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Vettel powers Red Bull to Istanbul 1-2
Source: Agencies |
May 9, 2011, Monday
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FORMULA One world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Turkish Grand Prix yesterday as Red Bull delighted in a one-two finish after last year's embarrassment and pain.
Vettel's third win in four races this season stretched his overall lead to 34 points over McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, a distant fourth yesterday.
The 23-year-old German led from pole position, his fifth in a row dating back to last year, and never looked in any trouble on a sunny afternoon at Istanbul Park where spectators witnessed a resurgent Ferrari and a disappointing McLaren.
Australian Mark Webber, whose hopes of victory last year evaporated after the two Red Bull teammates collided while fighting for the lead late in the race, finished second after a thrilling battle with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.
"The fight with Fernando was a little unexpected, he drove brilliantly but in the end I had a fresher set of tires and got the job done," said Webber. "Seb is obviously on a fantastic run at the moment."
Spaniard Alonso might have hoped for second place but had to settle for third, his team's first podium finish since last November in Brazil.
"We are in the right direction but this is only the first step," he said.
Vettel's 13th career win, and sixth from his last eight starts, was third time lucky for champion Red Bull which celebrated its first Turkish success despite starting the previous two Istanbul races on pole.
"You beauty, Seb," shouted team boss Christian Horner as his driver, who had crashed heavily in Friday's opening free practice, took the checkered flag and whooped in delight from the cockpit.
Vettel has 93 points to Hamilton's 59 and Webber's 55.
The German, won by a comfortable margin of 8.8 seconds, also kept up a Turkish tradition, with the winner in Istanbul coming from the front row in all seven of the races held here to date.
"Throughout this race we had this cushion and were able to act, rather than react," Vettel said. "We never really had anybody close behind which would have been a different situation."
Vettel became the youngest F1 champion last year, and is odds-on favorite to defend his title.
"We saw how quickly these things changed last year, it was very close," said Vettel, who won the F1 title on the final day of last season. "We have to go step by step, a good start to the season always helps but there is a long way to go."
Webber will also be thrilled, having improved at every race since the season-opening Australian GP. He was fifth in Melbourne, fourth in Malaysia and third in China.
Germany's Nico Rosberg was fifth yesterday for Mercedes with Britain's Jenson Button of McLaren sixth. He was the only driver in the top six to do three stops rather than four.
The Renaults of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov were seventh and eighth while Sebastien Buemi was ninth for Toro Rosso.
Japan's Kamui Kobayashi, starting from the back of the grid after failing to set a time in qualifying, snatched the final point for Sauber.
Mercedes had a disappointing afternoon after seeming to have made a big step up in qualifying. Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher collided with Petrov and finished 12th and last of the unlapped drivers.
"It was mostly my mistake - suddenly we got together and I lost my front wing," the German told the BBC. "There was lots of fighting and lots of action, but all for nothing."
Vettel's third win in four races this season stretched his overall lead to 34 points over McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, a distant fourth yesterday.
The 23-year-old German led from pole position, his fifth in a row dating back to last year, and never looked in any trouble on a sunny afternoon at Istanbul Park where spectators witnessed a resurgent Ferrari and a disappointing McLaren.
Australian Mark Webber, whose hopes of victory last year evaporated after the two Red Bull teammates collided while fighting for the lead late in the race, finished second after a thrilling battle with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.
"The fight with Fernando was a little unexpected, he drove brilliantly but in the end I had a fresher set of tires and got the job done," said Webber. "Seb is obviously on a fantastic run at the moment."
Spaniard Alonso might have hoped for second place but had to settle for third, his team's first podium finish since last November in Brazil.
"We are in the right direction but this is only the first step," he said.
Vettel's 13th career win, and sixth from his last eight starts, was third time lucky for champion Red Bull which celebrated its first Turkish success despite starting the previous two Istanbul races on pole.
"You beauty, Seb," shouted team boss Christian Horner as his driver, who had crashed heavily in Friday's opening free practice, took the checkered flag and whooped in delight from the cockpit.
Vettel has 93 points to Hamilton's 59 and Webber's 55.
The German, won by a comfortable margin of 8.8 seconds, also kept up a Turkish tradition, with the winner in Istanbul coming from the front row in all seven of the races held here to date.
"Throughout this race we had this cushion and were able to act, rather than react," Vettel said. "We never really had anybody close behind which would have been a different situation."
Vettel became the youngest F1 champion last year, and is odds-on favorite to defend his title.
"We saw how quickly these things changed last year, it was very close," said Vettel, who won the F1 title on the final day of last season. "We have to go step by step, a good start to the season always helps but there is a long way to go."
Webber will also be thrilled, having improved at every race since the season-opening Australian GP. He was fifth in Melbourne, fourth in Malaysia and third in China.
Germany's Nico Rosberg was fifth yesterday for Mercedes with Britain's Jenson Button of McLaren sixth. He was the only driver in the top six to do three stops rather than four.
The Renaults of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov were seventh and eighth while Sebastien Buemi was ninth for Toro Rosso.
Japan's Kamui Kobayashi, starting from the back of the grid after failing to set a time in qualifying, snatched the final point for Sauber.
Mercedes had a disappointing afternoon after seeming to have made a big step up in qualifying. Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher collided with Petrov and finished 12th and last of the unlapped drivers.
"It was mostly my mistake - suddenly we got together and I lost my front wing," the German told the BBC. "There was lots of fighting and lots of action, but all for nothing."
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