China 2008
LEWIS HAMILTON CAME TO CHINA WITH A 5-POINT LEAD AND AN OUTSIDE CHANCE OF CLINCHING THE TITLE BEFORE THE FINAL RACE IN BRAZIL DEPENDING ON FELIPE MASSA'S PERFORMANCE HERE.
AT THE END OF THE RACE, LEWIS HAD DONE ALL HE COULD POSSIBLY DO - FASTEST IN VIRTUALLY ALL THE PRACTICE SESSIONS, POLE POSITION, AN EXCELLENT START OF THE GRID AND, IN THE END, A COMFORTABLE WIN. HE HAD CLEARLY PUT THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF JAPAN OUT OF HIS MIND.
FELIPE ONLY MANAGED TO QUALIFY IN 3RD PLACE, WITH TEAM-MATE KIMI RAIKKONEN 2ND, AND THAT WAS HOW IT STAYED VIRTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE RACE UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE THE END WHEN FERRARI STAGE-MANAGED A SWITCH BETWEEN THEIR TWO CARS SO THAT FELIPE COULD GAIN THE 8 POINTS FOR 2ND PLACE. NO TEAM ORDERS, OF COURSE, BUT BOTH DRIVERS 'UNDERSTOOD' WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE!
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN HAD A BLISTERING START FROM 5TH TO OVERTAKE FERNANDO ALONSO FOR FOURTH PLACE BUT THEN SEEMED TO FALL OFF THE PACE. HE HAD AN OVERHEATING FRONT, RIGHT BRAKE ON THE START LINE SO HIS PROSPECTS LOOKED A BIT DICEY BEFORE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. LATER ON, HE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC PUNCTURE ON THE SAME FRONT, RIGHT WHEEL THAT COULD WELL HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE OVERHEATING BRAKE. HE GOT BACK TO THE PITS BUT HAD TO RETIRE LATER.
ROBERT KUBICA'S OUTSIDE CHANCE OF THE TITLE DISAPPEARED DURING QUALIFYING WHEN A SET UP PROBLEM MEANT HE COULD ONLY QUALIFY IN 11TH SPOT.
OTHERWISE, A LARGELY UNEVENTFUL RACE THAT SETS UP BRAZIL TO BE THE SHOWDOWN - WITH A 7-POINT DEFICIT, MASSA NEEDS TO WIN HIS HOME GRAND PRIX (SO NO PRESSURE!) WITH HAMILTON FINISHING NO LOWER THAN 5TH. OTHER PERMUTATIONS ARE POSSIBLE SO WE SHALL HAVE TO TUNE IN TO SEE THE ACTION IN A FORTNIGHT'S TIME.
STARTING GRID
| | | |
| 1.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 2.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 3.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 4.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 5.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 6.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 7.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 8.
|
Sebastien Bourdais
|
| 9.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 10.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 11.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 12.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 13.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 14.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 15.
|
David Coulthard
|
| 16.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 17.
|
Kazuki Nakajima
|
| 18.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 19.
|
Aidrian Sutil
|
| 20.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 2.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 3.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 4.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 5.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 6.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 7.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 8.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Lewis Hamilton
|
94
|
| Felipe Massa
|
87
|
| Robert Kubica
|
75
|
| Kimi Raikkonen
|
69
|
| Nick Heidfeld
|
60
|
| Fernando Alonso
|
53
|
| Heikki Kovalainen
|
51
|
| Sebastian Vettel
|
30
|
| =Jarno Trulli
|
30
|
Constructors :
|
| Ferrari
|
156
|
| McLaren
|
145
|
| BMW
|
135
|
| Renault
|
72
|
| Toyota
|
52
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
34
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
29
|
| Williams
|
26
|
| Honda
|
14
|
| Force India
|
0
|
| Super Aguri
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
20th October 2008
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