Germany 2008
FROM THE START OF THE WEEKEND AT HOCKENHEIM IT WAS CLEAR THAT MCLAREN HAD THE EDGE ON FERRARI AND THIS WAS BORN OUT IN QUALIFYING. IN PARTICULAR, KIMI RAIKKONEN WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET HIS FERRARI SET UP PROPERLY WHILST FELIPE MASSA WAS GENERALLY SLIGHTLY SLOWER THAN LEWIS HAMILTON AND ENDED UP IN 2ND PLACE ON THE GRID BEHIND HAMILTON ON POLE.
FROM THE START HAMILTON QUICKLY BUILT UP A SUBSTANTIAL LEAD BUT, ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE RACE, TIMO GLOCK SUFFERED A REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE AND REVERSED INTO A WALL AT ABOUT 140 M.P.H.! FORTUNATELY, HE WAS ONLY BRUISED BUT THE SAFETY CAR HAD TO BE DEPLOYED AND LEWIS'S LEAD SHRANK TO NOTHING.
WHEN THE PITS OPENED, MOST OF HIS RIVALS TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE-FUEL TO THE END OF THE RACE BUT MCLAREN CHOSE TO LEAVE HIM OUT THERE. THEIR CONCERN WAS TO RUN HIS MIDDLE STINT ON THE HARD TYRES AND JUST HAVE A SHORT PERIOD ON THE SOFT TYRES AT THE END OF THE RACE.
HOWEVER, THE SAFETY CAR STAYED OUT LONGER THAN THEY EXPECTED AND HAMILTON WAS LEFT WITH INSUFFICIENT TIME TO RE-BUILD HIS LEAD TO THE POINT WHERE HE WOULD HAVE TIME IN HAND TO PIT AGAIN AND STILL STAY AHEAD. CONSEQUENTLY, HE EMERGED FROM THE PITS IN AN EFFECTIVE THIRD PLACE BEHIND NELSON PIQUET (LEADING) AND FELIPE MASSA (2ND).
PIQUET HAD STARTED 17TH, FUELLED FOR A ONE-STOP RACE AND HAD JUST HAD THAT ONE STOP WHEN GLOCK HAD HIS ACCIDENT. SO HE WAS NOW IN A POSITION TO WIN HIS FIRST GRAND PRIX! MASSA DID NOT SEEM ABLE TO PRESS PIQUET'S RENAULT AND SO HAMILTON HAD APPROXIMATELY 12 LAPS TO OVERTAKE NOT ONE BUT TWO CARS IF HE WAS TO WIN.
HE DID IT IN SOME STYLE! THE SAFETY CAR HAD INADVERTENTLY LIT UP A FAIRLY PROCESSIONAL RACE AND SHOWED JUST WHAT LEWIS CAN DO AND IT ALSO GAVE NELSON HIS FIRST F1 PODIUM IN SECOND WITH FELIPE THIRD.
STARTING GRID
| | | |
| 1.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 2.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 3.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 4.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 5.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 6.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 7.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 8.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 9.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 10.
|
David Coulthard
|
| 11.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 12.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 13.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 14.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 15.
|
Sebastien Bourdais
|
| 16.
|
Kazuki Nakajima
|
| 17.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 18.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 19.
|
Aidrian Sutil
|
| 20.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 2.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 3.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 4.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 5.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 6.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 7.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 8.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Lewis Hamilton
|
58
|
| Felipe Massa
|
54
|
| Kimi Raikkonen
|
51
|
| Robert Kubica
|
48
|
| Nick Heidfeld
|
41
|
| Heikki Kovalainen
|
28
|
| Jarno Trulli
|
20
|
| Mark Webber
|
18
|
Constructors :
|
| Ferrari
|
105
|
| BMW
|
89
|
| McLaren
|
86
|
| Toyota
|
25
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
24
|
| Renault
|
23
|
| Williams
|
16
|
| Honda
|
14
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
8
|
| Force India
|
0
|
| Super Aguri
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
21st July 2008
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