Istanbul. Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel consolidated his lead in this year’s title race with a near-flawless drive to victory for Red Bull in Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix.The 23-year-old German led from his 19th career pole position to the checkered flag unchallenged, conceding the lead only once during his pitstops, as he claimed his third win in four races this year. Vettel’s winning time was one hour 30 minutes and 17.558 seconds.
It was the 13th win of his career and another day of celebration for the Red Bull team as Vettel’s teammate, Australian Mark Webber, overtook in a brilliant maneuver in the closing stages two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari to finish second.
It was the England-based team’s first one-two finish of the season and it came at the conclusion of an action-packed contest that was full of overtaking moves and incidents.
Alonso, reveling in a much-improved Ferrari, finished third ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion, who came home fourth for McLaren after a typically roller-coaster afternoon including one pitstop wrecked by a sticky wheel nut.
For Alonso, and Ferrari, it was their first podium finish of the season and confirmed they are back among the contenders after a tricky start to the year.
German Nico Rosberg was fifth for Mercedes ahead of Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren, the 2009 champion losing ground after planning a three-stop race while most of his rivals went for four.
Another German Nick Heidfeld finished seventh for Renault ahead of Russian Vitaly Petrov in the second Renault, Swiss Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso, and the dazzling Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber, who finished 10th after starting at the back of the grid.
Germany’s seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, 42, finished a disappointing 12th for Mercedes, one place behind Ferrari’s Brazilian Felipe Massa, his former teammate.
The race featured a total of 73 pitstops — the most since the 1993 British Grand Prix at Donington, run in torrential rain and won by the legendary late Brazilian Ayrton Senna for McLaren.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was delighted, thanking his drivers for their pace and discipline 12 months on from their acrimonious clash in last year’s race. He said: “It is a sweet victory today; excellent from the drivers, fantastic pitstops, great strategy and a great race.”
The race was run in perfect conditions, dry and warm under a clear blue sky with most of the decisive action coming in the opening laps.
Agence France-Press (Gordon Howard)
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com