Formula 1

Button reigns supreme

Spa Francorchamps, 2 Sept 2012: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver who began the season with a fantastic win at the Australian GP shot back into limelight with a great victory in the 12th round of the FIA Formula One World Championship as he won the Shell Belgian Grand Prix at Spa here on Sunday.

“From Lights to Flag it was a very special moment,” he said as thousands of British fans gave a standing ovation for the champion on the podium. Sebastian Vettel, on a one-stop strategy, came second for Red Bull Racing after starting from 10th position while Iceman Kimi Raikkonen was on podium for a third place starting from third.

The race put paid to the hopes of Lewis Hamilton of McLaren and championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari as a nasty accident in the first lap saw four cars after Romain Grosjean appeared to hit the McLaren of Hamilton. Sauber had a bad day with both their cars suffering damage.

It was a great race for Sahara Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg who came fourth ahead of Schumacher and overtook his teammate Paul Di Resta on points table as Paul took the last point today. At one point Hulkenberg looked good for a podiium with a pretty pace but was a bit late in his second Pit stop. He however managed to keep a menacing Mark Webber at bay for much of the race.

Narain Karthikeyan, who was in the 14th place at one point, had to retire late in the race while teammate Pedro de la Rosa managed to finish.

Schumacher, who was in contention for a third, till the Mercedes team changed the strategy to two stop finished 7th.

 

ends

Jenson Button sprays champagne after pole to flag win at Spa on 2 Sept 2012. McLaren photo.
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