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Alonso wins controversial German Grand Prix!

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso extended his world championship lead to 34 points by winning the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim; closest rival Mark Webber couldn’t improve on his starting position of eighth place. While Sebastian Vettel controversially overtook Jenson Button for second place on the penultimate lap at the hairpin (turn six) by leaving the confines of the track, for which the German was penalised, having 20 seconds added to his race time; dropping him back to fifth place!

It was a mixed day for McLaren, Jenson Button claiming second place after Vettel was demoted to fifth for illegally overtaking the Briton on lap 66. Lewis Hamilton got off to a bad start and dropped back a couple of places before picking up a puncture from the debris left from Felipe Massa’s collision with Daniel Ricciardo and half a lap later, Romain Grosjean’s contact with the slow moving Massa. A pit stop to replace the tyres saw Hamilton drop to the back of the field and later retired from the race due to a gearbox issue; but not before annoying Vettel by unlapping himself.

Lotus also had a mixed day with Kimi Raikkonen finishing the race in fourth place, later promoted by one place after Vettel’s Penalty as was Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi, who finished a career best fourth place. Romain Grosjean had a nightmare race, starting 19th after a five place grid penalty, collided with the ailing Massa and finished the race in a lowly 18th place. Kobayashi’s team mate Sergio Perez claimed sixth place just behind demoted Vettel, 20 points for Sauber in Germany!

Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher finished the race in seventh place, four places dowm on where he started, so hardly a good performance from the seven time world champion while his team mate, Nico Rosberg came up from 21st to claim a point for finishing in 10th place. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg finished in ninth place, down five places on where he started; team mate Paul di Resta finished just outside the points after starting in ninth, a disappointing day overall for Force India.

Biggest disappointment of the day was Williams’ Pastor Maldonado, who actually managed to not crash at the German GP but finished 15th after qualifying his FW34 in fifth place after Webber’s grid penalty. Williams stablemate Bruno Senna finished a lap down in 17th place; if Senna doesn’t up his game significantly very soon, he could find himself replaced by reserve driver Valtteri Bottas.

I’m so happy to see Jenson up there at the sharp end again after some absolutely dismal form since the Chinese Grand Prix, whatever problems Button was having with the lack of grip seems to have been solved going by Jenson’s pace today at the Hockenheimring. Hopefully this isn’t a one off and the Briton can start to claim podiums in the next race and after the summer break. The drivers title is unlikely I know but not impossible, still 10 more races to go before the end of the season!

I’m annoyed with Vettel and Christian Horner trying to deflect attention away from the German’s cheating antics, pointing the finger at McLaren and Lewis Hamilton for using team tactics to slow Vettel down. I’m happy that the FIA saw sense (after two hours) and handed a post race drive-through penalty to Vettel; if the German lifted or gave the place back, he could have had another bite at the cherry on the next lap, he lost four place instead of one, justice served in my view!

Classified finishing positions – German Grand Prix; Hockenheim:

1 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1:31:05.682
2 Jenson Button (McLaren) +6.900
3 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) +16.400
4 Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) +21.900
5 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)* +3.700
6 Sergio Perez (Sauber) +27.800
7 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) +28.900
8 Mark Webber (Red Bull) +46.900
9 Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) +48.100
10 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +48.800

* Vettel given a 20 second time penalty for overtake outside the confines of the track!

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