ISTANBUL // "I had the best view in the house. It was great, a bit like watching an action movie in 3D." Such was Lewis Hamilton's take on the pivotal moment of yesterday's Turkish Grand Prix. It occurred on lap 40 of the 58 lap race when Sebastian Vettel attempted to pass Red Bull-Renault teammate Mark Webber as they went down the long back straight at Istanbul Park.
The two cars collided and Hamilton, who was right behind them at the time, swept through the debris to score his maiden victory of the season for McLaren-Mercedes. Webber had led away from pole position, but Hamilton was slow off the line and lost a place to Vettel. Hamilton's hesitant start delayed Jenson Button as well, and the world champion momentarily lost a place to Michael Schumacher. Both Englishmen had repassed their German rivals before the lap's end, however.
That set the tone for the first stint of the race, a closely matched four-car train covered by about 3.5 secs. There was nothing between them, but nor were there any opportunities to pass. Vettel was first to come in to switch from soft Bridgestones to the harder compound of tyre on lap 14, and next time around Webber and Hamilton followed suit. There was a slight delay while Hamilton's right rear wheel was refitted, a detail that not only ensured Webber would keep the lead but enabled Vettel to move up to second. The Red Bulls might have been ahead, but they were unable to make their escape.
"We knew we had good race pace and would be able to stay with the Red Bulls," Hamilton said. "They were so fast through Turn Eight, though, that it was difficult to get close enough to set up a pass." Ultimately, that would turn out not to be necessary. Webber had been very comfortable on the softer tyre at the start, but felt vulnerable nonetheless. "I think it was clear that Lewis had a bit of an advantage," he said. "But I had the benefit of track position. The car didn't feel so good, however, when I switched to the harder tyre."
On lap 36 he was 0.813secs clear of Vettel, but four laps later the German began to close dramatically. He had saved fuel earlier in the race - and when the team instructed their drivers to switch to a thriftier fuel programme, Webber was asked to do so one lap earlier. That gave Vettel a temporary, but critical, advantage. As they approached Turn 12, Vettel darted out of the slipstream and drew to Webber's left. The Australian held his line in the centre of the track and hadn't deviated from there when Vettel pulled across.
The subsequent collision wrecked the German's suspension and left Webber with a damaged front wing, which had to be replaced two laps later. Hamilton and Button accepted the gift, but the race was far from over. Such had been the pace that McLaren, too, was now concerned about fuel consumption and ordered both drivers to back off - and Hamilton obeyed a bit too earnestly. On lap 48, just as a light shower of rain began to make conditions greasy, he allowed Button to get a bit too close and the two cars ran side by side through the final three corners, with Button just ahead.
Hamilton retaliated as they entered Turn One at the start of the following lap to retake the lead and the team came back on the radio with another reminder about saving fuel. From there they cruised to a serene one-two. Webber rejoined in a distant third, a result that puts him five points clear of Button in the title chase, and Schumacher took fourth for Mercedes GP, ahead of Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica's Renault.
It was an awful weekend for Ferrari as their car was never in contention and Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso finished a distant seventh and eighth respectively. Hamilton dedicated his success to his father, Anthony, who celebrates his 50th birthday today - and it was also an appropriate result in a week that marks the 40th anniversary of team founder Bruce McLaren's passing. sports@thenational.ae