2009 European Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Europe 2009 took place on August 23 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia ( Spain) instead and was the eleventh race of the Formula 1 2009 season.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Jenson Button led the Drivers' Championship with 18.5 points ahead of Mark Webber and 23 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Brawn -Mercedes resulted in the Constructors' Championship with 15.5 points ahead of Red Bull-Renault and 74 points ahead of Ferrari.
The Renault team with local hero Fernando Alonso had at this race are not eligible because it had been suspended after the incident in Hungary, in which an improperly mounted tire on the car of Alonso broke on the track for a race. However, the sentence was reduced to U.S. $ 50,000 in the appeal hearing on 17 August, so Renault was allowed to start. It was also at Renault Nelson Piquet junior replaced by Romain Grosjean.
Michael Schumacher should make his comeback in Formula 1 as a replacement of the qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix injured Felipe Massa, after almost three years, but had to cancel due to injury. Therefore, Luca Badoer replaced Massa and gave after nearly ten years with his 50th Grand Prix comeback.
Kimi Raikkonen denied the Grand Prix of Europe his 150th Grand Prix.
With Fernando Alonso (twice) and Rubens Barrichello (once) were two former winners of this Grand Prix.
Training
In the first free practice Brawn driver Rubens Barrichello was back at the top of the field. Behind him followed the McLaren drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton. In the second free practice local hero Alonso set the fastest lap time before the championship leader Button and Barrichello. In the third free practice session there was a longer break after Vettel's race car after an engine failure had lost oil. The fastest lap recorded Adrian Sutil who provided herewith for a surprise. In second and third place followed Kazuki Nakajima and Robert Kubica. Luca Badoer made in Friday practice for an unusual record because he had exceeded four times the speed limit in the pit lane, for which he was cautioned.
Qualifying
In the first phase of qualifying for the European Grand Prix scoring championship leader Button set the fastest lap. Fisichella, Nakajima, Trulli, Alguersuari and Badoer retired from. Ferrari substitute Badoer was nearly 1.5 seconds behind the front of him placed Alguersuari Last. In the second segment, Button 's team-mate Barrichello took the lead of the field. Heidfeld, Sutil, Glock, Grosjean and Buemi did not make the leap into the third qualifying section. Finally drove World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who had the least fuel on board, with 1:39,498 minutes, the fastest lap time and thus secured the pole position. Behind him, started his team-mate Kovalainen and Barrichello. In the first three grid positions were thus only race cars that were powered with engines from Mercedes -Benz.
Race
After starting the first three places remained unchanged. Kimi Raikkonen improved after a good start to the fourth place. Championship leader Button had a bad start and was after a few curves on the ninth. Luca Badoer moved up from last place starting on the 14th place, but kept this long, since Romain Grosjean his Ferrari touched from behind. Badoer turned, but had not unlike Grosjean to the pit lane. In addition, Glock and Buemi were involved in a collision that forced them to a repair stop. Mark Webber complained about the pit radio on overtaking Jenson Button, who had overtaken him after cutting a chicane. A little later, Webber went past Button, it is unclear whether Button Webber had gone through or not.
In the 15 lap completed with Hamilton and Vettel, the first driver to pit stop. Hamilton came in sixth place back on the track, while his team-mate Kovalainen took the lead. As Vettel at his pit stop had problems with the fuel supply, he had a round later come into the pits to refuel the car. After a tour round Kovalainen came in the box and gave the lead to Rubens Barrichello from, who tried with fast lap times to progress forward. Button and Raikkonen completed their pit stop on lap 18. The Finn came in at number eight, Button eleventh place back on the track. Barrichello came a lap later, behind Lewis Hamilton back and the residue is shortened to Hamilton. In addition, he was able to leave behind Kovalainen. In lap 24 Vettel had to quit the race after another engine failure. Before the second pit stop did not succeed in Hamilton, clearly distancing itself from Barrichello.
Hamilton's second pit stop did not go as planned: While Hamilton was already in the box had to unpack and so the Briton lost valuable seconds are the mechanics nor the tires. Barrichello, who was able to go three more rounds, lay after the pit stop ahead of Hamilton and thus secured the lead. Also Kovalainen lost during the pit stop a position and was overtaken by his teammate Räikkönen. Webber lost, although he came into the pits later, his seventh place and was overtaken by Button and Kubica.
To the end of the race Hamilton tries to approach the leading Brawn of Rubens Barrichello, but these attempts were not successful. Barrichello eventually won the race ahead of Hamilton and Raikkonen. It was the first victory of the Brazilian Grand Prix of China since 2004. Both Red Bull drivers were able to get any points and then Rubens Barrichello improved to second place in the drivers' standings. In addition, Brawn was able to extend its lead in the constructors' championship.
Message list
Classifications
Qualifying
(K ) = race car with KERS
Race
(K ) = race car with KERS
WM stands after the race
The first eight of the race were 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).