Mark Webber has capped off a totally dominant weekend in the most perfect way by winning the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in Barcelona. The Australian posted the quickest times in all three qualifying sessions yesterday to claim pole position and he had no equal during today’s race, leading from start to finish.
Webber set numerous fastest laps during the Grand Prix and won by 24 seconds over Fernando Alonso. Webber’s Red Bull Racing teammate Sebastien Vettel suffered braking issues late in the race and was forced to drive conservatively to nurse his car across the finish line. Vettel managed to hold on for third place more than 50 seconds behind Webber.
There was drama late in the race when second placed Lewis Hamilton suffered a left front puncture with less than two laps to go. On the previous lap Hamilton had set the fastest time for the race (1:24.357), but the incident forced him off the track and into a tyre barrier. The parochial Spanish crowd cheered mightily as Alonso inherited his former teammate’s second place position.
Speaking after the race Webber acknowledged the efforts of his team, “The team have just been incredible the week. Collectively, Renault and Red Bull, everyone just put a huge effort in—the driver did a little bit of his work as well—in the end it was a fantastic result and I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Webber’s third career GP victory and his first for 2010 moves him into fourth place in the title race. He now has 53 points, 17 behind current leader and defending champion Jenson Button.
The F1 circus back up immediately for next weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix and if Webber and Red Bull can continue their qualifying supremacy they should be well placed to register consecutive Grand Prix victories.
Stay tuned for a picture gallery of the Spanish Grand Prix to be added in the next 24 hours.
