Fernando Alonso Wins 2008 Singapore GP

Fernando Alonso won today’s inaugural Grand Prix of Singapore and unleashed a cavalcade of firsts: the first Formula 1 race in Singapore, the first ever Formula 1 race to be held under lights at night and the first win for Alonso and Renault this year.

Alonso was fortunate to pit just before his teammate Nelson Piquet crashed into the wall, bringing out the safety car and closing the pits. When the pits reopened the rest of the field either had to pit or serve a penalty for pitting while the pits were closed and Alonso collected the lead. While Alonso’s win was unexpected it was not entirely down to luck as the Renaults were fast all weekend and Alonso thought they had a good chance of victory before he was let down by an engine problem during qualifying.

Unlike the street race in Valencia this event was quite entertaining and the lighting really showed off the paint schemes on the cars. Some of the drivers complained about the height of the curbs and some bumpy patches but the crowd seemed to have a great time and no doubt much money was spent by all.

Lewis Hamilton finished third but was probably not too upset as neither of the Ferraris scored any points at all. He now has a seven point lead with just three races to go. McLaren passed Ferrari to take a single point lead in the constructors’ championship.

Kimi Raikkonen finished 15th after hitting the wall while running in fifth place with three laps to go. Felipe Massa finished just two places ahead of him after a disastrous pit stop… first he drove away with the fuel hose still attached, ripping it from its connection and knocking a crewman to the ground. Then he had to wait at the end of pit lane until his mechanics could reach him to remove the hose and send him on his way. To add to his problems he almost hit Adrian Sutil (again!) when he left his pit and so he received a drive-through penalty.

The instant-replay showed that Massa had been released by his team and so it wasn’t his fault. While Ferrari’s automated traffic-light pit release system is innovative, it apparently doesn’t work very well as this is the second such mistake and they really should either get it right or go back to the old lollipop system before someone is seriously hurt.

Complete GP of Singapore results.

Posted: Sunday, September 28th, 2008

Sebastian Vettel Wins 2008 Italian GP

Yesterday Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel became the youngest pole winner in Formula One history. Today he topped this remarkable achievement by winning the Italian Grand Prix and becoming Formula One’s youngest ever race winner.

Like the qualifying sessions, it rained for most of today’s race but Vettel drove like a far more experienced driver in atrocious conditions with a wet track and little visibility.

Lewis Hamilton salvaged a couple of points after a bad tyre choice in qualifying doomed him to starting from 15th place on the grid. He now leads Felipe Massa by a single point in the championship race.

Complete GP of Italy results.

Posted: Sunday, September 14th, 2008

Felipe Massa Inherits 2008 Belgium GP

In complete contrast to the parade in Valencia two weeks ago, today’s Belgian Grand Prix at historic Spa Francorchamps was a great race on a great racetrack. Kimi Raikkonen drove like his old self and pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton was breathing down his neck for almost the entire race.

When it started to rain with just a couple of laps to go the leaders knew that that they would have to tough it out on their dry-weather tyres as there was no time to stop for wets.

Hamilton short-cut the chicane and took the lead but then seemed to slow slightly to give the position back to Raikkonen. Falling in right behind him he was back on the power and banging wheels. Both cars went wide on a corner and then Hamilton spun giving the lead to Raikkonen. Seconds later Raikkonen lost control and drove into the wall. Tilt. Game over.

Nick Heidfeld and Fernando Alonso both stopped for intermediate tyres and made up three places in the final laps, passing Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel who were in third and fourth places before the rain. This would have been Bourdais’ first F1 podium and an amazing result for the Red Bull B-team but it wasn’t to be.

Several hours later Hamilton was given a 25 second penalty for cutting the chicane which dropped him from first to third. Timo Glock also received a similar penalty which dropped him out of the points.

Let the appeals and arguments commence.

Complete GP of Belgium results.

Posted: Sunday, September 7th, 2008