Formula 1 News

2008 Hungarian GP: Massa’s blown engine hands win to Kovalainen 

Following an exceptional qualifying session on Saturday with an all-McLaren Mercedes front row for Sunday’s race, once again a Silver Arrow took the victory at the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix. Heikki Kovalainen, came up with his first F1 career victory mostly thanks to a blown engine on Felipe Massa‘s Ferrari F2008, just three laps before the chequered flag.

The Finn’s team mate, Lewis Hamilton, after his two consecutive Grand Prix wins in France and Germany and Saturday’s Pole Position, failed to match Micheal Schumacher‘s three consecutive GP wins record, mainly because of a puncture on his MP4-23 front left tyre during lap 41 and had to settle with P5.

But the driver that left the Hungarian track with a huge disappointment, was Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. The Brazilian, who took the start from P3, made a magnificent overtaking manoeuvre and passed Kovalainen’s and Hamilton’s McLaren Mercedes gaining P1 at Turn 1.

From there Massa clocked a series of fastest laps and thanks to a slightly lighter on fuel race strategy, it was simply a matter of keeping his F2008 in front of all others. But three laps before the end of the race and after having crossed the start/finish line, the Ferrari engine on the Brazilian’s car blown, handing literally the maiden F1 win to the Finn.

Excellent second place for Toyota’s Timo Glock who, after his strong qualifying performance on Saturday (5th on the starting grid), took his maiden podium finish ahead of third placed Kimi Raikkonen.

The 2007 World Champion, once got rid of Fernando Alonso‘s slower R28, was able to close his gap to Glock by 10 seconds in six laps in the final part of the race. The Finn however, following the blown engine on his team mate’s car and as a precaution, had been instructed from the pit wall to slow down on the final laps.

 

2008 Hungarian Grand Prix Race Results: