Turkish Grand Prix 2011: Raceday - Formula One Highlights (Part 8)
Jenson Button made his second stop of the race and took on a set of soft compound tyres. The McLaren driver rejoined the race track in 7th position – importantly, in front of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes GP. Meanwhile, a relatively rejuvenated Sebastian
Vettel after the tyre change, set the fastest time for Lap 27.
Staying with the Red Bulls, Mark Webber’s on board radio sprang to life with word from the pits that he needed to increase his pace and open a comfortable gap over Fernando Alonso. In response to the Red Bull message, the Ferrari team countered with a radio
transmission of their own as they told their Spanish driver that Button had been advised to push and that he needed to match his pace, thus.
The Turkish Grand Prix headed to Lap 29 and Vettel seemed to extend his lead from the second placed car belonging to his teammate – The gap was effectively close to 9 seconds; still not enough to make a tyre change and get back on track in the lead. However,
seeing as Webber stopped before Vettel and was understandably going for a 4 pit stop strategy, it was more likely that the former would make his pit stop before the World Champion.
Michael Schumacher, following a miraculous recovery after his accident, found himself racing in 10th position; well on course to score a point, at least. However, the time sheets didn’t tell the complete story. The camera replays showed that there
was an evident bit of hang up as the German driver stopped for last tyre change – A mistake while changing the left rear tyre during his last pit stop cost him valuable seconds; time that he now had to cover on track.
Elsewhere on track, Fernando Alonso used the Drag Reduction System (DRS) to his advantage as he managed to get his car ahead of Mark Webber’s Red Bull. The Ferrari was now up to 2nd position and seeing how well it was managing its tyres, Alonso
was more than likely to push Vettel for the race lead; despite the large gap.
29 laps of the race were already completed and after the series of pit stops for the front runners, there was work to be done on track.
Article to be continued in Part 9 of Turkish Grand Prix 2011: Raceday - Formula One Highlights
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