Podium lock out for Renault power in Korean Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel wins Korean Grand Prix for Infiniti Red Bull Racing-Renault, four seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.
Lotus F1 Team’s Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finish second and third to make podium 100% Renault powered.
Third all-Renault powered podium this season.
Vettel has led 209 of the past 213 racing laps.
Vettel’s win gives him a mathematical chance to seal championship in Japan.
Renault-powered drivers locked out the podium in today’s Korean Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel (Infiniti Red Bull Racing) winning the chaotic race from Lotus F1 Team’s Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.
Vettel – whose pole position yesterday took Renault’s total of F1 poles to 208, equal with Ferrari’s record – opened up a comfortable lead at the start ahead of Grosjean, who had jumped ahead of Hamilton on the first corner. The pair built up a cushion of several seconds over the battles behind and were able to pit and rejoin in formation.
Vettel remained in front despite two different safety cars but Raikkonen got the jump on Grosjean before the second safety car period. The Finn had a standout race from P9 on the grid, overtaking Rosberg, Hamilton, Alonso, Hulkenberg and finally his team-mate to score his second consecutive podium.
Mark Webber started from P13 as a result of a grid penalty but quickly found himself into the top ten racing with Alonso and Raikkonen. The Australian looked set to move into the top five but bad luck struck on lap 31. Running just behind Raikkonen – who had just taken Perez for fourth – Perez’ tyre failed on the straight between turns two and three.
The resultant debris gave Webber a puncture, requiring an extra pit stop. When the safety car called to clear the tyre shreds was eventually withdrawn, Webber was then hit from behind by Adrian Sutil. It appeared that the oil system was ruptured in the impact and caught fire on the exhausts, immediately putting paid to any hopes of progressing further. Webber retired on the spot.
Williams F1 Team had a positive race with Pastor Maldonado taking advantage of a first lap incident to move into the top 10. He remained in the thick of the action for the greater part of the race until a tussle with fellow south American drivers Esteban Gutierrez, Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez cost him four places.
Team-mate Valtteri Bottas was also able to get past in the fraught racing action and the duo finally finished P12 and P13, unrepresentative of their ultimate race pace. Caterham F1 Team again had a double finish ahead of both Marussias, Charles Pic passing the flag in 14th and Giedo van der Garde 15th.
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