Chinese Grand Prix 2011: Raceday - Formula One Highlights (Part 14)
After the Mercedes team confirmed that Nico Rosberg was low on fuel, which meant the young German had to conserve petrol and put his foot off the gas paddle a little, the McLarens started to close in like hungry sharks. After Lewis Hamilton was able to make
his move and snatch 3rd position, Jenson Button was closing in on the somewhat wounded Mercedes as well.
The race headed into Lap 44. Sergio Perez and Nick Heidfeld got a touch too close for comfort heading into Turn 3. The Sauber and Renault made contact resulting in a damaged front wing for the former.
McLaren were proving to be the opportunists that one would associate with someone that comes at the end of the show, picks up the pieces, and then just leaves – After pouncing in on Rosberg’s fuel related woes, word from the British based team to their driver
Lewis Hamilton was to bide his time before making a move on the front runners at the latter stages of the race. The reason being, that the McLaren had relatively fresh tyres which would enable Hamilton to pounce on the cars ahead when their tyres wear out.
However, perhaps due to sheer confidence and trust in his machinery’s pace, Hamilton made a move on Felipe Massa as the race headed into lap 45. The Briton lined up the Brazilian on the start-finish stretch and pulled off a well calculated move to take 2nd
spot. A few cars back, another Ferrari got overtaken. This time, it was in the form of Mark Webber making his way past Fernando Alonso heading into Turn 6.
It effectively meant a Massa, Button and Rosberg three-way for track position. Moments later, the Mercedes driver out-braked himself as he headed into Turn 14. The mistake cost him two valuable positions as Massa and Button were able to sneak by. Rosberg
had been brilliant during qualifying and the first half of the race. After the diagnosis of his fuel tank striking ‘critically light’, it appeared that all his hard work was at the verge of being undone.
A total of 46 laps of the race were already completed. Shanghai braced itself for the final-10 countdown. Were we in for some more drama in the dying stages of the Chinese Grand Prix?
To be continued in part 15...
Tags: