| Nurburgring: Alonso wins as Kimi retires |
| Sunday, 22 July 2007 | |
 Fernando Alonso out-duelled Felipe Massa in some
of the most difficult circumstances imaginable to claim his third
victory of the season at the Nurburgring and reinvigorate his title
challenge.A downpour of Biblical proportions halfway round the opening lap sent cars aquaplaning every which way and forced a safety car deployment and then a red flag stoppage. Polesitter Kimi Raikkonen's championship hopes were further damaged when he retired from third after his Ferrari cut out... {mos_sb_discuss:1} Markus Winkelhock had put a Spyker into the lead of his first grand prix, having started from the pit lane on intermediate tyres. Massa led the majority of the race thereafter before the rain returned in the closing stages to bring a final twist to the afternoon’s story. The leaders exchanged their dry-weather tyres for inters with a handful of laps remaining, and in the slippery conditions Alonso outclassed Massa. He was soon reeling in his rival and on lap 56 of 60 pulled off a virtuoso outside passing move in the fast, banked turn five. The pair made light contact as Alonso went past, leaving Massa in a disgruntled mood after the race.
Lewis Hamilton survived contact with the BMWs on the first lap, a
consequent puncture, a spin in the early storm and a tactical switch to
dry tyres that backfired to take the chequered flag – but in a
point-less ninth place.
Coupled with Alonso's victory, that result cuts Hamilton's championship lead to just two points. BMW duo Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica – who collided at the very first corner – and Renault’s Heikki Kovalainen took the final points-paying positions.
European Grand Prix, Nurburgring, 60 laps, unofficial results
source: itv-f1.com |
