Europe 2008
NEW TRACK IN VALENCIA - A PERMANENT STREET CIRCUIT AROUND THE DOCK COMPLEX THAT ALSO HOUSES THE AMERICAS CUP MARINA. NONE OF THE DRIVERS COULD AGREE ON WHICH OTHER CIRCUIT IT REMINDED THEM OF BUT TO ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE LATE, LAMENTED CHAMP CAR SERIES IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO MANY OF THEIR TEMPORARY STREET CIRCUITS - LOTS OF CONCRETE BARRIERS AND SAFETY MESH - BUT WITHOUT MUCH VISUAL APPEAL. STILL, THEY DID LIKE THE ACTUAL TRACK.
FELIPE MASSA TOOK THE INAUGURAL POLE POSITION AHEAD OF LEWIS HAMILTON, ROBERT KUBICA AND KIMI RAIKKONEN AND LED FROM THE START TO THE FINISH IN WHAT WAS, FOR ME, RATHER A BORING RACE. IT HAD BEEN TOUTED AS A TRACK ON WHICH MUCH OVERTAKING COULD OCCUR BUT, EXCEPT SHORTLY AFTER THE START, I DON'T RECALL ANY OVERTAKES.
LEWIS HAMILTON COULD NOT PREVENT FELIPE FROM GRADUALLY DRAWING AWAY, ROBERT KUBICA IS CLEARLY BETTER THAN THE BMW HE DRIVES BUT HE ALSO SLIPPED BACKWARDS, KIMI LOST A PLACE OR TWO EARLY ON AND NEVER RECOVERED AND FERNANDO ALONSO WAS HIT FROM BEHIND ON THE FIRST LAP AND IMMEDIATELY RETIRED WITH A BROKEN REAR WING.
THE PROBABILITY OF SAFETY CAR INCIDENTS WAS HIGH, BEARING IN MIND THE CONCRETE WALLS AND DIFFICULTY OF RETRIEVING DAMAGED CARS QUICKLY BUT NONE OCCURRED, LEAVING IT TO FERRARI TO PROVIDE WHAT DRAMA THERE WAS.
FIRSTLY, THEIR PIT CREW RELEASED FELIPE FROM HIS SECOND PIT-STOP RIGHT INTO THE PATH OF ADRIAN SUTIL'S FORCE INDIA CAR. A VERY DANGEROUS MOVE WITH A PIT EXIT ONLY ONE CAR WIDE. FORTUNATELY, DESPITE BEING SIDE BY SIDE, THEY SORTED THEMSELVES OUT BEFORE THE ACTUAL EXIT BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. THE STEWARDS INVESTIGATED AND LET FERRARI OFF WITH A FINE AFTER THE RACE. VERY UNSATISFACTORY - JUST BECAUSE NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED SHOULD NOT GOVERN THE OUTCOME - IT IS THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME THAT NEEDED PUNISHING WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH PENALTY. A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT HAS NOW BEEN SET.
WHEN KIMI PITTED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, HE SET OFF BEFORE THE FUEL HOSE HAD BEEN DISENGAGED, INJURING A MECHANIC. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, HIS ENGINE BLEW UP LIKE FELIPE'S HAD IN HUNGARY LAST TIME OUT. TWO ENGINES IN A ROW MUST WORRY THE ITALIAN OUTFIT.
STARTING GRID
| | | |
| 1.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 2.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 3.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 4.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 5.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 6.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 7.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 8.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 9.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 10.
|
Sebastien Bourdais
|
| 11.
|
Kazuki Nakajima
|
| 12.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 13.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 14.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 15.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 16.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 17.
|
David Coulthard
|
| 18.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
| 19.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 20.
|
Aidrian Sutil
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 2.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 3.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 4.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 5.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 6.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 7.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 8.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Lewis Hamilton
|
70
|
| Felipe Massa
|
64
|
| Kimi Raikkonen
|
57
|
| Robert Kubica
|
55
|
| Heikki Kovalainen
|
43
|
| Nick Heidfeld
|
41
|
| Jarno Trulli
|
26
|
| Fernando Alonso
|
18
|
| =Mark Webber
|
18
|
Constructors :
|
| Ferrari
|
121
|
| McLaren
|
113
|
| BMW
|
96
|
| Toyota
|
41
|
| Renault
|
31
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
24
|
| Williams
|
17
|
| Honda
|
14
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
11
|
| Force India
|
0
|
| Super Aguri
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
25th August 2008
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