Sebastian Vettel gets a dominant win at the British Grand Prix

June 22, 1:14 AMFormula One ExaminerTerrence Connolly

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In an unchalleged and dominating performance, Red Bull Renault ‘s Sebastian Vettel won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday. Vettel’s Red Bull team mate Mark Webber came in second place, 15 seconds behind Sebastan, while Brawn GP driver Rubens Barrichello finished in third place. 2009 F1 Championship leader Jenson Button finished in 6th spot, 46 seconds behind the race winner Vettel.

So Vettel, Webber and Red Bull have sent a message loud and clear to Brawn and Button that the race for the World Driver championship is far from over. Jenson’s lead is currently more then two victories over Vettel, but with 10 races still left on the schedule, and with the significant improvements in speed made to the Red Bull race car, the Brawn team is no doubt very concerned.

Sebastian was never really challenged in Sunday’s race from the historic Silverstone circuit. In what may have been the last ever F1 race held at the venerable English track, Vettel got off to a silky smooth and  fast start.

"It's never easy it's a long race - you have to stay focused and keep your eyes open all the time," said Vettel. "The start was very important and in the first stint I tried to push as hard as I could and make a gap.
"That worked perfectly and I had a fantastic car. The tyres were fantastic as well. This was a step in the right direction."
 

Vettel has now won his second race in 2009, after winning a wet Chinese Grand prix earlier this year, his only other victory was also a wet race at the Italian GP in 2008, so his victory Sunday becomes Vettel’s first on a dry track. Mark Webber, who started in 3rd position, did drive a fine race also. He was able to get ahead of Barrichello on his first pit stop, and then held off the Brawn driver for the rest of the race. Webber was still upset with an incident in Saturday’s qualifying session, which prevented Mark from starting on pole. He was asked what was the decisive moment that cost him his chance at victory in the press conference after the race…

"Probably yesterday. I mean we needed to get on the front row at least and I think then the first stint today we knew the way that Sebastian was pulling away and Rubens was doing his best, his car did not look that easy, and I was just sitting in behind. It is so difficult to get close here, so the race was virtually lost in that first stint. From then on Sebastian had such a gap after the first 20 laps of the race that it was absolutely no chance for me to bridge that gap. It was way too big."

Felipe Massa and his Ferrari also had an impressive effort. “I almost feel as though I won the race! To start 11th and finish fourth is a really great result. We weren’t expecting it and so we are doubly happy. We had a good strategy and I pushed to the maximum at the key moments. Today, the KERS was a great help, especially at the start, but the whole car was also working well. The team did a great job and the results speak for themselves."
So with 3 weeks off until the next race, the German Grand Prix, I would hope the teams and the FIA, Max and Bernie, can get back to reality, and start considering what is best for the fans and the future of this great sport. They have to realize that it would serve no one’s best interests to split into two separate racing series. (Except the lawyers) Perhaps the three week break comes at a good time, so all the parties involved will be able to cool their tempers and get their egos out of the way, and realize that they already have the most prestigious form of motorsports racing in the world. Why mess with the best?

Couple final thoughts....nice to see Nico Rosberg and Williams finally have at least something to show for their fast practice times, 5th place in the race and in the Constrcutors' standings are good results for them....seems to be rumours flying all over the F1 world that FIA President Max Mosley should retire...but there is more solid word that he may be bending at least a small amount  on some of his more unreasonable demands of the FOTA teams for 2010...Sebastien Bourdais was responsible for ruining McLaren Mercedes's day, first he misjudged badly when trying to overtake Heikki Kovalainen, and ended up taking himself and the McLaren out of the race...then later, the debris from his accident was still on the track when Lewis Hamilton ran over it in his McLaren Mercedes, causing Lewis to spin off the circuit...the 2008 World Champion later had the indignity of being lapped by the leader.

 2009 British Grand Prix: Formula One Race Results

1 15 S. Vettel Red Bull Racing 60 1:22:49.328 -
2 14 M. Webber Red Bull Racing 60 1:23:04.516
3 23 R. Barrichello Brawn GP Formula One Team 60 1:23:30.503

4 3 F. Massa Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro 60 1:23:34.371
5 16 N. Rosberg AT&T Williams 60 1:23:35.243
6 22 J. Button Brawn GP Formula One Team 60 1:23:35.613

7 9 J. Trulli Panasonic Toyota Racing 60 1:23:57.635
8 4 K. Raikkonen Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro 60 1:23:58.950 
9 10 T. Glock Panasonic Toyota Racing 60 1:23:59.151
10 21 G. Fisichella Force India F1 Team 60 1:24:00.850
11 17 K. Nakajima AT&T Williams 60 1:24:03.351
12 8 N. Piquet ING Renault F1 Team 59 1:23:00.929 1 LAP 219.149 1:22.505 25
13 5 R. Kubica BMW Sauber F1 Team 59 1:23:01.760 1 LAP 219.113 1:22.182 41
14 7 F. Alonso ING Renault F1 Team 59 1:23:02.225 1 LAP 219.092 1:21.852 36
15 6 N. Heidfeld BMW Sauber F1 Team 59 1:23:25.425 1 LAP 218.077 1:21.956 59
16 1 L. Hamilton Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 59 1:23:52.322 1 LAP 216.911 1:22.576 24
17 20 A. Sutil Force India F1 Team 59 1:23:53.434 1 LAP 216.863 1:23.475 50
18 12 S. Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso 59 1:23:56.002 1 LAP 216.753 1:22.711 24

Not Classified
 
11 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso 37 53:51.477 DNF 211.792 1:22.466 26
2 H. Kovalainen Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 36 52:14.722 DNF 212.425 1:22.418 32