2011 British Grand Prix Results
For the ninth race of the season, teams left Spain and headed to England. The British Grand Prix is held at the famous Silverstone Circuit in Buckinghamshire / Northamptonshire. Team Red Bull looked strong in practice, but the tables turned on Sebastian Vettel, as Fernando Alonso took the first place podium for the first time this season, his 27th career win. Second and third place went to the Red Bull pair, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
Dark, cloudy, cold, rainy English weather prevailed throughout the weekend, frustrating some drivers. Qualifying took place in on-and-off again rain, forcing drivers to make different tyre choices. Overall, qualifying was uneventful, with Webber showing his strength and posting the two fastest laps. He took pole position, followed by teammate Vettel, then Alonso, Felipe Massa and Jenson Button. Michael Schumacher qualified in 13th position, his worst qualifying at Silverstone of his career.
The race started under controversy, with the on-again, off-again diffuser ban. The off-throttle blown diffusers were banned at the Spanish Grand Prix and then re-canted right after the race. This system allows drivers to use the exhaust gases when they let go of the throttle, to create extra downforce, which translates into more speed. The ban was in place again for the British Grand Prix. What angered teams was when news was released that Renault had received a special exemption. Now FIA is back to allowing teams to use diffusers in the German Grand Prix.
In wet conditions, eyes were on British racers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, to see if a Brit could take home a win. But McLaren drivers were plagued with pit mistakes. Hamilton drove a good race at Silverstone, only to be fouled by a pit mistake! Starting in 10th place on the grid, he quickly moved up to sixth and then fifth, overtaking teammate Button. But in the end, it wasn’t enough, as Hamilton had to battle fuel levels – he was sent out of the pits with a light fuel load -, forcing him to save fuel in the last lap, not giving him the power to stay in the game. In the end, he finished a respectable fourth, not exactly what he was expecting. However, it was an even more frustrating weekend for the other Brit and teammate, Button. Starting in 5th place on the grid, things were looking good for a podium finish for Button. But in lap 39, the McLaren pit crew made a mistake (the car was sent out with a missing wheel nut), with Button’s right front wheel almost falling off and forcing him to retire out of the race. This was overall a frustrating weekend for McLaren.
Vettel was looking strong as usual, as he quickly took the lead in the first lap, from his 2nd place start on the grid. The race was pretty much between Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Hamilton and Button. Things almost came to a head with four laps to go, when Webber had closed his gap behind Vettel, after overtaking Hamilton. Webber was told by his team to let up and hold his position behind Vettel. He ignored this order and kept racing against Vettel. But in the end, it all came down to the last lap! For a while it looked like Webber would be able to overtake Vettel, but in the end did not materialise. Vettel was unable to overtake Alonso, giving the Spaniard the win.
Vettel of course still remains the leader in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 204 points. However, Button’s retirement at Silverstone has hurt him and the fight for second and third place is heating up. After the British Grand Prix, Webber overtakes Button for a clear second place with 124 points. Alonso’s win also allows him to overtake Button and propels him into third place with 112 points. This puts Hamilton and Button tied for fourth place with 109 points.
For the Constructors’ Championship standings, Red Bull’s 2-3 at Silverstone propels them further ahead, with an impressive 328 points. McLaren remains in second place with 218 points. Ferrari rakes in 35 points at Silverstone with a 1-5 finish, giving them 164 points – a good weekend for Ferrari. Three teams still have zero points: Lotus, Virgin and HRT-Cosworth.
Full Race Results
- Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1:28:41.194s
- Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing-Renault) +16.511s
- Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) +16.947s
- Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +28.986s
- Felipe Massa (Ferrari) +29.010s
- Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +1:00.655s
- Sergio Perez (Sauber-Ferrari) +1:05.590s
- Nick Heidfeld (Renault) +1:15.542s
- Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) +1:17.912s
- Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) +1:19.108s
- Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) +1:19.712s
- Vitaly Petrov (Renault) +1:20.681s
- Rubens Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth) +1 lap
- Pastor Maldonado (Williams-Cosworth) +1 lap
- Paul di Resta (Force India-Mercedes) +1 lap
- Timo Glock (Virgin-Cosworth) +2 laps
- Jerome d’Ambrosio (Virgin-Cosworth) +2 laps
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT-Cosworth) +2 laps
- Daniel Ricciardo (HRT-Cosworth) +3 laps
- Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) retired, lap 39
- Sebastian Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) retired, lap 25
- Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) retired, lap 23
- Jarno Trulli (Lotus-Renault) retired, lap 10
- Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus-Renault) retired, lap 2