Singapore GP 2011

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Race Notes - Vettel cruises to Singapore Grand Prix win

Start, Singapore GP 2011
© The Cahier Archive

Sebastian Vettel won the Singapore Grand Prix leading the field flag-to-flag in dominant fashion this evening in his Red Bull-Renault to take his ninth win of the season. Jenson Button finished second in his McLaren-Mercedes, 1.7 seconds behind, and Mark Webber in the second Red Bull finished third, 29.2 seconds.

Vettel finished one point shy of clinching the championship and took his 19th career victory. Button is the only driver that can mathematically still take the championship, but would have to win all the remaining races with Vettel not scoring any points.

Fernando Alonso (55.4s), finished third in his Ferrari, followed by a rebounding Lewis Hamilton (67.7s) in fifth in his McLaren-Mercedes. Rookie Paul di Resta (111.0s) in the Force India-Mercedes was sixth, Nico Rosberg (1 lap) in the Mercedes GP was seventh, Adrian Sutil in the Force India was eighth, Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari was ninth and Sergio Perez in the Sauber-Ferrari finished in the final points paying position in tenth.

After taking his eleventh pole of the season Vettel would start his Red Bull from pole for the 61 lap Singapore Grand Prix.

The Vettel, Webber and Button starting on the super soft tyre, while Hamilton, Alonso and Massa starting on the soft tyre. Most runners looking to run a two-stop strategy.

At the start, Vettel takes the lead, while Webber and Hamilton battle on the inside, both falling back on the run to the first corner when other fly by on the outside, Button into second, Alonso third, followed by Webber, Massa, Rosberg, Schumacher and Hamilton - struggling to keep the pace.

Daniel Ricciardo losses his front wing and pits.

At lap 2 Vettel already leads by 3.5 seconds over Button.

On lap 4 Hamilton passes Schumacher in the DRS zone to take seventh place.

On lap 5 Hamilton passes Rosberg as well and takes sixth place.

Vettel lapping in the 1m54s, while the other front runners running 1m55s., out to a 8.2 second lead on lap 6.

Webber saying on the radio that his DRS is not working well. Webber edging closer to Alonso in third.

On lap 10 Rosberg is the first to pit, possibly on a three-stop strategy. Webber passes Alonso for third place. Alonso immediately pits for tyres. Michael Schumacher and Bruno Senna pit as well.

On lap 11 Timo Glock pulls off the circuit and retires.

On lap 12 Mass and Hamilton pit from fourth and fifth, and come out in the same position. Sutil, Pastor Maldonado pit as well.

Hamilton tries to pass Massa backs off into the corner and turns in making contact with his front wing to Massa's rear tyre. Hamilton losing the left side of his front wing. Massa has a punctured tyre and limps around for a new set.

On lap 13 Webber and Rubens Barrichello pit. Webber returns behind Alonso.

On lap 14 Hamilton pits for tyres and a new wing.

On lap 15 Vettel pits from an 11.5 second lead - Button pits from second at the same time both taking on soft tyres. Hamilton is given a drive-through penalty for making contact with Massa. Perez pits from fifth place. Hamilton comes in for his drive-through. Vettel set fastest lap at 1m53.2s.

At lap 16, Vettel leads Button by 11.4 seconds, followed by Di Resta (19.2s), yet to pit, Alonso (22.2s), Webber (27.4s), Rosberg (32.2s), Schumacher (42.4s), Sutil (47.9s), Perez (58.3s) and Kamui Kobayashi (62.5s) in tenth place - Hamilton down to 17th place.

Maldonado passes Vitaly Petrov for 13th. Kobayashi , Jarno Trulli and Petrov pit.

On lap 19 Alonso passes Di Resta for third place, the Force India driver lapping slower on older tyres. Webber now closes on Di Resta.

On lap 20 Di Resta pits for the first time changing to super soft tyres and rejoining in eighth.

Massa passes Sebastien Buemi for 12th place.

On lap 22 Hamilton passes Kobayashi for 14th place in the DRS zone. Vettel sets fastest lap at 1m53.1s. Webber closes to under a second behind Alonso.

Vettel being told that fuel consumption could be a concern. Hamilton passes Massa for 12th.

On lap 26 Schumacher and Massa pit.

Alonso pits from third place for another set of soft tyres - he rejoins fourth. Maldonado pits as well.

On lap 26 Hamilton passes Barrichello for tenth place. Schumacher on new tyres sets fastest lap at 1m53.0s.

On lap 27 Sutil lets his team mate Di Resta by for fifth place. Rosberg passes Perez for seventh. Massa sets fastest lap at 1m52.5s.

On lap 29 Rosberg and Perez battle, the two touching, Rosberg gets through. Schumacher comes up behind Perez to pass, touches his rear wheel, launches and losses his front wing and slides off into the barrier on the outside of the next corner. Schumacher is out of the car.

Webber pits from third, The safety car comes out on lap 29. Most of the field pits. Vettel is in the lead behind the safety car, an 18 second lead is now gone.

At lap 31 Vettel leads Button, Alonso, Webber , Di Resta, Rosberg, Sutil, Perez, Hamilton and Maldonado in tenth place.

At the end of lap 33 the safety car comes in and the race resumes.

On lap 34 Webber passes Alonso for third place. Vettel sets fastest lap at 1m51.1s., and has a nine second lead after 2 laps of green running. Bunches of traffic all over the circuit. Hamilton chases Sutil in seventh.

On lap 36 Vettel re-sets fastest lap at 1m50.9s - his team telling him that they might try to run to the finish on this set of tyres. Hamilton passes Sutil for seventh place.

On lap 38 Hamilton passes Rosberg for sixth place, and then closes on Di Resta.

On lap 39 Hamilton passes Di Resta for fifth place - Alonso 13 seconds ahead of him in fourth place.

At lap 40, Vettel leads Button by 12.5 seconds, followed by Webber (16.3s), Alonso (23.5s), Hamilton (36.7s), Di Resta (42.0s). Rosberg (43.5s), Sutil (47.4s), Perez (48.5s) and Massa (49.3s) in tenth place.

Kobayashi is given a drive-through penalty for ignoring the blue-flags.

On lap 42 Massa pits and takes soft tyres. McLaren tells Hamilton to look after his tyres.

On lap 47 Maldonado pits.

On lap 48 Webber pits from third place and takes on super soft tyres, he rejoins behind Hamilton.

On lap 49 Button pits from second place for super soft tyres. Webber, on new tyres passes Hamilton for fourth. Hamilton pits for soft tyres.

On lap 50 Vettel pits from the lead for super soft tyres. Alonso pits as well for soft tyres - coming out in fourth. Hamilton passes Perez for eighth place.

At lap 50 Vettel leads Button by 9.5 seconds, followed by Webber (14.2s), Alonso (35.2s), Di Resta (39.7s), Rosberg (43.7s), Sutil (48.9s), Hamilton (47.7s), Perez (50.0s) and Barrichello (58.2s) in tenth place.

Hamilton passes Sutil for seventh place. Vettel sets fastest lap at 1m48.6s.

On lap 53 Hamilton passes Rosberg for sixth place.

On lap 55 Hamilton continues his recovery through the field, passing Di Resta for fifth place.

Button sets fastest lap at 1m48.4s, chasing Vettel, who leads him by 8.6 seconds with six laps remaining.

Button continue to close, with three laps left the gap is 3.7 seconds.Button

On lap 61 Massa passes Perez to take ninth place.

Vettel takes the win by 1.7 seconds ahead of Button. Webber finishes third.