Formula 1 News

Vettel wins the 2010 European Grand Prix at Valencia 

Podium finish for Hamilton and Button

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel took a comfortable win today at Valencia’s European Grand Prix ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Team mate Mark Webber had to retire after a huge shunt with Lotus Racing’s Heikki Kovalainen but was fortunate enough to get out of the car uninjured.

Williams’ Rubens Barrichello finished up in fourth ahead of Renault’s Robert Kubica, Force India’s Adrian Sutil, Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi, Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Sauber’s Pedro de la Rosa.

The race results are provisional as several drivers (Button, Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Kubica, Petrov, Sutil, Liuzzi, Buemi and de la Rosa) are currently under investigation by the race stewards for driving back to the pits too quickly after the safety car was deployed.

UPDATE #1: Glock has been given a 20-second penalty for ignoring blue flags.

UPDATE #2: Button, Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Kubica, Petrov, Sutil, Liuzzi, Buemi and de la Rosa have been given a 5-second penalty. Alonso moves from P9 to P8 and Rosberg from P12 to P10.

Video, 2010 European GP (Valencia): Mark Webber hits Heikki Kovalainen and flies in the air

2010 European Grand Prix, lap by lap highlights:

Formation lap: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel starts from pole position ahead of team mate Mark Webber. Third place on the grid for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, fourth for local hero Fernando Alonso, fifth for Felipe Massa and sixth for Robert Kubica. Position seven for reigning world champion Jenson Button, eight for Nico Hulkenberg, nine for Rubens Barrichello and ten for Vitaly Petrov.

Race start: Into turn 1 Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso. Webber down to 5th.

Lap 2/57: Webber currently in ninth. Vettel P1, Hamilton P2, Alonso P3, Massa P4, Kubica P5.

Lap 3/57: Webber pressuring Hulkenberg for P8. Schumacher now in 11th. Alonso being told over the radio that Hamilton has lost a few pieces off his front wing. Replays show slight contact between Vettel and Hamilton on race start.

Lap 5/57: Trulli running slowly…and he retires. Schumacher being suggested over the radio to cool down his front brakes.

Lap 7/57: Fastest lap for Vettel. Vettel still in the lead ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Massa, Kubica, Button, Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Webber and Buemi. Trulli is now back in the track.

Lap 8/57: Webber pits. He rejoins in P18.

Lap 9/57: Fastest lap for Alonso. Rosberg pits, back in P19.

Lap 10/57: Huge crash for Webber: the Australian flies in the air as he hits Kovalainen’s Lotus. He’s OK. Everyone pits now. Safety car deployed.

Lap 11/57: Still under Safety Car. Meanwhile most of the drivers have pitted.

Lap 12/57: Schumacher makes his first stop. Drivers yet to pit: Kobayashi, di Grassi and Glock.

Lap 13/57: Vettel in P1, then Hamilton, Kobayashi, Button, Barrichello, Kubica, Buemi, Sutil, Hulkenberg, Alonso and de la Rosa.

Lap 14/57: Schumacher pits again. Safety car in this lap.

Lap 15/57: The race has resumed. Alonso passes Hulkenberg for P9.

Lap 17/57: Vettel P1, Hamilton P2, Kobayashi P3, Button P4.

Lap 20/57: A Ferrari spokesman is suggesting that Hamilton overtook the Safety Car.

Lap 21/57: Hamilton under investigation by the race stewards.

Lap 23/57: Hulkenberg P10 followed by de la Rosa, Petrov, Rosberg, Liuzzi, Massa, Alguersuari, Schumacher, di Grassi, Glock, Chandhok, Senna.

Lap 25/57: Drive through penalty for Hamilton for overtaking the Safety Car. Replays show Hamilton overtaking the Safety Car while it was emerging from the pitlane.

Lap 27/57: Hamilton serves his penalty and rejoins in P2. Replays show a beer bottle on track.

Lap 30/57: Vettel leads ahead of Hamilton, Kobayashi, Button, Barrichello, Kubica, Buemi, Sutil, Alonso and Hulkenberg.

Lap 34/57: Vettel P1, +12.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

Lap 35/57: drivers yet to pit: Kobayashi and di Grassi.

Lap 37/57: Schumacher pits for the third time.

Lap 38/57: Senna and Glock made contact while battling for P20. Senna damaged his front wing, while Glock had a puncture. They both pit.

Lap 39/57: Sutil passes Buemi for P7. Alonso now pressuring Buemi for P8.

Lap 42/57: Vettel P1, Hamilton P2, Kobayashi P3.

Lap 44/57: Di Grassi makes his first pit stop. Button, Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Kubica, Petrov, Sutil, Liuzzi, Buemi and de la Rosa will be investigated after the race for driving back to the pits too quickly after the safety car was deployed.

Lap 51/57: Hulkenberg retires.

Lap 52/57: Fastest lap for Vettel: 1:39.141.

Lap 53/57: Kobayashi pits from P3 for the first time. He rejoins in P10.

Lap 56/57: Buemi, Alonso and Kobayashi fighting for P7.

Last lap: Kobayashi passes Alonso for P8. Sebastian Vettel wins the 2010 European Grand Prix at Valencia ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Robert Kubica, Adrian Sutil. Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi overtakes Sebastien Buemi in the last turn and secures the seventh place. P8 for Buemi, P9 for Alonso and P10 for de la Rosa.

2010 European Grand Prix, Updated Race Results:

Image © Bridgestone