LEWIS UNSTOPPABLE!
(Image taken from Yahoo)
The Chinese Grand Prix has come a fair way since local journos asked Michael Schumacher "why do you wear red?". Since then, there have been some pretty impressive races at the Shanghai International circuit and the place is starting to establish itself as a quality circuit. This time around, the talk was all about Sebastien Vettel! Who could stop the reigning world champion? He cruised his way to victory in Australia and while it seemed as though he'd be eaten up in Malaysia when his KERS broke down...and yet still he held on? The McLarens looked to be best of the rest but could they close in? That was the question that was about to be answered.
In qualifying...well everyone made the 107% time in Q1 but there was one pretty big jaw dropper in that Webber counted too many chickens and failed to make Q2. Q2 then amazingly saw all three Brits make Q3(best achievement since the Lewis-Jenson-DC trio in China'07) but Schumacher found himself ditched yet again. Finally came Q3. Jenson set the benchmark only for Vettel to nudge ahead of him and no one was able to stop him after that, the German grabbing his third pole in a row. Jenson settled for P2, his best qualifying performance of the season with Lewis P3 and further down, di Resta starting P8, the best qualifying performance by a group of three Brits since DC, a rookie Jenson and Eddie Irvine in Japan 2000!
Di Resta finished the race in 11th.
Jenson started the race in the best possible way, blasting ahead of Vettel at the start and cruising off into the lead. Slight problem, when it was time for his first pitstop, he initially parked in the Red Bull box! That didn't do him any favour and he wound up losing the lead. Eventually he made it back up into 3rd before having to get out of the way of a charging Lewis. He eventually retook 3rd by getting past Rosberg. Just as he looked set for a podium though, Webber came steaming up from the back of the grid to take the position off him. Jenson was able to secure 4th. Not that bad a race from him but it could have been better but he has plenty of time to play catchup.
Lewis though, well he too made it past Vettel at the start, grabbing second and not only that but his pitstops didn't go so badly. That allowed him to get as far as 4th and this time around he'd been able to save himself one set of fresh tyres with everyone else having gone "over the cliff". First up was Jenson. Then it was 15 laps to go and he was eating up the gap between the top two. Somehow I just knew. He closed up on Massa and burned him for 2nd. Now to chase down Vettel. Two laps to go he closed right up on him, surely the reigning world champion could hold him off! He couldn't. Lewis pushed through, pulled away and claimed the first Grand Prix win by a him or any other Brit this season. The best British F1 driver of my lifetime is officially ready to have another go at a second title.
So, here's what the world championship looks like now. Vettel still leads with 68 points, Lewis up to 2nd with 47, further down, Jenson slips to 3rd with 38.
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