Hamilton wins in USposted in F118 | 11 | 2012
THE INAUGURAL US Grand Prix at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, was won by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.The former world champ, in his penultimate race for the team before switching to Mercedes for 2013, completed an audacious move on world championship leader Sebastian Vettel to take the win.
"It was wicked: wicked. I loved it so much," Hamilton said after sealing his 21st win for McLaren.
"I was so happy, I nearly lost my voice as I came across the line. Actually, for that whole in-lap I was screaming the whole time: I was so happy.
"The overtake was actually quite tricky. I finally got close to him: I seemed to be catching him through the first sector, but coming out through Turn 9 he'd get a gap. But when the backmarkers came in to play, finally it worked in my favour.
"I knew it was going to be that lap, so I turned the engine up to maximum revs, and went to go on the outside, but he closed the door and I went to go on the inside.
"Then he kind of moved back a little bit. I was very lucky, because it was very, very close."
Vettel meanwhile, who started from pole but finished second ahead of the third-placed Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, blamed the backmarker Narain Karthikeyan for losing the win.
"I wasn't too happy to send a deep invitation to Lewis going past Karthikeyan and he was right behind in the DRS zone," a clearly disgruntled Vettel said.
"Lewis was close enough to open his rear wing. It didn't matter which side I picked."
Vettel's disappointment overshadowed the fact Red Bull clinched the coveted Constructors' Championship for the third year in a row.
The German also heads to the season finale in Brazil this weekend having extended his championship lead over closest rival Alonso to 13 points.
Even if the Ferrari ace wins in Sao Paulo — where rain is forecast for the race — Vettel needs only to finish no lower than fifth to clinch his third title. Alonso though is ready to take the challenge to Red Bull.
"We need this form in Sao Paulo to close the gap and help me, because we know Red Bull will be strong and we need all our team united," Alonso said.
"I've heard that rain is forecast for Brazil next weekend, which is good for us. In dry conditions we would expect Red Bull to be first and second, and we would be sixth and seventh.
"In the race with wet conditions, anything could happen. Hopefully it will go in our favour. We saw today that (Mark) Webber retired with problems, so hopefully it's about time the problems started happening to the other Red Bull."
QUOTES:
Lewis Hamilton:
It was wicked: wicked. I loved it so much. I was so happy, I nearly lost my voice as I came across the line. Actually, for that whole in-lap I was screaming the whole time: I was so happy.
It's been a great day. This is the first grand prix here: I won the last one at at Indianapolis in 2007, so to come here after such a long time and win in front of such a great crowd was very special.
This win is very special in relation to my time with McLaren. Over the closing three laps I was just rubbed the car and said, 'c'mon baby, we can make it'.
I really, really did. You will never see that, but that's exactly what I did. And to finish on a high is really special.
Hopefully we can go to Brazil with similar pace and have a great race. But to finally be able to battle with the Red Bull and Sebastian was really special for me.
Once I overtook him, I was content to manage the gap: I wasn't saving fuel. The closing two laps I was having to be a little cautious with fuel.
The overtake was actually quite tricky. I finally got close to him: I seemed to be catching him through the first sector, but coming out through Turn 9 he'd get a gap.
But when the backmarkers came in to play, finally it worked in my favour. I knew it was going to be that lap, so I turned the engine up to maximum revs, and went to go on the outside, but he closed the door and I went to go on the inside, but he kind of moved back a little bit. I was very lucky, because it was very, very close.
After that it was just a case of trying to keep the gap and manage the tyres. I don't know they were gong to last, but they did.
Fernando Alonso:
We started sixth and eighth, so we didn't want to arrive ninth and 10th into the first corner. We started on the clean side, and Felipe (Massa's) decision to take a gearbox penalty, and I'm very proud of the team's decision.
Felipe was fantastic all weekend, not only today in the race, he was very fast in free practice three; he was faster than me in Q1, Q2 and Q3. and in the race we were similar.
We need this form in Sao Paulo to be really close and help me, because we know Red Bull will be strong and we need all our team united.
I have heard that rain is forecast for Brazil next weekend, which is good for us. In dry conditions we would expect Red Bull to be first and second, and we would be sixth and seventh.
In the race with wet conditions, anything could happen. Hopefully it will go in our favour. We saw today that (Mark) Webber retired.
FOR ALONSO TO WIN TITLE:
He wins and Vettel finishes no higher than fifth;
He finishes second, and Vettel finishes no higher than eighth;
He finishes third, and Vettel finishes no higher than 10th.
US GP, Austin, Texas — Results:
1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1h35:55.269;
2. Vettel Red Bull-Renault +0.600;
3. Alonso Ferrari +39.200;
4. Massa Ferrari +46.000;
5. Button McLaren-Mercedes +56.400;
6. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault +1:04.400;
7. Grosjean Lotus-Renault +1:10.300;
8. Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes +1:13.700;
9. Maldonado Williams-Renault + 1:14.500;
10. Senna Williams-Renault +1:15.100;
11. Perez Sauber-Ferrari +1:24.300;
12. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari +1:24.800;
13. Rosberg Mercedes +1:25.500;
14. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari +1 lap;
15. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes +1 lap;
16. Schumacher Mercedes +1 lap;
17. Petrov Caterham-Renault +1 lap;
18. Kovalainen Caterham-Renault +1 lap;
19. Glock Marussia-Cosworth +1 lap;
20. Pic Marussia-Cosworth +2 laps;
21. De la Rosa HRT-Cosworth +2 laps;
22. Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth +2 laps.
Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:39.347
World Championship standings (After 19 of 20 races):
Drivers:
1. Vettel 273
2. Alonso 260
3. Raikkonen 206
4. Hamilton 190
5. Webber 167
6. Button 163
7. Massa 107
8. Grosjean 96
9. Rosberg 93
10. Perez 66
11. Kobayashi 58
12. Hulkenberg 53
13. Di Resta 46
14. Maldonado 45
15. Schumacher 43
16. Senna 31
17. Vergne 12
18. Ricciardo 10
Constructors:
1. Red Bull-Renault 440
2. Ferrari 367
3. McLaren-Mercedes 353
4. Lotus-Renault 302
5. Mercedes 136
6. Sauber-Ferrari 124
7. Force India-Mercedes 99
8. Williams-Renault 76
9. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 22
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Jim McGill