Bahrain (GenevaLunch) - Fernando Alonso started his Ferrari career in the ideal way by leading the team to a one-two victory Sunday 14 March at the opening Grand Prix of the season on the newly designed Bahrain track. Sebastin Vettel started in pole position with Alonso and teammate Felipe Massa taking the next two spots on the starting grid, followed by Lewis Hamilton for McLaren. Michael Schumacher started his comeback race in seventh place.
Once the race was underway Vettel pulled into an early lead and held it for the first 35 laps until his car developed problems with its exhaust system.
Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (GenevaLunch) - Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber grabbed the top two places in the final Grand Prix of the 2009 season in Abu Dhabi. It was the first race to take place on the track, and the first day-night Grand Prix race. Jenson Button, who had captured the championship in the previous Grand Prix, took third place after an unsuccessful fight to pass Webber in the final laps.
Tokyo, Japan (GenevaLunch) – Sebastian Vettel drove his Red Bull to a routine victory in the Japanese Grand Prix to preserve his chances of upsetting Jenson Button in the championship race.
The German driver lead from pole position and was never really threatened. Italian Jarno Trulli was second for Toyota with current champion Lewis Hamilton third in his McLaren. Button picked up one point for coming eighth but still has a 14-point lead over teammate Rubens Barrichello and is 16 points clear of Vettel with two races left.
Details: Guardian, UK
Singapore (GenevaLunch) – Lewis Hamilton predicted that the Singapore Grand Prix would be a pleasant evening drive and that turned out to be the case, at least for him. The British driver, current champion but well out of the running after a poor start to the season, started from pole position and was never in danger. Jenson Button, current championship leader came in fifth despite starting from 12th to pick up four points, extending his lead over Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello to 15 points, with three races to go. Timo Glock was second in his Toyota and Fernando Alonso third in his Renault. Sebastian Vettel was fourth for Red Bull, and is third in the championship, 25 points behind Button.
The next Grand Prix will be in Japan on Sunday, October 4, and could secure the title for Button.
Details: Formula 1.com
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (GenevaLunch) - Kimi Raikkönen drove his Ferrari to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix after a pile-up on the first lap knocked four cars out of the race, including last year’s champion Lewis Hamilton and this season’s leader, Jenson Button.
Budapest, Hungary (GenevaLunch) - It was just like old times as Lewis Hamilton, current Champion drove an almost faultless race, with the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkönen second, and Mark Webber third for Red Bull. It was Hamilton’s tenth Grand Prix win, but his first this season.
Fernando Alonso started in pole position in his Renault but was forced to stop at the pits with tire trouble, and then to retire as a front wheel was not properly fitted and later flew off.
Nuerburgring, Germany (GenevaLunch) – Australian Mark Webber drove his Red Bull team to his first Grand Prix victory after 130 starts, all the more amazing considering that he spent the winter in rehab after a severe cycling accident gave him a badly broken leg and shoulder injuries. His German teammate Sebastian Vettel was second while Brazilian Felipe Massa was third for Ferrari. Nico Rosberg came in fourth for Williams while current leader Jenson Button was fifth ahead of fellow Brawn driver Rubens Barrichello.
Istanbul, Turkey (GenevaLunch) – Jenson Button drove his Brawn GP car to his fourth consecutive Formula 1 victory. He has now won six of the seven races this season. He then thanked the team for producing a “monster of a car.” Only four other drivers have won six of the first seven, Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark and Michael Schumacher (twice).
Bahrain (GenevaLunch) – Jenson Button lead the Brawn team to their third win after only four races this season with a faultless display in the heat of the desert.
Shanghai, China (GenevaLunch) – The Red Bull team scored their first Grand Prix victory in the Chinese race, and took second place as well, pushing current championship leader Jenson Button into third place. Last year’s winner, Lewis Hamilton, was in sixth.
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Lausanne, Switzerland (LeTemps, Fre) - Organizers for the Red Bull Crashed Ice race in Lausanne underestimated the popularity of the event, expecting 20,000 spectators: a crowd of over 40,000 showed up 14 March to watch 105 racers, mostly retired hockey players, compete in a sport known as ice cross downhill.
