European Grand Prix: Unstoppable Vettel Wins a Processional 2011 European GP

Patrick AllenJun 26, 2011

Sebastian Vettel became the first driver to finish in the top three for the first eight races recently at the 2011 European Grand Prix in Valencia. I think this was the race with the greatest number of finishers (24) and was also only the fourth race in F1 history in which every car finished.

The race in Valencia may have provided fans with some pretty interesting statistics, but to be perfectly honest, it provided very little else.

With only one overtaking maneuver in 2009, there was a lot of buzz about the race in 2011 with the addition of DRS and KERS.

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I must admit that I watched the race with a split mindset. As an F1 fan who hates DRS and KERS, I sort of wanted the race to be dull, but as an F1 fan in general, of course I wanted a real show.

Although DRS and KERS provided way more than just one overtake, I think the race that many saw as the acid test for the new regulations did very little to prove their worth. In fact, I think the start was probably as close as we got to a real race at the front.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber got off to a pretty comfortable start, whilst the McLarens slipped back. Nico Rosberg had a great start for Mercedes, but the real winners were Ferrari.

Felipe Massa got off to a great start and was right behind Webber into turn one, but Ferrari’s No. 2 decided to back off in the traffic. This gave Fernando Alonso a chance to go right around the outside and brilliantly slot into P3.

After one lap, the race was positioned as follows:

Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Adrian Sutil, Nick Heidfeld, Paul di Resta, Rubens Barrichello, Kamui Kobayashi, Sebastien Buemi, Vitaly Petrov, Sergio Perez, Jamie Alguersuari, Timo Glock, Heikki Kovalainen, Jarno Trulli, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Pastor Maldinado, Jerome d'Ambrosio, Narain Karthikeyan

There was a great little battle between Button and Rosberg through laps 4, 5, and 6. Button’s McLaren was generally faster, but Rosberg’s Mercedes had much better traction coming from corners.

Button had been unable to use the DRS areas to his advantage, and I have to say, a very smug smile crossed my face when the McLaren man eventually got past Rosberg up the inside of turn 2. Button didn’t need crappy DRS, and he probably didn’t even use KERS. Instead the 2009 World Champion used racecraft by out-braking his opponent… Or as I like to call it… REAL RACING!

Meanwhile, further up the standing order, Alonso had caught Webber but was also unable to use DRS to his advantage.

Lewis Hamilton was the first of the front runners to stop on lap 13. Hamilton’s stop triggered pit stops from all of the other front runners, but to be perfectly frank, the only thing that changed was that Hamilton was able to leapfrog Massa for P4.

There were a few small overtakes here and there in the midfield, but nothing particularly heart-stopping.

The "action" heated up around laps 19, 20, and 21, when Alonso was able to really close in on Webber. It was close and exciting, but when Alonso seemed to simply cruise past Webber after the DRS activation zone, I couldn’t help but feel cheated.

Hamilton again triggered the front runner's stops, this time on lap 25. Again, very little changed. In fact, only one position changed when Webber pitted before Alonso and undid all of the Ferrari man’s hard work on track.

Jenson Button’s race for serious points was effectively ended at this stage when we learnt that his KERS had broken. To be honest, the only other thing worth reporting is that Hamilton began to lose pace after pushing a bit too hard on his fresh tyres.

The final stops were as dull as all those that preceded them. Again, only single positions changed as a result of them. This time, Alonso was able to overtake Webber by staying out a little longer than the Red Bull man.

The closest race then became Alonso vs. Webber for second place, but this was cut short when Webber was told to nurse his car home after a gear box issue.

Vettel led for practically every lap while very little changed behind him. I think I’d be hard pressed to pick a driver of the day. Alonso did a fantastic job to hold on to P2, and Jamie Alguersuari did well to fight his way to P8, but other than those two, it’s difficult to pick anyone out.

Sebastian Vettel now heads to Britain with a 77-point lead. 2011 has been a funny year so far. It’s not the fact that Vettel keeps winning that seems to be spoiling the fight; it’s the fact that the drivers chasing him are unable to consistently keep at his heels.

Vettel could skip the next two races and still go to the Hungarian GP with a comfortable lead. But let’s not get down-hearted. Valencia has always been a crap race and probably always will be. F1 simply has some dud circuits on the calendar.

Forget about today; reminisce about Canada and look forward to Spa and Brazil….

Drivers’ Championship Top Three:

Vettel: 186

Button: 109

Webber: 109

Constructors’ Championship Top Three:

Red Bull: 295

McLaren: 206

Ferrari: 129

Result:

1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull: Renault

2. Fernando Alonso: Ferrari