GREATER NOIDA, INDIA- Sebastian Vettel added another few records to his growing list of triumphs when he won the first ever Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh circuit, 30 October. He scored his first grand slam by starting in pole, leading every lap, winning the race and setting the fastest lap time. He also became the first driver to lead for 700 laps in a season.
The final lap, with the title already won, allowed the young German driver to go for it and create the new lap record for the circuit. Jenson Button’s McLaren followed Vettel’s Red Bull while Fernando Alonso was third for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was involved in yet another controversy but this time the stewards ruled that it was the fault of Felipé Massa. Overall the Grand Prix was a success for the Indian organizers, although some media still focused on the poverty beyond the circuit.
Links to other sites: Formula 1, BBC, Guardian, Times of India
TOKYO, JAPAN – Jenson Button won the Japanese Grand Prix for McLaren but it was not enough to stop Sebastian Vettel from retaining the world championship crown at the Japanese Grand Prix 9 October. Fernando Alonso was second in his Ferrari with Vettel’s Red Bull coming third, more than achieving the single point he needed to retain his title.
Vettel started in pole position but held it only thanks to some aggresssive driving on the first straight when he forced Button off the track.
The McLaren driver got his revenge later when he gained a second during the pit stops and took the lead, retaining it till the end.
Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi was last, being the only driver not to finish.
Vettel is the youngest driver to have won and then retained his title.
Abu Dhabi (GenevaLunch) – Sebastian Vettel, 23-year-old German Formula 1 driver, made history Sunday 14 November by being the youngest ever winner of the F1 driver’s title. He ended the season with 10 wins for Red Bull to his name. Fernando Alonso and Ferrari went into the race needing to finish in the top four for Alonzo to take the title, but he finished in seventh place. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton finished second and Jenson Button third.
Red Bull also took the constructor’s title, earlier in the season in Brazil.
Links to other sites: BBC, F1, post-race interview with Vettel, rankings on F1
International sports, Formula 1
Singapore, (GenevaLunch) - Fernando Alonso won his second successive Grand Prix when he claimed the Singapore race for Ferrari, ahead of the Red Bulls driven by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. Jenson Button was fourth while team-mate Lewis Hamilton once again did not finish after colliding with Webber. Alonso started in pole position and was rarely troubled by those behind him, except on the final lap as Vettel almost caught him.
There are five drivers within 25 points, the reward for a win, with Webber leading Alonso by 11 points and Hamilton, Vettel and Button taking the next places.
Shanghai, China (GenevaLunch) - McLaren Mercedes drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton made it an English double as they took the top two places in the Chinese Grand Prix, 18 April. The championship winners from 2009 and 2008 mastered the changing weather conditions better than the Red Bull team that started at the front of the grid. Fernando Alonso passed the Red Bull team on the first straight but was sent back for a drive through penalty for having started early. Sebastian Vettel went down from pole to finish sixth, Mark Webber from second to eighth. Nico Rosberg finished third for Mercedes and Alonso was fourth for Ferrari. Felipe Massa was back in ninth place, followed by Michael Schumacher.
Four drivers were forced to retire on the first lap including Swiss driver Sébastien Buemi after a pile up. Buemi was also victim of a spectacular crash in qualifying. The race was one of the most fascinating of recent years as the rain and tyre changes made for competitive, sometimes chaotic, conditions. Button now heads the championship table by ten points from Nico Rosberg with Alonso and Hamilton another point back.
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.
