Alonso wins over the rain and goes to Hamilton
The tremendous rain that has been downloaded on the Nurburgring circuit very beginning of the GP of Europe together with a light shower for ten laps this race has become one of the craziest and most exciting in recent memory.
And the pilot who has best adapted to the conditions was Fernando Alonso, who took his first win since Monaco after a tense final in which he has ahead of Felipe Massa with five laps to the checkered flag checkered.
Mark Webber has managed to climb for the second time in his career on the podium thanks to his excellent third place finish for Red Bull, which also means that for the first time this season Lewis Hamilton has finished in the top three. The British driver has broken his phenomenal run of podium finishes and has not been rated, which is reduced its lead in the World Cup just two points after the victory of Alonso.
Kimi Raikkonen started the race from pole, but just starting the test, the Nurburgring sky has opened and downloaded violent storm water that has broken all previous race strategy.
With rain pelting with intensity, all the drivers entered the pits to put extreme wet tires, but Raikkonen has jumped the pit stop and had to take a turn with dry tires on a soaking wet track.
Segungos after Tonio Liuzzi was which appeared in the same place as Button, and retreated, but then came Hamilton, Scott Speed, Nico Rosberg and Adrian Sutil. With intermediates being unable to absorb so much water, cars were piled in that first turn and the race director decided to red-flag stop.
However, Hamilton was the only they managed to keep its engine running and after being helped by a crane returned to the track and rejoined the race. The rain ceased to fall rapidly and a summer sun peeked through the clouds. Marcus Winkelhock, which debuted today at the World Cup for Spyker F1, was the only driver who had started the race on intermediate tires and allowed to spend risky bet to lead the race.
However, although the time must have been fantastic for the young German, is soon lost his position, just restart the race. A test Winkelhock was unable to complete a hydraulic failure. Anyway a good debut the German.
Felipe Massa took the lead on the restart, while Hamilton chose to use slicks. It was an unwise decision and gave up further ground, which has spent the rest of the afternoon recovering. Front, Massa set the pace and kept under control while Raikkonen Alonso made his way quickly to regain third place.
The Curse of Räikkönen at the Nurburgring intervene mid-career by being forced to leave. For Ferrari, Massa seemed firmly in control with 11 second lead over second in the second round of stops.
Alonso kept the pressure and reduced the gap to six seconds before the rain started to fall for the second time in the absence of 11 laps. Everyone re-enter the pits, but Alonso forced the maximum reached Massa and advanced dramatically from the outside, standing on his head five laps remaining and finally winning the test. Mark Webber
never had a chance of winning, but had a great race that finished in third place, after enduring a late attack of Alex Wurz in the Williams Toyota. David Coulthard has further improved the day of Red Bull to pass the checkered flag in fifth place.
Nick Heidfeld has had a mediocre career with his BMW Sauber. At the output side has beaten fellow car after Robert Kubica and would do the same with Ralf Schumacher. However, Heidfeld finished sixth ahead of Kubica in his home event
The battle for the last points has been very close. There should have been, as Heikki Kovalainen had secured the fifth position until he entered the pits three laps before the rain again. It was a long shot, but did not work, as he has finished eighth, defending from Lewis Hamilton in their struggle to the last point.
For Hamilton, the ninth position was not a great result, but has done a great race despite the odd error in track and with the strategy. Giancarlo Fisichella has finished tenth in the second Renault ahead Rubens Barrichello, Anthony Davidson and Jarno Trulli.
A very exciting race, resulting in even more fierce the battle for the championship for the next race in Hungary.
Order and arrival times:
P. | Pilot No. | Team Difference Engine | |
1 1 | Alonso Mclaren Mercedes | | | |||
2 | 5 | Massa Ferrari Ferrari | + 0'08 "1 | | ||
3 | 15 | Webber Red Bull Renault | + 1'05 "6 | | ||
4 | 17 | Wurz Williams | Toyota | + 1'05" 9 | | |
5 | 14 | Coulthard Red Bull Renault | + 1'13 "6 | | ||
6 | 9 | Heidfeld BMW BMW | + 1'20" 2 | | ||
7 | 10 | Kubica BMW BMW | + 1'22 "4 | | ||
8 | 4 | Kovalainen Renault Renault | +1 Vuelta | | ||
9 | 2 | Hamilton McLaren Mercedes | +1 Vuelta | | ||
10 | 3 | Fisichella Renault Renault | +1 Vuelta | | ||
11 | 8 | Barrichello Honda Honda | +1 Vuelta | | ||
12 | 23 | Davidson Super Aguri Honda | +1 Vuelta | | ||
13 | 12 | Trulli | Toyota | Toyota | + 1 lap |
Fastest lap:
No. | Pilot | Team | Motor | BackTime | |
5 | Massa Ferrari Ferrari | 1'32 "853 34 |
Unclassified:
Pos N º | Pilot | Team | Motor | | Back | |
14 | 6 | Räikkönen | Ferrari | Ferrari | | 26 |
15 | 22 | Sato Super Aguri Honda | | 41 | ||
16 11 | R. | Schumacher Toyota Toyota | | 42 | ||
17th | 21 | Winkelhock | Spyker Ferrari | | 47 | |
18th | 7 | Button Honda Honda | | 58 | ||
19th | 20 | Sutil Spyker Ferrari | | 58 | ||
20th | 16 | Rosberg Williams Toyota | 58 | |||
21. | 19 | Speed \u200b\u200bToro Rosso Ferrari | | 58 | ||
22. | 18 Liuzzi Toro Rosso | Ferrari | | 58 |