Results of the 2008 British F1 Grand Prix.
It was a thoroughly British Grand Prix at Silverstone, intermittent rain, and victory for an Englishman driving for a UK based team. Lewis Hamilton drove superbly in a rain-sodden and drama-filled race to get his title hopes back on track. He shared the podium with Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello, ensuring him of the joint lead in the Drivers' standings.
Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth for Ferrari's best and only points of the race leaving him tied on a rare three-way lead in this yearÕs exciting title chase, alongside Felipe Massa. If Robert Kubica hadn't retired while running sixth, all four would be on equal points Š unprecedented in F1 history. All four remain with three points, halfway through the season, making it the most exciting season in years.
Pole sitter Heikki Kovalainen lacked the experience or nerve in the wet, twice spinning to give Raikkonen a lead on him in this topsy turvey race which saw two downpours and even some sunshine in the closing laps. Without exception drivers spun or beached themselves after losing control on a wet track that played havoc with pit and tyre strategies. Massa lost it five times, but eventually finishing 13th and last.
Fernando Alonso lost out on a potential podium to finish sixth having driven the entire race on the same tyre set, ahead of Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima. And it was certainly tyres, in the changing conditions, that played the greatest part in the result. Barrichello, a master in the wet, drove the second half of the race on full 'wets' gaining four places as a result, while Ferrari's decision to retain worn 'intermediates' and save time when he and Hamilton pitted at the same time backfired, and he had to dash in again a few laps later, losing his second place.
Chaos reigned in the middle of the race as drivers where sliding off all over the track in treacherous conditions, including a spectacular airborne Force India car of Adrian Sutil. But the best drama was at the start when fourth placed Hamilton dived down the outside to steal a march on Raikkonen and Mark Webber - who had a disappointing finish after spinning. Hamilton took his team-mate in a daring move on lap five and never looked back, eventually extending his lead to 1:08 minutes and lapping everyone except his podium finishers.
It was just the tonic the exciting young driver needed, putting him on 48 points with the other three. McLaren were able to claw nine points back in the Constructors' Title, where they trail BMW by 10, who are in turn 14 points behind FerrariÕs 92.
Results from the British Grand Prix, Silverstone
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren one hour 39 minutes 09.440 seconds
2. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber +01:08.577
3. Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Honda 01:22.273
4. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1 lap
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1 lap
6. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1 lap
7. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1 lap
8. Kazuki Nakajima (Jap) Williams - Toyota 1 lap
9. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Toyota 1 lap
10. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull - Renault 1 lap
11. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
12. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 1 lap
13. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 2 laps
R Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 21 laps
R Jenson Button (GB) Honda 21 laps
R Nelson Piquet (Bra) Renault 24 laps
R Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India - Ferrari 33 laps
R Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India - Ferrari 50 laps
R Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso - Ferrari Spin
R David Coulthard (GB) RedBull - Renault Spin