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Noting his progress on the intermediate tyres, several other drivers reacted.Īmong them was Alonso, who emerged from the pits with just one car between him and Button. He served the penalty immediately, losing just five places, which he quickly began to take back. But he was summoned to the pits for a drive-through penalty for going too quickly behind the safety car. Having switched to intermediate tyres, Button quickly picked off Pastor Maldonado and Paul di Resta. That promoted Kamui Kobayashi to sixth place, having made rapid progress from 13th on the grid.Īt the restart Alonso began to slip back from Vettel, as he had during the first three laps of green flag running, with Felipe Massa lapping close behind his team mate.Īdvert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free
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McLaren told Hamilton to park his damaged car, and while Button headed for the pits the safety car returned to the track. Hamilton dealt the wall a solid whack, damaging his left-rear wheel. He tried to capitalise on a mistake by Button at the chicane, but drew alongside his team mate into a narrowing gap between Button and the pit wall. Hamilton’s eventful race came to a sudden end on lap seven. Schumacher edged him wide and Button seized the opportunity to move ahead of his team mate. Hamilton fell behind Michael Schumacher while avoiding Webber’s spinning car but was soon on his tail, trying to pass the Mercedes around the outside of the Casino hairpin. Sebastian Vettel came under attack from Fernando Alonso immediately but he repelled the attack.įurther back Mark Webber was attacked more aggressively by Lewis Hamilton, who tipped the Red Bull into a spin at the first corner. The cars circulated for four laps before the pack was released. The rain had stopped before the race got underway but Charlie Whiting decided to start the race behind the safety car on the wet track. He bounced back after two collisions, with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and a drive-through penalty.Ī last-lap mistake by Vettel allowed Button to win having run 22nd at one point.
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