2013 SPANISH GP: ALONSO WINNER, HOME FANS DELIRIOUS - FORMULA 1

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Sunday, May 12, 2013

2013 SPANISH GP: ALONSO WINNER, HOME FANS DELIRIOUS

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso won his home grand prix using a four-stop sprint strategy, ahead of Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen who stopped three times. Alonso claimed his 32nd win, which was his second at the Spanish Grand Prix, while his Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa claimed his first podium of the year despite starting from ninth on the grid following a penalty. Vettel was never really a threat to Alonso as he struggle to manage his tyres.

Alonso also set a new record by becoming the only driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix from a far down as fifth on the grid, demonstrating how tyre strategy can be used to gain track position. Raikkonen – who used a completely different strategy to Alonso with one stop less – nonetheless ran him close, finishing the race just 10 seconds behind the winner. Raikkonen was the only driver to complete three opening stints on the P Zero White medium before one final stint on the P Zero Orange hard.

And what of the Mercedes pair of Rosberg and Hamilton? They started on the front row, but Rosberg, finished sixth, 68 seconds down on the Ferrari and Hamilton, in P12, was lapped. Barmy stuff. Anyway, thanks for your company today, and I'll see you in a fortnight's time for the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren salvage its weekend with a double points finish as Jenson Button three-stopped his way to eighth place, but the team called off the fight early on by telling Sergio Perez - close behind - not to waste his tyres attacking his team-mate. As a result, the championship has now closed up considerably with the top three drivers covered by just 17 points.
SPANISH GRAND PRIX, CATALUNYA
66 laps, 307.104km., Weather: Sunny.

CLASSIFICATION:
 P.    DRIVER            TEAM             TIME    
 1. Fernando Alonso     Ferrari        1h39:16.596
 2. Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus           +    9.338
 3. Felipe Massa        Ferrari         +   26.049
 4. Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull        +   38.273
 5. Mark Webber         Red Bull        +   47.963
 6. Nico Rosberg        Mercedes AMG    + 1:08.020
 7. Paul di Resta       Force India     + 1:08.988
 8. Jenson Button       McLaren         + 1:19.506
 9. Sergio Perez        McLaren         + 1:21.738
10. Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso      +    1 lap
11. Esteban Guttierez   Sauber          +    1 lap
12. Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes AMG    +    1 lap
13. Adrian Sutil        Force India     +    1 lap
14. Pastor Maldonado    Williams        +    1 lap
15. Nico Hulkenberg     Sauber          +    1 lap
16. Valtteri Bottas     Williams        +    1 lap
17. Charles Pic         Caterham        +    1 lap
18. Jules Bianchi       Marussia        +   2 laps
19. Max Chilton         Marussia        +   2 laps

FASTEST LAP: Esteban Gutierrez - 1:26.217         

NOT CLASSIFIED:
DRIVER                TEAM               LAP      
Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso          52
Giedo van der Garde   Caterham            21 
Romain Grosjean       Lotus               8


After 4 races:
Возачи:                    Конструктори:          
 1. S.Vettel       89     1. Red Bull       131
 2. K.Raikkonen    85     2. Ferrari        117
 3. F.Alonso       72     3. Lotus          111
 4. L.Hamilton     50     4. Mercedes AMG    72
 5. F.Massa        45     5. Force India     32
 6. M.Webber       42     6. McLaren         29
 7. R.Grosjean     26     7. Toro Rosso       8
 8. P.di Resta     26     8. Sauber           5
 9. N.Rosberg      22
10. J.Button       17
11. S.Perez        11
12. D.Ricciardo     7
13. A.Sutil         6
14. N.Hulkenberg    5
15. J.Vergne        1