Red Bull Motor Sports Racing

Sebastian Vettel took his fourth win of the season as he held off Lewis Hamilton to win an enthralling Spanish Grand Prix.

Vettel pipped Hamilton by just 0.6s as the McLaren proved to be a match for Red Bull in race trim. Jenson Button recovered from a bad start to take third place, this time making a three-stop strategy work, while pole-sitter Mark Webber lost out badly behind Fernando Alonso and finished fourth ahead of the Ferrari. The race result took a little while to be confirmed, however, as Hamilton, Button, Webber and Jaime Alguersuari were all under investigation for their pace under yellow flags, eventually being reprimanded but not penalized.

Vettel was the first of the leaders to pit and was released right behind Button and Massa, but dispatched both on his out lap. Alonso responded by pitting immediately, as did Webber, and Alonso maintained the lead. Webber was stuck behind Massa - who had been passed by Button - and when Hamilton pitted he got the jump on the Red Bull.




The front three ran very close together during the second stint, but as both Vettel and Hamilton could use their DRS, neither could make much of an impression. Button pitted later and managed to exit ahead of Petrov and Rosberg. He closed up on Schumacher within a lap and passed him as Schumacher ran wide through turn three.


Vettel pitted early for a second time, and even though Alonso pitted immediately afterwards, Vettel managed to use his fresh tyres to undercut the Ferrari and in clear air was able to show the true Red Bull pace. Lewis Hamilton stayed out for an extra three laps to try and jump ahead of Alonso, and managed to do so by a second. Hamilton then pulled away and started to use his fresher tyres to close the gap at the front.

Alonso and Webber both pitted together on lap 30 for the third time, and matched each other by putting on the hard tyre. As they exited the pits Alonso just got out ahead, and the pair started to battle over position. Webber made a move down the inside in to turn ten but Alonso came back up the inside in to the next corner. As they fought, the three-stopping Button cruised up behind them and took them both on the same lap; first bravely round the outside of Webber in to turn one and then up the inside of Alonso through turn 11.


Content credits: ESPN F1 / Chris Medland. Read the full acticle at ESPN F1 here...

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