2010 European Grand Prix articles archive

Have a look at the current issue of Red Bulletin for an interesting perspective on Mark Webber’s terrifying crash with Heikki Kovalainen in Valencia. Professor Thomas Schrefl does the maths on Webber’s aerial flip and comes up with some fascinating figures: Doing the maths we see that the potential energy and the rotational energy take … Continue reading The physics of Webber’s Valencia crash

Valencia certainly provided a more exciting race this year than it did in 2008 and 2009 but it wasn’t without controversy. Find all the F1 Fanatic European Grand Prix coverage in one place below – from Friday practice to the post-race review and our live comments on every session.

Rubens Barrichello gave Williams their best result of the year so far. But with Nico Hulkenberg running in the points before retiring with a broken exhaust, they could have taken more away from their European Grand Prix weekend. Rubens Barrichello Nico Hulkenberg Qualifying position 9 8 Qualifying time comparison (Q3) 1’38.428 (+0.000) 1’38.428 Race position … Continue reading Best finish of 2010 (Williams race review)

Karun Chandhok had a good weekend, out-qualifying his team mate and enjoying a largely trouble-free race. Karun Chandhok Bruno Senna Qualifying position 23 24 Qualifying time comparison (Q1) 1’42.600 (-0.251) 1’42.851 Race position 18 20 Average race lap 1’49.779 (-0.546) 1’50.325 Laps 55/57 55/57 Pit stops 1 2 You need to upgrade your Flash Player … Continue reading Double finish at home (HRT race review)

Sebastien Buemi finished eight on the road but was one of the nine drivers to be penalised for going too quickly behind the safety car. That dropped him to ninth behind Fernando Alonso. Sebastien Buemi Jaime Alguersuari Qualifying position 11 17 Qualifying time comparison (Q2) 1’38.586 (-0.872) 1’39.458 Race position 9 13 Average race lap … Continue reading Buemi slips to ninth (STR race review)

Adrian Sutil was content with a sixth-placed finish after problems in qualifying. Adrian Sutil Vitantonio Liuzzi Qualifying position 13 14 Qualifying time comparison (Q2) 1’38.851 (-0.033) 1’38.884 Race position 6 16 Average race lap 1’46.311 (-0.364) 1’46.675 Laps 57/57 57/57 Pit stops 1 1 You need to upgrade your Flash Player Open lap times interactive … Continue reading Sixth for Sutil (Force India race review)

The team raced with special logos commemorating their 500th start but suffered one of their worst races of the year. Jarno Trulli Heikki Kovalainen Qualifying position 19 20 Qualifying time comparison (Q1) 1’40.658 (-0.224) 1’40.882 Race position 21 Average race lap 1’55.135 (+6.424) 1’48.711 Laps 53/57 8/57 Pit stops 2 0 You need to upgrade … Continue reading No joy in 500th race (Lotus race review)

Robert Kubica reacted quickly when the safety car was deployed to get into the pits immediately. Unfortunately his team were waiting with the wrong tyres when he got there. The delay cost him his chance of finishing on the podium.

McLaren may not have won the European Grand Prix but they scored more points than anyone else and extended their lead in the constructors’ championship. The safety car appearance worked out particularly well for Jenson Button, putting him on the podium. But Lewis Hamilton was fortunate to keep second place after his drive-through penalty.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said he expects the FIA to analyse the circumstances of yesterday’s European Grand Prix. Ferrari expressed outrage yesterday that Lewis Hamilton was able to finish second in the race after taking a drive-through penalty for overtaking the safety car, while their drivers finished lower down the field after staying behind … Continue reading Montezemolo expects FIA reaction

Had Mercedes not brought Michael Schumacher into the pits during the safety car he might have enjoyed the seventh-placed finish which went to Kamui Kobayashi. After the race Ross Brawn said he felt Schumacher’s race had been spoiled by a mis-application of the safety car rules. However Nico Rosberg salvaged some pride with a point … Continue reading Strategy goes awry again for Schumacher (Mercedes race review)

Fernando Alonso’s race was ruined when he got stuck behind the safety car during yesterday’s European Grand Prix. Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton finished second despite getting a penalty for overtaking the safety car. Video footage suggests Hamilton may have done his bit to make sure Alonso got stuck behind the safety car.

It wasn’t just slow stewards which inadvertently helped Lewis Hamilton hold onto second place after his drive-through penalty. Valencia’s short pit lane was the difference between him finishing second instead of sixth. See below for more data on the European Grand Prix including the race progress and lap time interactive charts. Lap 1 Lap 1 … Continue reading Valencia’s short pit lane helps Hamilton hold onto second (European GP analysis)

Rank Driver Car Fastest lap Deficit to fastest lap 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1’38.766 2 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1’38.968 0.202 3 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1’39.141 0.375 4 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1’39.156 0.390 5 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1’39.489 0.723 6 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1’39.517 0.751 7 Robert Kubica Renault 1’39.542 0.776 8 Adrian Sutil Force … Continue reading European Grand Prix fastest laps

Fernando Alonso called the result of the European “unreal and unfair” after falling from third place behind the safety car to ninth at the chequered flag (before being promoted to eighth). Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton got a drive-through penalty for overtaking the safety car yet still finished second.

Pos Num Driver Car Laps Gap Difference Grid 1 5 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 57 1 2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 57 5.042 5.042 3 3 1 Jenson Button* McLaren-Mercedes 57 12.658 7.616 7 4 9 Rubens Barrichello* Williams-Cosworth 57 25.627 12.969 9 5 11 Robert Kubica* Renault 57 27.122 1.495 6 6 14 Adrian … Continue reading European Grand Prix result

Drivers’ championship standings Position Driver Points 1 Lewis Hamilton 127 2 Jenson Button 121 3 Sebastian Vettel 115 4 Mark Webber 103 5 Fernando Alonso 98 6 Robert Kubica 83 7 Nico Rosberg 75 8 Felipe Massa 67 9 Michael Schumacher 34 10 Adrian Sutil 31 11 Rubens Barrichello 19 12 Vitantonio Liuzzi 12 13 … Continue reading Vettel up to third behind McLarens – full championship points