Castrol S curve, but out-braked himself in a vain attack to stay on the circuit.

In the process, he collided with part of the left-front wing of Webber's Red Bull and picked up a right rear puncture.

This impetuosity, in effect, ended Hamilton's race as he was forced back to the pits, from 20th and last, for new rubber - swapping his super-softs for a harder compound.

German Grand Prix Result
Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts
1 14 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 60 1:36:43.310 1 10
2 15 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 60 +9.2 secs 4 8
3 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari 60 +15.9 secs 8 6
4 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 60 +21.0 secs 15 5
5 22 Jenson Button Brawn-Mercedes 60 +23.6 secs 3 4
6 23 Rubens Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes 60 +24.4 secs 2 3
7 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 60 +24.8 secs 12 2
8 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 60 +58.6 secs 6 1
9 10 Timo Glock Toyota 60 +61.4 secs 20
10 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 60 +61.9 secs 11
11 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Mercedes 60 +62.3 secs 18
12 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 60 +62.8 secs 13
13 8 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 60 +68.3 secs 10
14 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 60 +69.5 secs 16
15 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 60 +71.9 secs 7
16 12 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 60 +90.2 secs 17
17 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota 60 +90.9 secs 14
18 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 59 +1 Lap 5
Ret 4 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 34 +26 Laps 9
Ret 11 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 18 Hydraulics 19


Driver Team Pts
1 Jenson Button (GBR) Brawn 64
2 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Brawn 41
3 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 39
4 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 35.5
5 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 21.5
6 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 16
7 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 15.5
8 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 13
9 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 11
10 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 10
11 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 9
12 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 6
13 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 4
14 Sebastien Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 3
15 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 2
16 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 2
17 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
18 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
19 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 0
20 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 0


Team Pts
1 Brawn 105
2 Red Bull 74.5
3 Toyota 34.5
4 Ferrari 26
5 Williams 15.5
6 McLaren 13
7 Renault 11
8 BMW Sauber 8
9 Toro Rosso 5
10 Force India 0

I have watched every formula 1 race since Mark Webber made his debut drive for minardi back in 2002. I'm so proud to see him win to prove what a great driver he is and to all the knockers that he can win. Go Mark Webber and continue to win many more races. cheers Dougie

Red Bull announced on Thursday that Mark Webber will continue to drive for the team next season. Webber, who won his maiden race in Germany earlier this month, will retain his seat alongside fellow incumbent Sebastian Vettel.

“I’m extremely happy that Red Bull and I have been able to agree to race together again next year,” said the Australian, who joined the team in 2007. “Even in the leaner and tougher years at the start of my relationship with the team, I’ve always enjoyed working with them, so now to go through this purple patch, which we hope will continue for a good while to come, makes the work even more enjoyable.

“We’ve got a very exciting finish to this year’s championship, but I’m also looking forward to helping to develop and race the RB6 in the 2010 world championship.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner added: “I’m delighted that we have re-signed Mark for 2010. He has continued to show huge commitment and determination this season, especially following his bike accident at the end of last year. His recent results show he is on the form of his life - most notably with his recent win at the German Grand Prix - and he has the motivation to deliver at the highest level. It was therefore a straightforward decision to extend the relationship. We believe that the driver line-up of Mark and Sebastian is one of the strongest in the sport.”

Webber is currently third in the drivers' championship with 45.5 points, just 1.5 behind Vettel. Leader Jenson Button has 68.

July 26, 2009

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton returned to form with a vengeance Sunday when he ended a 10-race winless streak with victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Englishman produced a flawless drive for McLaren Mercedes as the season's standard-setting teams Brawn GP and Red Bull struggled to produce their best on an incident-filled afternoon.

Starting from fourth, he took third on the opening lap, passed Australian Mark Webber of Red Bull for second after five laps and then took the lead when Spaniard Fernando Alonso was forced to retire after his front right tyre flew off his Renault.

German Sebastian Vettel who was second in the title race was involved in a first corner contact with Ferrari's Finn Kimi Raikkonen and retired after reporting his car was virtually undriveable while championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP struggled for performance and finished seventh.

Hamilton said: “It's an incredible feeling after what feels like such a long time away. I'm just so proud of the guys. They never gave up, which is something very rare to see in a large group of people.

“The car was so nice to drive and the team have done such a great job. We didn't expect to win - but the car felt fantastic. It's incredibly special to get back up here.”

It was Hamilton's first win since last year's Chinese Grand Prix and the 10th win of his career.

Hamilton won by 11.5 seconds ahead of Raikkonen with Webber third for Red Bull, two weeks after his maiden victory in Germany.

Webber said: “It's a bit of a surprise - we expected to be a little bit quicker. It was a pretty difficult venue for us. We knew we didn't have the advantage we had in the last two races. I'm pretty happy all in all. We're still very much a force.”

Raikkonen, under investigation for the incident at the start when he collided with Vettel said: “I didn't notice that I had touched somebody. I don't know what's going on. This is the first I've heard of it.

“But it is nice to finish here on the podium and to bring some good and positive news to the team.”

Pole-sitter and two-times champion Alonso was forced to retire after leading the opening laps when he lost his front right wheel in spectacular style - just 24 hours after Massa of Ferrari suffered serious head injuries when he was hit by debris during qualifying.

Massa, 28, underwent surgery in a Budapest hospital on Saturday evening and a Ferrari statement on Sunday said he was stable and in an induced coma.

Hamilton added: “Maybe I can speak for all of us, but today was a sad day given what happened with Felipe (Massa). We miss him, wish him well and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Alonso said: “I had a great start and the team did a lot of work for that. But we had tyre problems and also the fuel pump. It could be something to do with the rim of a wheel. But it was great to lead the race again.”

Button, who leads the drivers' championship on 70 points from Webber on 51.5 and Vettel on 47, said: “After four laps my rear tyres were destroyed. I don't know why. I don't think we can blame the weather. We've got to be looking in other areas. Our car is not driving as well as it did at the start of the season. There's obviously an issue.

“I don't understand it. The other teams have improved for sure, but our car is just not what it was a few races ago anymore. I don't understand it and it is not running as it did at the start of the season.”

Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/McLaren) 306.630km in 1hr 38min 23.876sec
(average: 186.973 km/h)
2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) at 11.529sec
3. Mark Webber (AUS/Red Bull) 16.886
4. Nico Rosberg (GER/Williams) 26.967
5. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN/McLaren) 34.392
6. Timo Glock (GER/Toyota) 35.237
7. Jenson Button (GBR/Brawn) 55.088
8. Jarno Trulli (ITA/Toyota) 1:08.172
9. Kazuki Nakajima (JPN/Williams) 1:08.774
10. Rubens Barrichello (BRA/Brawn) 1:09.256
11. Nick Heidfeld (GER/BMW Sauber) 1:10.612
12. Nelson Piquet Jr (BRA/Renault) 1:11.512
13. Robert Kubica (POL/BMW Sauber) 1:14.046
14. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA/Force India) 1 lap
15. Jaime Alguersuari (ESP/Toro Rosso) 1 lap
16. Sebastien Buemi (SUI/Toro Rosso) 1 lap

July 27, 2009

Renault have been banned from the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23 by the International Motorsports Federation (FIA).

The FIA took the drastic action after a wheel flew off the car of former world champion Fernando Alonso during Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix with the team accused of not respecting security rules.

“Renault are suspended from the next event of the 2009 world championship,” said a FIA statement.

The French outfit announced they would appeal the ban.

“Renault F1, by this document, formally registers its intention to appeal against the decision by the officials,” Renault wrote in a letter to the FIA.

Stewards summoned Renault officials to explain why pole-sitter Alonso's right front right wheel was incorrectly fitted and was allowed to leave the pits.

Video and radio transmissions were studied, and found that Renault “knowingly” allowed the Spanish driver to rejoin the race with a loose wheel nut.

“This resulted in a heavy car part (the aerodynamic wheel cover) detaching and the wheel itself detaching at turn nine,” the stewards' report added.

Sunday's incident came just a week after 18-year-old driver Henry Surtees - the son of former F1 champion John Surtees - was killed when he was struck by a loose wheel during a Formula Two race in England.

July 29, 2009

Already hit by the departure of Honda, Formula One suffered another blow on Wednesday as BMW confirmed it would be quitting the sport at the end of the season.

"The BMW Group will not continue its Formula One campaign after the end of the 2009 season,'' BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer said.

"Of course, this was a difficult decision for us, but it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment,'' he said.

"Premium will be increasingly defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead.

"We are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability.

"Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us.''

While rumours of the possible departures of Renault and Toyota have been flying around the paddock all season, that of BMW comes as a surprise.

And it had looked as if the sport's future was assured when the FIA, motor racing's governing body, announced the completion of negotiations between the FOA (Formula One administration) and the 13 teams who will race in 2010.

It had been thought that this Concorde Agreement, meant to link the two sides until 2012, also included the BMW Sauber team.

The FIA said however they regretted the German team's decision and hoped the sport had seen the last departure of a major manufacturer.

"The FIA regrets the announcement of BMW's intended withdrawal from Formula One but is not surprised by it,'' the FIA said in a statement.

"It has been clear for some time that motor sport cannot ignore the world economic crisis.

"Car manufacturers cannot be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula One when their survival depends on redundancies, plant closures and the support of the taxpayer.''

BMW have been badly hit by the current economic crisis with profits tumbling by 89.5 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, and group sales dropping 19.5 percent in the first half of 2009.

It is also believed the company found it hard to justify spending on Formula One following a poor campaign with drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica scoring just eight points this season to leave the team eighth in the nine-team constructors' championship.

BMW arrived in Formula One in 2000 and in 2005 took over the Swiss team Sauber, to become the BMW Sauber stable which now employs 730 people.

Its only Grand Prix win as BMW Sauber came when Kubica won in Canada in 2008, while he also achieved the team's only pole position in Bahrain, also in 2008.

The team finished third last season behind Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.

Meanwhile, the FIA said they hoped there would be no more departures from the sport.

"This is why the FIA prepared regulations to reduce costs drastically,'' the FIA said.

"These measures were needed to alleviate the pressure on manufacturers following Honda's withdrawal, but also to make it possible for new teams to enter.

"Had these regulations not been so strongly opposed by a number of team principals, the withdrawal of BMW and further such announcements in the future might have been avoided.

"Nevertheless, as a result of a sustained cost-cutting campaign by the FIA, new measures are in the process of being agreed which should make it easier for new teams to enter and enable existing ones to participate on much-reduced budgets.

"Hopefully it will be enough to prevent further withdrawals and provide a solid foundation for Formula One.''