There were mixed strategies throughout the top 10 on the grid, with six drivers, including pole man Vettel, starting on the soft tyre and four starting on the medium tyre. Red Bull’s Mark Webber was the highest-placed driver to start on the medium tyre in fourth: the best qualifying position seen so far this year for a driver setting his best time on the harder of the two nominated compounds on a Saturday. The first pit stops came at the end of lap one, with Force India’s Paul di Resta and Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne switching from the soft to the medium compound.
Vettel made the same move at the end of lap two from the lead, re-joining at the back and handing the advantage to Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who became the first man other than Vettel to ever lead a lap of the Indian Grand Prix. Massa pitted on lap eight, putting Webber into the lead. Webber pitted on lap 28 for softs, at which point Vettel was back into the lead. Vettel’s final stop was on lap 31 for the medium, followed one lap later by his team mate – who also went on to the medium for his final stint before retiring on lap 39 with mechanical problems.
INDIAN GRAND PRIX, BUDDH
60 laps, 307.249km., Weather: Smog.
CLASSIFIED:
P. DRIVER TEAM TIME
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1h31:12.187
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG + 29.823
3. Romain Grosjean Lotus + 39.892
4. Felipe Massa Ferrari + 41.692
5. Sergio Perez McLaren + 43.829
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG + 52.400
7. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus + 1:07.900
8. Paul Di Resta Force India + 1:12.800
9. Adrian Sutil Force India + 1:14.700
10. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso + 1:16.200
11. Fernando Alonso Ferrari + 1:18.200
12. Pastor Maldonado Williams + 1:18.900
13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso + 1 lap
14. Jenson Button McLaren + 1 lap
15. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber + 1 lap
16. Valtteri Bottas Williams + 1 lap
17. Max Chilton Marussia + 2 laps
18. Jules Bianchi Marussia + 2 laps
19. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber + 6 laps
Fastest Lap: Kimi Raikkonen - 1:27.679
NOT CLASSIFIED:
DRIVER TEAM On Lap
Mark Webber Red Bull 40
Carles Pic Caterham 36
Giedo van der Garde Caterham 2
After 15 Races:
Drivers: Constructors:
1. S.Vettel 322 1. Red Bull 470
2. F.Alonso 207 2. Mercedes AMG 313
3. K.Raikkonen 183 3. Ferrari 309
4. L.Hamilton 169 4. Lotus 285
5. M.Webber 148 5. McLaren 93
6. N.Rosberg 144 6. Force India 68
7. F.Massa 102 7. Sauber 45
8. R.Grosjean 102 8. Toro Rosso 32
9. J.Button 60 9. Williams 1
10. P.Di Resta 40
11. N.Hulkenberg 39
12. S.Perez 33
13. A.Sutil 28
14. D.Ricciardo 19
15. J.Vergne 13
16. E.Guttierrez 6
16. P.Maldonado 1
