Formula One 2011

Rainiac · June 12, 2011

Apparently the stewards have decided to take no action against Button, so he keeps the victory. Thank the fucking lord

Lineker · June 12, 2011

Holy fucking shit. What a race. Marked out like nothing else when Button overtook Vettel. Brilliant.

Jenson Button won a chaotic Canadian Grand Prix that finished over four hours after it started, and which included a red flag and five safety car periods, despite a penalty and two accidents.

The Briton, however, is under investigation for clashes with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Button's victory came only after Sebastian Vettel lost the lead on the final lap due to a driving error with just a handful of corners left.

The world champion had dominated the race from the start but came under pressure from a flying Button in the end.

Mark Webber was third for Red Bull, with Michael Schumacher in fourth position and Renault's Vitaly Petrov completing the top five.

Felipe Massa was the only Ferrari driver to finish, in sixth place, after beating Kamui Kobayashi to the spot right on the finish line.

Jaime Alguersuari, Rubens Barrichello and Sebastien Buemi completed the points-paying positions.

The event started under the safety car, as the race director deemed the track was too wet for a standing start. The move meant all drivers had to start will full wet tyres. The DRS was disabled while the track was wet.

The safety car dived into the pits after five laps, and Vettel managed to keep the lead despite an attack from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Vettel's team-mate Webber was not so lucky, however, and spun after making contact with the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton, the Australian dropping down to 14th position. Hamilton lost a few places too, and then dropped behind Button after going wide at the hairpin when fighting with Schumacher.

The Briton tried to regain the position on lap seven, only to make contact with Button as he tried to pass on the main straight. Hamilton had been quicker coming out of the final corner and tried to pass his team-mate on the left, only for Button to close the door.

Their cars made contact and Hamilton hit the wall, retiring from the race a few corners later and forcing the deployment of the safety car after parking his damaged car after Turn 5. Button pitted for repairs and rejoined in 12th place.

The race was relaunched again on lap 12, with Vettel still leading from Alonso and Massa. Right after that, race control announced a drive-through penalty for Button for having sped under the safety car. The Briton, who had opted for intermediate tyres in his first stop, dropped down to 14th.

Up front, Vettel stretched his lead quite comfortably, but Alonso decided to pit for intermediates on lap 18, seeing that Button was the fastest man on track.

Alonso rejoined in eighth, right in front of Vitaly Petrov and Button himself, but the rain became a downpour moments later and the safety car was deployed for the third time, with Alonso deciding to pit again for full wets.

Leader Vettel and team-mate Webber pitted for full wets during the safety car period, the Australian also getting a new steering wheel as he was having problems shifting down gears. Several drivers followed suit into the pits, leaving Vettel in the lead again, ahead of Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, who had not stopped, and Massa.

Still under the safety car, Vettel told his team on the radio that it was impossible to drive and that the race should be stopped. On lap 25, Vettel's wish was granted, and the race was red-flagged.

Nearly two hours after it was stopped, the race was restarted behind the safety car and with mandatory full wet weather tyres.

Heikki Kovalainen became the second retirement even before the safety car was back in, the Finn suffering a driveshaft failure on lap 30.

After nine laps on track, the safety car drove into pits and the race was launched with Vettel on top, followed by Kobayashi, who managed to keep Massa at bay at the first corner.

The majority of the field pitted as soon as it was allowed to fit intermediates tyre, although Vettel stayed out for a couple of laps, before the safety car was deployed again when Button made contact with Alonso when trying to pass at Turn 3.

The Briton touched the Ferrari's right rear wheel and sent the Spaniard into a spin, his car getting stuck on the kerbs. Button had to pit to change his punctured tyre.

At the time of the fourth safety car of the day, Vettel led from Kobayashi, Massa, Heidfeld, Paul di Resta and Webber, with Button dropping down to the bottom of the field.

The race resumed on lap 41, with Vettel opening a clear gap right away as Kobayashi held a train of cars behind him.

There was a lot action behind the German, with several position changes which included a clash between Heidfeld and di Resta, the Scot having to pit for a new front wing. Heidfeld's team-mate Petrov was given a drive-through penalty moments later for having overtaken while the safety car was still on track.

Despite the track being still wet, the race director enabled the use of the DRS on lap 45.

By lap 50 - with 20 to go - Vettel was leading Kobayashi by over six seconds and Massa by seven, with Schumacher having charged to fourth.

On lap 51, Webber became the first of the lead drivers to change to slick tyres, as Schumacher passed both Massa and Kobayashi and set his sights on Vettel, both still on intermediates.

However, the Red Bull driver was still the quickest man on track, extending his lead over Schumacher to 11 seconds by lap 52. Schumacher pitted for slicks a lap later, with Massa following suit.

Vettel changed his tyres a lap later, as team-mate Webber showed slicks were the way to go, lapping three seconds faster than the German. The world champion rejoined the race in the lead, while Massa was forced to come into the pits after damaging his front wing when losing control of his car while lapping an HRT.

With 13 laps to go, the safety car was deployed for the fifth time when Heidfeld crashed out following contact with Kobayashi. The Renault driver had damaged his front wing in the clash, and then it got under his car at speed, sending him off the track, and leading to the safety car being deployed while the wing debris was cleared.

With nine laps to go, the race was relaunched once more with Vettel on top, followed by Schumacher, Webber, Button and Kobayashi. Vettel continued his flawless run, opening a gap quickly as Webber and Button pushed a slower Schumacher hard.

Webber passed Schumacher with six laps to go, but had to let German through as he had jumped the final chicane. On the following lap he made the same mistake again, this time losing third place to Button. The Briton took second with five laps left, passing Schumacher comfortably and launching his attack on Vettel.

Webber finally captured third place from Schumacher with three laps left as Button closed in on Vettel. The world champion, however, resisted the pressure until the final lap, when he lost control of his car and let Button through with just a few corners left.

Pos Driver Team Time
1. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 4h04:39.537
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault + 2.709
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault + 13.828
4. Michael Schumacher Mercedes + 14.219
5. Vitaly Petrov Renault + 20.395
6. Felipe Massa Ferrari + 33.225
7. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari + 33.270
8. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 35.964
9. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth + 45.117
10. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 47.056
11. Nico Rosberg Mercedes + 50.454
12. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari + 1m03.607s
13. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth + 1 Lap
14. Jerome D-Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth + 1 Lap
15. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth + 1 Lap
16. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault + 1 Lap
17. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth + 1 Lap
18. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 3 Laps

Retirements:

Driver Team Laps
Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 61
Nick Heidfeld Renault 55
Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 49
Fernando Alonso Ferrari 36
Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 28
Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 7
Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 0

World Championship standings, round 7:

Drivers: Constructors:
1. Sebastian Vettel 161 1. Red Bull-Renault 255
2. Jenson Button 101 2. McLaren-Mercedes 186
3. Mark Webber 94 3. Ferrari 101
4. Lewis Hamilton 85 4. Renault 60
5. Fernando Alonso 69 5. Mercedes 52
6. Felipe Massa 32 6. Sauber-Ferrari 27
7. Vitaly Petrov 31 7. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 12
8. Nick Heidfeld 29 8. Force India-Mercedes 10
9. Michael Schumacher 26 9. Williams-Cosworth 4
10. Nico Rosberg 26
11. Kamui Kobayashi 25
12. Adrian Sutil 8
13. Sebastien Buemi 8
14. Jaime Alguersuari 4
15. Rubens Barrichello 4
16. Sergio Perez 2
17. Paul Di Resta 2[/code]

Jenson Button has kept his Canadian Grand Prix victory after the stewards deemed no action was needed following his crash with Fernando Alonso.

The McLaren driver had made contact with the Spaniard on lap 44, sending the Ferrari into a spin after touching the right rear wheel when trying to pass at Turn 3.

The incident was investigated by the stewards, who felt no action was needed, allowing Button to keep his victory.

Button also escaped any sanctions for his clash with team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Paul di Resta believes he did not deserve the drive-through penalty he was given during the Canadian Grand Prix.

"I lost my front wing against Nick Heidfeld at the chicane when he cut across me," said a disappointed di Resta, who went on to finish in 18th pace.

"I was quite surprised to receive a penalty because the incident only really compromised me."

Team-mate Adrian Sutil couldn't protest his drive-through, though, after misjudging Nico Rosberg's pace during one of several safety-car periods and running into the back of his fellow German's Mercedes.

"At the restart I was doing quite well until I got too close to Rosberg when the safety car was out," he said. "All the cars ahead of me slowed down a lot at the hairpin and I just got caught out, which damaged my front wing.

"But the car still felt okay and I didn't lose too much time."

Although they both survived these incidents, neither Sutil nor di Resta would reach the end of the race.

Sutil was caught out when he switched to slick tyres for the first time, admitting it was "maybe a few laps too early" to make the change.

"After the drive-through penalty, I decided it was worth the risk of switching to dry tyres," said Sutil, "but it was maybe a few laps too early. I had quite a big snap on my out lap and touched the wall, which broke the left rear suspension."

A second incident for di Resta, this time as he tried to find a way around the Williams of Rubens Barrichello, ensured his retirement three laps from the end.

"Unfortunately I pushed a bit too hard and clipped the wall, which gave me a puncture," said the Scot, who was still classified 18th and last of the finishers.

Both drivers were supportive of the stewards' decision to halt the race after 25 laps, commenting on the extreme weather surrounding the day's racing.

"The weather conditions were very bad today and given the intensity of the rain it was absolutely the right decision to stop the race," said di Resta.

"There were a lot of rivers running across the track and they were catching people out, even under safety car conditions."

"At the start of the race the visibility was extremely poor and there was very little grip," Sutil added.

Team principal Vijay Mallya summed up the team's disappointment at their result from the weekend.

"This was a very long and eventful afternoon of racing, where we didn't realise our potential," said Mallya. "We had a very quick car and both drivers were competitive, but the circumstances of the race did not go our way."

Lewis Hamilton needs to rein back his aggression against his rivals on-track if he is to achieve his full potential, claims former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

With Hamilton's driving under the spotlight after the drive-through penalties he was handed at the Monaco Grand Prix, Fittipaldi agrees with those who claim that the McLaren driver should calm down.

"I think Lewis is an exceptional talent, a world champion, but sometimes he is too aggressive when he tries to overtake," Fittipaldi said in an interview with Brazilian website Totalrace. "It was like that in Monaco with Felipe [Massa], placing half of the car in the sidewalk and putting Felipe in a difficult position, at least.

"He put Felipe in a dangerous position, really. I think there has to be a limit for being aggressive, respecting the others and still being competitive. You can be competitive, but you have to respect the others."

Hamilton claims his aggressive driving is exactly what fans are after, and he sees no difference between the way that he goes about fighting his rivals and the way his hero Ayrton Senna did.

Fittipaldi, however, thinks that Senna had more respect for his opposition - and would never have pulled off moves like that which Hamilton did in Monaco.

"Ayrton used to be a very aggressive driver, but I don't remember seeing him doing what Lewis did, not only in Monaco, but if you turn back three years ago, in the Belgium Grand Prix, in Spa," continued Fittipaldi.

"There he did some very critical manoeuvres with [Kimi] Raikkonen. That sort of aggressive overtaking is not a normal thing to do.

"I think he is spectacular. From the viewers' point of view it is cool to have a spectacular driver on the grid, it is part of the show, but you have to respect the other drivers. When you lack respect and put others in a risky position, it is wrong."

Despite Fittipaldi's view on Hamilton's driving, Michael Schumacher jumped to the defence of his current rival in Canada – claiming he would not have punished him for the incident with Massa in Monaco.

"[in] Monaco we know it is very difficult to pass and if somebody doesn't want it, then it is very hard to avoid a collision," said Schumacher. "I guess, in two of the four cases he passed people, two didn't want it and two accepted it!

"It is a tough situation to be perfectly right. You will always find one or the other opinion on that – but put it this way: I would not have given him [a penalty] for Felipe at least."

Ken Block is to get his first taste of Formula 1 machinery later this year when he drives Pirelli's Toyota test car at Monza in August.

The WRC driver, who is famous for his online Gymkhana videos, has tied up with the Italian tyre manufacturer for the run that is scheduled to take place on August 5 - the final day of a three-day test for Pirelli.

The test will be Block's first proper run in a top-spec single seater - and he is set to prepare for it with a trial in Toyota's F1 simulator.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT in Montreal about the test, Block said: "I never imagined that something like this would even be available.

"But Pirelli saw the idea of doing something unique and different with me. They have been a great partner with me for everything I have been doing, so it is just something that for me is a dream come true.

"I have so little experience in open wheel asphalt, so it will be a huge learning experience for me."

Block said he would have to do some intense preparations beforehand – which would include on his fitness and learning the Monza circuit.

"I'll do a lot of neck exercises," he explained. "I am going to be doing two days in the simulator in Germany to get familiar with the steering wheel and what the car does, and also getting to know the track.

"On top of that, we are talking about a couple of creative ideas of ways for me to learn the track – maybe bringing the WRC car over, as it is two weeks before WRC Germany, which is an asphalt event. It is going to be a lot of fun."

And when asked if this was a precursor to a future F1-based Gymkhana video, Block said: "I am going to see what I can talk them in to. Obviously it is a very expensive car, but I have asked a few questions and they have given me some funny looks. I will see what is possible."

McLaren insists it is not holding out hope that the change to the blown-diffuser regulations will be the key factor that helps it overhaul title rivals Red Bull Racing.

With the FIA having informed teams in Canada that it is pressing ahead with an outlawing of both hot and cold off-throttle exhaust blowing of diffusers from next month's British Grand Prix, teams are already working on modifying their cars.

With the blown floor advantage that Red Bull Racing has believed to be a key element of the package that has made its car the pace-setter, some are suggesting that the world championship leaders could be hit the most by the new rules.

However, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh is not convinced it will make a dramatic difference to the competitive order - even if it will definitely make some change to form.

"I don't think it will have a fundamental change to the picture, but it will hurt some more than others," explained Whitmarsh. "And depending how optimistic you feel, you hope it will hurt others more than you.

"It will change according to which team, and who is exploiting these tactics the most. But you can hear changes and differences this weekend at some teams, which presumably will not be there when we get to Silverstone."

When asked if it was too simplistic to say that since Red Bull Racing had spent most time on the systems it would have the most to lose, Whitmarsh said: "I hope not – but we will see."

Red Bull Racing engine supplier Renault also thinks that the only impact that the change in the blown diffuser regulations will have on teams is on the money they will have to spend in tweaking their engine mapping.

"It is the same problem. All of Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault will find a new solution and it will cost between $5 million and $6 million each and it will be exactly the same result – exactly the same!," explained Renault's Jean-Francois Caubet.

"We will apply the new rules, spend two weeks on the dyno, spend the money and we have the same result."

Despite Whitmarsh and Caubet believing that the competitive order will change little when the blown diffuser regulations change for Silverstone, Sebastian Vettel's closest challenger Lewis Hamilton is not so convinced.

He reckons that the new rules, allied to developments that his McLaren team have onboard, could help transform his title challenge and still beat Red Bull Racing in the end.

"There is still a long, long way to go," he said. "The great thing is the rules are about to change and things are going to spice up – even though the reality is that there is a three-race gap in terms of points.

"He has had pole position at every race until now, and you have to assume that he will continue like that until we get our upgrades or where the rules change.

"Nonetheless we are pushing as hard as we can. I still feel we can win the championship somehow, and hopefully the things that will happen in the next few months will play to us."

Lewis Hamilton retired from the Canadian Grand Prix following his lap 8 collision with McLaren team-mate Jenson Button.

Trying to feed his car round the outside of Button as they drove down the pit lane, Hamilton found himself squeezed against the wall and suffered damage to his car.

"I felt that I was at least half-way alongside him," said the 26-year-old. "Jenson made a mistake going into the final corner so I was able to get a better exit, and was coming down the outside of him. I don't know if he could see me or not, but he just kept moving across, and then I was in the wall."

Button was heard shouting, "What is he doing?" over the in-car radio system.

The collision left Hamilton's left rear tyre trailing the car, which the McLaren pit wall falsely interpreted as a broken suspension, according to Hamilton. Although he tried to crawl round the track to the pits, Hamilton said he was instructed to pull over.

"The team said I had a broken suspension and so I pulled over, but when I got out that wasn't the case", Hamilton told reporters. "It was only the tyre that was busted."

"I think there is such a thing as an accident," said McLaren's Jonathon Neal. "We're not the first team to have such an accident and I'm sure we won't be the last."

Hamilton had already collided with Red Bull driver Mark Webber, on the first corner after the cars were freed from behind the safety-car on lap 5.

"I went down the inside and he braked quite early," said Hamilton. "I was on the kerb and then I pushed over, and we just touched."

The torrential rain currently holding up the race only arrived after Hamilton's retirement, and he felt that conditions were still tolerable when he was forced to stop.

"It wasn't that bad - I had pretty good grip," he said. "It was drying up. Visibility wasn't the best."

Niki Lauda has called on the FIA to hand Lewis Hamilton sanctions for what he believes is dangerous driving, warning that if there is no reaction to his latest collisions then someone could get killed.

Hamilton crashed out of the Canadian Grand Prix after an accident with team-mate Jenson Button as they battled for position on the start-finish straight early in the race.

The incident resulted in Hamilton swiping the pit wall, and the damage to the left rear of his car meant he could not continue.

The Button/Hamilton collision is to be investigated by the race stewards after the end of the race - and it comes just a fortnight after Hamilton was hit with two drive-through penalties in Monaco for his part in crashes there.

But now, after his crash with Button and a first corner incident in Montreal with Mark Webber, Lauda thinks that the governing body needs to do something.

"What Hamilton did there goes beyond all boundaries," Lauda said during his commentary on RTL television. "He is completely mad.

"If the FIA does not punish him, I do not understand the world any more. At some point there has to be an end to all the jokes. You cannot drive like this - as it will result in someone getting killed."

Lauda's comments come just hours after former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, who is a race steward in Montreal, suggested that Hamilton needed to temper his aggression.

"I think Lewis is an exceptional talent, a world champion, but sometimes he is too aggressive when he tries to overtake," Fittipaldi said in an interview with Brazilian website Totalrace. "It was like that in Monaco with Felipe [Massa], placing half of the car in the sidewalk and putting Felipe in a difficult position, at least.

"He put Felipe in a dangerous position, really. I think there has to be a limit for being aggressive, respecting the others and still being competitive. You can be competitive, but you have to respect the others."

Lauda :wub:

Jenson Button labelled his Canadian Grand Prix win as the best of his career after a sensational charge to beat Sebastian Vettel on the final lap.

Button took the lead of the race with half a lap to go after Vettel lost control of his car when under pressure from the Briton.

The McLaren driver finished first despite a crash with team-mate Lewis Hamilton and another with Fernando Alonso, and also despite a drive-through penalty for speeding behind the safety car that dropped him to last.

"I really don't know what to say," said Button. "It has been a very emotional three hours since the start. There was the incident with Lewis, I couldn't see anything when he was alongside me. I have apologised to him, and from then on it was a fight.

"I got a drive-through for speeding behind safety car so I had to find way through three times. On the last lap I was chasing down Seb and he ran wide on the wet part of the circuit and I took the opportunity.

"It was a fantastic race, even if I hadn't win I would have enjoyed it. An amazing win and possibly my best.

"Definitely one of those grands prix where you are nowhere and then somewhere. The last one is the important one to be leading and I was leading half of it. An amazing day, I don't know what else to say really."

The Briton's win, however, is under investigation following his crashes with Alonso and Hamilton.

Button was confident he would not get a penalty as he felt he had done nothing wrong.

"I'm not concerned at all because I don't feel I have done anything wrong, but you never know what the outcome will be."

Button was thankful to his team for the strategy, although he admitted he was lucky at some stages of the event.

"It felt like I spent more time in the pits than on track. The guys did a great job of calling the strategy. At some points we definitely lucked out with strategy. We called it very well going to slicks and the car was working really well in these tricky conditions.

"I enjoyed it very much coming through the field, fighting your way through the field is almost as good as winning the race. That feeling of getting one up on someone. A great race for people who are sat here, to be on the podium is a pretty exceptional result and to fight my way through from last position... It is definitely my best race."

With his win, Button moved to second place in the standings, but 60 points behind Vettel.

Mark Webber felt Lewis Hamilton's move on him at the original start of the Canadian Grand Prix was 'clumsy', though the Australian was delighted that he was able to make up all the positions the incident cost him by the end of the epic, rain-interrupted race.

Webber was spun down from fourth to 12th at the first corner in the contact with Hamilton, but made it back to third by the finish.

"I think Lewis thought the chequered flag was in Turn 3!" Webber joked.

"We made contact and it is not easy - I think it was a bit clumsy early in the race.

"I lost a lot of positions, managed to get them all back, decided to pit and put another set of full extremes on before the suspended race."

The decision to put on new wet tyres just before what turned out to be a long red flag proved costly as several other drivers were able to switch tyres during the stoppage and stay ahead of Webber.

"[Kamui] Kobayashi, the two Renaults and [Paul] di Resta, guys I passed already, they got me with a free pitstop with the suspended race and a new set of tyres," said the Australian.

"I got back past them, and with a dry line appearing it was difficult to pull those moves off."

Webber was one of the first drivers to switch to slick tyres at the end of the race, a move he admitted was a gamble, but which brought him up to third behind Michael Schumacher. Although he passed the German, eventual winner Jenson Button also got past them both amid a spectacular dice.

"I then decided to roll the dice, decided to put the dry tyres on," he said.

"I knew parts of the circuit were going to be tricky, and then if get on grass it is all over.

"I then arrived on the back of Michael, we had a reasonable battle getting the dry line in the last chicane.

"Eventually we got it but JB arrived, he was very, very quick and I think ultimately even if I had got Michael earlier, he would have got me as well."

Webber felt the final result of a win for Button ahead of the two Red Bulls was apt for the events of the race. Sebastian Vettel had led in the other Red Bull until sliding wide under pressure from Button on the very last lap.

"In the end this is the result we all deserved today," he said. "Seb did a phenomenal job but it's easy to make a mistake in those conditions."

A crestfallen Sebastien Vettel bemoaned his "only mistake" as a slide on the final lap cost him victory in an epic Canadian Grand Prix.

The final laps of the pulsating race saw McLaren's Jenson Button homing in on Vettel, who appeared to have enough to match the Briton until his last-lap slip ruined an otherwise faultless performance.

"Of course, I'm disappointed," said Vettel in the post-race press conference. "It was a very difficult race from start to finish, and we led every single lap apart from the last one. I was probably too conservative after the last safety car.

"To lead and then give it away is not the sweetest feeling.

"We did the best we could," he added. "It was important to finish, especially in race like that, but to make my only mistake on the last lap is not very sweet at the moment."

After handling Montreal's changeable weather conditions superbly for the first 69 laps, Vettel was caught out as he tried to increase his pace to fend off Button.

"I was a little bit late on the brakes," he explained. "It was a difficult finish to a hard race, I could see that especially in the last sector Jenson was coming very close and catching up."

Vettel recovered to follow Button home in second place, ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber and Mercedes' Michael Schumacher.

The German also commented on the two-hour, four-minute break between laps 25 and 26, which added to the unique experience of this Canadian GP.

"It was a long race, and then a long break," said Vettel, who was seen out of the car during the interlude talking with Webber. "It was tough and one of the most challenging races of this year."

Toro Rosso secured a double points finish for the first time in 2011 as a bold pre-race strategy switch paid dividends for them at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Jaime Alguersuari, who would have started 18th on the grid, was withdrawn to the pits before the race started to switch his car to a wet set-up.

With the race starting under the safety car, his losses were minimised, and Alguersuari kept his nerve to finish eighth and secure his first points of the season.

"I am very happy because to finish eighth having started last from the pit lane is a really good result for us," he said after the race. "The team did a good job and we also made the most of every opportunity that came our way, some of them down to the bad luck of other teams."

"We ran a perfect strategy in terms of when we decided to stop to change tyres," added the young Spaniard.

His team-mate Sebastian Buemi also drove a tidy race, dodging the collisions in an action-packed midfield and bringing his car home in 10th.

But Buemi was not entirely satisfied with his performance.

"I am pleased to have scored a point as that is always important," said the Swiss driver. "However, I am a bit disappointed because I think I could have done better myself and I'm not sure if changing to the slicks so early worked for me."

The pair emerged unscathed from a race in which almost every car was involved in an incident at one point or another, and a well-adapted strategy allowed them to post strong performances following the two-hour interval which broke up the action.

"I am very happy for Jaime that he finished eighth," said team principle Franz Tost. "It will be good for his self-confidence as he has been struggling slightly in recent races and we can expect better things from him now. Sebastien also did a good job, coming home tenth."

"Our strategy worked well, gambling to come in early to change to slicks, which proved to be the correct decision and paid off," added Tost. "The whole team deserves praise today, as it was not easy managing the situation over such a long time with the break in the middle of the race, but they did an excellent job."

EddieG · June 13, 2011

Epic, worthy of a video.

Lineker · June 13, 2011

Michael Schumacher has admitted to having mixed feelings over what is already being labelled the best performance of his Mercedes career.

The German veteran, who earlier in his career was widely recognised as one of the greatest wet-weather driver of his generation, rolled back the years with several audacious overtaking manoeuvres.

He fought his way all the way to second place after lining up eighth on the grid, but was unable to hold off Mark Webber's Red Bull and Jenson Button's McLaren in the final laps as the track dried out, exposing the Mercedes' lack of ultimate top speed.

"I am leaving this race with one eye laughing and one eye crying, as I am not sure if I should be excited or sad about it," Schumacher said following the four-hour classic.

"Having been in second place towards the end, I would obviously have loved to finish there and be on the podium again. But even if it did not work out in the very end, we can be happy about the result and the big fight we put in."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the experienced Schumacher was not fazed by the two-hour break in proceedings. Lying in 12th place as lap 26 began, Schumacher put in some of his best racing of 2011 in the changeable conditions of the second half of the race.

"A good strategy after the red flag made it possible, and I am very happy for our team," he said.

Schumacher was running second as late as lap 65, but couldn't resist the repeated DRS-powered onslaughts from Button and Webber.

A rollercoaster weekend saw Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi finish seventh for Sauber F1, having started 13th on the grid and after running second for 25 laps after the restart.

Kobayashi's Canadian Grand Prix weekend could not have got off to a worse start, after a crash in Friday's second practice session damaged his car and cost him over half an hour of running time.

After an unspectacular qualifying session saw him line up 13th, Kobayashi made expert use of his Sauber on the rain-soaked Montreal track, managing to stay out on his initial wet tyres for the first 25 laps.

This meant that when the race was halted, the Sauber team could change his tyres for free - and Kobayashi then held off Felipe Massa's Ferrari until he was passed on lap 51.

"Originally I qualified 13th so then it is not bad to finish seventh, but on the other hand I started second after the long red flag and looking from there the result is disappointing," said Kobayashi.

"We have scored points and in the end this is most important. We have proved we are good in the wet, but when the track became dry my pace wasn't good enough to defend my position."

Having fallen behind Massa and Schumacher, Kobayashi was hit from behind by Nick Heidfeld, who was running faster and was caught out by Kobayashi running slightly offline.

The Japanese then lost places to Jenson Button and Vitaly Petrov, before Massa, recovering from losing his front wing, used his DRS to beat Kobayashi across the line by 0.04 seconds.

Kobayashi's temporary team-mate for the weekend, Pedro de la Rosa, was running ninth at the restart but was unable to hold on to a points finish, eventually coming home in 12th.

"Just before the restart Jenson Button and I touched and I had to pit because of a damaged front wing," explained the Spanish veteran. "This ruined my race, I lost many positions, and I even lost a few more later when I got stuck in first gear."

"I tried to recover from this as well as possible, but points were then out of reach. I must say it could have been a lot better today," he added.

Fernando Alonso was left bitterly disappointed by his retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Spaniard was touched by Jenson Button on lap 37 after seeming to turn in on Button going into Turn 3.

The collision spun Alonso into the wall on the exit of the corner, forcing the fourth of five safety-car periods of the afternoon.

"Everything went wrong, right from this morning when we saw it was raining," lamented Alonso.

"It's a real shame because today we really had a good race pace but we were unlucky: that's not a feeling I have, it's a fact."

Alonso felt that the decision to start the race behind the safety car was wrong, and deprived him of a key opportunity to attack polesitter Sebastien Vettel.

"We had our best qualifying of the year and we found ourselves starting behind the safety car, when I felt that for me, the intermediates were the best tyre," said Alonso. "When we fitted them, the downpour came, along with the red flag which meant those who had not changed tyres could now do it practically for nothing."

Following the downpour and the two-hour red-flag period which followed, Alonso pitted for more intermediate tyres after the safety-car restart - but was out of the race before he could complete a lap on them.

"Finally there was the coming together with Button, which as a final insult left my car beached on a kerb and I was unable to get going again," he said.

The non-finish leaves Alonso a staggering 92 points behind championship leader Vettel after just seven races, and the Ferrari driver admitted that the title race is now already beyond his control.

He is, however, staying positive about Ferrari's improvements during the weekend.

"The championship is not finished yet, but we must now hope for errors from others to have some hope," Alonso said. "Our performance level here was good, especially because of the characteristics of the circuit, but also thanks to the updates we brought here."

"We must keep our heads up, have confidence in our ability and work hard."

Post-race press conference:

TV UNILATERALS

Q. Jenson, an amazing race. Well worth waiting for the finish. You went from last to first. You collided with your team-mate (Lewis Hamilton) and Fernando Alonso. But what a race victory.

Jenson BUTTON: Yeah, I mean I really do not know what to say. It has been a very emotional three hours or however long it has been since the start. The incident with Lewis... I couldn't see anything when he was alongside me. I couldn't see anything in my mirrors. It was one of those things and I have apologised to him. Then, it was really a fight. I got a drive-through for speeding behind the safety car and I had to fight my way through about three times. Eventually, on the last lap I was chasing down Seb. He ran a little bit wide onto the wet part of the circuit and I was able to take the opportunity and take the win. But, for me, a fantastic race I think even if I hadn't won today I would have enjoyed this race immensely. But, yeah, amazing win and possibly my best.

Q. Sebastian, another very high-pressure finish for you but this time it didn't go your way. How disappointed are you feeling right now?

Sebastian VETTEL: Of course you are disappointed. I think it was a very difficult race from start to finish and we led every single lap except the last one. Or part of the last one. I was probably too conservative when I was in the lead after the last safety car and didn't open the gap quite enough. I was trying to hold the gap to the cars behind. Then I saw Jenson coming through. I was pushing and I think it would have been enough to the end but obviously it was not as I did a mistake. It is clearly down to me. I locked up the rear a little bit and what you have to do then is open the car going a bit straighter when there is only one line. But I ended up in the wet and it was quite easy then for him to pass. Surely, I think it is a good day today. It was a difficult day, easy to do mistakes and we have seen a lot of cars not finishing so it is good points. But if you have got it in your hands and you give it away it is not the sweetest feeling, but all in all it was a good race for us.

Q. Mark, you were the first to go onto the slick tyres and then an unbelievable battle at the end with Michael Schumacher and Jenson.

Mark WEBBER: Yeah, I had to roll the dice a little bit. It was very hard to clear some of those guys with the dry line when you were trying to come through and it is such narrow window to get down the inside of people. Obviously, you have got the experienced guys like Michael and (Nick) Heidfeld and those guys they know what they are doing. I thought I would roll the die. I was happy to see not everyone taking the next lap after me as I thought they would be so the two laps were enough to bring me back into the game for the podium. Then it was a pretty good fight with Michael. Again it was difficult, as we both wanted the same bit of track for the main braking point for the chicane. In the end got there, but when JB arrived he was absolutely flying and I was trying to be, we were all trying, to be as fair as we could. I passed Michael through the chicane so I had to give the position back. In the end these are the results we all deserve today. JB drove a great race. Seb did a phenomenal job but obviously it is easy to make a mistake in those conditions. I think third was the maximum i could get today after the first lap with Lewis.

Q. Jenson, are you off to have a chat with Lewis and Fernando after this and how will you be celebrating tonight?

JB: I have already spoken to Lewis and we both agree it was just one of those things. I am sure I am going to have a busy afternoon here at the circuit then I am definitely going to go celebrate. I am going to enjoy Montreal with some good friends whose birthday was yesterday and also Jessica (Michibata) is here and my old man, so I am looking forward to it. Mikey (Muscles) Collier, my physio is here as well, so hopefully we will have a good night tonight and enjoy what we achieved today. It was an immense battle and a great result. I have got to say a big thank you to the whole team and the work they have done. I think I must have pitted eight or nine times in this race and they did a great job every time so thank you very much.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Q. Jenson, I don't know if it was as incredible inside the car as it was outside but that was one hell of a race.

JB: It had its ups and downs, let's just say that. Definitely one of those grands prix where you are nowhere, then you're somewhere, then you're nowhere and then you're somewhere. As we always say the last lap is the important one to be leading and I was leading half of it. Amazing day. It really is an amazing day and I don't know what else to say really.

Q. The count was five pit-stops and a penalty just in case you thought it was nine stops or maybe you felt like it was?

JB: It felt like I spent more time in the pits than on the pit-straights. The guys did a great job of calling the strategy. At some points we definitely lucked out on the strategy, especially when the red flag came out but we called it very well going to slicks. The car was working really well in these tricky conditions, so I enjoyed it very much coming through the field. Fighting your way through the field is almost as good as winning a race: that feeling of getting one up on someone. A great race I think for the people who are sat here. To be on the podium was a pretty exceptional result and to fight my way through from, I think, last position… yeah, it's definitely my best race and I want to say a big thank you to the whole team for staying calm in some very difficult circumstances, especially when I damaged the front left and the front wing. But we came away with the victory, so thank you very much.

Q. The calls must have been incredible. They must have been the right calls. A great contribution from the team?

JB: Yeah, I think strategy-wise, obviously we sometimes get it wrong but a lot of the time we get it right. Moving onto intermediates in the first race and then moving to intermediates in the second race was the right call. The car on the intermediates and the slicks felt fantastic. On the wet tyre it didn't really work. Yeah, a very special race to win from where I was and I will remember this for a long time. I am sure I am going to have a busy afternoon here at the circuit. I have got to go and see the stewards and we will see how that goes but at the moment I am really enjoying this moment as I feel that I did the best job I possibly could.

Q. You came down the stairs just now with… I think Fernando was there as well. Was there any talk between the two of you just now?

JB: No, I didn't see him. He was in the front.

Q. DRS right at the end there on that last lap.

JB: Yeah, I wouldn't have had a chance if we didn't have DRS here. If Sebastian didn't make a mistake it would have been very tricky but it was getting very close to making the move because of the DRS. The previous lap I got DRS and I wasn't really close enough to make a move but I felt I was creeping closer and it could have been one of those moves on the last lap into the last corner but it didn't go that far because Seb put a wheel onto the wet surface and ran wide. I will take that. I think after Monaco, which again was a great race for me, to get the win here and get some luck in the end I think we deserved that.

Q. Sebastian, obviously disappointed to be second after being in the lead for so long and five safety car starts, each of which you seemed to get right. Tell us about it. You seemed to be dominant up until that last lap.

SV: Yeah, I think it was a long race. Obviously, a long break in between but very difficult conditions. It was quite tough and I think one of the most challenging races we have had this year. All in all, I think I can be satisfied but at the moment the freshest impressions I have are the ones which I probably show at the moment. Of course I am disappointed. Being in the lead for all the race and knowing that it was so difficult. It was a tricky race. The safety car never helped us but we did the best we could. It is good points today. I can see that. It is important to finish, especially in a race like that, but to do the mistake in the last lap, which was probably only the real mistake I did in the whole race, at the moment it is not very sweet. But that's how it goes. I think we are all pushing very hard and sometimes do mistakes. I have no problem to admit that I went a little bit wide and if it would have been dry there would have been no problem. But like this it was wet and outside the dry line and very costly. So in the end I got away with second.

Q. You just went off, do you remember why exactly?

SV: I was a little bit late on the brakes. Obviously I could feel Jenson was a little bit quicker than us. I should probably have pushed much harder initially after the safety car, after the restart. I was building up something like a four second lead and then I thought that the people behind would run a similar pace so I wasn't trying to pull away too much because I don't know what might happen afterwards with tyres or another safety car phase. I was probably a bit too cautious there. If I would have pulled away by six or seven seconds then it would have been a different story, but like that, at some stage, it was only three. It was a difficult finish to a hard race. I could see that especially in the last sector, Jenson was coming very close and catching up a lot.

Q. Mark, it actually started for you right at the second corner…

MW: Yeah, at one o' clock. Yeah, I think Lewis thought the chequered flag was in turn three. We made contact, I tried to give him some room. I know it's easy to clip someone but I think it was a bit clumsy that early in the race. So I lost a lot of positions. I managed to get them all back, pretty much, and then we decided to pit, obviously just to put another set of full extremes on before the suspended race. Then obviously Kobayashi and the two Renaults and di Resta - the guys that I passed already – they got me with the free pit stop, basically under the suspended race with the new set of tyres. So I had to get back past those guys which wasn't too bad but when a dry line started to appear, it's actually difficult to pull moves off because there's not much room to get down the inside. I think I decided to roll the dice a little bit and pop some dry tyres on. It was very much on the edge. I knew parts of the track were going to be tricky initially, and if you get on the grass, obviously, it's all over. So that tended to work out for me, gained quite a few seconds with that and then arrived on the back of Michael and we had a reasonable battle, same thing, trying to get that dry line in the last chicane. Eventually we got him, but JB arrived, he was very very very quick and I think he would ultimately – even if I got Michael early – JB would probably have picked me off as well. It was very easy to be in the wall today, make a mistake. It's very satisfying to be here, a very testing Grand Prix for all of us: mixed conditions and obviously with a bit of stress here and there, hard visibility, tear-off visors – the whole thing. Everything was thrown in there today, it was a tough Grand Prix for all of us. Clearly it's Jenson's day, he deserved the win and great points for us as a team in the Constructors' Championship. I'm sure it was a good race for the neutrals watching at home but a few grey hairs for us.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q. (Mattias Brunner – Speedweek) For all of you: the safety periods, suspending the race, was everything in order from your perspective?

JB: For Seb, I'm sure it was easy, sat behind the safety car, but for me, back in the pack, especially when it was very very wet, it was good to have the safety car out because I couldn't see in front of my visor. I think they timed it pretty well. I think they've got it down to a T now with understanding how long the safety car should be out, so yeah I think they did a good job.

SV: I think it was fine. Obviously they need to make the decisions for all of us, not just for one team or one driver only. It's difficult here to access the track when you have a car crashed or parts on the track which we had in the end. I think they kept everything under control and safe for us.

MW: I think they deserve huge credit. When they get it wrong, everyone kills them but today they did everything perfectly, virtually within a lap. They didn't mess around, they got on with it, did a very very good job for all of us. They had a very good understanding or feeling of the car so bloody good job from the guys up there to help us out today and yet still have a good car race, so they did a good job.

Q. (Livio Oricchio – O Estado do Sao Paulo) Jenson, it's important to hear your point of view about the incident with Alonso and Hamilton.

JB: It is but I need to speak to the stewards first. I will be going to see the stewards after this so I think it's best if I wait until I see them before I give an opinion.

Q. (Mark Shalhoub – CJAD 80DRadio) Jenson, did you feel like you had a bullseye on your car out there with those two incidents or was it just circumstance?

JB: No, I think there were lots of incidents today. It's a very very slippery circuit here, especially with the wet tyres, the first time that we've driven here in the wet for many years; I think 2003 was the last time. It's a very very slippery surface here, and a lot of people were finding it difficult to judge braking and also it's impossible to see in your mirrors when it's wet. I think there were incidents that you don't like to see, obviously, but sometimes it just happens.

Q. (Michael Schmidt – Auto, Motor und Sport) Jenson, how much of a help was it that you had this big wing on and why did you benefit more in the dry at the end? You would think it was a bigger benefit in the wet.

JB: I don't personally think that we had a big wing on, compared to other people. I think that we have a very good car mechanically, which works in these conditions, but I personally don't feel that we had a big wing on compared to other people. I think that some other people have got a more efficient DRS system in qualifying spec, but in race spec I think our rear wing is more efficient than theirs because that's the trade-off you have with the rear wings, with the DRS system. But as I said, mechanically our car is very good and we proved that in Monaco and we see that again here, especially when there's low grip on the circuit.

Q. (Dominic Fugere – Rue Frontenac) Jenson, we heard someone on your channel saying 'alright, let's go, we've gotta go win this race.' Was that you, somebody in the pits?

JB: It was Dave, Dave my engineer, Dave Robson, Comedy Dave – we've stolen that (name) from Radio One in England. Yeah, it's the first race we've won together, because last year we weren't working… well, he was actually working with me but as the second engineer, the data engineer, so this is the first race we've won together as chief engineer on my car. So yeah, a tough day for him, with all the different calls and what have you. He was obviously very hyped up. I wasn't going to say that on the radio. I don't say that until I'm across the finish line. It was nice for him to say and I think it was just to rev me up a little bit, not that I really needed it in the race today.

Q. (Pino Azzurro – Corriere Italiano Montreal) Jenson, you won a fantastic race, how would you rate this win among all your wins?

JB: The most action I've had in a Grand Prix, probably, and come away with a win. My first Grand Prix win was pretty special as it always would be and it was a very similar situation with the weather but I would personally say this – I'm going to say that because I'm emotionally attached to this win because it's just happened – but I would say this race is the best one I've had in my career.

Q. (Pino Azzurro – Corriere Italiano Montreal) Sebastian, in the last five laps of the race, Jenson was gaining a second and a half on you. You gave us the impression that you were basically saving your tyres or your car. Any issues with the tyres at all?

SV: No issues. As I said earlier, as I touched on, after the safety car I probably wasn't aggressive enough because to me initially, there was no need. As it turned out, I would have been much better off. After that, when I saw Jenson behind, I kept him fairly close and yes, he was very quick, I'm not saying that, but it wasn't a second per lap any more. I think it was then within a couple of tenths. It would have been very close but with the mistake I made, it was not.

Q. (Jeff Pappone Globe and Mail) Jenson, you mentioned earlier you're going to enjoy this moment and then see what happens; how concerned are you about the meeting with the stewards later?

JB: I'm not concerned at all because personally I don't feel that I've done anything wrong. I'm not concerned but you never know what the outcome is going to be.

Q. (Mattias Brunner – Speedweek) For the Red Bull drivers, how was KERS this afternoon?

MW: One and off.

SV: Yes, it was in the car. On and off.

LUKIE · June 13, 2011

I made the decision to stay up and watch the race. Bad decision, so went to be during the red flag. Wake up and find out it was an epic race. Now I feel like shit, told the boss I was going to be late coming into work, but am up in time with like 6 hours sleep under my belt...

Might watch the race later. What happened to Alonso?

EDIT:

Just watched the incident. Nothing really in it. Just a racing incident really.

ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster · June 13, 2011

I've always said that Button is the best in races that mix wet, dry and damp. He's great at riding on intermediates and really ramps up the aggression when stuck in midfield.

Very happy for him. I went to bed when the race was paused and he was in 11th having dropped to 12th, then 16th due to the penalty, then up to 6th then down to 11th to put wets back on....So to see that he'd won was groovy. :wub:

maninblack · June 13, 2011

I'm still bummed that Schumacher couldn't make the podium, but the man showed he still has it. Hopefully this isn't a one-off and he can continue making strong finishes.

Lineker · June 13, 2011

The beginning of a potentially huge story:

McLaren looks set to have a fight on its hands to keep Lewis Hamilton on board for the long term after the British driver sounded out Red Bull Racing about future plans in Canada last weekend, AUTOSPORT has learned.

During an ultimately difficult event for Hamilton, who had gone into the Montreal grand prix as favourite for victory but suffered a troubled qualifying and an early exit from the race, fresh speculation emerged about what he intends to do after his current contract ends in 2012.

AUTOSPORT can reveal that Hamilton met for private talks with Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner at the team's office buildings on Saturday evening - where the two spent at least 15 minutes together chatting in private.

Although it is not known exactly what they talked about, as one Red Bull source cheekily dismissed the get-together as nothing more than a 'social visit', it would be unlikely that the pair did not discuss future intentions.

There is no suggestion that it was anything more than a preliminary chat, or that the talks will definitely develop into something in the future, but Hamilton's actions are of intrigue amid signs of growing frustration at the competitiveness of McLaren at a time when Hamilton is in the prime of his career.

His crashes in Monaco and Canada, which have led to criticism of his mindset, are borne of the fact that he has to push so hard to try and beat Red Bull Racing.

Hamilton had started the season as Sebastian Vettel's main threat for title glory, and his challenge for the championship had looked strong when he grabbed victory in the Chinese Grand Prix.

However, since then McLaren has not made the progress that it had hoped with its car and Hamilton's difficulties in Monaco and Montreal – two races he had been expected to win – have left him 76 points adrift of Vettel in the standings.

The performance in Canada last weekend was much more of a disappointment because he had gone into the weekend as clear favourite for the victory – only for McLaren to have made an error with the drag levels it needed to take the fight to Red Bull Racing and Ferrari in qualifying.

Longer term, Hamilton and his new management team of Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment are widely known to be weighing up future intentions for when his current contract ends after 2012, and there must be some thought being given to the fact that McLaren has not been a pacesetter in F1 since his title season in 2008.

Hamilton's only real options for the future, in terms of giving him the best chance of having a frontrunning car, are either to remain at McLaren, or make the switch to Ferrari or Red Bull Racing.

Ferrari appears to be a closed door, however, with Fernando Alonso having signed a long-term deal and the Spaniard likely to be resistant to renewing a team partnership that turned so sour when he and Hamilton were together at McLaren in 2007.

And although Red Bull Racing would appear to be an unlikely destination, with the team currently so focused on Vettel, the capture of a top-line driver like Hamilton for 2013 could be viewed as a huge coup for Red Bull chief Dietrich Mateschitz.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has played down talk of Hamilton's frustrations, however, and thinks there are no worries about his driver's mindset at the moment.

"I think he has had an unfortunate run," said Whitmarsh when asked by AUTOSPORT about Hamilton's current difficulties. "But I think he has to be the racer he is, and I am sure he will be. I am sure he is disappointed, but he is enjoying the win for the team."

Hamilton's latest links with Red Bull Racing are nothing new and earlier this season, on the back of McLaren's troubled pre-season testing programme, there was already speculation suggesting that the driver and team could get together from 2013.

At the time, however, Hamilton insisted that his focus remained wholly on McLaren – although he did not rule out a potential switch in the future.

"Of course, I'm going to be in Formula 1 for some time, and you never know which way the wind will take you," he said in March. "As I said, for now, I'm committed to trying to make this team the most successful it can be, and I feel we can do that."

Red Bull Racing also moved at the time to play down the prospects of partnering Vettel and Hamilton – although the idea was not totally dismissed.

"It's difficult to see how you could have two drivers of Lewis and Sebastian's calibre under one roof," said Horner, during a media briefing at Silverstone.

"There tends to be fireworks, as we saw with Fernando Alonso and Lewis. So we're very happy with the line-up that we have and we'll see how things evolve."

Despite the difficulties Hamilton is facing in his current situation, those who know the former world champion well have moved quickly to suggest he will lift himself out of the troubles he is facing.

Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug, who has helped guide Hamilton's career for many years, thinks that the Briton is simply going through the kind of difficult phases that all drivers experience in their careers.

"I understand Lewis perfectly and I will defend him," Haug told AUTOSPORT. "He is a good driver, he is a friend and I do not share the criticism that is on him.

"We will support him and he is a great driver. There are phases that you have to go through. There are difficult times but he will deliver okay and he is one of the great guys in the field. Of course he gets a lot of criticism, but this will make him only stronger."

Sebastian Vettel should not be too disappointed with the last-lap error that cost him victory in the Canadian Grand Prix, says his team boss Christian Horner.

The Red Bull Racing driver had looked on course to deliver his sixth win of the campaign in Montreal but, under pressure from a hard-charging Jenson Button, he made a mistake on the final lap and slid wide - handing the win to his McLaren rival.

Although Vettel himself was gutted at having thrown away the victory, Horner says that he has no complaints about his young German's driving – and praised his brilliance in the tricky conditions.

"It is nothing," said Horner about the Vettel error. "Look at what happened in the five hours that that grand prix seemed to consume here. There were a lot of mistakes in really difficult conditions, and he should not be too disappointed.

"I think he handled it very well at the end of the race, and it was just one of those things. I think that Sebastian did a phenomenal race in massively difficult conditions. He was pretty much the only guy who did not put a wheel wrong all afternoon."

Horner reckons that Vettel was pushing so hard on the final lap because he did not want Button within one second of him at the DRS activation zone – because it would have been almost impossible for him to be able to successfully defend from his rival there.

"At the end of the race, Jenson was very, very quick and Seb knew, because we could see how powerful the DRS was in that zone, that he had to keep him out of the magic one second zone when they crossed that line for the last time.

"Jenson was in the zone so [Vettel] knew he had to deliver, and pushing flat out I think he just hooked the wheel slightly on the damp, locked the rear and that was the difference between winning and losing.

"When you have led pretty much the entire grand prix, to lose it probably within two kilometres of the finish is frustrating on one hand, but on a day when neither Lewis [Hamilton] nor Fernando [Alonso] scored, and on a day when so many incidents where there, at a track where we are not really supposed to be competitive at, to have come away with a P2 and a P3, in the cold light of day, is actually a pretty good team result."

Horner also said he had no regrets about the FIA choosing to restart the race after it was red flagged when Vettel was in the lead, even though it being abandoned then would have made his team the winner.

"Arguably if the race had been stopped after half distance he would have only got 12.5 points, but instead he got 18. So, if you can pull any positives out of it that has to be it."

Ferrari says it will reserve judgement on its chances of winning the world championship this year until after the British Grand Prix - even though it thinks it may need a 'Lourdes' miracle to pull off the type of win that Jenson Button delivered in Canada.

The Maranello-based outfit had high hopes of a strong result in Montreal, after Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa qualified second and third, but incidents in the race meant they lost even more ground to points leader Sebastian Vettel.

And although conceding that the world title fight is now looking difficult – with Alonso 92 points adrift of Vettel in the standings – team principal Stefano Domenicali wants to wait another two races before making a call on Ferrari's 2011 ambitions.

For as well as the updates that are coming through for its car, the British GP will mark the first race when the FIA's planned ban on off-throttle blown diffuser comes into effect – and that could turn the formbook on its head.

When asked by AUTOSPORT how long he believed Ferrari could keep up its belief that it can still win the title, Domenicali said: "I said in the last race that we were waiting to see after these two races, and to have the points for sure.

"I am very disappointed for the race here because that was not really the points that the team deserved, as the performance was really there. So we need to see and grab the maximum points in Valencia. And then we need to see in Silverstone, what is the real effect of this change in the regulations with regard to the effect of the exhaust?

"Then, we will see really where is the second championship in terms of the level of performance above all in higher downforce tracks. So I would say after Silverstone we can make a judgement on that."

Ferrari's biggest problem this season has not been that its car has lacked the performance to challenge for wins and podiums, but that it has failed to turn recent improvements on its car into hard results.

Domenicali admitted that the situation was not ideal – and he joked the outfit may need to go and seek some divine intervention for help.

"I felt that we did the right thing to try and overtake a backmarker that was really very, very slow, and unfortunately in that moment there was only one line that was really dry, and from the moment he [Felipe] was re-accelerating he was in the middle of the 'ice', then what can you say? It was really a shame, because we had a good chance and, for a lot of reasons, we did not take it.

"When you look at Jenson, he won the race with six pitstops! I cannot say what I am thinking in English but - we need to do something. We will organise a tour to Lourdes or something to see if we can reverse the scenario!"

maninblack · June 13, 2011

There may not be enough room at Red Bull for Hamilton, should the team continue winning with Vettel.

Lineker · June 13, 2011

He's working alongside a World Champion now in Button so why not. He can only stay where he is, which he isn't apparently sold on yet; move to Ferrari but that won't happen as Alonso has a long-term seat there and they won't be teammates any time soon; or move to Red Bull to replace Webber when he goes.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh believes that Jenson Button's amazing triumph in the Canadian Grand Prix was not just the Briton's best ever win - he thinks it one of the greatest victories in the history of the sport.

Button came through two crashes - one with team-mate Lewis Hamilton and one with Fernando Alonso – a drive-through penalty, and five further pitstops to grab the lead on the final lap of the race from Sebastian Vettel.

Whitmarsh was amazed with the performance and thinks considering Button had dropped to the back of the field at one point of the event, his comeback should go down as one of the finest ever F1 performances.

"I think it was one of the best wins in the history of F1, let alone his," explained Whitmarsh. "I think it was incredible. Absolutely fantastic.

"There were punctures, he had to change the front wing, and from 21st I don't know how many times he had to overtake people. He just drove fantastically well.

"He kept focused. He applied as much pressure as he had to to get past and really did a fantastic job. This was 90 per cent him and 10 per cent the car. He did a great, great, great job."

As well as praising Button's performance, Whitmarsh also believes that critics should back off Hamilton following another difficult race.

Hamilton collided with Mark Webber at the first corner and then crashed with Button as he tried to recover through the field – prompting former world champion Niki Lauda to suggest the FIA should take action against him.

Whitmarsh said he was 'not interested' in what Lauda had to say, and reckoned that Hamilton's aggression was what made him the special driver he is.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5, Whitmarsh said: "I think Lewis is a passionate racing driver and he has to go for those instances, whether you look at it statistically or objectively.

"I want Lewis to attack, I don't want him to have contact with cars, but at the same time if you hold back for fear of having contact he will not be the great racer he is, he will not do the job he has to do.

"He has had an unfortunate run, but I think he will continue to be a very tough racer and I am sure he will have many successes ahead in his career."

June 13, 2011

All in favour of forcing Lineker to just post headlines with links? :shifty:

Rich · June 13, 2011

And all against? :shifty:

Sam · June 13, 2011

Hamilton blaming Mclaren doesn't really hold too much weight when his team mate puts in two good performances in a row showing that the Mclaren can match the Red Bull and beat it on race day.

Lineker · June 14, 2011

All in favour of forcing MPH to just stop posting entirely? Troll. :shifty:

Sauber technical director James Key admitted that the team's car was not quick enough to stay in contention for a podium finish in the Canadian Grand Prix once the track dried.

Kamui Kobayashi ran second in the wet part of the race, but faded to seventh at the finish as conditions improved.

"Kamui did well to make a bit of progress initially, and we felt the race pace could be better because we'd been on higher downforce all weekend - anticipating weather conditions to a certain extent," Key told AUTOSPORT. "He did pretty well in the wet and actually we were quite competitive.

"Unfortunately we were in a situation where we couldn't use the DRS because we were at the front of the back, and our straightline speed wasn't good because we were on the higher downforce level. We never really got an opportunity to have a go back.

"Our dry pace wasn't very good here, and I think when the dry tyres came in, we suffered a bit. On the dries, it hasn't been our track, so we lost out."

Key said he never had high hopes for Montreal, but still found the degree to which Sauber struggled in the dry a disappointment.

"It could've been worse," he said. "The pace was disappointing in the dry.

"We kind of know what it is - it's a combination of things. But it was a bit worse than I thought it would be here. It's not our track at all.

"So to come out with a seventh place, we can't complain at all. It's just that it could have been a bit higher if things had worked in our favour in the race."

Jenson Button has jumped to the defence of his under-fire team-mate Lewis Hamilton - claiming that his critics should back off because the 2008 world champion is doing a phenomenal job on track.

Hamilton was on the receiving end of critical comments from former world champions Emerson Fittipaldi and Niki Lauda in Montreal last weekend – with Lauda even suggesting that the FIA should punish the Briton for his clashes in the Canadian event.

Button does not agree, though, and says he is relishing going up against someone as talented as Hamilton.

"Lewis is in the headlines a lot, and a lot of it is because he is bloody good," Button was quoted as saying by the Press Association.

"He's a racer, a fighter. For me that is the reason why I wanted to be here, against and with a driver that is super talented, one of the best drivers Formula 1 has ever seen.

"It's good challenging him on the circuit. We have a lot of respect for each other, we've raced each other a lot this year, and last year, and we've never touched. We've always given each other room. For me that's a great position to be in.

"So I don't agree with what Niki has said. I think his driving style is aggressive and he always goes for gaps. Sometimes he's right, sometimes he's not, but it's the same for all of us. He just finds himself in that situation more often than others."

Button himself now has first hand knowledge of clashing with Hamilton – after they hit each other during a fight for position in Montreal.

And although he questioned on the radio what Hamilton had done during the moments straight after the collision, Button later spoke at length to his team-mate to ensure there were no lingering problems.

"Obviously I'm very sorry I collided with Lewis," said Button. "We spoke about it, and it's one of those things. I didn't know he was there. He went for a move; we collided, which is sad for both of us.

"Initially it played on my mind because you never want to crash with your team-mate. It's the worst thing to do. But we spoke about it, and he was very good actually. He was one of the first people to congratulate me after the race, which was really nice to see."

Paul di Resta has labelled the decision to give him a drive-through penalty for contact with Nick Heidfeld in Montreal as 'ridiculous', but promised not to dwell on the punishment.

Di Resta had been on course to deliver the best result of his Formula 1 career when he clashed with Heidfeld at the final chicane - damaging his front wing and landing himself with a punishment that pushed him down the order.

Speaking about the incident, di Resta said he did not understand why he was judged to have done something wrong.

"The race was looking better after the restart," explained di Resta. "We were pretty fast on wets, and then we made the right call to start early and we jumped [Vitaly] Petrov again. At that stage the car was working well.

"I'd had a chance of passing Heidfeld the lap before the incident, but thought I'd bide my time. I got another run on him, got alongside him, but where he was trying to brake and what he was trying to do, he was never going to make the chicane and he took my front wing off.

"So I had to stop for a wing change, and I got a drive-through penalty, which again I thought was harsh. Then at the end I was lying 11th with two laps to go and I tried to get past Rubens Barrichello to get a point, but I pushed a bit too hard and clipped one of the walls."

When asked how harsh he felt the drive-through penalty was, di Resta said: "It's not even harsh, it's ridiculous. I don't see how I was at fault for that.

"He came in front of me, yet I still made the corner and he didn't, and all that happened was the front wing endplate came off, so I didn't batter him. I'd like to see it from the outside again."

Di Resta has vowed not to dwell too much on the disappointment, though, as he bids to build himself up for the next race.

"I've just got to give it a few days before I think too much about it," he said. "Obviously I'm going to be down and disappointed, but when I arrive at the next grand prix I have to be fully focused on trying to achieve more.

"It's tough, but the decision was hard, and I can't beat myself up too much about it."

Renault sporting director Steve Nielsen is to leave the team as part of an internal restructure.

Nielsen has been with the team for more than 10 years but tendered his resignation over the weekend of the Spanish Grand Prix when he discovered that John Wickham, formerly the technical and operations manager of A1GP, had been commissioned to conduct an efficiency study into the team.

Wickham managed the Spirit-Honda Formula 2 team in the 1980s and brought the engine manufacturer into F1 in 1983 before Honda did its deal with Williams.

He has not been in the F1 paddock for some time but had a good working relationship with Renault/Genii team principal Eric Boullier from A1 GP.

Neilsen is under contract to the team until the end of the year and it is understood that he will continue to work with the team, likely as far as the Singapore GP. It is also expected that current engineering chief Alan Permane will perform a more senior role and that Wickham will also be part of the restructure, in a new role.

Boullier said in Canada: "It's a principal of any competitor to always look at yourself. We are still looking at finishing the restructuring of the team to be better."

Boullier also dismissed recent rumours of financial hardship at the team.

"My understanding is very clear: there is no issue at all," he said. "But, as we say, there is no smoke without fire. So it's clear there was some stress, let's say, on a couple of processes to be done financially, just because it's always three or four parties getting together and if one of them fails that causes a mess in the loop. That is why there was this rumour. But there is no issue at all and you will not hear these rumours again."

Team Lotus has expanded its wind tunnel operations by agreeing a deal with Williams to use one of its facilities at Grove from later this year.

The Hingham-based outfit already has a wind tunnel programme operating out of Aerolab in Italy, and it will now complement that with use of one of Williams's two facilities from September.

Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes said: "There are a number of reasons why I am delighted that we have signed this deal. From a practical perspective there are the obvious benefits of increasing our wind tunnel activity and using a state of the art facility in the UK, and I am sure that will immediately help Marianne Hinson (Head of Aerodynamics and CFD) and her team to work even more effectively in one of the key areas of the ongoing development of our team.

"The other side of the agreement is that I owe a great deal of thanks to Frank Williams, Patrick Head and Adam Parr as they were the first people I ever worked with in Formula 1.

"AirAsia was a proud sponsor of their team and Frank, Patrick and Adam played key roles in introducing me to the Formula 1 world, so I am very pleased that we are able to keep working together as Team Lotus continues to establish itself as a serious force in Formula 1."

The deals with Aerolab and Williams will last as long as it takes for Team Lotus to complete the construction of its own wind tunnel at Hingham.

Mike Coughlan says he is determined to earn his place back in Formula 1 after securing a deal to return to the sport with Williams.

The Briton was dismissed by the McLaren team in 2007 because of his involvement in that year's spy controversy, and he was banned from the sport for two years because of it.

He is now returning to Formula 1 as Williams's chief engineer, and Coughlan insisted his involvement in the spy affair was a life-changing experience.

"It was life-changing because it made me reflect upon myself and my actions," said Coughlan on Tuesday.

"Leaving a team and a sport that I love, and then seeing the consequences of my actions on the team and its fans was devastating.

"All I can do now is work hard and try to earn my place back in Formula 1. This is what I am determined to do with Williams."

Coughlan said he fully accepted his ban from the sport, admitting he regretted all he had done.

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone who was affected by my conduct and in particular the people at McLaren and Ferrari and the fans of those teams," he said.

"I sincerely regret my actions and I fully accepted the penalty given to me by the FIA. I can only hope that I can earn back everyone's respect."

As for his goals at Williams, the Briton said he is aiming to help the team return to winning ways as soon as possible.

"Personally, I am aiming to integrate myself back into Formula 1 and prove myself. With regards to the team, I think we all have one goal - to win races.

"I think I can say that even though I have only just finished my first day here! But obviously I'm hoping to help bring an upturn in the team's results and put it back to where it deserves to be."

Red Bull Racing says it is ready to question the implementation of the forthcoming change to the blown diffuser regulations when Formula 1 teams get together this week to discuss it.

With the FIA having made it clear in Montreal last weekend that it is pushing ahead with plans to ban teams from off-throttle use of blown diffusers from the British Grand Prix, many outfits are currently working on necessary changes to their car designs and engine mapping.

However, with Red Bull Racing being singled out as the team that stands the most to lose - because it is believed to have perfected the implementation of the concept the best – the outfit is obviously eager to ensure it does not lose any competitive advantage it has.

And ahead of this week's meeting of F1 think-tank the Technical Working Group, which is scheduled for London on Thursday, Red Bull Racing says it wants to clear up certain aspects of the FIA's decision to view off-throttle use as illegal.

When asked by AUTOSPORT about if the team had concerns about the impact of the ban from Silverstone, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner said: "There are two issues. One is the impact of it, which I doubt will probably affect us any more or any less than any other team.

"But the other one is the mechanism and the understanding behind the technical directive. That is what will undoubtedly be debated in the TWG next week, which is probably the right forum to discuss it.

"There are certain questions that we want to ask about the technical directive that we need clarification on."

The FIA is using an interpretation of F1's aerodynamic regulations, which state that driver actions cannot have an influence the car's aerodynamics, to state that exhaust gasses cannot be blown through the diffuser when the driver is off-throttle.

Although most frontrunning teams are unsure of the impact that the change to the rules will have – with many suspecting it could especially hurt Red Bull Racing in qualifying – Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali went as far as suggesting that the new rule could herald the start of a second phase to the world championship battle.

"We need to see in Silverstone, what is the real effect of this change in the regulations with regard to the effect of the exhaust," he said in Canada.

"Then, we will see really where is the second championship in terms of the level of performance above all in higher downforce tracks."

As well as limiting teams to just 10% of throttle blow when the driver is off the accelerator from the British GP, the FIA plans to outlaw all use of blown diffusers for 2012 through a change in the exhaust regulations.

LUKIE · June 14, 2011

MPH, I see no problem with what Lineker is doing. In fact, why bother coming in here if you don't want to read what he is posting? It's not like text takes up heaps of bandwith.

Thanks as always Lineker for posting all the new bits. I am grateful.

In regards to the Paul di Resta thing. I just watched it on youtube, and if he received a drive-through for that, it is beyond a joke that Button didn't receive a penalty for his contact with Alonso, which was FAAAARRR worse. I don't think either should have been punished, but Di Resta being punished for his, is a joke.

I also found it utterly hilariously retarded that once again Webber belittles Vettel in an extremely subtle manner because he didn't win another race. They showed Webber's comments when Hamilton won in China, and now when Button has won, and he has said a similar thing, "someone else has won which makes the sport more exciting". You don't say that shit about your team mate, and Vettel's look towards Webber on both accounts were priceless. Webber is becoming a bitter dick, which is ridiculous, because he is completely outclassed by Vettel, like most of the drivers are.

Lineker · June 14, 2011

Thanks Lukie. Ignore MPH, he's just doing what he does best. Also the first post in the thread has been updated.

Robert Kubica's manager Daniel Morelli believes there is a possibility the Pole could return to racing in the final grand prix of the season in Brazil.

Morelli says Kubica's recovery is going well, and admits his right hand is still the main concern, with his right leg not a real problem anymore.

Morelli insisted it is not impossible that Kubica returns to racing this year.

"Recovery is progressing positively," Morelli told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The right leg is fine: if that was the problem, then Robert would practically be ready. No, that's not our worry.

"The Italian GP is held in September, so it's in just three months' time, but we can think about the final race of the season.

"In any case, when Robert gets in the simulator, he'll immediately understand whether he's able to come back, how and when, without the need of a stop-watch."

Polish website Fakt.pl published on Monday the first photos of Kubica after his accident, the Pole walking with a crutch and with a forearm guard and brace on his injured hand.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports the Pole will undergo a final surgery of his arm today in Genoa, where he spends three days a week with Dr. Igor Rossello working on the recovery of the arm.

He also spends a further day of the week at Formula Medicine in Viareggio with Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli for recovery of the leg.

His Renault team, meanwhile, said it will hold fire on making any moves on its 2012 driver line-up until Kubica has given the outfit a decision later this summer on whether he believes he will be fit enough to race.

With the team obviously aware that it may need to find a replacement for Kubica if he does not return in 2012, yet not definitely having a spare place on board if the Pole does return, chiefs face a dilemma in deciding where their priority is.

However, Renault team principal Eric Boullier says that the outfit will sit back and wait for Kubica to make the first move before contemplating who will be slotted in alongside Vitaly Petrov, who has a firm contract for next year.

"Robert is the key to this," explained Boullier. "We obviously are 100% committed behind Robert, and I have offered to put in place all the rehabilitation on the racing side for him to be comfortable before making the decision.

"We are now having discussions with his management to see how we can do it. There is not always the same concern for everybody, but I would like to wait to see Robert's decision to see if he is back or not, and then work out if we go to a different plan or not."

He added: "I have been told he will be starting his full rehabilitation in August, which is late. But we have to make a decision around then."

Although Nick Heidfeld has scored a podium finish for Renault since being drafted in as Kubica's replacement, the German has struggled for consistency this year.

However, he showed better form in Canada last weekend before getting involved in a collision with Kamui Kobayashi that damaged his front wing.

Fernando Alonso says he will not give up on his world championship hopes until he is mathematically out of contention - despite conceding that matters were now out of his hands.

The Spaniard drifted to 92 points off series leader Sebastian Vettel after the Canadian Grand Prix – when his hopes of victory were wrecked by bad luck with the timing of the weather, and then a clash with Jenson Button that left him unable to continue.

Although the deficit to Vettel means he needs a run of four race wins, with his rival not scoring, to take the lead of the title chase – the Spaniard is refusing to concede it is all over.

"No, the title is not gone because mathematically it is still alive," said Alonso, whose best result this season has been second place in the Monaco Grand Prix.

"We saw some retirements in the past years, as Hamilton did in Monza and Singapore last year. And if you win two races, and Vettel retires, the gap can close a lot.

"But it is true it is not in our hands, so we just need to concentrate race by race, try to do our best race-by-race, be on podium and try to win some grands prix.

"It up to them (Red Bull Racing) to do some mistakes but, if not, they have a very good position in the championship."

Alonso believes he had a car capable of fighting for the victory in Montreal – but conceded that bad luck with the timing of the stops cost him badly.

"In the dry it was very possible [to win]; while in the wet you need to be lucky with the positions.

"At the point when we fitted the intermediates early on we could have won the race, but luck compensates through the year so maybe Valencia is extremely lucky for us and we win. We hope so."

Ferrari has announced the extension of its agreement with Philip Morris International until the end of 2015.

The current deal was announced back in 2005 and was ending at the end of this year.

Ferrari had used Marlboro sponsorship since 1984, although a tobacco sponsorship ban kicked in in Formula 1 six years ago, thus not allowing the Italian squad to run Marlboro stickers.

The team removed the 'barcode' design from the side of its car last year following controversy about it being subliminal advertising for Marlboro.

The official name of the team in Formula 1 is still "Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro".

Jarno Trulli has praised the FIA for its calls during last Sunday's action-packed Canadian Grand Prix.

The race started behind the safety car after a downpour had hit the track, and was red-flagged later because of more torrential rain.

The race direction restarted the event behind the safety car two hours after the stoppage, with a total of five safety car periods on the day.

Lotus driver Trulli believes the FIA made all the rights calls during a difficult race.

"It wasn't easy to race, but neither was managing the progress of the race," wrote Trulli in his column for Repubblica newspaper.

"I think that, never as much as today, the FIA must be applauded. It did not make a wrong decision and got everything right: the start behind the safety car, deployment of it when there was debris or cars standing still on the track, the red flag interruption when it was too dangerous, and then the restart after more than two hours.

"It was right to wait that long: track conditions had to improve in order to make the cars drivable again. They did everything right.

"Obviously confusion reigned supreme, and someone may think it's too much, but Montreal is a different race from all the others.

"That's Canada: Formula 1 and its new rules have nothing to do with it. It's the nature of that track that makes you make mistakes: the deluge did the rest by increasing the difficulties."

Michael Schumacher has proven beyond all doubt that he is still capable of delivering when Mercedes GP is able to give him the machinery, following his strong showing in the Canadian Grand Prix.

That is the view of Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug, who believes that Schumacher's fiery drive in Montreal - where he just missed out on a podium after running as high as second at one point – was the return of the seven-time champion to his best.

"This is what happens in sport – you can turns thing around quickly," Haug told AUTOSPORT in reference to the praise Schumacher got in Canada just a few weeks after critics slated his driving in Turkey.

"Ultimately you need results, and the one here was a very respectable one. We did it with Ralf [schumacher] in DTM too – where he got criticism but now he is delivering good results.

"Our team is composed, it stays together and everyone is helping each other. This was Michael at his best. It shows that he can do it, and that if we give him the right car he will deliver."

Schumacher's improved form this year, and a recent uplift in performance compared to team-mate Nico Rosberg, has prompted speculation that the German could extend his F1 contract beyond the end of 2013.

However, speaking in Canada, Schumacher said that recent comments where he suggested that achieving success would take longer than three years, which was interpreted as him hinting that he planned to extend his stay in F1, did not have such hidden meaning.

"I have heard the speculation – and how it was interpreted into my comments," he explained. "But that wasn't the meaning of my comments - let me put it that way.

"We have said that I have a three-year deal, and at the right moment in time we will talk about what will happen in the future."

Team Lotus has announced a major new sponsorship deal and technology partnership with General Electric.

GE branding will appear on the Lotus cars and infrastructure from next month's Silverstone race onwards, and team boss Tony Fernandes said the partnership would go much deeper than a standard sponsorship.

"It is a resounding endorsement of the remarkable development of our team that we have unveiled a partnership of this significance with one of the world's most eminent organisations," he said.

"We are already exploring a number of initiatives that will bring the GE/Team Lotus relationship to life across the spectrum of GE's interests, from future automotive electrification technologies, materials sciences, design processes and core engineering competencies to the showcasing of GE's world class e-infrastructure capabilities throughout the global business and government communities in race and non-race markets alike.

"In short, we have a huge array of platforms to work across driven by passionate people in both organisations who can't wait to put their collective imagination to work."

Said Jeff Immelt, GE's chairman and chief executive officer added: "We are excited to sponsor Team Lotus and continue our relationship with Tony Fernandes. We have worked with Tony for many years and know his commitment to the aviation business. The global appeal and popularity of Formula 1 provides a unique opportunity for GE and we look forward to great things from Tony again as we become part of his team."

LUKIE · June 14, 2011

There were highlights of guys SWEEPING water off the track during the massive down-pour in Canada after the red flag, so I find it bizarre when people are still questioning why there were so many safety cars. Sure, we all want to see excitement, but I think that the drivers safety comes first and foremost. It just annoyed me watching the wrap up on One HD over here they do on Tuesday nights, and how they showed those images, where the entire circuit was a fucking lake, and then the commentators complained that the race restarted under safety car! There was a reason for that, you moron, it's because they wanted to make sure the whole track was safe, and what better feedback then from the drivers.

Thank God the BBC team commentate the races over here. +1 David Coulthard. - 1 Billion ONE HD dumbarses.

/rant. :shifty:

Rich · June 14, 2011

There were highlights of guys SWEEPING water off the track during the massive down-pour in Canada after the red flag, so I find it bizarre when people are still questioning why there were so many safety cars. Sure, we all want to see excitement, but I think that the drivers safety comes first and foremost.

This is exactly what I said, I am glad you see it the same way as me

Twist · June 15, 2011

Man, Kubica's arm looks gruesome. That is one hell of a scar.

Lineker · June 16, 2011

Man, Kubica's arm looks gruesome. That is one hell of a scar.

I haven't seen it - where did you see a picture?

The FIA has officially confirmed the Bahrain Grand Prix will not take place this year, leaving the calendar with 19 races.

Following a fax vote this week, the ruling body's World Motor Sport Council has reinstated the Indian Grand Prix back to its original October 30 date.

The news means the season will end in Brazil on November 27.

The FIA had voted in favour of reinstating the Bahrain race earlier this month, only for the F1 teams to make it clear they were against a December 11 finale.

Bahrain will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2012, with the FIA having given the Sakhir event the season-opening slot.

Lewis Hamilton says that while McLaren offers him a competitive car he sees no reason to leave the outfit, amid rumours linking him with a move to Red Bull Racing in 2013.

The 2008 Formula 1 world champion, who has endured two disappointing and controversial outings in Montreal and Monaco, is currently fourth in the championship after incidents in the past two races have placed him already 76 points behind Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel after seven grands prix.

AUTOSPORT revealed on Monday that Hamilton met with Red Bull boss Christian Horner in private on Saturday evening in the Montreal paddock, raising speculation about a possible link in the future as Hamilton's current contract expires at the end of 2012.

While speaking to reporters at Watkins Glen International, where he swapped rides with two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, Hamilton was asked about his future beyond 2012 and the chances of him considering a switch to Red Bull Racing or even NASCAR.

Hamilton stated that his immediate future remains in Formula 1 and that his place would be at McLaren as long as the Woking outfit provides him with a competitive car.

He underlined the fact that his team has been the only one to beat Red Bull Racing to victories this year, as done by his team-mate Jenson Button last weekend in Montreal.

"I think for NASCAR, I mean I've grown up wanting to be world champion and I've definitely not achieved all that I want to [in Formula 1]," said Hamilton. "So definitely I'll be spending as much time as I can there until I do achieve what I've always wanted to do.

"In terms of where I am, again I'm just very fortunate to be a part of McLaren. It's one of the best teams there with great history and we've now got a car which is capable of winning, as my team-mate showed at the weekend.

"We are the only other team that has won grands prix this year so I don't see why you'd particularly want to move when you have the most competitive car.

"So as long as we have the car that can do the job, then there will be no reason to leave."

Asked if he had met with Christian Horner over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton did not deny having done so and said he has known the Red Bull Racing chief for many years - even before he reached Formula 1.

He added that he enjoys a good relationship with many other bosses in the F1 paddock.

"Well I know all the managers, the bosses and I know lots of people at the teams," Hamilton said.

"I know Stefano Domenicali and we chat all the time and with Norbert Haug we chat all the time and Christian - when I was going from Formula 3 to GP2 I went and had a meeting with Christian when he was [running] the Red Bull [backed] team back in Formula 3000 I think it was.

"But I know everyone, so I speak to all the people during the weekend."

Hamilton is the only other driver to win a grand prix this season other than Vettel and Button - his victory came in the Chinese Grand Prix.

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has jumped to the defence of Lewis Hamilton over his recent on-track clashes - insisting that fans want to see drivers battling wheel-to-wheel.

Hamilton has been on the receiving end of criticism after a spate of collisions in Monaco and Canada – which included accidents with Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado, Mark Webber and Jenson Button.

But Ecclestone insists that those upset with Hamilton should rethink their attitude – because F1 fans would prefer to see drivers fighting hard than following in their rivals' wheel tracks.

"People have been wrong to rubbish Lewis," Ecclestone told The Independent. "What we want is people racing, and all the people who watch it want that.

"If you analyse what's been happening and how other drivers have been performing, Lewis shows up very well, and so do Sebastian [Vettel] and Jenson [button]. So let him race. That's what people like him do.

"I was very, very good friends with [Ayrton] Senna, and if you look at what he did, he was a racer too, and people had to move over for him.

"Perhaps Lewis has made one or two questionable moves, but so have many of the others, and nobody bothers to look what's happening further down the field. It's always been like this. We saw a lot of people racing in Canada on Sunday, and Jenson did a super job. That's what the fans want to see."

Peter Sauber has said it would make no sense to promote reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez into a Formula 1 race seat just yet - as he ruled out the possibility of the youngster being called into action if Sergio Perez has to skip another race.

Sauber had to recruit McLaren reserve Pedro de la Rosa for last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix after Perez was forced to withdraw from the event following Friday practice when he felt unwell.

The team has no doubts that Perez will be back to full fitness for next weekend's race in Valencia, but Sauber has already dismissed talk that Gutierrez could be given an opportunity if there are ongoing issues for his regular driver.

When asked about why Gutierrez was not put in the car to replace Perez, Sauber said: "I understand this question, but if these people think a little bit it is absolutely clear.

"We are responsible for him, and have had a contract with him for a couple of years. It is very important to bring him slowly into F1.

"It would be completely wrong to put him in the car [in Canada] if there was the possibility – it makes absolutely no sense. It is important that he can concentrate on GP2, which is not easy, and to make progress there."

Although de la Rosa will likely be on stand-by in Valencia should Perez not be able to race, Sauber says he is not putting in place any official back-up plans.

"I don't think about that," he said. "For me, it is clear that Sergio can drive."

Renault will not back down in its desire to ensure that new engine rules go ahead in 2013, with the French car manufacturer admitting that its Formula 1 future is in the 'red zone' because of uncertainty over the issue.

The Formula 1 Commission is due to meet next week to discuss the plans for 2013, with the FIA stating that it is open to a move to delay the change to 1.6-litre turbo engines if it is decided that the sport's main stakeholders want that to happen.

Although a postponement would likely need unanimous approval of teams and engine makers, Renault insists that the FIA's offer is of no interest.

Renault Sport managing director Jean-Francois Caubet said he respected the concerns that Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Cosworth have over the 2013 switch, but says that Renault has no desire to see a delay.

"Today we have not changed our mind," Caubet told AUTOSPORT about the latest situation regarding the 2013 engine discussions. "We have told Jean Todt and Bernie [Ecclestone] that we are pushing for the new engine because when we decided not to stop in F1, the three conditions were very clear for the Board.

"The first one was to change the technology of the engine to make it more relevant, to find a link between Formula 1 and the product. Secondly to reduce the costs, and thirdly to perform.

"We have halved the costs, we have performed with Red Bull Racing and with Renault, but the problem of the road relevance is a key point for us. We know the story about Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Cosworth and we have a lot of meetings with the car makers, but for Renault today we not want to change our position.

"I told Bernie and Jean Todt that today we are in the 'red zone' because we have no idea what will be the future for Renault."

Caubet claims that as well as the road car relevance issue with the move to four-cylinder 1.6-litre engines, any alteration to the rule change plans will lead to credibility issues for Renault's senior management.

"We don't want to lose the capability to manage F1, but if we do not stick with the new regulations or if the regulations change, we are losing control of the situation - and then it becomes a problem with the board. Things are more difficult.

"We want to understand who is managing the sport. The cost of Renault in F1 is around 100 million Euros and you cannot change direction just like that. We told Nissan what the future of F1 is like and we opened the door for Nissan and Infiniti to be in F1.

"[For them] it is a long term strategy it is not only branding for this year, but long term strategy. They were following Renault for the new engine and today we don't know where we are.

"We don't want to have an open conflict. We don't want to use the media to open the conflict, but today we are in the red zone."

While Ferrari is wholly opposed to the concept of a 1.6-litre turbo engine, both Mercedes-Benz and Cosworth are open to the idea of the new power units but are worried about the cost implications and making it commercially viable.

When asked if Renault would pull out of F1 as an engine manufacturer if the 2013 rules are delayed, Caubet said: "The problem to delay is that in Renault if you say, okay, the new engine will arrive in 2015, then the credibility will be zero. That is a key point.

"When you are changing like that each day, you can explain to the board that in December the new engine will be like that, and the following November it is 2015. The key point is credibility - and, as I said, we are in the red zone.

"We have spent $10 million on the new engine, we have 20 people working in Renault - and can you imagine sending them back?"

Formula 1's ban on the off-throttle use of blown diffusers will definitely come into force at the British Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT can reveal, after the details were finalised by technical chiefs and the FIA on Thursday.

Just days after FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting wrote to the teams to make it clear that he was determined to push through the ban, the matter was discussed in detail by F1 thinktank - the Technical Working Group

Although no official statement has been made about the outcome of the meeting, sources have revealed to AUTOSPORT that the FIA saw no reason to postpone its intended ban any further than Silverstone, having delayed its original start date of the Spanish Grand Prix because of what it feared would be 'unintended consequences' for teams.

This will effectively limit teams to using just 10% of engine over-run when the driver is off the accelerator - which will prevent the clever mapping systems that have pumped almost full throttle exhaust flow through engines when the driver was not on the power.

As well as the change for this year's regulations, the teams and the FIA agreed a bigger revision to the 2012 rules that will make it impossible for teams to run any form of blown diffuser.

Rather than limiting the location of exhausts to a box near the centreline of the cars, as originally suggested in Whiting's latter last weekend, the TWG agreed that the rules should instead force teams to run top-exit exhausts - which were common in F1 several years ago.

This change was made because some teams believed that even having exhausts exiting at the rear of the car above the diffuser meant there was still a chance of them being able to influence the car's aerodynamics.

The changes for the British GP are expected to affect almost every team on the grid - although how much it has an impact on the competitive order is unclear.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali suggested in Canada last weekend that the revisions could lead to a completely different picture for the second half of the championship.

"We need to see in Silverstone, what is the real effect of this change in the regulations with regard to the effect of the exhaust," he explained.

"Then, we will see really where is the second championship in terms of the level of performance above all in higher downforce tracks."

Formula One 2011

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