Shanghai sings red!
15 April 2013 12:17 AM GMT
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso emerged unscathed to take victory on Sunday in a drama-packed Chinese Grand Prix, with the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton holding on for second and third.
A charging Sebastian Vettel came fourth, just 0.2 seconds behind Hamilton, after adopting a different tyre strategy from most of his rivals, while his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber failed to finish on a dreadful weekend for him.
Jenson Button, of McLaren, was fifth, and Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa sixth. Daniel Ricciardo, of Toro Rosso, Force India’s Paul di Resta, Romain Grosjean of Lotus and Nico Hulkenberg, of Sauber, rounded out the top 10.
Alonso said that he was delighted to get his season back on track after retiring early in Malaysia last month. The two-time world champion was second, behind the rejuvenated Raikkonen, in the season-opening race in Melbourne.
“It feels good, it is a long time from my victory here eight years ago,” said the Spaniard, who narrowly lost out to Vettel for the world title last season.
“It was not easy to understand this race sometimes, not an easy race. The risk is there when you overtake. “This is a good reward for the team after the disappointment in Malaysia. Let’s hope this is now the start of the championship and we need to keep going like that.”
Hamilton, whose lead from pole position lasted only into lap five, when Alonso activated his DRS on the home straight, just held off the rampaging Vettel at the line to earn a second podium place for his new team.
“I’m really happy with today’s result and very happy for the team. We didn’t quite have the pace of these two (Alonso and Raikkonen) but we’re very pleased to get on the podium.”
Raikkonen was in the thick of it, suffering slight damage when Sergio Perez, of McLaren, attempted to snuff out the Finn’s overtaking manoeuvre. “What the hell’s he doing?!” exclaimed the straight-talking Raikkonen over the team radio.
A charging Sebastian Vettel came fourth, just 0.2 seconds behind Hamilton, after adopting a different tyre strategy from most of his rivals, while his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber failed to finish on a dreadful weekend for him.
Jenson Button, of McLaren, was fifth, and Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa sixth. Daniel Ricciardo, of Toro Rosso, Force India’s Paul di Resta, Romain Grosjean of Lotus and Nico Hulkenberg, of Sauber, rounded out the top 10.
Alonso said that he was delighted to get his season back on track after retiring early in Malaysia last month. The two-time world champion was second, behind the rejuvenated Raikkonen, in the season-opening race in Melbourne.
“It feels good, it is a long time from my victory here eight years ago,” said the Spaniard, who narrowly lost out to Vettel for the world title last season.
“It was not easy to understand this race sometimes, not an easy race. The risk is there when you overtake. “This is a good reward for the team after the disappointment in Malaysia. Let’s hope this is now the start of the championship and we need to keep going like that.”
Hamilton, whose lead from pole position lasted only into lap five, when Alonso activated his DRS on the home straight, just held off the rampaging Vettel at the line to earn a second podium place for his new team.
“I’m really happy with today’s result and very happy for the team. We didn’t quite have the pace of these two (Alonso and Raikkonen) but we’re very pleased to get on the podium.”
Raikkonen was in the thick of it, suffering slight damage when Sergio Perez, of McLaren, attempted to snuff out the Finn’s overtaking manoeuvre. “What the hell’s he doing?!” exclaimed the straight-talking Raikkonen over the team radio.
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