Alonso wins Chinese GP: Flying Fernando claims Ferrari victory as Hamilton finishes third in Shanghai
By SIMON CASS
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Fernando Alonso won the strategy battle in Shanghai as the Chinese Grand Prix boiled down to a case of who calculated their sums correctly on Pirelli’s temperamental tyres.
The main players executed their varying methods for negotiating 56 laps of the Shanghai Circuit, but, in the end, the combination of Alonso, Ferrari and the calculator proved to be too good for the rest of the field.
The win for Alonso was his first since Germany last season and certainly vindicated the theory that he is among the smartest drivers on the grid when it comes to implementing a plan.
On top: The Spaniard claimed his second podium of the season after his second place in Melbourne
Podium: Alonso finished ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, who were second and third respectively
Shower: The Ferrari driver sprays champagne from the podium in China
BAHRAIN BLOW
Mark Webber and Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez were penalised for causing collisions at Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix, and handed grid penalties for next week's race in Bahrain.
Webber was given a three-place penalty for colliding with Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne in an incident that ultimately ended his race, as a wheel fitted at the resultant pit-stop came loose inside a lap.
Gutierrez received a five-place penalty after crashing heavily into the rear of Adrian Sutil's Force India, ending the grand prix for both drivers.
But whether this current version of Formula One is really what the sport is all about is open to debate – as Mark Webber said of the secret of winning the modern era: ‘Tyres, tyres, tyres, tyres…tyres.’
Pirelli’s rubber is certainly proving to be the decisive factor in both qualifying and the race and when it comes to one-lap pace few can touch Hamilton if he is in the right car.
Even so, Hamilton was both surprised and delighted after earning his first pole position for Mercedes just three races into his career with his new team.
But it was long faces at Red Bull as Mark Webber was shunted from 14th on the grid to dead last after running out of fuel in qualifying, meaning he did not have enough petrol on his tank to provide the mandatory sample.
Jumping for joy: Alonso stands on top of his Ferrari in celebration
On the rise: The Spaniard moved into third place in the drivers' standings after claiming 25 points in Shanghai
Sporting the colours: Alonso waves the Ferrari flag
Champagne fever: Former McLaren team-mates Hamilton and Alonso celebrate on the podium
Conspiracy theories that Red Bull had deliberately not put enough fuel in Webber’s car to keep him as far away from Sebastian Vettel after the disobedient three-time world champion stole the win from his teammate in Malaysia, were, of course, flatly denied by the team.
Such talk was mere mischief-making, although the flames were fanned by Webber ducking a question on the subject rather than shooting it down.
And Vettel had enough on his plate having qualified way down the order in ninth, one place behind McLaren’s Jenson Button.
But if that pair struggled in qualifying it was Kimi Raikkonen who blew his chance at the start. After qualifying on the front row for the first time since 2009, the Finn swallowed up by both Ferraris.
And despite a decent getaway, Hamilton was soon struggling on the soft tyre and was a DRS lamb to the slaughter on lap three as both Alonso and Felipe Massa cruised by on the start finish straight at the end of the fourth lap.
And as the soft-tyre starters began filing into the pits, with Hamilton first to flinch, it was the medium-tyre trio of Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, the German having done the business from tenth on the grid, Vettel and Button who occupied the top three places.
Scare: Hamilton had to hold off a late charge from Sebastian Vettel for his third place
Late charge: Sebastian Vettel came storming back at Hamilton for a podium spot, but the Brit held on
Any hopes that Adrian Sutil could make a similar strategy work were ended when Sauber rookie Esteban Gutierrez missed his braking point and ploughed into the back of the Force India.
Sutil did make it back to the pits but the rear wing damage and flaming brakes ended his race after just six laps.
Meanwhile, Webber’s decision to pit for medium tyres at the end of the very first lap was paying dividends. The Australian was running just outside the top ten after the first wave of pit stops while an early stop for McLaren’s Sergio Perez was enough to lift him from 12th on the grid to fourth on the track by the end of lap 10.
And, but for earlier contact with his teammate, Force India’s Paul Di Resta could have found himself running higher than sixth, the Scot having opted to use medium rubber from the off.
All action: Hamilton led into the first corner but was soon reeled in and passed by both Ferraris
Flying formation: Alonso and Felipe Massa both overtook Hamilton on the pit straight on lap five
Then came the turn of the alternative strategy boys to head for the pits, Hulkenberg and Vettel heading for their respective garages at the end of lap 14. A tardy stop by Sauber allowed Vettel to undercut his countryman.
But Hulkenberg’s problems were scant compared to those of his rivals as they were forced to carve their way through the traffic.
Webber was first in the wars as he clouted into the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne. The Frenchman was sent spinning while Webber was forced back into the pits for a new nose.
Moments later it was Raikkonen who was causing some cosmetic surgery to the front of his car, clipping the rear of Sergio Perez’s McLaren, who appeared to simply take up the racing line rather than block the Lotus.
Back to Webber, and those conspiracy theorists had more food for thought, as the Australian started cruising with a loose right-rear tyre after his stop for a new nose. Limping back to the pits, the tyre wobbled and then worked its way free before rolling across the track right in front of Vettel.
Wayward wheel: Red Bull's Mark Webber was forced to retire after losing a rear tyre
The upshot of such wacky stuff was that Button, trying to make a two-stop strategy work, briefly found himself at the head of the field before a DRS move by Alonso.
Those who had started on the soft tyre were soon back to their garages for a second time as Button, with just the one stop as that point, was asking for advice from his team over whether to defend third position from Hamilton. ‘Fight’ was the response from the McLaren pit, but on older rubber Button was powerless to prevent his former team-mate sweeping through.
The message to Vettel in the lead was very different as Alonso closed in on his gearbox with fresher rubber. This time the triple world champion obeyed the team order and let the Ferrari through, the tyre strategy all important to his chances.
Three-wheeling: Webber loses his tyre, which narrowly missed Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel (below)
Suspension problems ended Rosberg’s hopes of seeing how his plan would work out come the final stops as the German retired for the second time in as many races.
Raikkonen, still with a hole in his nose, was the first of the frontrunners on a three-stopper to dive into the pits at the end of lap 33 on the 56-lap race. A tall order to make the tyre survive even in a Lotus which is light on its feet.
Out on the track, Vettel, running a three-stop strategy, albeit out of sync with the rest, was ordered to find a way past Button in fourth. A dab of the DRS was enough to dispatch the McLaren.
In came Massa and Hulkenberg. There was little more than a cigarette paper between them as they exited the pit-lane, the Ferrari winning that battle. Next it was Hamilton who came in before the dash to the chequered flag.
Retirement: Webber leaves his car as marshals lift the Red Bull away (below)
But 19 seconds out in front and yet to flinch ahead of Vettel remained Alonso. With that cushion, at the end of lap 41, the call came for the Spaniard to fit his final set of tyres on what looked to be the perfect execution of a three-stop strategy.
Indeed, all that seemed left to be decided was the remaining podium places, Hamilton in fifth hunting down Raikkonen, Button in third trying to make a two-stopper work and Vettel in second needing a final blast on the softer tyre.
Button looked to be first out of the picture, gobbled up by first Raikkonen and then Hamilton. His demise came when he made his second stop for the mandatory soft tyre.
Last to pit was Vettel with six laps remaining, looking for an increase in speed on the soft rubber.
Respectable: Jenson Button finished fifth in his McLaren
Out came the reigning world champion in fourth, needing to put in qualifying lap pace to hunt down Hamilton in third and Raikkonen in second.
Vettel certainly closed at a rate of knots as the chequered flag approached to set up a grandstand finish
Two seconds separated Hamilton from Vettel as they entered the final lap. The Mercedes man was compromised by traffic, but despite locking into the final corner, Hamilton had enough to take the final step on the podium by just two tenths of a second.
Button’s two-stopper was good enough for fifth place, worth the roll of the dice considering he had started eighth.
But a sign of where Formula One finds itself currently is demonstrated by Hulkenberg’s afternoon. The Sauber man started tenth and at one point even found himself leading the race. After overtaking cars, being passed himself and three visits to the pits, Hulkenberg finished 10th – exactly where he started.
DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP - AS IT STANDS
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2308838/Fernando-Alonso-wins-Chinese-Grand-Prix-Kimi-Raikkonen-finishes-second-Lewis-Hamilton-third.html#ixzz2QUeEzQol
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