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Formula One
F1: Vettel Dominates British Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel won his second race of the 2009 season on Sunday, dominating the British Grand Prix at Silverstone...
SPEED Staff  |  Posted June 21, 2009   Silverstone (GBR)
Sebastian Vettel never looked under threat after starting from pole position at Silverstone, in a manner reminescent of his compatriot Michael Schumacher. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sebastian Vettel dominated the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to take his second win of the 2009 season on Sunday.

The German driver never looked under threat after starting from pole position, and in a manner reminescent of his compatriot Michael Schumacher, pulled out a massive 20 second lead in the opening 20 laps of the race, sometimes lapping as much as 1.2 seconds per lap, allowing him to emerge from his first fuel stop without losing the lead.

F1 RACE RESULTS: Formula One British Grand Prix at Silverstone

Early on, his principal opposition came from Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello, but the Brazilian driver dropped a position to the other Red Bull of Mark Webber at his pitstop, and the Australia was then able to keep Barrichello at arms’ length to record Red Bull’s second 1-2 finish of the year. Barrichello had to settle for third place, the same position he finished in the wet 2008 race for Honda.

Felipe Massa drove a sterling race to finish fourth, having started down in 11th. A clever pit strategy allowed the Ferrari driver to pull out a gap before his first scheduled stop, putting him ahead of Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button – something that proved critical in the closing laps when the Brazilian was slower on prime tires, but was able to keep his rivals behind him.

Button found himself off the podium for the first time this year, and was heard to frequently complain on the radio about the lack of grip in his car, mounted a spirited challenge of both Massa and Rosberg in the closing laps but was unable to find a way past, settling for sixth, with the Williams of Rosberg scoring the same result that they managed in Istanbul.

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli was seventh, with the final point going to Kimi Räikkönen’s Ferrari, on what was otherwise a relatively dull afternoon at the front of the field.

The real entertainment of the race was provided by Lewis Hamilton, who was engaged in a frantic battle for position with former teammate Fernando Alonso for much of the early running, eventually resolved in Alonso’s favour. Hamilton then had a spin at Club while trying to hang onto his recalcitrant Mclaren, and after limping home in 16th, indulged in a serious of “donuts” at the same corner on the slowdown lap.

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