Massa wins amid controversy

Eurosport - Sun, 24 Aug 17:33:00 2008

Felipe Massa won a controversial European GP ahead of Lewis Hamilton, as the Brazilian's Ferrari team were punished following a pit-lane incident.

In the first race at the Valencia street circuit, the Brazilian was released from his second pit stop into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil and he was fined 10,000 euros.

The verdict will come as a relief to Massa, who could have been subjected to a time penalty or a 10-place grid penalty for the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps.

However, it was ruled that Massa gained "no sporting advtantage" from the incident, although Ferrari had acted in an unsafe manner.

In his post-race press conference, Massa said Sutil should have made way for him: "I think it was not very clever from his side, because even if he gets out in front of me he needs to let me by, so I think it was a shame."

Massa otherwise drove a perfect race, leading throughout after starting on pole position.
On an eventful day for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen began to leave the pits with his fuel hose still attached and struck a mechanic, who was taken to the circuit's medical centre for treatment.

A team spokesman said the mechanic's injuries were "not too bad" and there would be a further update on his condition later on Sunday.

Minutes later the defending world champion retired with a blown engine and has fallen to third in the drivers' championship.

The Finn looked desperately out of sorts, even before those incidents, running well off the pace. Ferrari must be sorely tempted to throw their efforts behind Massa's championship challenge.

Hamilton, by contrast, drove a serene second place and increased his points lead to six, with 70, to Massa's 64 and Raikkonen's 57.

Fighting what he described as "health problems" Hamilton could not match Massa's pace but his second place never looked in danger.

The only downside for the Briton came on the podium, when the Spanish fans jeered him vociferously - a hangover from 2007 and his bitter rivalry with then-team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Third-placed Polish BMW driver Robert Kubica claimed his fifth podium finish of the season, the first in five races.

Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen of Finland came home fourth ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in a Toyota and 21-year-old German Sebastian Vettel who was sixth for Toro Rosso.
Timo Glock of Germany was seventh for Toyota and another German Nico Rosberg eighth for Williams.

The race was run in hot sunshine but produced few thrills for the 115,123 spectators packed into the grandstands around the Mediterranean harbour.

In a major disappointment for Spanish fans, their double world champion Fernando Alonso was forced to retire after the opening lap when his Renault and the Williams of Japan's Kazuki Nakajima collided.

125cc: Bradl takes maiden win

Eurosport - Sun, 17 Aug 12:05:00 2008

Germany's Stefan Bradl took his maiden 125cc victory in a thrilling race at Brno in the Czech Republic.

The 18-year-old Kiefer Racing Aprilia rider worked his way up from 13th on the grid to lead by the halfway point.

He gradually went clear, holding off championship leader Mike Di Meglio by nearly a second, although the Frenchman extended his points advantage over Simone Corsi to 44 points.

Joan Olive got the better of Gabor Talmasci - who was racing in front of an enthusiastic Hungarian contingent - to mount the bottom step of the podium.

Nicolas Terol collected a safe fifth, while Bradley Smith dropped to sixth position after leading on the opening lap.

Rossi romps as Stoner crashes out

Eurosport - Mon, 18 Aug 22:18:00 2008

Valentino Rossi tightened his grip on the MotoGP world championship lead, winning the Czech GP at Brno while Casey Stoner crashed out.
Reigning champion Stoner lost the front end of his Ducati while leading on lap seven of 22, sliding into the gravel.

Although he briefly rejoined the race the Australian retired the following lap as his bike was too badly damaged.

Rossi cruised to a dominant win, crossing the line over 15 seconds ahead of Alice Ducati's Toni Elias, with Rizla Suzuki veteran Loris Capirossi third.

The win leaves Rossi 50 points clear of Stoner - the equivalent of two race wins - with six rounds remaining, leaving the Italian odds-on to claim a sixth world championship in motorcycling's premier class.

"It's a great advantage [to have a 50-point lead]," Rossi said.

"[But with] six races with a driver like Stoner who demonstrates a fantastic speed everywhere and in every condition, it's not enough, but for sure better than 25."

"Yesterday was very difficult," said Elias, who captured the fourth podium of his career.

"[So] I started from the back, I passed many riders during the race and was finally in second and comfortable with my rhythm."

The Brno circuit heavily favoured the Bridgestone tyres used by each of the top eight, with Michelin riders a long way off the pace both in the race and Saturday's wet qualifying session.

Britain's James Toseland struggled all weekend - and was technically outside the qualifying time limit - and had to settle for 13th place, just ahead of Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards.

One-time championship leader Dani Pedrosa - another Michelin runner - claimed just a single point in 15th as he continues to be dogged by injury.

Loeb wins Rally Finland-Season 2008

Eurosport - Sun, 03 Aug 12:19:00 2008

Four-times world champion Sebastien Loeb of Citroen won his first Finnish Rally from local hero and championship rival Mikko Hirvonen to reduce the gap between them to one point.

Frenchman Loeb finished the three-day, 24-stage race in a time of two hours, 54 minutes and 5.5 seconds to seal his 42nd world championship victory nine seconds ahead of Finn Hirvonen in the Ford.

Australian Chris Atkinson was third, three minutes and eight seconds further back in his Subaru.

"It's fantastic, an incredible feeling - winning here in Finland means so much to me," Loeb said.

"I desperately wanted to win this rally. Getting a win here was more important to me than just getting points.

"It's been a very hard battle with Mikko all weekend with no chance to relax. He did a great job - I've had to fight for every second."

The high-speed gravel road event has historically been dominated by local drivers and Loeb became only the fourth non-Scandinavian to win the event since it was first run in 1951.

The Frenchman led from start to finish but Hirvonen narrowed Loeb's lead on the penultimate stage when he lost 6.4 seconds after braking too early and getting out of line on the first corner.

Loeb said the error had occurred because he had tried to alter his speed in an effort to take fewer risks.

"I got out of line because I tried to go more slowly," said Loeb. "I was too cautious, braked way too early and was too late to get back on the power. After that I decided to go back to my normal rhythm.

"I'm not used to driving cautiously. I've been going flat out so much this weekend that it's the only way I know how to drive these roads."

In the concluding Ruuhimaki stage, Hirvonen finished second behind Norwegian Petter Solberg, with Loeb only in fifth.

"I wanted to win here, but it was still fantastic event," said Hirvonen, who was bidding to keep Finland's winning traditions on home soil alive after the now retired Marcus Gronholm clinched his seventh Finnish Rally last year.

"I'm pleased with the speed we had but 'Seb' was able to find a few more seconds and in the end that's all he needed to win.

"The championship fight is not over, but of course all the rallies coming up are more important now."

Kiyonari secures Brands double

Eurosport - Sun, 03 Aug 18:26:00 2008

Rookie rider Ryuichi Kiyonari claimed his first wins on the World Superbike stage with an impressive double at Brands Hatch.

The Honda rider, the reigning British Superbike champion, drew on his knowledge of the Fawkham track to outclass his more recognised rivals.
Kiyonari chased down runaway championship leader Troy Bayliss in the opening race to claim his maiden victory before battling it out with his Japanese countryman and 11-year veteran Noriyuki Haga in race two.

"I am very happy with the way this weekend has gone," Kiyonari said.
"I had a lot of pressure from Haga in race two and on many corners it made me make mistakes.
"I am very happy with the wins."

Bayliss extended his lead at the top of the championship standings to 82 points, with four rounds remaining, after he claimed second place behind Kiyonari in the first race.

Despite a disappointing 11th-placed finish in race two, after starting on pole the Australian was content with his weekend's work.

"I am just focusing on getting podiums at this stage," said Bayliss, whose nearest rival Max Neukirchner recorded finishes of seventh and fourth.

But the day belonged to Kiyonari who had served notice of his affinity with the Brands Hatch circuit on Saturday when he qualified third quickest.

Despite a lacklustre start to the opening race when he dropped back to seventh, the Honda rider's track knowledge proved crucial as he quickly picked off his rivals as he chased down Superpole winner Bayliss.

The Japanese rider was on the back of the Australian by the seventh lap when Haga slipped out of contention after losing his front end at Surtess.

Kiyonari eventually took the lead four laps from the end of the 25-lap race before easily outpacing Bayliss, who was forced to hold off the late surge of Max Biaggi to claim second.

Kiyonari and Haga dominated the second race as they embarked on an enthralling battle well ahead of the field.

They traded the lead on several occasions before a last-lap mistake from Haga, who was losing ground on his younger colleague, finally settled their duel.

Australian Troy Corser claimed third place in the final race to draw to within 10 points of second-placed Neukirchner in the overall standings.

Donington Park will host the next round of the season next month as the riders enjoy a four-week break.

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Kovalainen claims maiden victory

Eurosport - Mon, 04 Aug 05:58:00 2008

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen won his maiden grand prix in Hungary as Felipe MassaFerrari broke down three laps from the finish and Lewis Hamilton came in fifth after suffering a puncture.

Timo Glock secured his first career podium for Toyota, holding off reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen in third.

The result means that Hamilton retains his championship lead with 62 points, five more than Raikkonen. Massa, who would have led the standings had he coasted home - he was nine seconds ahead of Kovalainen at the critical moment - is third with 54.

Fernando Alonso ended in fourth, his Renault team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr sixth; Jarno Trulli completed a points double for Toyota with seventh ahead of BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, Red Bull's Mark Webber and Kubica's colleague Nick Heidfeld.

Behind them were Britons David Coulthard of Red Bull and Jenson Button of Honda.

Massa was lightning-quick at the start, bypassing Kovalainen and getting right up to pole sitter Hamilton before moving around the outside at turn 2.

Alonso also showed bravery to pass Raikkonen, the Finn again struggling for long periods before finding form in the latter part of the race; he had to fight off Webber in the opening laps.

Alonso's Renault team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr, who took his first podium at the last meeting in Germany, immediately jumped two places ahead of Mark Webber and Jarno Trulli but ran wide at turn 2 to drop them again and settle into 10th.

Glock was another quick starter, taking a place for fourth, and fully deserved his result by the end following a hard drive in a contest featuring no major accidents and only two minor retirements: Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel and Force India's Adrian Sutil.

Once the dust had settled, the gap between the front two was four seconds with a further five between Hamilton and third-placed Kovalainen. Massa's jump on Hamilton suggested a lighter fuel load, but they both came in after 17 laps.

The Brazilian had little trouble regaining his lead after everyone around him had pitted. Hamilton had four laps' worth more fuel on board for the second stint and had to remain close to his rival for a shot of grabbing the lead during the second round of stops.

However he was unable to prevent himself slipping off the pace and would have remained second had a piece of debris not deflated his front left tyre with 33 laps left to race.

The Briton coaxed the McLaren around to the pitlane for an unscheduled stop after running off slightly with the problem at turn 5. He was fuelled to the end of the race, but there were doubts as to whether the super soft tyres would last that far. With everyone still to pit a second time, he found himself down in 11th just ahead of Coulthard.

A few laps beforehand three cars caught fire in the pits: Sebastien Bourdais's Toro Rosso, Kazuki Nakajima's Williams and Rubens Barrichello's Honda; yet all three rejoined with little time lost, the flames at the rear doused by foam or air. It happened to Bourdais again later in the race.

Hamilton worked his way up to sixth by lap 53 behind former team-mate Alonso after Raikkonen had broken free of the Spaniard and began to sling the Ferrari around the Hungaroring, setting fastest race laps seemingly at will.

The move Raikkonen put on Alonso came as a surprise: not long before he had lost the car briefly and run off the track at turn 2. Perhaps the incident served as a wake-up call to his title chances.

With 12 laps remaining Glock, in third since Hamilton's problem struck, ran wide and picked up some dirt. That meant he suddenly had a task to hold off Raikkonen, a task he performed admirably to the contest's conclusion.

Hamilton's team became worried that he might not last the race as he began to lose time on Alonso, while at the front Massa was content to coast home nine seconds ahead of Kovalainen.

However his weekend was ruined with only three laps left to race when his car began to billow smoke and came to a standstill on the track - the result of engine failure - allowing Kovalainen to snatch victory and Hamilton to retain the number one spot in the standings.