Kimi Raikkonen confirmed Ferrari's resurgence by winning at Silverstone on Sunday, beating McLaren's Fernando Alonso to second at the second round of pitstops, much the same as he did to team-mate Felipe Massa at Magny Cours a week ago.
Lewis Hamilton started from pole but was defeated by strategy and a slow middle stint and ended up a distant third, still maintaining his record of a podium finish in all his first nine F1 races.
The win propelled Raikkonen to third place in the drivers' championship, leapfrogging Massa by one point while Alonso remained in second place, gaining two points on leader Hamilton who is 12 points in front.
The race was run in dry conditions throughout. Takuma Sato started from the pitlane following a technical problem. Hamilton started the race on the harder tyre compound while Raikkonen was on the mediums.
The start was delayed when Ferrari's Felipe Massa, on P4 switched itself off. The formation lap was performed once more while Massa's car was pushed to the pits and he started from the pit lane.
Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso and Kubica (BMW) kept their positions at the start but Ralf Schumacher dropped from sixth to eighth having been passed by the Renaults. At the back Massa started carving his way through the field in spectacular fashion. By lap seven he was 12th! A lap later he was 10th and setting fastest laps. On lap 12 he cruised past Trulli to ninth.The Ferrari's pace was incredible.
Hamilton started setting some fast laps at the front but could not pull away from Raikkonen, who occasionally set faster laps than the Briton.. Alonso too was never far from the top two. Webber went into the pits on lap 10 and retired with mechanical problems.
By lap 13 Raikkonen was pressuring Hamilton. He unsuccesfully tried to get past at Brooklands but kept up the pressure.
Renault's Heikki Kovalainen was the first to start the pitstops on lap 16 with Hamilton going in immediately after, rejoining in fifth after not the smoothest of stops. Raikkonen, meanwhile set two fastest laps. He went into the pits on lap 18 and emerged in fourth, in front of Hamilton!
Alonso was in the lead now with Massa second though both had still to pit.
The Spaniard went in on lap 21 and emerged ahead of Raikkonen! Hamilton was third. The Spaniard now started setting the fastest times but he may have taken on less fuel. Hamilton started falling away behind Raikkonen.
BMW's Kubica and Heidfeld remained fourth and fifth followed by Fisichella (Renault) in sixth. Massa, meanwhile, was now running in seventh after his first pitstop, a very good race by the Brazilian. Kovalainen was behind Massa.
Ralf Schumacher retired on lap 23 with suspension problems for his Toyota, a disappointment having started from sixth, his best place on the grid so far. Team-mate Jarno Trulli, meanwhile, started reporting hydraulic problems half way through the race and fell back., eventually retiring. Scott Speed (Toro Rosso) retired after contact with Wurz (Williams) as Alonso went past under blue flags in mid-race. Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri) drove into the garage on lap 32 but rejoined several minutes later..
At the front Alonso built a gap of 4.6 seconds on Raikkonen but Hamilton fell 14.9 seconds behind and appeared to have problems.
Alonso continued to build his advantage to 5.5s before going in for his second pit stop, handing the lead to Raikkonen who now started pressing hard, knowing these laps were vital for the race. The Finn ran for five extra laps consistently setting fastest laps to the detriment of Alonso and after a fast stop emerged 3.2s in front as the Ferrari mechanics celebrated! The Finn quickly started to build on that advantage and was never challenged by Alonso. After the second round of pit stops Raikkonen was first followed by Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Massa and Heidfeld. Massa, who had started from the back, now started battling Kubica for fourth, again demonstrating the Ferrari's pace. The Pole, however, showed himself to be very good in defensive driving.
The race ended with Raikkonen comfortably first followed by Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Massa, Heidfeld, Kovalainen and Fisichella with the Hondas of Barrichella and Honda just outside the points.
The result means no change in the constructors table, with McLaren on 114 points, 25 points ahead of Ferrari.
Hamilton leads the drivers' table with 70 points followed by Alonso on 58, Raikkonen on 52 and Massa on 51.
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Lewis Hamilton started from pole but was defeated by strategy and a slow middle stint and ended up a distant third, still maintaining his record of a podium finish in all his first nine F1 races.
The win propelled Raikkonen to third place in the drivers' championship, leapfrogging Massa by one point while Alonso remained in second place, gaining two points on leader Hamilton who is 12 points in front.
The race was run in dry conditions throughout. Takuma Sato started from the pitlane following a technical problem. Hamilton started the race on the harder tyre compound while Raikkonen was on the mediums.
The start was delayed when Ferrari's Felipe Massa, on P4 switched itself off. The formation lap was performed once more while Massa's car was pushed to the pits and he started from the pit lane.
Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso and Kubica (BMW) kept their positions at the start but Ralf Schumacher dropped from sixth to eighth having been passed by the Renaults. At the back Massa started carving his way through the field in spectacular fashion. By lap seven he was 12th! A lap later he was 10th and setting fastest laps. On lap 12 he cruised past Trulli to ninth.The Ferrari's pace was incredible.
Hamilton started setting some fast laps at the front but could not pull away from Raikkonen, who occasionally set faster laps than the Briton.. Alonso too was never far from the top two. Webber went into the pits on lap 10 and retired with mechanical problems.
By lap 13 Raikkonen was pressuring Hamilton. He unsuccesfully tried to get past at Brooklands but kept up the pressure.
Renault's Heikki Kovalainen was the first to start the pitstops on lap 16 with Hamilton going in immediately after, rejoining in fifth after not the smoothest of stops. Raikkonen, meanwhile set two fastest laps. He went into the pits on lap 18 and emerged in fourth, in front of Hamilton!
Alonso was in the lead now with Massa second though both had still to pit.
The Spaniard went in on lap 21 and emerged ahead of Raikkonen! Hamilton was third. The Spaniard now started setting the fastest times but he may have taken on less fuel. Hamilton started falling away behind Raikkonen.
BMW's Kubica and Heidfeld remained fourth and fifth followed by Fisichella (Renault) in sixth. Massa, meanwhile, was now running in seventh after his first pitstop, a very good race by the Brazilian. Kovalainen was behind Massa.
Ralf Schumacher retired on lap 23 with suspension problems for his Toyota, a disappointment having started from sixth, his best place on the grid so far. Team-mate Jarno Trulli, meanwhile, started reporting hydraulic problems half way through the race and fell back., eventually retiring. Scott Speed (Toro Rosso) retired after contact with Wurz (Williams) as Alonso went past under blue flags in mid-race. Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri) drove into the garage on lap 32 but rejoined several minutes later..
At the front Alonso built a gap of 4.6 seconds on Raikkonen but Hamilton fell 14.9 seconds behind and appeared to have problems.
Alonso continued to build his advantage to 5.5s before going in for his second pit stop, handing the lead to Raikkonen who now started pressing hard, knowing these laps were vital for the race. The Finn ran for five extra laps consistently setting fastest laps to the detriment of Alonso and after a fast stop emerged 3.2s in front as the Ferrari mechanics celebrated! The Finn quickly started to build on that advantage and was never challenged by Alonso. After the second round of pit stops Raikkonen was first followed by Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Massa and Heidfeld. Massa, who had started from the back, now started battling Kubica for fourth, again demonstrating the Ferrari's pace. The Pole, however, showed himself to be very good in defensive driving.
The race ended with Raikkonen comfortably first followed by Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Massa, Heidfeld, Kovalainen and Fisichella with the Hondas of Barrichella and Honda just outside the points.
The result means no change in the constructors table, with McLaren on 114 points, 25 points ahead of Ferrari.
Hamilton leads the drivers' table with 70 points followed by Alonso on 58, Raikkonen on 52 and Massa on 51.
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