Im a big fan Formula one so i thought i would start this thread.

Webber set to match best season
From correspondents in Magny-Cours
June 23, 2008 ANOTHER points haul has put Australian Mark Webber on track to match his best performance in his seven years in Formula One.

The Red Bull driver collected three points for his sixth place in the French Grand Prix, won by Ferrari's Felipe Massa from teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

Toyota's Jarno Trulli was third, but Webber has predicted Red Bull will be fighting with the Japanese factory outfit for the best of the rest behind Ferrari, McLaren and BMW.

"Toyota had a strong race today, but we'll have more in the future," Webber said.

He now has 18 points in the world championship in a consistent season which has produced his best result to date since his first year with Williams in 2005 which included 36 points and his first podium, at Monaco.

Webber was plagued by mechanical problems in his first year with Red Bull and last season suffered seven retirements and managed only three points-scoring grands prix.

This year he has failed to score points in just two races - the season-opener in Australia and in Canada where he finished 12th.

Webber fought back from a dodgy start to win the battle of the Renault-powered cars.

His sixth place meant he finished ahead of the two factory Renaults, with Nelsinho Piquet and former dual world champion Fernando Alonso behind him, followed by his own Red Bull teammate David Coulthard.

"My start wasn't great, but my first stint wasn't too bad in terms of pace," Webber said.

"I was trying to keep up with Fernando as I knew he was (on less fuel) and I put in some laps that were right on the edge before the first stop.

"It's good for the team to get some more points today.

"It was a tough week in the build-up to this race, in terms of effort from the factory and the boys at the track, and three points is not to be sniffed at."

Massa and Ferrari took charge of this year's championship with their third double of the season.

The 27-year-old Brazilian's third win this year and eighth of his career lifted him back on top of the drivers' title race and increased Ferrari's lead in the constructors' championship after eight of this year's 18 Grands Prix.

Massa, the fourth different leader of the championship in four races, is now on top with 48 points in the drivers' table, ahead of Poland's Robert Kubica on 46.

Raikkonen, who finished second, is third with 43 ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton on 38.


F1GP - French Grand PrixPos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:31:50.245
2 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +17.9 secs
3 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +28.2 secs
4 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +28.9 secs
5 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +30.5 secs
6 10 Mark Webber Red Bull +40.3 secs
7 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault +41.0 secs
8 5 Fernando Alonso Renault +43.3 secs
9 9 David Coulthard Red Bull +51.0 secs
10 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +54.5 secs
11 12 Timo Glock Toyota +57.7 secs
12 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +58.0 secs
13 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +62.0 secs
14 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda +1 Lap
15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +1 Lap
16 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +1 Lap
17 14 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso +1 Lap
18 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +1 Lap
19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India +1 Lap
20 16 Jenson Button Honda Retired

July 04, 2008

AUSTRALIA has secured the rights to host the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne until 2015, with a new evening start to reach a greater television audience overseas, officials said Friday.

The race at Melbourne's Albert Park will start 90 minutes later at 5:00 pm (0600 GMT) from next year after a new contract was signed with Formula One bosses overnight, Victorian Premier John Brumby said.

“Next year's later start time will mean even greater television audiences in the United Kingdom, Asia and European markets, which means more exposure for 'brand Melbourne' than ever before,” Brumby said.

The new timing is an apparent compromise following pressure from F1 chiefs for Australia to hold the race at night to suit European TV audiences. The event had been in danger of being handed to Russia, India or Korea.

The Victorian state government had said it would do “whatever is fair and reasonable” to keep the event after its current contract expires in 2010, but had repeatedly refused to introduce a night race.

The government said installing the necessary lighting would cost too much. The new deal includes an agreement that no artificial lighting will be used for the race for the term of the contract.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was delighted with the new arrangement.

“I have wanted changes to the local race time so that we can increase the television audience in Europe and Asia,” he said in a statement.

“I'm satisfied that the decision to move to a later start time for 2009 races is a win for television audiences in Europe and Asia, a win for Melbourne and a win for Formula One as a whole.”

Despite the benefits of tourism and publicity for Melbourne, the Formula One race has been a costly financial exercise for Victoria.

The Melbourne race cost the state almost 35 million Australian dollars (33 million US) of taxpayer money in 2007 and has been budgeted for more than 40 million dollars this year.

But Brumby said the Grand Prix, which this year attracted more than 300,000 people over the four-day event won by Lewis Hamilton, was value for money.

“The Grand Prix has been an outstanding event for Victoria over a long period of time and has helped put Melbourne on a global stage,” he said.

“Retaining the event is important to Victoria's ongoing growth and prosperity.”
Peter Goad, who heads the Save Albert Park group which wants the race relocated from the suburban park to a permanent track, said the contract extension was “irrational.”

“It's wrong politically... economically and environmentally,” Goad told national news agency Australian Associated Press.

“It's a waste of money and the worst thing about it all is that it flies in the face of current thinking about climate change.”

Melbourne has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996.

July 07, 2008
From Silverstone, England

LEWIS Hamilton delivered a masterful drive in wet conditions in front of a vociferous home crowd to win the British Grand Prix and reignite his world title challenge.

Persistent rain saw nearly all the drivers spin at some stage of the race, and though BMW's Nick Heidfeld produced a good drive to finish second and Rubens Barrichello was third, no one could come close to Hamilton who won his home race by a staggering 68.5 seconds.

An emotional Hamilton heralded his third win of the season and the seventh of his Formula One career as "by far'' his best ever.

"It was one of the toughest races I have ever done. I was thinking as I was driving, 'If I win this it will definitely go down as the best race I have ever done','' said Hamilton, who became the first Englishman to win at Silverstone since Johnny Herbert in 1995.

The British McLaren driver produced an excellent start and a superbly aggressive opening stint to take the lead early on, before going on to close the race out maturely.

"Coming into the last lap I could see the crowds standing up and I was just praying I would finish. You could not imagine the emotions that were going on inside me,'' he added.

The victory brings 23-year-old Hamilton his first points since winning at Monaco back in May and moves him up into a three-way tie at the top of the world championship.

Hamilton now shares top spot with the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth at Silverstone, and Felipe Massa, who took no points from a nightmare race.

Heikki Kovalainen was fifth in the other McLaren, Fernando Alonso took sixth and Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima were the others to pick up points.

After solid rain throughout the morning, conditions brightened up somewhat for the race but a wet track and gusting winds still made for troublesome start conditions.

Hamilton made the best start of all, shooting around the outside to squeeze into second from fourth on the grid and briefly touching wheels with pole-sitter Kovalainen.

Mark Webber, his Red Bull starting from second, suffered an early spin and ended up right at the back of the field.

Kovalainen led his teammate and Raikkonen after the first lap but Hamilton immediately began to apply serious pressure on the leader, forcing him to defend desperately over the next four laps.

Such a sustained attack proved impossible to repel and Hamilton slipped past Kovalainen to take the lead on lap five.

As the home crowd cheered their hero, another Brit, David Coulthard, collided with Sebastien Vettel's Toro Rosso and both drivers ended up in the gravel and out of the race.

It was an unfortunate way for Coulthard to finish his final British Grand Prix - the Red Bull veteran having announced his retirement earlier this week.

Kovalainen slid into a spin on his tenth lap and allowed Raikkonen through into second where he would steadily cut the gap to Hamilton until the first round of pit stops.

On lap 21 of the 60 lap race Hamilton and Raikkonen entered the pits together with the Briton emerging, by a whisker, with his lead intact.

Raikkonen's pit crew controversially decided not to change tyres, a decision that saw the world champion lose significant time to the leader and also to those behind.

As Raikkonen's tyres continued to deteriorate he fell further and further off the pace and after finally cutting his losses and taking new tyres he had fallen to 11th place.

The rain began to fall solidly just after the halfway point of the race and Hamilton, Raikkonen and Renault's Nelson Piquet each aquaplaned off the track - the first two temporarily and Piquet for good.

As havoc reigned, BMW's Robert Kubica span off and out of the race and was soon joined by Jenson Button.

Honda's Barrichello was now fitted with the extreme wet tyres and lapping way faster than anyone else, he worked his way up into third place behind Hamilton and Heidfeld who had steadily manoeuvred into second.

The leader stopped for a second time on lap 37 but, with the rain beginning to clear, prudently not opted for extreme wet tyres.

With 10 laps to go, Hamilton had opened up a lead of over a minute and he went on to lap everyone behind third-placed Barrichello in a supreme display of dominance.

Raikkonen staged a late charge to take fourth while Heidfeld and Barrichello cruised to welcome podium finishes.

"I love the wet weather conditions,'' said Barrichello.

"It was a perfect race, everything went for me. It was just magic. I have this great feeling it is like I am young, I smile at the problems we encounter and just work harder.

"I just love the sport and love the speed, I cannot live without it.''

F1GP - British Grand PrixPos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:39:09.440
2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +68.5 secs
3 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda +82.2 secs
4 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari + 1 Lap
5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +1 Lap
6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault +1 Lap
7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +1 Lap
8 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +1 Lap
9 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +1 Lap
10 10 Mark Webber Red Bull +1 Lap
11 14 Sebastian Bourdais Toro Rosso +1 Lap
12 12 Timo Glock Toyota +1 Lap
13 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari +2 Laps
14 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber Retired
15 20 Adrian Sutil Force India Retired
16 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India Retired
17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull Retired
18 16 Jenson Button Honda Retired
19 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault Retired
20 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso Retired


Grid but no points for Webber

From correspondents in Silverstone, England
July 07, 2008

AUSTRALIA'S Mark Webber suffered a disappointing, wet and ultimately pointless British Grand Prix after starting from an impressive second on the grid.

The New South Wales-born Red Bull driver had achieved the team's best qualifying result on Saturday but an opening lap spin dropped him to the back of the field.

He eventually finished 10th, way behind Britain's Lewis Hamilton who won his home race by over a minute.

"Unfortunately I dropped it on the entrance to Becketts corner on the first lap," Webber said.

"I was quite close to Kimi Raikkonen into the corner and just got on the white line. I lost the car on the exit and had to let the field go past, so it was clear to spin back round.

"After that it was about making the right call for the right conditions. It was a difficult day to go car racing and it just didn't go our way today.

"The guys did a good job all week and it's a shame we couldn't convert our good qualifying performance.''

Webber's Scottish teammate David Coulthard had an even worse day, the veteran causing a race-ending accident during the first lap of what would be his last British Grand Prix.

He said: "The visibility was incredibly bad as you can imagine. I'm extremely disappointed for this to happen at my last British Grand Prix.''

To make matters worse for Coulthard, who will retire at the end of the season, the other victim in the crash was German Sebastien Vettel of Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso.

Coulthard said: "There was a clear gap down the inside, but unfortunately it was closing as I made the move.

"I'm sorry for Sebastian that we made contact and went into the gravel. I'm sorry for Red Bull too, as it was two cars out in one hit.''

July 18, 2008

HIGHLY-rated German prodigy Sebastian Vettel will replace veteran Scot David Coulthard at Red Bull Racing next season, the Formula One team said.

On the eve of his home German Grand Prix, Vettel beamed with pleasure as the news was confirmed and then declared himself entirely at ease with suggestions that he is 'the new Michael Schumacher'.

Coulthard announced at Silverstone two weeks ago that, aged 37, he had decided he would retire from racing in F1 at the end of the season. Vettel will take his place alongside Australian Mark Webber.

"You can imagine I'm very pleased and I'm very looking forward to next year," said Vettel, who is currently with Red Bull's stable-mate team Toro Rosso. "It's a step up - it has always been my target and obviously it's a pleasure.

"I've been working with Red Bull for a very long time - since 2000 when I was go-karting - I could never imagine to race in F1. At that time they didn't have an F1 team.

"Now, they have two and it is a dream to race for them. And obviously to drive for Red Bull Racing next year is another dream come true.

"Obviously, I've been part of the Red Bull family. I think that I've shown potential if you look at the development of the results in the last couple of years. My target is clear, I want to progress, to move forward, and I think I have the opportunity here so there was no doubt."

Vettel has scored points finishes at both the Monaco and Canadian grands prix this year.

On comparisons with Schumacher, he said: "You can't say that what people say is in your mind. For me, I don't care. I have my own target. Every single lap in every single race I want to do the best I can.

"If someone says you're good, maybe you're happy, but it doesn't help you for the next lap. If they say you're bad, if they have the right criteria and there's a bit of truth, maybe you can learn.

"But in the end it's important not to care too much what people say or you will lose your way."

From correspondents in Hockenheim, Germany
July 20, 2008

BRITISH driver Lewis Hamilton opened a clear lead in this year's drivers' championship by winning the German Grand Prix in thrilling style.

The 23-year-old Englishman, in his McLaren Mercedes-Benz, dominated the early stages and then, after being upset by two safety car interventions and some cautious team strategy, proved he could overtake anyone with a dazzling display of passing moves in the final laps.

To make up for time lost in the pits when he made an out-of-synch late stop, he showed his true speed by overtaking both Felipe Massa in a Ferrari and then Nelson Piquet in a Renault to regain the lead.

“I would have much preferred to have come in earlier (for my second pit stop) but the way it worked out I knew I had a lot of work to do. They let me stay out and I just had to push hard, as hard as I could,” said the Briton.

“I really pushed, right over the limit, but it was not enough and then I had to fight my way back. So a big thank-you to my McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, who saw I was faster and did not make life more difficult.

“I had two great fights with the other guys, it was very fair and it was exciting.”

Hamilton took the chequered flag 5.5 seconds ahead of Piquet who claimed the first podium of his career while Massa was third.

Piquet, whose father won three world titles, admitted that even when he briefly led the race in the closing stages it would have been a huge job to stay in front.

“When I was leading, I knew Lewis would come by quickly and I knew Felipe wasn't that much quicker than me. If I'd taken too many risks (trying to hold Hamilton off), Felipe might have overtaken me,” said the rookie.

“So I decided I had to save second place rather than end up in third or fourth and not be so happy.”

Meanwhile, Massa bemoaned the pace of the Ferrari.

“I just did not have the pace. I looked at the speed of my car and I was on the hard tyres because the soft was so difficult to drive, and I just couldn't have the pace,” said the Brazilian.

Hamilton now leads the standings with 58 points from Massa, on 54, whose Ferrari team-mate, defending drivers world champion Finn Kimi Raikkonen, is seven points adrift after finishing a disappointing sixth.

“It's not exactly what we were hoping for,” said Raikkonen.

“It was pretty difficult all the way through. Then in the end the car was a bit better but it was very difficult for the whole weekend. We need to look and find an improvement.

“I don't know whether it the set-up or what, but we had difficult handling all weekend and it was harder in the race in the beginning.”

Hamilton had dominated the first half of the race after powering away from the ninth pole position of his career.

The Geneva-based driver had built-up a lead of around 12 seconds by lap 36 when German Timo Glock crashed out in his Toyota. Glock lost control of his car at the last corner when the right rear tyre suddenly deflated sending him spearing into the wall.

The German, 26, slid backwards down the home straight before his wrecked car finally came to a stop.

Glock was clearly dazed after he got out of the Toyota and was later taken to the medical centre and then a local hospital for a check-up, although his condition was described as 'fine'.

Hamilton was kept out on the track as all his main rivals made their final pit-stops under the safety car.

The Mercedes-powered driver dropped to fifth when he was forced to make his final pit-stop, but soon passed Kovalainen for third spot.

Hamilton then hunted down Massa overtaking his rival on lap 57 as he forced him wide at the chicane to take second with Nick Heidfeld having pitted for BMW.

Massa attempted to fight back a couple of corners later, but was again forced into the dirt.

Hamilton made the same move on Piquet at the hairpin turn three laps later to regain a deserved lead before cruising to victory in the closing seven laps.

German Nick Heidfeld finished fourth for BMW Sauber ahead of Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Pole Robert Kubica in the second BMW and German Sebastian Vettlel for Toro Rosso.

F1GP - German Grand Prix
Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:31:20.874
2 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault +5.5 secs
3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari +9.3 secs
4 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +9.8 secs
5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +12.4 secs
6 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +14.4 secs
7 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +22.6 secs
8 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +33.2 secs
9 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +37.1 secs
10 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +37.6 secs
11 5 Fernando Alonso Renault +38.6 secs
12 14 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso +39.1 secs
13 9 David Coulthard Red Bull +54.9 secs
14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +60 secs
15 20 Adrian Sutil Force India +69.4 secs
16 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +84 secs
17 16 Jenson Button Honda +1 Lap
18 10 Mark Webber Red Bull Retired
19 12 Timo Glock Toyota Retired
20 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda Retired


F1 Drivers Ladder
Driver Team Pts
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 58
2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 54
3 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 51
4 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 48
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 41
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 28
7 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 20
8 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 18
9 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 13
10 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda 11
11 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 10
12 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 8
13 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 8
14 David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull 6
15 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso 6
16 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 5
17 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda 3
18 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 2
19 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
19 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
19 Anthony Davidson (GBR) Super Aguri 0
20 Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri 0


F1 Team Ladder
Team Pts
1 Ferrari 105
2 BMW Sauber 89
3 McLaren 86
4 Toyota 25
5 Red Bull 24
6 Renault 23
7 Williams 16
8 Honda 14
9 Toro Rosso 8
10 Force India 0
11 Super Aguri 0

August 25, 2008

FELIPE Massa won European Grand Prix for Ferrari on the new street circuit around the harbour in Valencia and revived his challenge for this year's drivers' championship.

The 27-year-old Brazilian came home ahead of championship-leading Briton Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren-Mercedes with Poland's Robert Kubica third for BMW Sauber.

Massa's win lifted him up to second in the drivers' championship with 64 points, six fewer than Hamilton on 70, with six of this year's 18 races remaining. Australia's Mark Webber was 12th.

Massa's fourth win this season helped him wipe away the disappointment of his enforced retirement, while leading, with three laps remaining in the Hungarian Grand Prix three weeks ago.

The win was the ninth of his career and was achieved in exemplary fashion as he drove from pole position to the chequered flag without a worry apart from a problem at his second pit-stop.

"I am so glad, so happy, after such a bad result in Hungary and the way it ended there,'' said Massa.

"Everyone did a fantastic job for me and it is a great result for the team. To take pole, to win the race and to clock the fastest lap, you cannot ask for more than that after such a bad experience in Budapest.''

But Massa was dragged into a retrospective controversy when he was asked about his second pit-stop which saw him rejoin the fray following an 'unsafe release' from the pits.

"I don't know anything about it,'' he said.

"As far as I am concerned I did nothing wrong. It is more about Adrian Sutil than me.''

In the incident, Sutil was released before Massa who came out alongside him in the pit lane and had to ease off when they approached a wall.

Race stewards held an inquiry into the incident which could have seen Massa have his victory taken away from him but in the end the Ferrari man escaped with a caution and a €10,000 (A$17,000).

In a second incident, a Ferrari mechanic was injured during Finn Kimi Raikkonen's bungled second pit stop. This also was announced as being under investigation.

Hamilton said he was glad to collect his eight points and remain on top in the title race.

"We have great reliability and a great package and no worries about any of that,'' he said, adding that he felt pain from his neck throughout the race.

"I woke up early on Saturday morning and had a spasm in my neck,'' Hamilton explained.

"At one point, I did not think I would recover and be able to race, but I had injections and I made it.

"I felt it during the race and it was tough for me, but I don't think I lost any time. The team had Pedro (De la Rosa, the reserve driver) waiting to race and of course he wanted to because he is Spanish.

"I felt bad from the start of the weekend, with low energy, fevers every day and the spasms in my neck. Luckily I have a great doctor and trainer and we got through it.''

Kubica said he had suffered problems as well when a white plastic bag flew across the track and under his car, causing him to lose his steering controls briefly.

"It came back after a little while, but I lost confidence and it affected me,'' he said.

"We got this third because of our great qualifying performance on Saturday.''

In another incident, Massa's Ferrari teammate defending champion Finn Kimi Raikkonen was involved in a disastrous pit stop that left a mechanic injured two laps before his engine blew and forced him to retire.

Hamilton's McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen of Finland came home fourth ahead of Italian veteran Jarno Trulli in a Toyota and 21-year-old German Sebastian Vettel who was sixth for Toro Rosso.

Timo Glock of Germany was seventh for Toyota and another German Nico Rosberg eighth for Williams.

F1GP - European Grand PrixPos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:35:32.339
2 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +5.6 secs
3 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +37.3 secs
4 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +39.7 secs
5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +50.6 secs
6 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +52.6 secs
7 12 Timo Glock Toyota +67.9 secs
8 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +71.4 secs
9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +82.1 secs
10 14 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso +89.7 secs
11 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault +92.7 secs
12 10 Mark Webber Red Bull +1 Lap
13 16 Jenson Button Honda +1 Lap
14 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +1 Lap
15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +1 Lap
16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda +1 Lap
17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull +1 Lap
18 20 Adrian Sutil Force India Retired
19 5 Fernando Alonso Renault Retired
20 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Retired

F1GP Ladders F1 Drivers Ladder F1 Team Ladder Updated AUG 2008 Driver Team Pts
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 70
2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 64
3 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 57
4 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 55
5 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 43
6 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 41
7 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 26
8 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 18
9 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 18
10 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 15
11 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 13
12 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda 11
13 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 9
14 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso 9
15 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 8
16 David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull 6
17 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda 3
18 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 2
19 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
19 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
19 Anthony Davidson (GBR) Super Aguri 0
19 Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri 0

Updated AUG 2008 Team Pts
1 Ferrari 121
2 McLaren 113
3 BMW Sauber 96
4 Toyota 41
5 Renault 31
6 Red Bull 24
7 Williams 17
8 Honda 14
9 Toro Rosso 11
10 Force India 0
10 Super Aguri 0

September 08, 2008

FORMULA One was plunged into new controversy when race stewards at the Belgian Grand Prix stunningly stripped Lewis Hamilton of a brilliant victory.

The stewards' decision, which will be seen by many as part of a conspiracy to rig the results to ensure a close fight in the title race, came long after the race when they hit the Briton and his McLaren team with a 25-second penalty.

Their decision came in relation to a move in the final stages of the race when after attempting to pass Ferrari world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who was leading, he was forced off the circuit and cut out the 'Bus Stop' chicane.

Hamilton recognised immediately that he had done this - and gained an advantage by going ahead of the Finn - so he slowed to allow his rival to re-pass him and lead as they completed the lap in teeming rain.

When they began racing again, 23-year-old Hamilton passed Raikkonen and went on to win after the Finn slipped on the rain-drenched surface and crashed out.

Hamilton was relegated to third and the race victory was handed to Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa who had struggled to keep pace with the Briton and Raikkonen.

McLaren said they would appeal the decision.

"We have studied the details and put them before the FIA stewards," said a team statement.

"They show that after cutting the chicane Lewis lifted off, he was 6km/h slower than Kimi. After conceding the lead to Kimi, Lewis repositioned his car on the right and beat Kimi on the brakes going into the hairpin."

Hamilton insisted that he did not deserve to be stripped of his victory.

"I left him (Raikkonen) enough room, yet he picked up more pace going into the corner, and drove me as wide as he possibly could," said Hamilton before the sanction was announced.

"This is motor racing and if there's a penalty, then there's something wrong because I was ahead going into that corner, so I didn't gain an advantage from it.

"We were still able to race at the next corner and I gave him his spot back, and I think it was fair and square, so I think it would be absolutely wrong. But you know what they (the stewards) are like, so we will see."

Critics and paddock observers were swift in their condemnation of a decision that reeked of potential favouritism for Ferrari and seemed entirely unjustified following the most exciting race of the year.

Last year, the sport's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) was accused of a 'witch-hunt' against McLaren and this spectre was raised again by their stewards action at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

In the immediate post-race euphoria, there were no calls for an investigation by any driver or team, but the stewards announced they would be making an official investigation.

The decision to hit Hamilton with a 'drive-through' penalty worth 25 seconds wrecked the value of the race as a spectacle and at the same time devalued Massa's win to nothing more than a hollow sporting victory gifted to him.

It will be seen by most observers as another move by the FIA artificially to keep alive the championship and make it closer by hitting McLaren with a sanction.

At the previous race in Valencia, Ferrari escaped any punishment for taking advantage at a controversial pit-stop when most observers expected Massa, who escaped sanction, to be given a 'drive-through' penalty.

The shock decision, which demoted Hamilton to third place behind Massa and BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld, left the British driver with just a two-point lead over Massa in the championship with only five races left.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso from Spain came home fourth for Renault ahead of German Sebastian Vettel in a Toro Rosso and sixth-placed Pole Robert Kubica in the second BMW.

In another late development, Timo Glock of Toyota was demoted a place to ninth, with Mark Webber of Red Bull promoted to eighth, following a 25sec penalty for not taking notice of yellow flags.

F1GP - Belgian Grand Prix
Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:22:59.394
2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +9.3 secs
3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +10.5 secs
4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault +14.4 secs
5 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +14.5 secs
6 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +15.0 secs
7 14 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso +16.7 secs
8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull +42.7 secs
9 12 Timo Glock Toyota +67.0 secs
10 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +1 Lap
11 9 David Coulthard Red Bull +1 Lap
12 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +1 Lap
13 20 Adrian Sutil Force India +1 Lap
14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +1 Lap
15 16 Jenson Button Honda +1 Lap
16 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +1 Lap
17 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +1 Lap
18 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari DNF
19 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda DNF
20 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault DNF

Driver Team Pts
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 76
2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 74
3 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 58
4 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 57
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 49
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 43
7 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 26
8 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 23
9 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 19
10 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 15
11 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 13
12 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso 13
13 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda 11
14 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 9
15 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 8
16 David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull 6
17 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 4
18 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda 3
19 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
19 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
19 Anthony Davidson (GBR) Super Aguri 0
19 Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri 0

Team Pts
1 Ferrari 131
2 McLaren 119
3 BMW Sauber 107
4 Toyota 41
5 Renault 36
6 Red Bull 25
7 Williams 17
8 Toro Rosso 17
9 Honda 14
10 Force India 0
10 Super Aguri 0

September 14, 2008

GERMAN Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver in Formula One history to claim pole position when he topped the times during a rain-battered qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix.

But world championship leader Lewis Hamilton had a nightmare afternoon, getting his tyre choice all wrong in his McLaren and will start in 15th place, nine spots behind title rival Felipe Massa in a Ferrari.

Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, of Finland, was second fastest and will share the front row with Vettel, who also delivered a first pole for his Toro Rosso team.

Australian Mark Webber was third fastest for Red Bull as the rain teemed down at Monza and Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais fourth in the second Toro Rosso, proof the team had judged the conditions perfectly.

Vettel, 21, was delighted with his performance.

“It is just fantastic that this has happened. I can't believe it myself. Before the session, I said that with all the rain I could go for the pole and I was only joking.

“I really did not expect it and it is amazing. This is a dream come true. It is such a great day for us and for the team,” said Vettel.

“We have made such huge progress in the last couple of years. But there was so much water out there and at the Ascari chicane it was just so difficult not to go off.”

“Now everyone will know there are two Italian teams in Formula One - one big one called Ferrari and us, we are also an Italian team, but a bit smaller!”

But Vettel refused to get carried away with his achievement, saying he needed more than rain to help him hang on to his place and grab his first win in Sunday's big race.

“Obviously, if it is raining it is better to be at the front in a wet race because you can see, you have the best view and then you have a chance.

“I don't want to talk like that because if we finish in the points it will be fantastic, and if we finish on the podium it would be incredible. Anything can happen, so I must keep my feet on the ground.”

Vettel bettered the record of two-time world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who grabbed his first pole at the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix aged 21.

The young German made the most of heavy and incessant rain in Saturday's qualifying to seize the grid position on a day when championship-leading Briton Lewis Hamilton could only manage 15th in the drenched conditions.

Hamilton, who was controversially stripped of victory at last week's Belgian Grand Prix, admitted he had blundered over tyre choice.

“It was a joint decision to go out on wet-weather tyres at the start of Q2 - partly mine and partly my engineers',” said Hamilton.

“We thought it was the right way to go at the time because it was getting drier, but the grip level was poor so I came in and switched to extremes.

“By the time I got out, it had begun to rain and I just missed the window when the track was at its fastest.”

German Nico Rosberg was fifth fastest for Williams ahead of Brazilian Massa, who was sixth for Ferrari.

His team-mate, defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland, was down in 16th place behind Hamilton.

“It was such a very difficult qualifying session, for everyone,” said Massa, who is seeking his first points position finish in his sixth attempt at the Italian Grand Prix.

He has never previously finished better than eighth.

“But, overall, I am reasonably happy. I am ahead of my main rivals in the fight for the championship and, therefore, I still have a good grid position.”

Italian Jarno Trulli was seventh for Toyota ahead of two times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault, German Timo Glock for Toyota and another German Nick Heidfeld for BMW Sauber.

September 29, 2008

SPANIARD Fernando Alonso snapped a year-long win drought to take the Singapore Grand Prix, winning a drama-filled first night race as a comical error cost Felipe Massa dearly.

It was the Renault driver's first victory since the Italian Grand Prix last year and capped a remarkable weekend that saw him top two of the free practice sessions but start 15th on the grid after a mechanical problem in qualifying.

He claimed his 20th career triumph by 2.95sec over German Nico Rosberg in a Williams and British world championship leader Lewis Hamilton in third.

Toyota driver Timo Glock was fourth with Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel following up his win in Italy this month with fifth. BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld took sixth.

"It is fantastic, I am extremely happy. I can't believe it right now and it will take a few days to realise what we have done," said Alonso.

"Winning had seemed impossible all season but we have been competitive all weekend. The car was super."

The race was a new experience for every driver on a street circuit under powerful spotlights and it turned out to be one of the most exciting of the season.

Despite dark clouds lurking, Singapore's notorious tropical downpours stayed away and the whole race was run in dry, but hot and humid conditions.

Rosberg scored his best ever finish and was over the moon.

"The car felt pretty good and we knew we could be strong on this track and for once the luck went with us," he said.

Similarly, Hamilton was happy to get points while Massa didn't.

"I enjoyed driving here and I'm pretty happy," he said. "It was a tough weekend but we got some good points."

Ferrari's Massa started from pole but a disastrous mistake cost him the race and valuable points in his push for the world title.

His 13th place finish means he is now seven points behind Hamilton in the championship hunt with just three Grand Prix left at Japan, China and Brazil.

The Brazilian was in the pits on lap 15 when he was given the green light and drove off with the fuel hose still attached to his car, leaving one of the pit crew floored and subsequently carted off in a neck brace.

Massa ended up sitting in his Ferrari at the end of the pit lane as the crew ran after him and managed to pull the hose free, but it ruined his chances. He was given a drive through penalty and rejoined in 18th place.

It was a miserable night for Ferrari with defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen ramming his car into the barriers with just four laps left.

The Massa drama occurred after the cars came in when Nelson Piquet careered into the wall, causing massive damage to his Renault.

He climbed out unscathed but the safety car was deployed.

Massa was leading at the time with Hamilton second but at the restart, Rosberg was in front and Alonso fifth.

But Rosberg was subsequently slapped with a 10-second stop penalty for coming into the pits before it had opened after the Piquet crash.

The complicated scenario saw Toyota's Jarno Trulli in the lead on lap 28 but without having pitted with Alonso second, Rosberg third and Hamilton charging in sixth.

With Trulli taking his first pit stop soon after Alonso amazingly found himself in front just after the halfway mark with a 4.9 second lead over Rosberg.

Alonso came in for his second pit stop on lap 41 and came out still ahead, marginally ahead of David Coulthard and Hamilton.

Remarkably, when Coulthard pitted soon after, he too drove off with the fuel pipe attached, knocking over a mechanic who was stretchered off with an injured ankle.
There was more action to come.

Alonso was cruising with a 23 second lead when Adrian Sutil shunted his Force India into the wall, bringing the safety car out again and wiping out the Spaniard's advantage.

When they restarted with seven laps left it was a sprint to the finish and two-time world champion Alonso made no mistake, writing his name in the record books as the first winner of a Formula One night race.


F1GP - SIngapore Grand Prix
Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:57:16.304
2 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +2.9 secs
3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +5.9 secs
4 12 Timo Glock Toyota +8.1 secs
5 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +10.2 secs
6 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +11.1 secs
7 9 David Coulthard Red Bull +16.3 secs
8 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +18.4 secs
9 16 Jenson Button Honda +19.8 secs
10 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren +26.9 secs
11 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +27.9 secs
12 14 Sebastian Bourdais Toro Rosso +29.4 secs
13 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari +35.1 secs
14 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +43.5 secs
15 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari DNF
16 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota DNF
17 20 Adrian Sutil Force India DNF
18 10 Mark Webber Red Bull DNF
19 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda DNF
20 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault DNF

F1 Drivers Ladder
Driver Team Pts
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 84
2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 77
3 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 64
4 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 57
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 56
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 51
7 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 38
8 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso 27
9 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 26
10 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 20
11 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 20
12 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 17
13 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 13
14 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda 11
15 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 9
16 David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull 8
17 Sebastian Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 4
18 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda 3
19 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
20 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
21 Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri 0
22 Anthony Davidson (GBR) Super Aguri 0

Team Pts
1 McLaren 135
2 Ferrari 134
3 BMW Sauber 120
4 Renault 51
5 Toyota 46
6 Toro Rosso 31
7 Red Bull 28
8 Williams 26
9 Honda 14
10 Force India 0
11 Super Aguri 0

Alonso wins Japanese Grand Prix
October 12, 2008

FERNANDO Alonso took full advantage of the mistakes and misfortunes of others to claim his second successive victory when he won the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Spaniard made the most of incidents and errors that wrecked the day for championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa as he steered his Renault to the 21st win of his career, following his victory in Singapore.

He came home 5.2 seconds clear of second placed Pole Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber with defending drivers champion Finn Kimi Raikkonen third for Ferrari.

Brazil's Nelson Piquet was fourth in the second Renault ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli of Toyota and the two Toro Rossos of Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais and German Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton failed to score a point for McLaren Mercedes after a drama-filled afternoon following a poor start from pole position and some impetuous moves. He eventually finished 12th.

But his main title rival Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari also struggled through collisions, errors and penalties on his way to finishing eighth to claim a single point.

This reduced Hamilton's lead to six points with two races remaining in China and Brazil.

Hamilton's teammate Finn Heikki Kovalainen retired with a blown engine in the early stages.

In the constructors' championship, Ferrari jumped back into the lead with a six points cushion over McLaren.

When the lights went out, the start produced chaotic drama as Hamilton made a slow getaway and struggled to keep up with Raikkonen who pulled clear to lead as they surged towards the first corner.

Hamilton responded immediately by switching to the inside and attempting to pass the Finn under braking, but he was unable to make the corner and went off across the run-off area.

In the packed field behind him, there were bumps and collisions that led to Briton David Coulthard in his Red Bull and Japan's Kazuki Nakajima in a Williams going off, the Scot crashing heavily into the barriers.

Hamilton's rush inside Raikkonen had taken the Finn off the track with him and this led to a stewards' investigation that resulted in a drive-through penalty for the championship leader.

As the field settled, Kubica was leading ahead of Alonso before further incidents arrived on lap two when Hamilton, in sixth, attacked and passed Massa who ran off the track and then collided with the Englishman's McLaren.

Massa's Ferrari spun Hamilton's car to a halt and left him stranded as the field streamed through with the Briton forced to wait and rejoin last with wrecked tyres.

Like Hamilton, Massa's actions were investigated and the stewards gave him a drive-through penalty. The incident also caused Hamilton to pit immediately for tyres.

As all this took place, the race unfolded with Kubica leading Alonso towards the first pit stops when the Spaniard took control.

Alonso delivered a rapid burst to establish his position before he pitted and once the lead had been passed to Trulli and then Bourdais, it was Piquet out in front.

On lap 28, Piquet finally made his first stop and Alonso regained the lead with a 7.8 seconds advantage.

By lap 30, Alonso was pulling clear and Massa was 12th and Hamilton 14th.

After his impetuous start, Hamilton was a long way from scoring any points and his only consolation was that Massa also struggled, although the Brazilian worked his way through the field to earn a valuable point.

F1GP - Japanese Grand Prix
Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 01:30:21.892
2 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +5.2 secs
3 1 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +6.4 secs
4 6 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault +20.5 secs
5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota +23.7 secs
6 14 Sebastian Bourdais Toro Rosso +34.0 secs
7 15 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso +39.2 secs
8 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari +46.1 secs
9 10 Mark Webber Red Bull +50.8 secs
10 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +54.1 secs
11 7 Nico Rosberg Williams +62.0 secs
12 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren +78.9 secs
13 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda +1 Lap
14 16 Jenson Button Honda +1 Lap
15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams +1 Lap
16 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India DNF
17 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren DNF
18 20 Adrian Sutil Force India DNF
19 12 Timo Glock Toyota DNF
20 9 David Coulthard Red Bull DNF

Driver Team Pts
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 84
2 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 78
3 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber 72
4 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 63
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber 56
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren 51
7 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 48
8 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota 30
9 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso 29
10 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 20
11 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull 20
12 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault 18
13 Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams 17
14 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda 11
15 Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams 9
16 David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull 8
17 Sebastian Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso 7
18 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda 3
19 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India 0
20 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India 0
21 Takuma Sato (JAP) Super Aguri 0
22 Anthony Davidson (GBR) Super Aguri 0

Team Pts
1 Ferrari 141
2 McLaren 135
3 BMW Sauber 128
4 Renault 66
5 Toyota 50
6 Toro Rosso 36
7 Red Bull 28
8 Williams 26
9 Honda 14
10 Force India 0
11 Super Aguri 0