2011 Brazilian Grand Prix - Webber ends barren run in style

SMILES: Webber finally has something to lookback on in 2011

AFTER 18 frustrating months playing second fiddle to his red-hot team-mate Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber finally tasted the champagne on the top step of the podium on Sunday.  The Australian won the 2011 finale in style in Sao Paulo, taking full advantage of a rare reliability issue that hobbled his team-mate.  From second on the grid, Webber was let through into the lead of the Brazilian Grand Prix on lap 29, as world champion Vettel had to battle on with a serious gearbox problem.  Nevertheless, he still finished second as Red Bull Racing put on a demonstration in a race that will quickly be forgotten by the avid F1 fan.

       On Saturday afternoon, Vettel broke another record with his usual pole position.  It was his 15^th of the campaign, eclipsing Nigel Mansell’s mark of 14 that he achieved in 1992.  From the moment the Red Bulls got into turn one first, the rest might have well parked their cars as they had no chance of getting on terms with the team that has had the best equipment, the best pit crew and the best strategies all season.  Vettel was first warned of his gearbox gremlin on lap 14 by his race engineer Rocky.  He was urged to short-shift in third and fourth and although he set some fastest laps to provoke some nerves within the team, Sebastian did what was asked.  Later, he said on the team radio; “I feel like Senna in 91,” which will go down as one of the sound bites of the season.  This was the famous reference to when the late Ayrton Senna won in 1991 with a major gearbox problem.  Webber caught his team leader and Vettel let him by into turn one in a piece of synchronised driving that is more likely to be seen by a couple of truck drivers on the M1.  It was an overtaking manoeuvre that would have struggled to get anyone excited.

       While the Red Bulls dominated at the front, the fans did witness an exciting dice between the other two standout drivers of the season, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.  The Ferrari looked to have the measure of the McLaren for much of the race, as Jenson struggled with a balance on the option tyres.  In fact, Fernando pulled off one of the best passes of the entire season, when he swept right around the outside of the Brit into turn six on lap ten.  52 laps later, Button had reeled him in again, as the Achilles heel of the Ferrari team came back to haunt them again.  Alonso couldn’t get decent consistency on the harder prime Pirelli tyre and Button outmanoeuvred him in turn four.  This decisive move meant Webber stole third place in the drivers’ championship from Alonso at the last event of the season.  

       Lewis Hamilton had a difficult race, as he was another driver to struggle with gearbox issues.  He had his from the tenth lap onwards, but unlike Vettel, his gave up the ghost whilst sixth on lap 48.  It completes a tough season for Hamilton, which sees him finish fifth in the championship and although he looked in good spirits, 2011 will largely be a season he’d like to forget.  At least he ended the feud with Felipe Massa that has ruined both of their seasons, by embracing his rival in parc ferme after the race; a gesture that was widely appreciated by Massa, Martin Whitmarsh and Stefano Domenicalli.  

DAMAGE: Senna and Schumacher harmed each other's races

     It was a race where there wasn’t a lot to shout about for the Brazilian fans.  Massa finished a lonely fifth, although he did pull off some donuts after the race to entertain everyone.  Potentially in his final race, Rubens Barrichello ended up in 14^th place for Williams after making a shocking start and dropping from 12^th to 20^th by the end of the first lap.  Bruno Senna qualified well, but was harshly penalised by the stewards for a clash with Michael Schumacher which wrecked both of their races early on.  The contact at turn one was unnecessary and pointless, but a racing incident.  Bruno damaged his front wing and Schumacher collected a left-rear puncture.  Both finished well out of the reckoning, in 17^th and 15^th places respectively. 

       The path was made clear for Webber to record the seventh victory of his career and his first since the Hungarian Grand Prix last July.  Vettel completed Red Bull’s fourth 1-2 of the season, followed by Button, Alonso and Massa.  Adrian Sutil put in his best drive of the campaign to record a fine sixth place for Force India, as he seeks a drive for next season.  His team-mate Paul di Resta completed a fine rookie season with eighth place and took Force India to within four points of snatching fifth in the constructor’s championship from the underachieving Renault team.  Nico Rosberg had his usual unobtrusive run to seventh place and the final points went to Kamur Kobayashi and Vitaly Petrov.  Kobayashi’s two points were crucial, as it kept Sauber ahead of Toro Rosso in the constructor’s championship by three points and could be worth an extra $5million to the team in prize money.

       So, that is it then.  The curtain has come down on a season which has produced five different winners, from three teams, in 19 races across the globe, taking place in 18 countries.  We have seen some vintage races, numerous overtakes, records tumble and ultimately, a team and driver at complete harmony with one another.  Red Bull have set the standard this season and raised the bar once again in Formula One.  McLaren and Ferrari have a lot of hard work to do in the winter to get on terms, otherwise come Melbourne next March; the team from Milton Keynes will be ready to crush everyone again.

      Enjoy the winter break!  

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix - The Bull charges to maiden Constructors title

RED Bull Racing secured their maiden constructors title in Brazil today with a 1-2 finish, with Sebastian Vettel winning in Sao Paulo.

The German led home Mark Webber to the team’s fourth maximum of the season, giving them a sufficient enough advantage over its nearest rivals McLaren and Ferrari to wrap up its maiden title.  Both Red Bull drivers could still win the ultimate prize, though Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who finished 3^rd in Interlagos, carries an eight point advantage into the final event in Abu Dhabi next weekend.  Lewis Hamilton still holds a mathematical chance, though he needs a miracle now to feature heavily in the final reckoning, but Jenson Button’s hopes completely disappeared, on an afternoon where the weaknesses of the McLaren were heavily shown up.

From the moment Vettel edged up the inside of the surprise pole sitter Nico Hulkenberg into the first corner, the rest of the field had no chance.  Webber quickly followed his team-mate past the Williams on the opening circuit, and by the time Alonso had forced his way past Hamilton and Hulkenberg, he was already the best part of 12 seconds behind, and with little hope of wrapping up the championship today.  Red Bull’s significant advantage was narrowed when Vitantonio Liuzzi crashed his Force India heavily at turn two on Lap 51, but the amount of traffic that Alonso had infront of him when the Safety Car came out quickly dashed those hopes.  Vettel’s pace was so strong in the closing stages, that it was clear that he had more in the tank.  His fourth win of the season keeps him in the hunt, even if he is 15 points behind Alonso in the points.  Webber would have liked team orders to help him out, but on the day, the Australian was simply not fast enough to match his red-hot young charger.  How the team will manage the situation next weekend will be interesting to see. . .

Hamilton finished a distant fourth, as even a tactical second pitstop failed to get him anywhere near the podium positions.  Despite setting the fastest lap of the race, Lewis complained all day on the team radio of a lack of grip from his tyres.  His frustration after the race in the post-race interviews seemed to highlight how disappointed he has been with McLaren’s slow development in the second half of the season.  Team-mate Button, who won the crown here in Brazil twelve months earlier made an early stop that  cleared the midfield gaggle and meant he finished right on the tail of his team-mate, after starting a disappointing 11^th on the grid.  Jenson could count himself lucky to even be racing, after being nearly caught in an armed attack after his bulletproof car was ambushed after qualifying on Saturday night. 

Hulkenberg fell back after his stunning Saturday show, and finished a lapped 8^th.  However, his stock has risen in the F1 paddock this weekend, and put increased pressure on Rubens Barrichello’s future with the Williams team.  The Brazilian’s rotten luck at Interlagos continued, with a poor pitstop and contact with Jaime Alguesuari led to a mid-distance puncture.  He could only finish in 14^th at the finish.  Fellow countryman Felipe Massa also had another difficult race, with three pitstops and various run-ins during the race, leaving him trailing in 15^th at the chequered flag.  The two Mercedes cars of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished 6^th and 7^th, whilst the final points went to Robert Kubica and Kamur Kobayashi.  There was a staggering reliability rate at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with 22 cars making the finish.  Only Liuzzi and the Virgin Racing of Lucas di Grassi failed to see out the full distance.

Four men can still win the title, and only seven days to wait.  The grand finale under the twilight skies in Abu Dhabi is something that everyone will be looking forward to.  Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, who are you backing?