2011 Turkish Grand Prix - Another Sunday stroll for Vettel

SALUTE: The Red Bull mechanics cheer Vettel home to a crushing win

ISTANBUL Park saw another epic race in the 2011 Formula one season.  However, whilst the Turkish Grand Prix saw plenty of action down the field, it was another Sunday afternoon stroll for Sebastian Vettel.  The world champion led all but one lap to register his third win from four races in 2011.  Team-mate Mark Webber secured Red Bull’s first 1-2 of the season, winning a long-race dice with Fernando Alonso.  The Spaniard returned to form this weekend to record Ferrari’s first podium of the season.

    Having smashed his car against a barrier on Friday morning in the wet and missing the dry second session in the afternoon, you would have thought that Vettel might have ended on his backfoot.  Not so, as he dominated qualifying, then blitzed the field again today.  Most of the opposition must begin to feel that the Vettel/Red Bull combination looks almost invincible at the moment.  Any hope of him being challenged hard went at the start.  Whilst he shot into the lead, Webber was slow away from the dirty side of the grid and lost position to Nico Rosberg.  By the time he passed Rosberg, on lap 4, Sebastian was already seven seconds clear and away.  Although Webber and Alonso pegged the gap for most of the remainder of the afternoon, Vettel won as he pleased and even made an extra pitstop when he didn’t need to in the last ten laps – which showed the comfortable position he was in. 

DICE: Button and Hamilton entertained the crowd early on

     The other prime challenger was expected to be Lewis Hamilton.  However, an optimistic lunge around the outside of Webber at turn four on the first circuit cost Lewis and dropped him to sixth.  Unlike China three weeks ago, McLaren had no fresh tyres available for the race, hurting the chances of both Hamilton and team-mate Jenson Button.  Despite this, they thrilled the sparse crowd with an entertaining dice in the opening laps, which bought back reminders to last year’s event, when they fought for the lead.  McLaren spilt their strategies today, but with little joy.  Despite nursing his tyres, Button couldn’t make his three-stop plan work and was overhauled by a four-stopping Hamilton later in the event.  With two awful pitstops, including a 23 second stop for Lewis, due to a faulty wheel nut, fourth and sixth was some consolation from an average McLaren weekend.

     With Rosberg unable to keep up his formidable practice and qualifying pace, it was left to Alonso to take the attack to the Red Bull’s.  With Vettel away and gone, Fernando set his sights on Webber.  He used his DRS system (which was far too easy to pass today) to drive clean past the Australian at half-distance into turn twelve.  With a fresher set of tyres saved from qualifying, Webber returned the compliment with six laps to go at the same corner, in the best dice of the race.  He held on, but Alonso has given Ferrari some encouragement after a difficult start to the season.

CLOUT: Petrov's pass on Schumacher started a tough day

    Rosberg seemed satisfied with fifth place at the chequered flag, as the Mercedes developed a hunger for blistering any set of rear tyres put on the car.  He charged past an ailing Button with four laps remaining to score another positive result.  For team-mate Michael Schumacher, it was another forgettable day.  A clumsy attempt to keep Vitaly Petrov back early on left the seven-time world champion with a damaged front wing, and he ultimately finished out of the points in 12^th.  Felipe Massa, a former master of Istanbul also wound up out of the points, after two diabolical pitstops, spoiling his race, which included some bullish overtaking moves, particularly on Schumacher in the closing laps.  The Renault drivers touched early on, as Petrov’s aggressive driving saw the Russian nearly drive Nick Heidfeld into the pits and each blamed the other for the near-miss.  Heidfeld went onto have the last laugh, finishing seventh, one place ahead of Petrov.  Sebastian Buemi drove well in his Toro Rosso to wind up ninth and Kamur Kobayashi produced another electric performance to come through from the back of the field and clinch the final point, ahead of Massa and Schumacher.  Scotland’s Paul di Resta was out of luck this time round, and was one of only two retirements, with technical problems.

    Although the field are duelling it out behind very closely, 2011 is already looking like a one-man show.  Who can stop Sebastian Vettel?  On this evidence, the chasing pack need to find something fast, starting in Barcelona in two weeks time or it will be too late this season.

F1 classic races - Turkey

IN A new series, I will be looking back at six classic races every weekend from the country about to stage an event in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship.  As Turkey has only held seven races before and not all of them have been classics, here is a varied selection of events from events no longer on the F1 calendar, plus two races from Turkey between 1991 and 2010.  Enjoy the archive!

1991 – France

WINNER: Nigel Mansell (Williams Renault), 2^nd: Alain Prost (Ferrari), 3^rd: Ayrton Senna (McLaren Honda)

RICCARDO Patrese started from pole position for the first French Grand Prix to be staged on the new Magny-Cours circuit, but he made one of the worst starts of his career, and never recovered from it here.  The battle for victory was between Alain Prost, on home soil in an uncompetitive Ferrari and Nigel Mansell’s Williams.  Mansell had a slower tyre stop, but managed to catch and pass Prost twice, eventually scoring a long first overdue victory of 1991.  Ayrton Senna was a distant third, holding off a similar hard challenge from Jean Alesi, with Patrese a disappointing and lapped fifth.

1997 – Argentina

WINNER: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams Renault), 2^nd: Eddie Irvine (Ferrari), 3rd: Ralf Schumacher (Jordan Peugeot)

FORTUNE and a more competitive chassis saw Jacques Villeneuve win an absolutely barnstorming Argentine Grand Prix, but he had to work really hard all day.  His main rival for the championship in 1997, Michael Schumacher took himself out of the event on the first corner.  The German tangled with the Stewart of Rubens Barrichello, who also picked up severe damage.  Initially, it was Olivier Panis who was threatening Villeneuve, before engine trouble hit his Prost.  Eventually, the Canadian, who was battling a stomach bug all weekend, had to resist stern pressure from Eddie Irvine.  Although he chased him home hard, Irvine never really got close enough to make a sufficient overtaking attempt, and finished a close 0.9secs behind.  Jordan’s Ralf Schumacher, in only his third ever F1 outing scored a podium finish.  However, he achieved this at the cost of a fruitful relationship with his team, knocking off Giancarlo Fisichella and starting a civil war between the pair.

1999 – Austria

WINNER: Eddie Irvine (Ferrari), 2^nd: David Coulthard (McLaren Mercedes), 3^rd: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren Mercedes)

AUSTRIA 1999 was David Coulthard’s worst nightmare.  Not only did the Scot run into his team-mate Mika Hakkinen on the first lap, he allowed Ferrari to score an unlikely victory.  McLaren had been a full second quicker than the opposition in qualifying, missing Michael Schumacher, who was starting his recovery from a broken leg at Silverstone a fortnight earlier.  However, Coulthard tried an ambitious lunge on Hakkinen, which ended in contact at the second corner.  The Flying Finn recovered from a spin and 21^st at the end of the opening lap, to finish an incredible third.  Coulthard sped 14 second clear at one point, but Eddie Irvine went longer on strategy, and with some blistering Schumacher-esque laps, overtook the Scot for his second win of the season and it threw the world title race wide open again.  Coulthard’s and Hakkinen’s expressions spoke volumes on the rostrum afterwards.

2005 - Bahrain

WINNER: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 2nd: Jarno Trulli (Toyota), 3^rd: Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren Mercedes)

NEVER mind motorsport, but tennis was dangerous to Juan Pablo Montoya.  A freak accident left the Colombian with a fractured shoulder and out of the Bahrain event.  He wasn’t missed by the McLaren team, as super sub Pedro de la Rosa set fastest lap and finished a stunning fifth in an action-packed event.  It was one of the hottest races ever in history, and Michael Schumacher’s hydraulics couldn’t take the heat.  They gave up on his new Ferrari after 12 laps.  With Rubens Barrichello only 9^th after gearbox troubles, Ferrari’s gamble on saving their 2005 season with a new car had backfired spectacularly.  The path was clear for Fernando Alonso to record back-to-back victories, with Jarno Trulli’s Toyota finishing second for the second successive race.  Kimi Raikkonen earnt his first podium of the season, to highlight McLaren’s impressive pace in the desert.

2006 – Turkey

NOTCH: Massa led Schumacher all the way to glory in 2006

WINNER: Felipe Massa (Ferrari), 2^nd: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 3^rd: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)

THIS was the weekend when Felipe Massa really came good and went up a level in his F1 career.  Massa took pole position and his maiden Grand Prix victory in a nail-biting climax.  The start was just as chaotic, as Giancarlo Fisichella spun infront of the pack and caused mayhem.  Kimi Raikkonen, Scott Speed and Nick Heidfeld all suffered significant damage, with Raikkonen eliminated after a pitstop for checks.  As Massa led from the front, the Safety Car was deployed after Vitantonio Liuzzi spun his Toro Rosso and stalled on the exit of Turn One.  Championship rivals Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher swapped places in the pits, as Schumacher was held up, having to queue up for Massa to be serviced first.  In the dying stages, the retiring German did all he could to pass Alonso, but like at Imola in 2005, he couldn’t find a way through and had to settle for third.  As Schumacher couldn’t find a way through, Massa was allowed to win his first event in Formula One.

2010 - Turkey

RIVALRY: Began after this Red Bull collision last season

WINNER: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes), 2^nd: Jenson Button (McLaren Mercedes), 3^rd: Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing Renault)

RED Bull Racing totally shot themselves in the foot last season, when under pressure from McLaren.  Mark Webber began from pole position and led the first 40 laps.  A slow pitstop dropped Lewis Hamilton behind Sebastian Vettel, but Hamilton and Jenson Button stayed right on the tails of the Red Bulls throughout.  On Lap 41, Vettel, with a higher engine setting, went to overtake Webber.  The Aussie left minimal room and Sebastian made his way past.  However, he began to deviate right before a car length’s room was given and they collided.  Vettel span into retirement, whilst Webber had to pit for a new front wing, surviving for a podium finish.  The McLaren’s of Hamilton and Button had a similar dice later, which saw the duo swap the lead.  However, they kept it clean to secure a 1-2 for the British team; Hamilton’s first win of 2010.  Although most experts thought Vettel was to blame for the Red Bull clash, the management seemed to shoulder the blame onto Webber.  This began a fractious summer for the pair and the Milton Keynes based team.

Kiss Flights Demise Add To The Growing Travel Pain

Last week saw more misery for those passengers who wanted to get away before autumn sets in.  Kiss Flights became the third travel operator to go bust, following the after effects of the recession and the eruption of the Icelandic volcano back in April.

More than 70,000 people have been affected by the collapse of the travel operator last Tuesday, which specialised in sending travellers off to the Canary Islands, Egypt, Greece and Turkey.  Around 13,000 customers are abroad with the company, although all are set to return home under the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority).  However, delays maybe expected.  Refunds will be accepted for those who had booked flights with the doomed operator, though not for accommodation. 

The chief executive of Flight Options, the owner of Kiss Flights is devastated by the collapse, blaming the demise on late bookings, as well as the fallout from the volcanic ash disruption.  Kiss Flights catered for many of the same routes as the recently collapsed Goldtrail Holidays.  This means that some holidaymakers may be affected for a second time this summer.  Last Friday, Sun4u also collapsed, leaving 16,000 customers stuck abroad.  With these latest demises, I would expect more independent companies to go bust in the near future.

Although the Unite Union and BAA recently agreed a deal, preventing a potentially horrendous Bank Holiday strike which would have seen the shutdown of six British airports, including Stanstead and Heathrow, the aviation industry has taken a significant battering in 2010.  The effects from the Icelandic volcano are hitting hard and the fallout may only just be beginning for many in insecure jobs, and many more thousands of holidaymakers who must be feeling the pain.  

Goldtrail Collapses, Increasing The Travel Industry's Bleak Year

The doom and gloom for the travel industry in 2010 increased at the weekend, with the collapse of British tour operator, Goldtrail.

Goldtrail, based in south-west London went into administration on Friday afternoon, leaving 16,000 customers overseas and stuck in their efforts to return home.  The company specialised in low-cost flights to Turkey and Greece.  The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) has confirmed that there would be no more flights going out underneath the organisation and that it was doing what it could to get stranded passengers home to the UK. 

The collapse of the company, established just before the end of the 20^th century is a mid-sized operator that didn’t specialise with any particular airline, unlike many of their rivals such as Ryanair and Easyjet.  Goldtrail instead earned their money by booking seats on charter airlines like Saga and Viking Airways.  The summer plans of approximately 50,000 holidaymakers now look to be in ruins. 

The CAA is doing what they can to cope with the situation, and has said that flights home from Turkey shouldn’t be affected.  However, those in Greece should be warned that changes are likely to occur and to double-check with local representatives at airports of the future plans.

Despite knowing of their troubles, many customers travelling with Goldtrail were only told of the company’s flight late on Friday night.  Mark McLay arrived at Glasgow airport on Friday night at 8.45pm, for a flight to Turkey with his girlfriend.  However, he was not told of the company’s demise until the early hours of Saturday, long after they had already checked in.  He told the BBC News Website of his frustration:

“At 1am, we were called together and told over the Tannoy that Goldtrail had gone into administration, that we would not be flying and we would be escorted out of the building.”  “One woman was crying and it was bad for the families, although everyone took it as well as could be expected.”

For several months, there has been intense speculation that Goldtrail was on verge of extinction.  The CAA has predicted that smaller tour operators, who don’t have the funds to attract customers, advertising exposure and package deals may find it incredibly hard to survive.  Last year, the company appeared in a BBC Watchdog consumer affairs programme and feedback of late has not been very encouraging.  One comment on a travel website described the experience of travelling with Goldtrail to Turkey as a “holiday from hell!”

Although their demise has been widely reported, I feel sorry for those whose plans have been affected, and it is just another painstaking blow for an industry, which has had a horrific 2010, dealing with adverse weather conditions, the volcanic ash shutdown in Iceland over Easter and pointless strikes from British Airways cabin crew. 

Goldtrail customers can call the CAA on 0203 4410846 for more information.

2010 Turkish Grand Prix - The Conclusions

In this piece, I will be assessing ten key features from each Grand Prix weekend from the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.  Round seven brought the teams to Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix.  In a country where East meets west, there was plenty of intrigue, if once again the lack of overtaking was severely highlighted.  Plus a controversial collision that could have severe implications for the front running team in Grand Prix racing at the moment.  Time to look back then at the seventh event of 2010, which turned into an unlikely triumph for some, and an utter catastrophe for others.

Red Bull Racing Play The Blame Game – And Produce The Perfect Crime!!

It was looking all so perfect for Red Bull Racing once again.  Okay, their dominance which had been shown in the previous two events had been nullified, by a McLaren upgrade, but nevertheless the team were heading for another 1-2 finish.  Then on Lap 41, Sebastian Vettel slipstreams Mark Webber down the backstraight at Istanbul Park.  Webber gives his German team-mate minimal space, but enough to stay on the track.  Vettel pulls ahead approaching Turn 12, but then inexplicably turns right into a left-hand bend, connecting with Webber.  It was an embarrassing own goal for the team, and with it, 43 points going straight down the drainpipe.  Vettel spun into retirement, lucky not to take Webber out, who needed a new front wing, before resuming, finishing on the podium.  After the race, the drivers played the blame game, both blaming the other for the unnecessary incident.  To be honest, both are stupid enough to get involved in such a needless shunt, but having the incident several times afterwards, I’m firmly putting the blame at Vettel’s door.  In Formula One, the first golden rule is never to collide with your own team-mate.  Sadly on Sunday for Red Bull, their drivers forgot that rule and produced the perfect crime.

Sebastian Vettel – The Real Darling of Red Bull

After the embarrassing incident between his two drivers, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner spoke in private to Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.  Later, he told the BBC that the accident was caused by ‘not enough space being given!’  His view was backed up firmly by Red Bull senior boss, Helmut Marko, firmly putting the blame squarely at Webber’s door.  I find this absolutely ridiculous to believe, as Webber didn’t do much wrong.  This proves that Sebastian Vettel is the real darling of Red Bull Racing.  On Sunday, Vettel blotted his copybook big-time, and if I was his team boss, I probably would have shouted at him, swore at him, attempt to get the message across that everything is not your own way.  Instead, he got the arm-around-the-shoulder technique, firmly not deserved.  This incident must leave Mark Webber seething and rueful that he hasn’t received the fair support he deserves.  Sure, he may have extended his championship advantage, but the relationship with his team may well have gone beyond repair.  Maybe it is a sign that all things aren’t well with Webber’s contract negotiations.  Either way, if Ferrari is interested in Mark, snap Webber up now I think would be the message. 

McLaren – Once Again Taking Full Advantage Of Others Own-Goals!

So, as Red Bull Racing shot themselves in the foot, McLaren took full advantage of others own-goals once again.  As in Melbourne and Shanghai, they cashed in with reaped rewards.  Plus, they showed Red Bull that an inter-team battle can be done fair and square, without the need to bash each other’s cars all over the place.  Less than ten laps after ‘that’ incident, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button went wheel-to-wheel in a fantastic scrap for the victory.  Lewis edged it, to claim his first win of 2010.  It was a lucky success for Hamilton, but he managed to split the Red Bulls in qualifying and lady luck hasn’t smiled on him too much this season, when you think of the botched pit strategy in Australia, and the tyre explosion in the closing stages of the Spanish Grand Prix.  Consequently, it was about time that he received some good fortune.  Istanbul was a good weekend for the world champion too, who had gone off the boil in Barcelona and Monte Carlo.  Jenson Button was a fraction behind Hamilton all weekend, but back at the sharp end, which will give him full encouragement.  McLaren are now a very dangerous player in the championship battle.

Ferrari – The 800^th Race Turns into a Flat Pancake

The Bahrain 1-2 must seem a decade ago for Ferrari, as their season continues to unravel alarmingly.  At Istanbul, a track where the team has had a lot of success in the past, the pace of the cars was absolutely nowhere.  The Scuderia may well have been celebrating their 800^th race in Formula One, but the party turned into a flat pancake.  Fernando Alonso failed in Q2, starting a frustrated 12^th, admitting it was ‘the best he could do!’  Three-time Turkey winner Felipe Massa wasn’t much better, back in 8^th.  In the race, Massa only improved to 7^th, thanks to Vettel’s DNF, whilst Alonso needed to use excessive force on Vitaly Petrov’s Renault in the dying moments to earn 8^th place.  However, these aren’t the results expected, and the pressure on Stefano Domenicalli must be growing after this mediocre weekend.  Ferrari are now struggling to hold off Renault for 4^th best team in Formula One at the moment, and they are in severe danger of being out of both championship battles before mid-season for the second successive campaign.

Michael Schumacher – The Renaissance Continues

The great renaissance of Michael Schumacher continues to become one of the major talking points in 2010.  He had his strongest weekend of the season in Turkey, though still miles off the pace of the pacesetters, Red Bull and McLaren.  He qualified 5^th, even chucking his car at the Turn 8 scenery, trying to find that extra tenth.  An aggressive start saw the German pass his new nemesis, Jenson Button off the line.  Critically for Button, he got back ahead before the end of lap 1, and raced away from Schumacher.  However, Michael had no problems from behind, now beginning to overshadow Nico Rosberg’s efforts on a regular basis.  4^th place was a fitting reward for a fine weekend.  Mercedes are in no shape this season to be championship contenders whatsoever, but if they keep improving, don’t be surprised to see Schumacher back on the top step before the end of the season.

Kamur Kobayashi – Answering Some of the Doubters

Until Turkey last weekend, we had seen very little of Kamur Kobayashi in 2010, apart from destroying his car half the time against Toro Rosso’s and Williams’.  In Istanbul, he answered some of the doubters, with a fighting performance to 10^th, Sauber’s first championship point of what has been a depressing campaign so far.  Kobayashi was a little star on Saturday, overcoming the likes of Fernando Alonso and Adrian Sutil to make the top ten.  He then endured a race-long scrap with Sutil, which he ended up losing bravely to the Force India driver.  However, Petrov’s late puncture allowed him back into the magical point’s positions.  It will put a monkey off his back, and answer some of the doubters, who must have been questioning whether his stunning drives for Toyota at the back end of 2009, were just a fluke.  Now, he needs to take the next step forward, and become a regular point’s threat.  However, this is a solid start.

Hispania Racing – Moving Off the Back, Genuinely!

The Hispania Racing cars still look all over the place, but there was a step forward last weekend for the team.  Bruno Senna managed to genuinely out qualify someone else, other than team-mate Karun Chandok for the first time this season.  The unlucky fellow was Virgin’s Lucas di Grassi.  Then in the race, Senna managed to keep up with di Grassi, and then overtook his fellow countryman around the outside of Turn 12, in a classy move.  Sadly, both cars ended up retiring, as reliability issues continue to halt the progress of the new teams.  However, this was a positive weekend for Hispania, their first since the end of their tempestuous marriage with car chassis, Dallara.  Can they move off the back on a regular basis, only time will tell? 

Formula One Heads Stateside Again – Positive Or Negative?

Before F1 arrived in Istanbul, news broke of the return for the Grand Prix circus to America.  A new circuit in Texas will breakthrough on the calendar for the 2012 season, after agreeing a deal with Bernie Ecclestone and circuit designer, Hermann Tilke.  The last time Formula One was in the US, was back in 2007, when Lewis Hamilton charged to victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  It is a welcome return for America to the sport, but another traditional race is bound to disappear.  With India due for next year, 2012 could have upto twenty-one races.  Currently, Turkey, Japan and China do not have contracts for 2012, and you can’t see the teams agreeing to too many more races on a yearly calendar.  It is a positive for America to be back in F1, hosting a race, but if a star circuit like Istanbul or Suzuka disappears as a result, then it will turn into a massive negative. 

Pirelli On The Verge – Are They The Right Supplier?

Another battle in the paddock, behind the scenes is the competition to become F1’s tyre supplier for 2011.  Japanese giant Bridgestone is pulling out at the end of the season, due to cost-cutting measures.  Favourites seem now to be Pirelli, though Michelin are interested in creating the tyre war again.  Pirelli were last in Formula One in 1991, when they supplied the Benetton team amongst others.  Will they be the right supplier for the sport?  Well, Bridgestone will be missed, having given great service to the sport in the last fourteen years.  However, Pirelli are likely to give a great deal of passion and commitment to the sport, so I would back them over Michelin any day, especially when the 2005 ‘Indygate’ tyre scandal springs to mind.

Vitantonio Liuzzi – Losing the Battle for His F1 Future

The pressure is increasing on Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi and he is losing the battle to hold onto his drive.  As Scot Paul di Resta continues to impress on Fridays for the team, and in DTM, Liuzzi’s performances continue to dwindle.  Whilst Adrian Sutil has scored points in four of the last five races, Liuzzi has only managed a 9^th placed result in Monaco, and in Turkey, was hopelessly off the pace.  Despite running the f-duct, whereas his team-mate did not, Liuzzi was knocked out in Q1 for the second time this season.  A first-lap clash with Sebastian Buemi put an end to a decent race effort, but 13^th place is simply not good enough for a team that wants to break out of the midfield.  Changing a driver mid-season is always a risky element, but Vijay Mallya may have to consider this as an option if Tonio continues to underachieve in the coming races.

2010 Turkish Grand Prix - Turkish Delight For McLaren As The Bull Dismantle

A satisfied Lewis Hamilton cashed in on an early Bank Holiday present from Milton Keynes, as he led team-mate Jenson Button home to a McLaren Mercedes 1-2 at today’s Turkish Grand Prix.  The two British drivers took full advantage of Red Bull’s latest and most essential cock-up, to establish a lead in the constructor’s championship.

As in Barcelona and Monte Carlo, Red Bull Racing looked to have the race in the bag, when on Lap 41, their drivers entered suicide mode, is dismantling fashion.  Leading from pole, Australian Mark Webber was leading throughout, but was coming under intense pressure from his team-mate, Sebastian Vettel, with Hamilton and Button keeping an ominous watching brief throughout.  In a brief rain shower, Webber appeared to miss a gear on the backstraight, approaching Turn 12, allowing Vettel alongside and the chance to take the lead.  What happened next was quite unbelievable, as Vettel turned right, caught Webber and the pair collided down the escape road.  Damage to the rear of Vettel’s car, left the German spinning into retirement, whilst Mark was forced in for front wing repairs, gamely battling onto a podium finish, and an extension of his championship lead.  However, team boss Christian Horner must be thinking, what he does now, with the relationship between his two drivers surely well and truly destroyed beyond repair.

So, as in Australia and China, McLaren benefited from Red Bull’s mistakes, with a fair racing battle themselves soon after the ‘Bull’ nightmare.  Button outbraked Hamilton into Turn 12 with ten laps to go and gained the lead.  Hamilton quickly dived back underneath the world champion, slid up the inside into Turn 1, and despite a brushing of tyres, won back his hard-fought advantage, which he kept to the chequered flag.  Although the team had to save critical fuel levels in the closing stages, Hamilton held on to claim his first win since Singapore in September 2009, and pushes him up to 3^rd in the championship standings. 

Michael Schumacher’s rehabilitation in 2010 continued, with a strong run to 4^th place in his Mercedes, equalling his best result of the season.  Though he never looked like challenging the podium runners, Michael’s pace throughout was consistent, and he beat Nico Rosberg again, as the seven-time world champion starts to earn the upper hand in the team.  Rosberg was 5^th, despite tyre concerns, holding off a long race challenge from Robert Kubica, who continued his strong run of points finishes, 6^th in the Renault.

It may have been their 800^th Formula One event this weekend, but it was a miserable party for Ferrari.  Having started a dismal 12^th on the grid, Fernando Alonso could only manage 8^th, in a car that looked evil to drive all event.  He needed a forceful move on Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov to even get him 8^th spot, which left the Russian with a puncture and a cruel drop out of the points, after a fine weekend.  Former three-time winner at the Istanbul Park, Felipe Massa could only muster 7^th place and the Scuderia must be praying for a massive change in fortunes from their new development package in Canada and Valencia, or they face being written out of the championship battle before halfway.  There were more points for the consistent Adrian Sutil, with 9^th and Japan’s finest; Kamur Kobayashi earned Sauber’s first point of a depressing season so far, winding up 10^th.  Team-mate Pedro de la Rosa finished directly behind Kobayashi, marking the team’s first double-car finish of the campaign.

The first golden rule of Grand Prix racing is not to run into your team-mate.  Today, Red Bull cracked under the pressure, and forgot this rule, leaving them red-faced and McLaren celebrating an unexpected bonus as F1 heads back to Montreal in a fortnight’s time, after a one-year sabbatical.  What will happen next in this season of twists and turns remains to be seen….