Sunday 20th July 2008
Lewis Hamilton put in a storming drive to win the German Grand Prix, after his McLaren team created more work for him during a Safety Car period.
The McLaren driver led the grand prix from the start, easily putting time between himself and second placed Felipe Massa as he looked to be in a class of his own.
However, what looked to be certain victory appeared to slip from his grasp when the Safety Car came out on Lap 35 after Timo Glock crashed heavily.
All the front runners pitted except Hamilton, which meant that when the race re-started Nelson Piquet Jr and Felipe Massa were right behind him on the track but unlike Hamilton, they did not need to stop.
Hamilton rejoined in fifth place and started a memorable charge to the front...
Lewis's advantage was that he had a car that was about a second a lap quicker than the Ferrari. By Lap 55 the gap to Massa was just 0.6 of a second and on Lap 57 Lewis got the perfect tow down to the hairpin and stick his McLaren up the inside, carefully running Felipe out wide and onto the run-off area (a la Schumacher).
Massa wasn't finished, though, and tried to get back at him through Turn 8, but only succeeded in losing time and putting himself into the clutches of the chasing Nick Heidfeld. The German had managed to pit and emerge in P4 ahead of team-mate Kubica and now wanted Massa's P3.
Hamilton set off after Nelson Piquet and did the same professional job at the hairpin on the Brazilian on Lap 60, just as Raikkonen got the better of Robert Kubica.
In the closing stages, Piquet put in a series of Personal Bests to keep his Renault clear of the Massa vs Heidfeld battle, as Hamilton took an impressive win. Despite some distinctly old rubber on his F2008 Massa kept hold of the final podium place.
Heidfeld took 4th, Kovalainen an unthreatened 5th and Raikkonen 6th place. Robert Kubica's 7th place probably heralded the end of his title challenge, while Vettel's single point for 8th place will not have pleased Fernando Alonso who spun towards the end of the race.
It was a fine win for McLaren, their first since Mika Hakkinen's victory in 1999. That year Hakkinen went on to be World Champion. With McLaren's current car advantage it could be a very good omen.
FH
Results
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:31:20.847
02 N. Piquet Jr Renault + 5.586
03 F. Massa Ferrari + 9.339
04 N. Heidfeld BMW + 9.825
05 H. Kovalainen McLaren + 12.411
06 K. Räikkönen Ferrari + 14.483
07 R. Kubica BMW + 22.603
08 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 33.282
09 J. Trulli Toyota + 37.199
10 N. Rosberg Williams + 37.658
11 F. Alonso Renault + 38.625
12 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso + 39.111
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 54.971
14 G. Fisichella Force India F1 + 59.093
15 K. Nakajima Williams + 1:00.003
16 A. Sutil Force India F1 + 1:09.488
17 J. Button Honda + 1 laps
Did not finish
18 R. Barrichello Honda + 16 laps
19 M. Webber Red Bull + 37 laps
20 T. Glock Toyota + 42 laps
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