Thanks to a stellar performance in the Italian Grand Prix that led him to victory, Sebastian Vettel is now in a position to clinch the F1 drivers' championship at the next race, according to Formula1.com.
Many competitors were hoping after qualifying that Vettel's gear ratio choice was going to get him in trouble during the race. If McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button could manage to stay close enough to Vettel, may be their straight-line speed could boost them in front of the young German.
Except right from the start, Vettel's biggest threat was Ferrari's own Fernando Alonso who, from fourth on the grid, took everyone by surprise, stealing first from Vettel at the first corner. However, Alonso only managed to stay first during the safety car period following a crash caused by Hispania's Tonio Liuzzi. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Vitaly Petrov (Renault) and Rubens Barrichello (Williams) were all out after turn 1.
So on lap 4, Vettel took first position back from Alonso and ran away from everybody. Alonso stayed second until Button overtook him on lap 36. All three crossed the finish-line in that same order.
Vettel said after the race “This circuit has been tough for us for the last two years and so… to come back this year and win! The car was amazing in qualifying yesterday and in the race today it was even better.”
Behind the three leaders, Hamilton brought his car home in fourth place. He 'enjoyed' a hard – and long – battle with Micheal Schumacher (Mercedes), who like Alonso, made a stunning start, from 8th on the grid.
“To make the most of your possibilities is the maximum possible at times”, said Schumacher. “And that is why I had fun today, especially knowing that there is more to come in the future, with all the support we have from Mercedes.”
Felipa Massa (Ferrari) had a troublesome race. After loosing some ground at the start, he lost some more in an incident with Red Bull's Mark Webber on lap 5. Massa recovered to finish 6th, but Webber crashed out moments later, having lost his front wing in the collision.
Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso), Bruno Senna (Renault), Paul di Resta (Force India) and Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) completed the top 10. It was Senna's first ever points finish.
“We suffered some bad luck in the first corner”, admitted Senna. “Everybody was cutting the chicane which forced me to drive on the outside, and in the process I lost all the places I had fought so hard for in qualifying. It makes me very happy to fight with the guys who have been doing this for a long time.”
Race results – Italian Grand Prix:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 53 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) – 9"590
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) – 16"909
4 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) – 17"417
5 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) – 32"677
6 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) – 42"993
7 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1 lap
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1 lap
9 - Bruno Senna (Renault R31) - 1 tours
10 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1 lap
11 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1 lap
12 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1 lap
13 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T128-Renault) - 2 laps
14 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 2 laps.
15 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps
16 - Daniel Ricciardo (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 14 laps
Fastest lap of the race: Sebastian Vettel 1min 26.557s
Retirements:
0 lap – Vitantonio Liuzzi
0 lap – Nico Rosberg
0 lap – Vitaly Petrov
2 laps – Jerome D'Ambrosio
4 laps – Mark Webber
9 laps – Adrian Sutil
21 laps – Kamui Kobayashi
32 laps – Sergio Perez
Driver standings:
1.Vettel 284; 2.Alonso 172; 3.Webber, Button 167; 5.Hamilton 158; 6.Massa 82; 7.Rosberg 56; 8.Schumacher 52; 9.Heidfeld, Petrov 34; 11.Kobayashi 27; 12.Sutil 24; 13.Alguersuari 16; 14.Buemi 13; 15.Di Resta 12; 16.Perez 8; 17.Barrichello 4; 18.Senna 2; 19.Maldonado 1.
Constructor standings:
1.Red Bull-Renault 451; 2.McLaren-Mercedes 325; 3.Ferrari 244; 4.Mercedes 98; 5.Renault 70; 6.Force India-Mercedes 36; 7.Sauber-Ferrari 35; 8.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 29; 9.Williams 5.
Many competitors were hoping after qualifying that Vettel's gear ratio choice was going to get him in trouble during the race. If McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button could manage to stay close enough to Vettel, may be their straight-line speed could boost them in front of the young German.
Except right from the start, Vettel's biggest threat was Ferrari's own Fernando Alonso who, from fourth on the grid, took everyone by surprise, stealing first from Vettel at the first corner. However, Alonso only managed to stay first during the safety car period following a crash caused by Hispania's Tonio Liuzzi. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Vitaly Petrov (Renault) and Rubens Barrichello (Williams) were all out after turn 1.
So on lap 4, Vettel took first position back from Alonso and ran away from everybody. Alonso stayed second until Button overtook him on lap 36. All three crossed the finish-line in that same order.
Vettel said after the race “This circuit has been tough for us for the last two years and so… to come back this year and win! The car was amazing in qualifying yesterday and in the race today it was even better.”
Behind the three leaders, Hamilton brought his car home in fourth place. He 'enjoyed' a hard – and long – battle with Micheal Schumacher (Mercedes), who like Alonso, made a stunning start, from 8th on the grid.
“To make the most of your possibilities is the maximum possible at times”, said Schumacher. “And that is why I had fun today, especially knowing that there is more to come in the future, with all the support we have from Mercedes.”
Felipa Massa (Ferrari) had a troublesome race. After loosing some ground at the start, he lost some more in an incident with Red Bull's Mark Webber on lap 5. Massa recovered to finish 6th, but Webber crashed out moments later, having lost his front wing in the collision.
Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso), Bruno Senna (Renault), Paul di Resta (Force India) and Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) completed the top 10. It was Senna's first ever points finish.
“We suffered some bad luck in the first corner”, admitted Senna. “Everybody was cutting the chicane which forced me to drive on the outside, and in the process I lost all the places I had fought so hard for in qualifying. It makes me very happy to fight with the guys who have been doing this for a long time.”
Race results – Italian Grand Prix:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB7-Renault) - 53 laps
2 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) – 9"590
3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari 150) – 16"909
4 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/26-Mercedes) – 17"417
5 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W02) – 32"677
6 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari 150) – 42"993
7 - Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1 lap
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM04-Mercedes) - 1 lap
9 - Bruno Senna (Renault R31) - 1 tours
10 - Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR6-Ferrari) - 1 lap
11 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1 lap
12 - Rubens Barrichello (Williams FW33-Cosworth) - 1 lap
13 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus T128-Renault) - 2 laps
14 - Jarno Trulli (Lotus T128-Renault) - 2 laps.
15 - Timo Glock (Virgin VR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps
16 - Daniel Ricciardo (Hispania F111-Cosworth) - 14 laps
Fastest lap of the race: Sebastian Vettel 1min 26.557s
Retirements:
0 lap – Vitantonio Liuzzi
0 lap – Nico Rosberg
0 lap – Vitaly Petrov
2 laps – Jerome D'Ambrosio
4 laps – Mark Webber
9 laps – Adrian Sutil
21 laps – Kamui Kobayashi
32 laps – Sergio Perez
Driver standings:
1.Vettel 284; 2.Alonso 172; 3.Webber, Button 167; 5.Hamilton 158; 6.Massa 82; 7.Rosberg 56; 8.Schumacher 52; 9.Heidfeld, Petrov 34; 11.Kobayashi 27; 12.Sutil 24; 13.Alguersuari 16; 14.Buemi 13; 15.Di Resta 12; 16.Perez 8; 17.Barrichello 4; 18.Senna 2; 19.Maldonado 1.
Constructor standings:
1.Red Bull-Renault 451; 2.McLaren-Mercedes 325; 3.Ferrari 244; 4.Mercedes 98; 5.Renault 70; 6.Force India-Mercedes 36; 7.Sauber-Ferrari 35; 8.Toro Rosso-Ferrari 29; 9.Williams 5.