France 2008
FOR THE THIRD RACE IN A ROW, THE WINNER ALSO TOOK THE LEAD IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS TIME IT WAS THE TURN OF FELIPE MASSA WHO PROFITED FROM OTHER'S PROBLEMS TO TAKE THE VICTORY. IT SHOWS HOW CLOSE IT IS AT THE TOP OF THE TITLE RACE.
KIMI RAIKKONEN HAD LOOKED FAVOURITE TO WIN - STRONG ALL WEEKEND, POLE POSITION WINNER AND LEADING THE RACE FOR MANY LAPS. BUT OUTCOMES ARE NOT ALWAYS CUT AND DRIED, THANK GOODNESS (FOR US VIEWERS/SPECTATORS). THE RIGHT-HAND EXHAUST PIPE FELL OFF, REDUCING THE POWER AVAILABLE UNDER HIS RIGHT FOOT, BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, RESULTING IN THE HOT EXHAUST GASES BURNING THE BODY-SHELL AWAY. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR NEVER CAUGHT FIRE AND HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO THE END TO SECURE AN IMPORTANT 2ND PLACE.
LEWIS HAMILTON HAD BEEN PENALISED FOR HIS MISTAKE IN CANADA (RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF RAIKKONEN AT THE PIT-LANE RED LIGHT) BY DROPPING 10 PLACES ON TODAY'S GRID AND STARTED 13TH. AS IF THAT WAS NOT A BIG ENOUGH OBSTACLE, HE ALSO SUFFERED A PIT-LANE DRIVE THROUGH PENALTY FOR GAINING AN ADVANTAGE AT THE CHICANE BY MISSING THE APEX WHEN OVERTAKING SEBASTIAN VETTEL. THIS WAS A VERY MARGINAL DECISION BECAUSE HE WAS WELL PAST VETTEL AT THE TIME. OVER-DRIVING IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO OVERCOME THESE TWIN SETBACKS MEANT THAT HE WAS VERY RAGGED AND NEVER THREATENED TO SCORE ANY POINTS.
HIS TEAM-MATE, HEIKKI KOVALAINEN, ALSO HAD A 5-PLACE DROP ON THE GRID FOR ACCIDENTALLY BLOCKING MARK WEBBER DURING QUALIFYING AND HE STARTED 10TH BUT DID WELL DURING THE RACE TO FINISH 4TH.
U.K. TELEVISION COMMENTATORS AWARDED THEIR 'DRIVE OF THE DAY' TO JARNO TRULLI FOR A VERY SPIRITED DISPLAY THAT SAW HIM COMPLETE THE PODIUM. A FITTING OUTCOME FOR TOYOTA FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF OVE ANDERSSON, THEIR FORMER F1 TEAM PRINCIPAL, SPORTS CAR TEAM PRINCIPAL AND RALLY DRIVER. NELSON PICQUET ALSO HAD A GOOD DAY, FINISHING 7TH AHEAD OF HIS TEAM-MATE, ALONSO, AND EARNING HIS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS. THIS WILL HELP TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON HIM FOR BETTER RESULTS AT RENAULT.
STARTING GRID
| | | |
| 1.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 2.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 3.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 4.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 5.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 6.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 7.
|
David Coulthard
|
| 8.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 9.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 10.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 11.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 12.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 13.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 14.
|
Sebastien Bourdais
|
| 15.
|
Kazuki Nakajima
|
| 16.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 17.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
| 18.
|
Aidrian Sutil
|
| 19.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 20.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 2.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 3.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 4.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 5.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 6.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 7.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 8.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Felipe Massa
|
48
|
| Robert Kubica
|
46
|
| Kimi Raikkonen
|
43
|
| Lewis Hamilton
|
38
|
| Nick Heidfeld
|
28
|
| Heikki Kovalainen
|
20
|
| Jarno Trulli
|
18
|
| =Mark Webber
|
18
|
Constructors :
|
| Ferrari
|
91
|
| BMW
|
74
|
| McLaren
|
58
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
24
|
| Toyota
|
23
|
| Williams
|
15
|
| Renault
|
12
|
| Honda
|
8
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
7
|
| Force India
|
0
|
| Super Aguri
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
23rd June 2008
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