Sebastian Vettel returns to the top by winning Belgian Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel leads at th start f the race © Sutton Images
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Sebastian Vettel is looking increasingly likely to add a second world championship title to his collection after winning a hard-fought and incident-packed Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
Vettel extended his lead in the championship standings to a massive 92 points after winning from team-mate Mark Webber and Jenson Button as Lewis Hamilton's slim title hopes suffered a massive blow after he crashed out of the race.
It was Nico Rosberg who made the best start, sweeping into the lead from fifth on the grid to lead from Vettel as Massa leapfrogged Hamilton for third. Alonso was another fast starter, jumping to fifth from his starting position of eighth.
Mark Webber, plagued by poor starts in 2011, was at it again dropping down to eighth from third on the grid and it soon became apparent that his Red Bull was struggling on the softer compounds and Webber was the first to pit for new rubber on lap four.
There was also early disappointment for Bruno Senna as a collision with Alguersuari into the first corner ruined his qualifying effort, the Brazilian going too quickly and siding into the side of the unfortunate Jaime Alguersuari. Others to suffer at the start included Jenson Button, pitting for a new nose cone as a result of the first corner melee. It was not long before a gaggle of early pit stops prompted a re-shuffling of the order, Vettel and Alonso emerging as the early protagonists at the front of the pack.
Between the stops, a dry Spa provided action aplenty, the DRS zone and graining rubber making for spectacular overtaking aplenty including arguably the most frightening move of the season as a charging Webber almost banged wheels with Fernando Alonso through Eau Rouge, the Australian literally risking life and limb centimetres from the Ferrari with two wheels on the kerb.
But the biggest moment and possibly a decisive one for the destiny of the title happened on lap 14, Kamui Kobayashi and Lewis Hamilton colliding into Les Combes, Hamilton crashing spectacularly through a polystyrene hoarding and into the barrier. His race, and almost certainly his title ambitions, over.
Back at the front, it became a for horse race for victory after the final series of stops, Vettel, Alonso, Webber and Button all contending for the podium places. And it was the three stop strategy of Vettel tat won the day, team-mate Webber mounting a great recovery to finish second from Jenson Button who overtook Fernando Alonso's Ferrari two laps from the finish.
Michael Schumacher also had reason to be cheerful on the 20th anniversary of his grand prix debut, finishing an excellent fifth after starting from the back of the grid.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS
The Belgian Grand Prix
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium;
44 laps; 308.052km;
Weather: Dry conditions.
Classified:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h26.44.893
2. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 3.741
3. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 9.669
4. Alonso Ferrari + 13.022
5. Schumacher Mercedes + 47.464
6. Rosberg Mercedes + 48.674
7. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 59.713
8. Massa Ferrari + 1m06.076
9. Petrov Renault + 1m11.917
10. Maldonado Williams-Cosworth + 1m17.615
11. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 1m23.994
12. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari + 1m31.976
13. Senna Renault + 1m32.985
14. Trulli Lotus-Renault + 1 lap
15. Kovalainen Lotus-Renault + 1 lap
16. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth + 1 lap
17. D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth + 1 lap
18. Glock Virgin-Cosworth + 1 lap
19. Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth + 1 lap
Fastest lap: Massa, 1:23.415
Not classified/retirements:
Driver Team On lap
Perez Sauber-Ferrari 27
Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 13
Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 12
Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 6
Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1
World Championship standings, round 11:
Drivers: Constructors:
1. Vettel 259 1. Red Bull-Renault 426
2. Webber 167 2. McLaren-Mercedes 295
3. Alonso 157 3. Ferrari 231
4. Button 149 4. Mercedes 88
5. Hamilton 146 5. Renault 68
6. Massa 74 6. Sauber-Ferrari 35
7. Rosberg 56 7. Force India-Mercedes 32
8. Schumacher 42 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 22
9. Petrov 34 9. Williams-Cosworth 5
10. Heidfeld 34
11. Kobayashi 27
12. Sutil 24
13. Buemi 12
14. Alguersuari 10
15. Di Resta 8
16. Perez 8
17. Barrichello 4
18. Maldonado 1
All timing unofficial
ESPNF1
Category Article belgium gp 2011, f1 news
