Sebastian Vettel secures victory in crazy Korean Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel has stormed to his fourth successive Formula 1 victory for Red Bull, after an utterly crazy 55-lap race around the Korea International Circuit. The race was plagued by two safety car periods, as a frenetic race ensued up and down the order. Sebastian Vettel was joined on the podium by the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with Nico Hulkenberg an impressive 4th for Sauber.
At the start Sebastian Vettel enjoyed a tremendous getaway off of the line, cruising into the lead of the race whereas Lewis Hamilton struggled and instantly came under pressure from the Lotus of Romain Grosjean. As the field streamed down the long straight between Turns 2 and 3, the Frenchman managed to perfect an overtaking maneuver on Lewis Hamilton for 2nd as the pack ran five-wide at one stage on the run down to Turn 3. Under braking Felipe Massa lost control of the rear of his Ferrari, which subsequently saw the Brazilian driver come to a halt in the middle of the track.
Although Felipe Massa was able to continue circulating, albeit towards the back of the pack, a concertina-effect rippled through the midfield as many drivers strove to avoid the stricken Ferrari. Both Adrian Sutil and Jenson Button sustained minor front-wing damage in the process, which accounted for their early pit-stops for replacements. After starting the race from way down in 13th position, the Australian sensation began gradually climbing his way through the order with an overtaking maneuver on the McLaren of Sergio Perez and then the Williams of Pastor Maldonado.
As the opening laps of the race ensued, Felipe Massa became the next driver to pit for Ferrari as Jenson Button managed to produce the fastest lap of the race after pitting for new tyres and a front-wing. Pastor Maldonado, Paul di Resta and Esteban Gutierrez all elected to pit a lap later, as Giedo van der Garde and Jules Bianchi came under investigation after an opening lap misdemeanor. Whilst several more pit-stops ensued up and down the order, Kimi Raikkonen managed to find a way around the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, before he too elected to pit along with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. After being investigated by the stewards for forcing Jules Bianchi off of the circuit at the start, Giedo van der Garde was struck with a drive-thru penalty. This decision by the stewards would undoubtedly have left a bitter taste in the mouthes within the Caterham camp, as the Dutchman was running a competitive 12th at the time of his penalty.
On Lap 10 Romain Grosjean pitted from 2nd position, with the Frenchman enjoying a highly competitive opening few laps to the Korean Grand Prix. Upon returning to the action he was only just able to remain ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, as the duo battled fiercely for position through Turns 3 and 4. Whilst the 2008 World Champion strove to find a way around the Lotus driver, race leader Sebastian Vettel pitted. Once again the Red Bull mechanics perfected a smooth stop for the German, as Mark Webber amazingly assumed the lead of the race despite starting from a lowly 13th position.
The Australian sensation’s lead at the front was unfortunately short-lived, as he soon pitted and therefore ceded the lead of the race back to his German team-mate. Whilst Sebastian Vettel opened up the gap at the front to the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, action further down the order saw Sergio Perez come under investigation from the stewards for allegedly forcing Paul di Resta off of the track. By Lap 17, everyone except the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo had carried out at least one pit-stop. This left the Australian driver a strong 4th ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, who quickly managed to find a way around the future Red Bull driver.
On Lap 26 Paul di Resta became the first retirement of the race, after he lost control of his Force India through the tricky Turn 12 and subsequently buried his car in the retaining tyre barrier. This was the 27-year-old’s fifth consecutive retirement behind the wheel of his Force India VJM06, amid a disappointing second half of the season for the Silverstone-based outfit. As the stricken Force India was gradually cleared under double-waved yellows by the Korean marshals, Mark Webber managed to find a way around the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso for 5th.
Utter mayhem was unleashed on Lap 28, when Nico Rosberg tried to overtake team-mate Lewis Hamilton. In the process the German’s front-wing became dislodged, creating a spectacular sight as sparks flew over the front of the Mercedes machine. Miraculously Nico Rosberg managed to both maintain control of his car and complete the overtaking maneuver on Lewis Hamilton, before limping back to the pits for a new front-wing. This in turn forced his British team-mate to remain out on track for another lap, despite suffering from severely degraded tyres in 3rd position.
Due to Lewis Hamilton’s struggle on his second set of tyres, the 2008 World Champion was in danger of being caught by the Red Bull of Mark Webber, who elected to pit on Lap 31. A lap later further madness ensued when Sergio Perez’s front-right tyre exploded down the long straight between Turns 2 and 3, showering the circuit in debris and pieces of rubber. The Mexican sensation managed to remain in control of his McLaren, as the safety car was unsurprisingly called upon due to the amount of debris on the track.
Almost immediately after the safety car’s deployment, both Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean pitted at the front along with many other drivers up and down the order. After several long laps behind the safety car, the race was resumed with Sebastian Vettel in the lead of the race ahead of the Lotus of Romain Grosjean. However, the safety car was called upon shortly after the restart, amid further confusion and madness involving an incident between Adrian Sutil and Mark Webber. The Force India driver lost control of his car under braking much like Felipe Massa at the start, and collected Mark Webber at Turn 3. The Australian driver’s car immediately caught fire, and continued to burn through the rear of the car.
Hulkenberg was the star of the 55-lap race, as he fended off both Hamilton and Alonso
Eventually a fire truck was deployed to assist with the blaze, however the safety car had yet to be deployed creating a peculiar scenario as race leader Sebastian Vettel caught up with the fire truck only moments before the safety car was deployed. Prior to Sutil and Webber’s collision, Kimi Raikkonen managed to overtake Romain Grosjean for 2nd with Nico Hulkenberg 4th for Sauber. Once the race was finally resumed on Lap 40, Sebastian Vettel managed to storm off into the distance once again with Kimi Raikkonen in hot pursuit for Lotus. Further back Fernando Alonso desperately tried to overtake Lewis Hamilton for 5th, however the former McLaren driver managed to defend his position and begin catching Nico Hulkenberg.
As the race entered its closing stages, a highly frenetic battle within the midfield ensued between the likes of Felipe Massa, Sergio Perez, Pastor Maldonado, Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas. After causing the second safety car period and signaling the end of Mark Webber’s race, Adrian Sutil was struck with a drive-thru penalty for speeding in the pits. During the final few laps Lewis Hamilton desperately tried to perfect an overtaking maneuver on Nico Hulkenberg for 4th, however the straight-line speed of the Sauber coupled with the German’s superb defensive driving saw him remain ahead of the Briton.
After a torrid second half of the race for Adrian Sutil, the German eventually pitted into retirement on Lap 52, as Nico Rosberg muscled his way around the McLaren of Jenson Button for 7th. During the final few laps both the Toro Rosso drivers’ of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne entered retirement due to mechanical issues, as Sebastian Vettel remained dominant out in front ahead of the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen. Eventually the reigning Champion crossed the line to take yet another victory for Red Bull, and his hat-trick of victories around the Korea International Circuit.
The Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean joined Sebastian Vettel on the podium, with the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg undoubtedly securing the driver of the day award after fending off the advances of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to finish a highly competitive 4th. After a thrilling and frenetic 55-lap race around the Korea International Circuit, the sport will now immediately depart for Suzuka in preparation for the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend. Sebastian Vettel could well clinch the title in Japan, a trait which has been achieved by many of the greats in past including the German in 2011.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Korean Grand Prix Korean International Circuit, Korea; 55 laps; 308.630km; Weather: Dry. Classified: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h43m13.701s 2. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault +4.200s 3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault +4.900s 4. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari +24.100s 5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +25.200s 6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari +26.100s 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes +26.600s 8. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes +32.200s 9. Felipe Massa Ferrari +34.300s 10. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes +35.100s 11. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari +35.900s 12. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault +47.000s 13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault +50.000s 14. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault +1m03.500s 15. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault +1m04.500s 16. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth +1m07.900s 17. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth +1m12.900s 18. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari +2 laps 19. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari +3 laps 20. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes +5 laps Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:41.380 Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 36 laps Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 24 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Pirelli
Aaro Vainio storms to GP3 victory after lights-to-flag drive at Budapest
Aaro Vainio has stormed to his third GP3 victory around the Hungaroring, after a masterful lights-to-flag drive from the Finn who managed to fend off the charging Conor Daly during the closing laps. The leading duo were followed by Russian ace Daniil Kvyat in the MW Arden, with Jack Harvey 4th.
At the start Aaro Vainio stormed into a commanding lead over Conor Daly, as the 27-car field negotiated the tricky first few corners without incident. During the opening few laps Championship leader Tio Ellinas plummeted through the order, after first Patric Niederhauser and then Alex Fontana and Dino Zamparelli all overtook the struggling Cypriot. Whilst the field began to evenly spread themselves out around the tight and twisty confines of the Hungaroring, Aaro Vainio managed to open up a comfortable two second lead over the American ace of Conor Daly.
By Lap 9 Tio Ellinas managed to recover after his highly uncompetitive start to the race, with the Marussia Manor Racing driver managing to overtake Dino Zamparelli down the start/finish straight. As the race progressed numerous battles raged on up and down the order, with the likes of Patric Niederhauser, Giovanni Venturini and Tio Ellinas all battling hard for position. The latter began pushing beyond the limits in the closing stages of the race, as he dipped a wheel onto the grass and run extensively wide on the exit of Turn 4 but managed to rejoin.
The flow of the race was disrupted on Lap 12, after a big shunt between Luis Sa Silva and Emanuele Zonzini, with Samin Gomez also involved but miraculously able to continue. As Sa Silva, Zonzini and Gomez negotiated Turn 1, utter disaster struck when Gomez collided with Sa Silva and the unsuspecting Trident of Zonzini barrel-rolled over the Angolan driver. This incident naturally brought out the safety car, as the efficient marshals cleared the two stricken cars and debris.
After only several laps behind the safety car the race was resumed, with Conor Daly pressurizing race leader Aaro Vainio. The ART Grand Prix driver was frustratingly denied the luxury of overtaking the race leader, as the duo negotiated Turn 2 practically side-by-side. Further back the traditional GP3 mayhem ensued, as Lewis Williamson suffered a spectacular spin in a cloud of tyre smoke. Melville McKee endured a frustrating end to the race, as he dropped through the order whilst running wide with Jimmy Eriksson between Turns 4 and 5.
Despite the crazy end to the race, Aaro Vainio managed to keep his composure and secure a masterful victory after a mature drive from the Koiranen GP driver. The leading duo were separated by just +0.6 seconds across the line, with Daniil Kvyat just under five seconds behind for MW Arden. Robert Visoiu managed to finish 8th, therefore securing him the reverse grid pole for tomorrow’s second race. The Romanian driver will start alongside Kevin Korjus.
Results - 17 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Aaro Vainio Koiranen 29m17.213s
2. Conor Daly ART +0.691s
3. Daniil Kvyat MW Arden +4.853s
4. Jack Harvey ART +7.061s
5. Carlos Sainz Jr MW Arden +7.262s
6. Facu Regalia ART +7.507s
7. Kevin Korjus Koiranen +8.588s
8. Robert Visoiu MW Arden +9.307s
9. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer +10.295s
10. Giovanni Venturini Trident +11.550s
11. Alex Fontana Jenzer +12.736s
12. Tio Ellinas Manor +13.175s
13. Dino Zamparelli Manor +14.139s
14. Jimmy Eriksson Status +16.751s
15. Patrick Kujala Koiranen +18.645s
16. Nick Yelloly Carlin +18.793s
17. David Fumanelli Trident +19.245s
18. Melville McKee Bamboo +21.309s
19. Eric Lichtenstein Carlin +21.428s
20. Samin Gomez Jenzer +21.725s
21. Adderly Fong Status +22.012s
22. Josh Webster Status +22.372s
23. Carmen Jorda Bamboo +22.793s
24. Lewis Williamson Bamboo +23.417s
Retirements:
Driver Team Laps
Luis Sa Silva Carlin 12
Emanuele Zonzini Trident 12
Josh Webster Status 6
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP3 Series Media Service
Sebastian Vettel Holds Off Kimi Raikkonen For First Victory On Home Soil
Sebastian Vettel has finally secured his maiden victory on home soil, after an eventful 60-lap German Grand Prix around the iconic Nurburgring circuit. The German sensation only just managed to hold off the charging Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen, with the Finn’s team-mate a close 3rd after a superlative race performance.
Despite securing an impressive pole position for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton suffered a disastrous start as he was pounced upon by the Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber from both sides down into Turn 1. Local hero Sebastian Vettel assumed the lead, with team-mate Mark Webber 2nd after a surprisingly strong start. As the opening lap of the race ensued, many battles raged up and down the order, with both of the McLarens’ and Force Indias’ battling hard down into Turn 1.
Lewis Hamilton is pounced upon at the start by the Red Bull duo.
Felipe Massa’s race last only three laps, before the Brazilian driver spun out at Turn 1 in peculiar fashion. With speculation ripe over his future with Ferrari, an embarrassing retirement was not what the 32-year-old required. After only four laps many midfield drivers’ began diving into the pits, including Paul di Resta and Jean-Eric Vergne. The Force India mechanics dangerously released the Scotsman after servicing his car, right into the path of Jean-Eric Vergne. The incident would be investigated after the race, as Lewis Hamilton elected to pit on Lap 5 in a bid to perfect the ‘undercut’ on the Red Bull duo who had robbed him at the start.
Race leader Sebastian Vettel immediately responded to Lewis Hamilton’s actions, with the German driver plunging into the pits and therefore gifting the lead to team-mate Mark Webber. On Lap 8 horror struck in the pit-lane, as Mark Webber came in for his stop from the lead. As the Australian driver left his pit-box, his right-rear tyre worked its way loose and shot into the direction of the pit crew. The tyre then slammed into the back of an unsuspecting cameraman, hitting him on the head. The cameraman in question immediately received medial attention, and it was later confirmed he was suffering from concussion and chest pains.
As the panic ensued in the pits, Mark Webber was wheeled back into the pit-box and then re-released, a lap down and plum last. Meanwhile Romain Grosjean had assumed the lead of the race, as Sebastian Vettel scythed his way through the drivers’ who had yet to pit and back up to 3rd by Lap 11. Whereas the German looked to return to the front of the pack, Lewis Hamilton was frustratingly held up by team-mate Nico Rosberg. The German was eventually instructed to allow his team-mate through, with the German yet to pit in the Mercedes.
Fernando Alonso pitted from 2nd position on Lap 12, therefore releasing Sebastian Vettel to hunt down Romain Grosjean who was still producing impressive lap times at the front. However, the Frenchman soon pitted a lap later, allowing the local favorite to resume his lead at the front. With Jenson Button yet to make his first pit stop, the former World Champion found himself in 2nd position, but was soon overtaken by the charging Romain Grosjean who looked impressively quick in the Lotus.
After momentarily holding up Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg pitted from 4th position. However, Lewis Hamilton’s pace of the previous day simply seemed to evaporate in the opening stages of the race, as Kimi Raikkonen stormed around the outside of firstly Nico Rosberg and then the 2008 World Champion with considerable ease. Jenson Button finally pitted from 3rd on Lap 21, releasing Kimi Raikkonen before Lewis Hamilton elected to pit again with Mercedes’ tyre woes returning with vengeance.
Jules Bianchi’s race was brought to a fiery and premature conclusion on Lap 23, with the Frenchman’s Marussia suffering a spectacular engine failure which saw a fierce oil fire briefly erupt towards the rear of his car. The 23-year-old quickly removed himself from the car, however the car then proceeded to roll casually down the back straight and across the circuit, forcing the safety car to be deployed as the marshals strove to clear the stricken car in comical fashion.
As soon as the safety car was deployed almost the entire field immediately elected to pit, including the leading trio of Sebastian Vettel, Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen. Jean-Eric Vergne was forced into a second consecutive retirement under the safety car conditions, with the Toro Rosso driver suffering from a hydraulics issue. The race was eventually resumed on Lap 29, as Sebastian Vettel continued to lead at the front ahead of the Lotus duo. However, the Red Bull ace struggled to open up a gap to Romain Grosjean, who continued to catch the reigning Champion as rumors emerged that he had lost KERS.
Despite catching Sebastian Vettel and swarming all over the rear of his Red Bull, Romain Grosjean failed to perfect an overtaking maneuver and eventually pitted for new tyres on Lap 40. This released Kimi Raikkonen, who soon assumed the lead of the race as Sebastian Vettel pitted to defend against Romain Grosjean’s renewed pace on new tyres. The German remained ahead of the Frenchman upon exiting the pit-lane, as Kimi Raikkonen remained out in the lead. Whilst Kimi Raikkonen still continued to produce consistently quick times at the front, Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean began working their way through the drivers who had yet to pit including Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes in 4th.
The initial pole man soon pitted once again, as did Jenson Button who therefore released Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean into the path of race leader Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, who many were beginning to think would remain out on the circuit until the end of the race. However, both Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso elected to pit on Lap 49, with both drivers electing for Pirelli’s soft tyre compound. This created a thrilling climax to the German Grand Prix, as Kimi Raikkonen hunted down team-mate Romain Grosjean and race leader Kimi Raikkonen.
Eventually the Frenchman was instructed to let the Finn through, a team order Romain Grosjean dutifully adhered to. As Kimi Raikkonen hunted down Sebastian Vettel for the lead of the race, Fernando Alonso began catching Romain Grosjean for 3rd. However, the top four positions remained unchanged as Sebastian Vettel stormed across the line to secure his first ever victory on home soil, becoming the first German driver to do so since Michael Schumacher back in 2006.
The reigning Champion’s fourth victory of the season has enabled him to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 34 points over Fernando Alonso, who in turn remains ahead of Kimi Raikkonen by only seven points. The sport will reconvene in several weeks time around Budapest’s Hungaroring, for the 28th running of the Hungarian Grand Prix, another race Sebastian Vettel has yet to win.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The German Grand Prix Nurburgring, Germany; 60 laps; 306.458km; Weather: Sunny. Classified: Pos Driver Team 1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 2. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 3. Grosjean Lotus-Renault 4. Alonso Ferrari 5. Hamilton Mercedes 6. Button McLaren-Mercedes 7. Webber Red Bull-Renault 8. Perez McLaren-Mercedes 9. Rosberg Mercedes 10. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 11. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes 12. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 13. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 14. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 15. Maldonado Williams-Renault 16. Bottas Williams-Renault 17. Pic Caterham-Renault 18. van der Garde Caterham-Renault 19. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth DNF. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari DNF. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth DNF. Massa Ferrari
Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images
Nico Rosberg Romps To A Dominant Monaco GP Victory
Nico Rosberg has romped to a dominant victory around the streets of Monte-Carlo, after a thrilling and incident-filled 78-lap race which featured everything from safety car periods to a red flag delay. The Mercedes ace was followed home by fellow countryman Sebastian Vettel, with Mark Webber just holding off Lewis Hamilton for 3rd.
After the damp and dreary weather conditions which plagued qualifying, the Monte-Carlo street circuit was once again bathed in glorious sunshine for the legendary race. As the field began the traditional formation lap, the Marussia of Jules Bianchi stalled on the grid and was subsequently forced to start the race from the pit-lane. At the start Nico Rosberg stormed into a commanding lead, as Lewis Hamilton defended heavily from the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel.
The Silver Arrows led at the front as the lights went out.
As the field negotiated the opening lap of the race, Giedo van der Garde collided with the Williams of Pastor Maldonado at Turn 6 and lost his front-wing. The duo were forced to return to the pits after the opening lap for repairs, loosing them valuable track time. Throughout the opening laps, Nico Rosberg continued to open up a considerable gap to his team-mate, as Charles Pic became the first retirement of the race after his gearbox suffered a seizure and caused a fire on his Caterham.
Luckily the ever-efficient Monegasque marshals were able to clear the stricken Caterham and quickly extinguish the flames without the need of a safety car intervention. The order remained relatively unchanged for the first part of the race, until Mark Webber became the first front-runner to pit on Lap 25. With a one-stop strategy the plan for the majority of the front-runners, the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso all pitted within the next two laps.
The race was thrown into utter confusion on Lap 29, when Felipe Massa once again slammed into the retaining barriers at Turn 1 in similar fashion to his incident during practice three. The Brazilian driver violently embedded his Ferrari into the barriers at Turn 1, causing the first of many safety car periods. As soon as the safety car was deployed, Sebastian Vettel and the two Mercedes’ immediately pitted. With Lewis Hamilton being forced to complete a slow in-lap due to the German marque stacking their drivers in the pits, the Briton lost track position to the Red Bull duo whereas Nico Rosberg managed to retain the lead.
After several laps behind the safety car, the race was resumed with Nico Rosberg once again opening up a comfortable lead at the front. Lewis Hamilton was visibly frustrated behind the Red Bull of Mark Webber, and tried an overtaking maneuver at Turn 18. However, the former Monaco Grand Prix winner managed to defend his position heavily through Turn 19. During the early stages of the race the McLaren duo fought perilously close, and continued to do so as the race progressed.
Jenson Button tried an overtaking maneuver on Fernando Alonso at Turn 6, but failed to complete the move and lightly tapped the rear of the Spaniard’s Ferrari. This enabled Sergio Perez to close right up on his team-mate, and master an overtaking maneuver into Turn 10. The race was momentarily red flagged on Lap 45, when Pastor Maldonado and Max Chilton came together at the high-speed at Turn 12.
After running wide following a battle with the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton slowed on the run down to Turn 12 allowing Pastor Maldonado to catch the Briton. Just before the corner, the duo touched which launched Maldonado momentarily into the air and then into the retaining barrier. Upon impact, the barrier absorbed Maldonado’s Williams and then flung it back out onto the track. The barrier itself became dislodged from its placing and was also spat out onto the track. This caused a red flag delay, forcing the field to line up at the grid.
Eventually after a delay of several minutes, the race was resumed behind the safety car. After only one lap of safety car control, the race returned to green flag conditions with Nico Rosberg scampering away at the front as Lewis Hamilton continued to try and find a way around Mark Webber’s Red Bull. Max Chilton was subsequently issued with a drive-thru penalty for causing the incident with Pastor Maldonado, which the Briton served immediately.
As the majority of the field continued to follow each other, Adrian Sutil threw caution to the wind and stormed up the inside of firstly Jenson Button and then Fernando Alonso several laps later at Turn 6. Jules Bianchi became the next retirement of Lap 60, as the Frenchman lost control of his Marussia and spun into the retaining tyre barrier at Turn 1. The third and final safety car delay of the day was caused when Romain Grosjean’s incident-filled weekend continued when he slammed into the rear of Daniel Ricciardo at Turn 10, ruining both of their races.
The safety car period was short-lived, as Nico Rosberg managed to continue his lead at the front over reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Further down the order saw Sergio Perez continue his feisty drive through the field, resulting in an altercation with the Finn of Kimi Raikkonen. This resulted in a puncture for the Lotus driver and saw Sergio Perez forced into retirement at Turn 19. Kimi Raikkonen therefore pitted for replace his delaminated tyre, dropping him right to the back of the field.
However, as Nico Rosberg stormed across the line to secure a memorable and historic victory, Kimi Raikkonen simply scythed through the field during the closing laps to finish 10th and secure himself another sensational points finish. Nico Rosberg, however, created history as the first son of a former Monaco Grand Prix winner to win the race himself, after his father Keke Rosberg’s victory in 1983.
Despite such a dominant race weekend for the Mercedes duo, Sebastian Vettel still managed to increase his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with another strong result in 2nd position. The reigning World Champion will be striving to utilize Pirelli’s revised tyres next time out at the Canadian Grand Prix around Montreal’s Circuit du Gilles Villeneuve. However, the Mercedes’ duo will once again be out to upset the Red Bull party at the front.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Monaco Grand Prix Monte Carlo, Monaco; 78 laps; 260.520km; Weather: . Classified: Pos Driver Team 1. Rosberg Mercedes 2. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 3. Webber Red Bull-Renault 4. Hamilton Mercedes 5. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 6. Button McLaren-Mercedes 7. Alonso Ferrari 8. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 9. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes 10. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 11. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 12. Bottas Williams-Renault 13. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 14. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 15. van der Garde Caterham-Renault DNF. Perez McLaren-Mercedes DNF. Grosjean Lotus-Renault DNF. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari DNF. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth DNF. Maldonado Williams-Renault DNF. Massa Ferrari DNF. Pic Caterham-Renault
Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images
Bird Is The Word In Monaco After Incident-Filled GP2 Feature Race
Sam Bird has taken a memorable victory around the streets of Monte-Carlo after a frenetic incident-filled feature race, which included a lengthy delay after a monumental multi-car pile-up at Turn 1. The British sensation was followed home by Kevin Ceccon, with reigning GP3 Champion Mitch Evans 3rd after another wonderful drive.
The start of the feature was initially delayed by roughly 15 minutes, after a barrier was fixed following an incident during a previous qualifying session. Eventually the five red lights went out to unleash utter carnage at Turn 1, whereas Sergio Canamasas stalled on the grid. Heading into Turn 1, Mitch Evans stormed into the lead from 2nd on the grid, whereas his team-mate Johnny Cecotto jr. ran straight into the retaining tyre barrier with Fabio Leimer alongside.
This resulted in a monumental multi-car incident further behind, as the entire GP2 field simply had no space to avoid the ensuing melee. Marcus Ericsson was one of the many drivers involved in the incident, as Jolyon Palmer spun in his urge to avoid a collision, blocking the track and creating a rather expensive car park. In total Johnny Cecotto jr., Fabio Leimer, Jolyon Palmer, Robin Frijns, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Rossi, Nathaniel Berthon, Kevin Giovesi and Julian Leal were all eliminated from proceedings, as the race was unsurprisingly red flagged.
Many others were also caught up in the incident, however the likes of Rene Binder, Jake Rosenzweig and Daniel Abt were luckily able to restart their engines and return to the back of the grid for the restart. Eventually it was decided that the race was to be restarted behind the safety car in the order the field were in at Sector One, with the drivers who were involved in the incident at the back of the grid in the order of their qualifying result.
As the race was restarted from behind the safety car, Mitch Evans took the lead ahead of Sam Bird in the Russian Time machine. After only one lap behind the safety car, the race returned to green flag conditions with the Kiwi out in front. However, it quickly became apparent that Sam Bird was much quicker than Mitch Evans, however the frustratingly narrow characteristics of the Monte-Carlo street circuit prevented the Briton from perfecting an maneuver for the lead.
By Lap 7 the order began completing their first compulsory pit-stops, with local hero and Championship leader Stefano Coletti and Frenchman Tom Dillmann becoming the first to do so. Sergio Canamasas was one of the many drivers who pitted early, however the reason for his stop was due largely to his minor incident with Jake Rosenzweig at Turn 10 which damaged his front-wing. On Lap 11 Kevin Ceccon elected to carry out his pit-stop, with the Trident Racing mechanics perfecting a stellar stop to allow the Italian to eventually leapfrog Mitch Evans who stopped a lap later.
The Kiwi’s stop allowed Sam Bird to assume the lead of the race, a lead he would retain until the checkered flag. During the many pit-stops, Dutchman Daniel de Jong managed to rise to 2nd for MP Motorsport. However, his 2nd position was ceded to Rene Binder on Lap 15 when he also carried out his pit-stop. The Dutchman suffered a slow stop, and dipped a tyre over the yellow line at the pit exit which saw him struck with a drive-thru penalty.
Whilst Daniel de Jong suffered a frustrating pit-stop, race leader Sam Bird’s Russian Time mechanics managed to perfect a mesmerizing pit-stop to enable the Briton to retain his lead over Rene Binder, Kevin Ceccon and Mitch Evans. The race at the front managed to continue relatively incident-free, despite the earlier carnage. However, further down the order saw Daniel Abt sneak up the inside of Rio Haryanto at Turn 19 and barge the Indonesian ace into the retaining wall. This saw Abt also struck with a drive-thru penalty, as Haryanto was forced into retirement.
Eventually Rene Binder carried out his compulsory pit-stop on Lap 29, enabling Kevin Ceccon and Mitch Evans to rise through the order to 2nd and 3rd respectively. Despite a close battle for 2nd between Ceccon and Evans, the top three remained unchanged as Sam Bird glided across the line to secure his second victory of the season. British driver Adrian Quaife-Hobbs managed to secure the reverse grid pole for tomorrow’s sprint race, despite initially qualifying last on the grid. The MP Motorsport driver will start alongside Rene Binder on the reverse grid.
Results - 42 laps:
Pos Driver Team
1. Sam Bird Russian Time
2. Kevin Ceccon Trident + 22.0s
3. Mitch Evans Arden + 23.2s
4. Felipe Nasr Carlin + 23.4s
5. James Calado ART + 29.5s
6. Stefano Coletti Rapax + 1m00.5s
7. Rene Binder Lazarus + 1m02.4s
8. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs MP + 1m08.4s
9. Stephane Richelmi DAMS + 1m12.1s
10. Daniel de Jong MP + 1m22.4s
11. Tom Dillmann Russian Time + 1m29.3s
12. Jon Lancaster Hilmer + 1 lap
13. Simon Trummer Rapax + 1 lap
14. Jake Rosenzweig Addax + 1 lap
15. Sergio Canamasas Caterham + 1 lap
Retirements:
Daniel Abt ART 40 laps
Rio Haryanto Addax 26 laps
Johnny Cecotto Jr Arden 0 laps*
Fabio Leimer Racing Engineering 0 laps*
Jolyon Palmer Carlin 0 laps*
Julian Leal Racing Engineering 0 laps*
Robin Frijns Hilmer 0 laps*
Marcus Ericsson DAMS 0 laps*
Alexander Rossi Caterham 0 laps*
Nathanael Berthon Trident 0 laps*
Kevin Giovesi Lazarus 0 laps*
* Did not take restart
Picture Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 Series Media Service
Collision With Jean-Eric Vergne Destroyed Timo Glock’s Race
Timo Glock’s hopes of retaining tenth position in the Constructors’ Championship for Marussia were destroyed during the Brazilian Grand Prix, after a collision with the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne upon the restart after the first safety car period. This forced Glock to pit, and saw him plummet to the back of the pack.
As utter mayhem ensued throughout the early stages of the Brazilian Grand Prix, the Marussias and Caterhams slowly rose through the order as they opted to remain out on track as the rain continued to fall. This saw the likes of Glock, Kovalainen, Petrov and Pic race competitively within the top ten as the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa all struggled in the treacherous conditions and decided to pit for wet tyres.
Eventually the safety car was deployed as the amount of debris on the track rose due to the numerous collisions throughout the opening few laps, therefore allowing the marshals to clear the track. Upon the restart, the difference in speed between the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne and the Marussia of Timo Glock was so great that the two collided, with Glock being forced to pit after the incident. The German driver was understandably upset, as this practically ended Marussia’s chances of retaining tenth in the Constructors’ Championship.
“There isn’t much we can say really; the result speaks for itself and we were just not lucky today.” Explained a dispirited Timo Glock, “It is a crying shame for everyone associated with the team as we have all worked so hard together to come this far. It’s so sad to lose 10th like this because we were right on it and we had everything lined up to stay ahead of the other guys. Unfortunately, Vergne crashed into the back of my car and destroyed the race for me because it was right at the restart and I had to pit under the green flag. I went straight to the back of the field and worked hard from there, but there was very little we could do.”
Jean-Eric Vergne was very apologetic to Timo Glock after the race, which saw the Frenchman eventually finish 8th and in the points. The rookie has finished in the points four times this season, interestingly finishing each race in 8th position. Vergne coped well in the inclement weather conditions, despite running on dry tyres on a very greasy track surface.
“At the restart after the safety car came in, I was hanging back to get a run on Glock,” said Jean-Eric Vergne. “But as I caught up, those in front were braking hard and I ran into him and I’ve already apologized to him for that. My pace on the slick tyres in the damp conditions was very good and it’s nice to finish the final race of the season in the points.”
Both Timo Glock and Jean-Eric Vergne will be aiming for a much more competitive season in 2013, as they both struggled greatly throughout this past year. Glock was both out-qualified and out-raced by rookie team-mate Charles Pic on numerous occasions, and Jean-Eric Vergne has struggled with the pace of his Toro Rosso. Both will return in 2013, and both will be after improvements from their respective outfits.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Heikki Kovalainen Blames Safety Car For Poor Result At Singapore
Heikki Kovalainen firmly believes that the safety car ruined his ability to secure a decent result at the Singapore Grand Prix, a race which saw the Caterham duo of Kovalainen and Petrov finished 16th and 19th respectively. With the Marussia of Glock finishing 12th, Caterham have now dropped to 11th in the Constructors’ Championship.
After the two safety car periods, Heikki Kovalainen had elected to remain out on track whereas the majority of the field pitted under safety car conditions. This tactic saw Kovalainen rise steadily up the field, however once the race was resumed after the second safety car intervention, the 30-year-old Finn was forced to pit for new tyres, which therefore saw him drop back through the order.
“For me that was a good race until the safety cars.” Explained Heikki Kovalainen, after what was a tough 61-lap race. “We decided to stay out but when we restarted for the second time I’d probably been out too long and the tyres were starting to give up. I had to stop again and there wasn’t enough time to recover from there so that was the end of the race. If it hadn’t been for the safety car I’m sure we’d have finished much higher.”
Due to the topsy-turvy nature of the Singapore Grand Prix, both the Caterham and Marussia duo were able to fight with the likes of Kamui Kobayashi and Nico Hulkenberg in the closing stages of the race. With Vitaly Petrov and Heikki Kovalainen suffering an unlucky end to the race, Timo Glock was able to secure Marussia’s most competitive result in 12th. This result for the Banbury-based outfit knocked Caterham down to 11th in the Constructors’ Championship, which might not sound like much, yet could cost the Leafield-based outfit millions if the Championship order remains unchanged.
Picture Copyright © Caterham F1 Team
No Action On Vettel And Button
Sebastian Vettel has miraculously avoided loosing his victory during the aftermath of the Singapore Grand Prix, as the reigning World Champion and Jenson Button were called up in front of the race stewards with regards to their near-collision during the first safety car period.
As the safety car scampered away, Sebastian Vettel effectively took control of the pace of the field, however the German broke suddenly just prior to returning to racing speeds, which nearly saw Jenson Button slam into the rear of the Red Bull. Luckily, however, an incident was avoided which allowed Vettel and Button to finish the race 1st and 2nd respectively.
After much deliberation by the race stewards, headed by former F1 driver and current Sportscar driver Allan McNish, it was decided no action would be taken against the Red Bull driver. A penalty could have been detrimental to the German’s victory, and would most definitely have seen Button promoted to race victor.
“After examination of the telemetry overlay for throttle, steering and brake traces of both cars did not indicate any erratic driving behavior on the part of the race leader [Vettel].” Read a statement issued by the race stewards, almost two hours after the race.
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
Sergio Perez Eager For Another Good Result At Singapore
Sergio Perez is hoping for yet another glorious result at the Singapore Grand Prix in several weeks time, as the Mexican driver strives to once again finish towards the sharp end of the field. Perez has finished on the podium three times this season, and currently sits 9th in the Drivers’ Championship, with 65 points scored.
After yet another superlative performance last time out at the Italian Grand Prix, Sergio Perez is eyeing yet another decent result once the Formula 1 circus arrives at the Marina Bay street circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix. Although Sauber have only scored a combined total of five points during previous races at Singapore, both Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi are confident the Ferrari-powered Sauber C31 will be much more competitive at this season’s event.
“The Singapore Grand Prix is a very special race on an extraordinary track with an unique schedule.” Explained Sergio Perez, “I generally like street circuits and the one in Singapore is physically quite demanding, but I feel prepared for that. Also for our car it should be an okay track to race on. I am very much looking forward to it and I want to get in another good result for the team at that very prestigious race.”
Unlike at the Italian Grand Prix, a one-stop strategy is not expected throughout the 61-lap race. Due to the high probability of safety car periods during the race, a flexible strategy could be crucial to success. Although the drivers are confident ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Sauber’s Head of Track Engineering Giampaolo Dall’Ara believes the Marina Bay street circuit will be the toughest of the final seven races for the outfit.
“Singapore is a street circuit with lots of corners and short straights. Therefore overtaking is difficult, which makes qualifying particularly important.” Said Giampaolo Dall’Ara, “The track surface is not very rough. Pirelli will allocate the supersoft and the soft compounds, which should work well in qualifying, but I don’t expect any chance of a one-stop strategy in the race. Out of the seven upcoming races I expect this one to be the most difficult for our C31, but we will have our next aero update in Singapore, which should help to compensate for this and still put us in a position for a strong race.”
All of Sauber’s podiums this season have been achieved by Sergio Perez, however Kamui Kobayashi has also remained a highly consistent driver for the outfit. With qualifying set to be one of the keys to success around the Marina Bay street circuit, Sauber will be striving to qualify as well as the Belgian Grand Prix where the Swiss-outfit started the race from 2nd and 4th on the grid.
Picture Copyright © Sauber Motorsport AG
Ocean Racing Technology Drivers Uninjured After Heavy Crashes
Ocean Racing Technology have confirmed that their GP2 and GP3 drivers, Nigel Melker and Robert Cregan, were uninjured after their heavy incidents in Saturday’s two separate races. The two drivers both crashed at high speeds, bringing out the red flag on both occasions.
The first incident of the day occurred during the GP2 feature race, and came on only the second lap after Nigel Melker lost his car through the daunting Eau Rouge complex. As the Dutchman fought to regain control of his car, he slammed into the tyre barriers, writing off his chassis and obliterating the barriers in the process. This immediately brought out the safety car, and eventually the red flag as the marshals set to fixing the tyre barriers after Melker was airlifted to a hospital in Liege.
“The initial checks on Nigel went quite well.” Explained the team’s Chief Engineer, Nigel Clyde, after the incident. “Hopefully they might even release him from hospital tonight, but we don’t know for sure whether they will keep him in overnight. We are waiting on the results of tests. He was heavily bruised in the crash, but he may even be in a position to race tomorrow. The chassis is heavily damaged. The engine is damaged and so is the gearbox. So it will be a whole new car!”
Robert Cregan was also involved in a high speed incident during the GP3 race.
After a lengthy delay, the GP2 race was finally continued and was eventually won by Marcus Ericsson. The second huge incident of the day came only five laps into the GP3 race, as Robert Cregan slammed violently into the tyre barriers backwards at turn 10. This incident once again immediately brought out the safety car, with race stopping several laps later and subsequently failing to restart.
During the high speed incident, one of the rear tyres was able to find its way into the cockpit area of Cregan’s car. The Irishman was left trapped in his GP3 machine, after the conveyor-belt system which lines the tyre barriers made it virtually impossible for him to exit the car. Eventually, a forklift was required to allow the marshals and medical services to get to Cregan and safely extract him from the stricken car.
“Robert is OK. He was taken to Liege Hospital for final checks, but he feels fine in himself.” Said the team’s GP3 boss, Bruno Corbe after the race. “He has some pain in his right leg and a little bit in his neck, but I am not a doctor so I can’t tell you for sure. The chassis, engine and gearbox are all heavily damaged. We haven’t given up yet but we are 90 per cent sure he won’t race tomorrow, even if the hospital allows him to. We are not sure if we can get all the parts we need yet either.”
The second GP2 and GP3 races are scheduled to run Sunday morning prior to the main Formula 1 event, and will most likely not feature either Nigel Melker or Robert Cregan. However, it’s a testament to the safety of modern motor sport cars that both drivers weren’t seriously injured, or worse, in two high speed and horrific incidents.
Picture(s) Copyright © Alastair Staley/GP2 & GP3 Series Media Services
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