F1 Istanbul
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton finished the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul in second
place. After 58 laps (309.396 kms), he came home 3.7sec behind winner Felipe Massa (Ferrari). Lewis’s team mate Heikki Kovalainen had to make an unscheduled stop on lap two following a coming-together at the first corner which damaged his left rear tyre. Heikki ended up 12th. After the fifth of 18 Grands Prix, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is third in the Constructors’ Championship with 42 points; Ferrari leads with 63 points. Lewis is third in the drivers’ ranking with 28 points, tied on points with Felipe Massa in second place; Heikki is sixth with 14 points. Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) leads with 35 points.
place. After 58 laps (309.396 kms), he came home 3.7sec behind winner Felipe Massa (Ferrari). Lewis’s team mate Heikki Kovalainen had to make an unscheduled stop on lap two following a coming-together at the first corner which damaged his left rear tyre. Heikki ended up 12th. After the fifth of 18 Grands Prix, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is third in the Constructors’ Championship with 42 points; Ferrari leads with 63 points. Lewis is third in the drivers’ ranking with 28 points, tied on points with Felipe Massa in second place; Heikki is sixth with 14 points. Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) leads with 35 points.The start: Heikki and Lewis had qualified second and third respectively. Lewis improved to second behind Massa whilst Heikki dropped to fourth behind Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber). Following a collision at the first corner the Safety Car was deployed.
The race, lap 2: Re-start. Heikki pitted due to a damaged left rear tyre which was the consequence of a coming-together with Kimi Räikkönen at the first corner. The Finn resumed in 18th and last place.
Lap 10: Lewis was second and posted a couple of fastest race laps; his gap behind Massa was about one and a half seconds.
Lap 12: Heikki was 17th.
Lap 15: Lewis was less than a second behind Massa when he came in for his first stop (6.4sec); he resumed in sixth place. Heikki improved to 16th position one lap later.
Lap 24: Lewis outbraked Massa at the end of the back straight and took the lead. Heikki was now 13th.
Lap 25: Lewis opened a gap of 1.8sec.
Lap 26: Heikki pitted from 11th place (9.9sec) and dropped to 15th whilst Lewis’s advantage at the front was 3.8sec.
Lap 32: Leading with 8.3sec, Lewis came in for his second stop (6.2sec) and rejoined the race in third place. Heikki was 14th.
Lap 36: Heikki improved to 12th place.
Lap 43: Following the pit stops of Massa (lap 40) and Räikkönen (lap 43), Lewis was back in the lead.
Lap 45: Lewis came in for his third and final pit stop (5.9sec) and was second, 5.2sec behind Massa and 1.4sec ahead of Räikkönen.
Lap 50: Heikki pitted for the second time (6.2sec) and resumed in 13th place.
Lap 58 (finish): Lewis came home second, 3.7sec behind Massa. Heikki ended up 12th.