Rosberg, Mercedes GP Scores Milestone F1 Win in China

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Earning a reputation as a highly-competitive venue on the Formula 1 circuit, the 2012 season's visit to the 5.451-kilometer Shanghai International Circuit for the third race of the year ushers in a strong opportunity for the finest open wheel entertainment. With two of the Formula 1 series hallmark teams going to victory in the first two races of 2012, the Chinese Grand Prix weekend was turned electric when the Mercedes GP team scored their first pole as a constructor since 1955. Nico Rosberg, the squad's younger driving ace, would be under a lot of pressure Sunday starting on his first-ever grand prix pole in Formula 1 in 110 races. Bringing comfort to Rosberg on the front row, teammate Michael Schumacher (who qualified 3rd fastest in qualifying on Saturday) was promoted to 2nd on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix when McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is forced to serve a five grid position penalty after a gearbox change.

The all-Mercedes GP front row at the 2012 Grand Prix of China led the 24 cars across the line on a dry Sunday afternoon. Launching from the standing start, Nico Rosberg stormed off the his grid position holding on to the lead while seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher slotted behind his teammate with little challenge heading into turn 1.
While the Mercedes GP cars enjoyed a picture perfect launch during the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix, the same could not be said for the third place-starting Sauber-Ferrari piloted by Kamui Kobayashi. Having a terrible start on the Shanghai International Circuit, the Japanese driver fall to 7th during the race's initial lap. Kamui Kobayashi's loss with a gain for the McLaren-Mercedes of Jenson Button who managed to position his race car in a 1-2-3 scenario for Mercedes-Benz power on the first lap of the Chinese Grand Prix.

As Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher proceeded to pull away from race challengers early, several teams short-pitted including the Red Bull Racing team bringing Mark Webber in on lap 7. Leaders would pit after lap 13 with Schumacher's Mercedes GP entering to pits to the attention of his crew. With the pit stop being a precise ballet for replacing Pirelli slick tires, the coordination between the pit crew and the driver led to a costly misstep for Michael Schumacher's car. When the Mercedes GP car exited its pit stall, a wheel was left unattached and thereby rendered the vehicle undriveable by Schumacher. Pulling off track after just completing a few corners on track, Michael Schumacher retired from the Grand Prix of China as Mercedes GP were bracing for a big race outing. Michael Schumacher's early retirement from the race made him the only competitor not to finish the Chinese Grand Prix
Last year, the Shanghai International Circuit served as a prime showcase of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) rear wing as a method of increasing competitive passing in Formula 1. It took a while for the 2012 edition of the Grand Prix of China to revive the excitement of the 2011 event on track but there was indeed some great passing on track.

In the past two races, Mercedes GP has gained objection in the paddock from other teams for the use of a ducting system that enhances the DRS that funnels air back to the front of the W03 race car. However, with Nico Rosberg at the front for much of the grand prix, there was little chance to use the uniquely designed aerodynamic device.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

As Rosberg led the Chinese Grand Prix comfortably over Lotus-Renault race cars at lap 29, A final round of pit stops took place for the race. When Jenson Button surrendered the race lead through lap 37, the McLaren-Mercedes driver was preparing for his final pit stop in his battle for a podium position. PItting on lap 40, Button suffered from a uncharacteristically long stop time lasting over 10 seconds. The McLaren team tire crew appeared to have struggled on the left rear corner of the race car as Button was released into 6th place on the racetrack. Through the final 16 laps, Jenson Button would work his way back to 2nd place in a very hotly-contested grouping for positions behind Rosberg.

Driving a textbook, error-free grand prix for a winning driver, Nico Rosberg crossed the start-finish line first at the Shanghai International Circuit with the Mercedes GP W03 race car for a momentous victory. Finishing 20.6 seconds ahead of Jenson Button, the Rosberg delivered Mercedes GP an inaugural podium-topping performance in their third season after buying the Brawn GP team. Son of 1982 Formula 1 driving champion Keke Rosberg, Nico's first Formula 1 victory is a rare opportunity where two generations of one family have won grand prix races joining the Hill and Villeneuve name.

With Jenson Button coming across the line in the runner-up position of the Chinese Grand Prix followed by his teammate Lewis Hamilton, McLaren has claimed podium finished in all three grand prix races held on the 2012 Formula 1 calender. The McLaren cars placed 2nd and 3rd in the grand prix allowed Mercedes-Benz power to dominate the podium of the 2012 Grand Prix of China.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

In fourth and fifth place, the Red Bull Racing team cars of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel improved their grid position in qualifying but are still off from their performance benchmarks of the past two Formula 1 seasons. Passing Vettel on the final lap of the Chinese Grand Prix, Mark Webber is a beacon of light to the Red Bull-Renault RB8 this season as he finished 4th for the third straight race of 2012.

After completing just a handful of grand prix laps in the two races starting 2012, Romain Grosjean survived the entire Chinese Grand Prix's 56 laps and brought his Lotus-Renault across the line in 6th place. "It was a very good race, I really enjoyed it. To be up there fighting with McLaren and Red Bull is a great feeling and I’m happy to have got my season started properly." said Romain Grosjean. Lotus F1 Racing teammate Kimi Raikkonen was also a factor through much of the Grand Prix of China but suffered late tire degradation issues that dropped the Finnish driver out of a points-scoring position at the checkered flag.

A full team achievement for Williams F1, both drivers Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado collected points finishing securely in the top-10. 2012 Chinese Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg made his Formula 1 debut with the Frank Williams racing outlet in 2006 and drove four seasons for the team ahead of his current tenure at Mercedes GP.

Photo Credit: Renault Sport

Topping the podium at the Malaysian Grand Prix a several weeks before, Ferrari and Fernando Alonso faced a harsher race in China. Alonso captured 9th on the Shanghai International Circuit finishing a second and a half ahead of Kamui Kobayashi.

A series where Lewis Hamilton is clinging to the top of the 2012 Formula 1 driver's championship tally with only 2 points over teammate Jenson Button after three races, the next grand prix is scheduled for the Bahrain International Circuit. The Grand Prix of Bahrain is set even under a cloud of uncertainty for whether the event will actually take place due to political and civil tensions in the country.


2012 Formula 1
Chinese Grand Prix
Race Results

1	8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
2	3 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
3	4 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
4	2 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
5	1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
6	10 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault
7	19 Bruno Senna Williams-Renault
8	18 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault
9	5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
10	14 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari
11	15 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari
12	11 Paul di Resta Force India
13	6 Felipe Massa Ferrari
14	9 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault
15	12 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes
16	17 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
17	16 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
18	21 Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault
19	24 Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth
20	25 Charlie Pic Marussia-Cosworth
21	22 Pedro de la Rosa HRT F1
22	23 Narain Karthikeyan HRT F1
23	20 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault
24	7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP

Hamilton Slays Vettel's Perfect Formula 1 Season with China Win

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Photographic

The first two races of the 2011 Formula 1 season took on a very predictable tone as 2010 World Champion driver Sebastian Vettel claiming victories in dominant fashion in the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix. Planting Red Bull Racing in an affirmative position, Vettel took his Renault powered Formula 1 car to a third consecutive pole for the Chinese Grand Prix. However, for those who have grown used to Formula 1 lacking raw, on-track competition, the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix was an event that suspended all garden variety notions of the world championship of open wheel racing.

Setting the grid for the start of the grand prix, the Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel was beside the McLaren-Mercedes of Jenson Button and ahead of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren. Favoured in his 2011 title defense drive, the Chinese Grand Prix standing start changed the complex of this season. Though Vettel launched well off the line, both McLaren Formula 1 race cars rocketed past the Red Bull-Renault into the first corner. Shuffled back to third early in the Shanghai race, Vettel entered into an unfamiliar place for this season.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

With Jenson Button leading, the McLaren-Mercedes preceded at the front of the Chinese Grand Prix as concerns existed in durability of the Pirelli racing tires. Featuring two tread options, most drivers and teams chose the softer set of tires for racing. One notable exception early was Vettel's Red Bull Racing teammate Mark Webber who started on harder racing slicks in efforts to seek a solution in overcoming a disastrous qualifying attempt Saturday which nested an 18th place grid position. Perhaps planning to gain track position through potentially running longer on his Pirelli tires, Webber's work in advancing places on the racetrack was hindered by the slower, harder compound. Ultimately, Mark Webber would pit on the same strategy with the other front-running teams negating early race plan for more competitive, softer compound Pirelli tires.

The pit road would ultimately shake up the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix. In the case of early race leader Jenson Button, the first pit stop on lap 13 for the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion involved a most bizarre moment in the driver's career. Taxiing down pit road, Button mistakenly steered into the Red Bull Racing team pit stall. Awaiting Sebastian Vettel, the bewildered Red Bull Racing crew were eager to see the McLaren promptly leave the pit service area. Barely stopping, Jenson Button quickly noticed his error continuing on to his McLaren pit crew. Due to the graffe, Button did lose track position to Vettel placing the Red Bull-Renault one place higher in the race standings.

As front-running drivers Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel surrendered their position for pit stops, the Mercedes GP team emerged as a Chinese Grand Prix contender. In the hands of Nico Rosberg, the German driver and race organization mastered short-pitting to place themselves in the lead for 8 laps. After a tough first two races in the 2011 Formula 1 season, the showing for Mercedes GP in China reestablishes the momentum the team started their inaugural 2010 season. Nico Rosberg would remain at the front through the reminder of the grand prix but lost positions running on worn tires in the late race stages. The Mercedes GP team chanced a different pit road plan to vault the German up to 2rd place until the faster cars of McLaren and Red Bull Racing overhauled Nico Rosberg. Rosberg would just miss the podium but finish a season best 5th at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Scuderia Ferrari also gambled on a two-pit stop race strategy for track position. The success was mixed during the 56-lap distance as Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa finished 6th as well as 7th place. The longer late stint also proved costly to the Ferrari team as they rode in higher positions just ahead of the checkered flag.

As part of the story in the closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix focused on the slowing of some vehicles, the McLaren-Mercedes piloted by Lewis Hamilton was on a mission to the front lapping the Shanghai track. Sitting in 4th place on lap 40, Hamilton utilized his fresher tires, KERBS and adjustable rear wing system to pass Rosberg and Massa in only 4 laps setting sights on the leading Red Bull-Renault. Eating into the modest lead of just under 4 seconds, Lewis Hamilton's superior lap times put the silver McLaren right on the gearbox of Sebastian Vettel. On lap 52, Hamilton brief attempt at working over Vettel for the lead paid off in turn seven ending off a thrilling climb to the front. As Hamilton led the final 4 laps of the Chinese Grand Prix, the 2008 World Champion pulled a 5.1 second lead on the second place Sebastian Vettel.

Though disappointed by his attempt at a fifth straight Formula 1 season victory going back to last season's Brazilian Grand Prix being foil, Vettel and Red Bull Racing maintains an ongoing streak of podium finishes. Sebastian Vettel could also take relief with the arrival of the lap 56 checkered as his hard-charging teammate was closing distance. Starting 18th, Webber's strategy adjustment allowed the second Red Bull Racing car to surge through the field at an alarming rate. Clocked as one of the fastest cars on the racetrack, Mark Webber's three-stop plan allowed the Australian to maneuver himself to the front. With some Formula 1 observers noting Webber's results as considerably lackluster compared to his dominating teammate, the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix establishes again the strength of both Red Bull Racing cars.

Rolling out the top-10 behind the Nico Rosberg and the Ferrari Formula 1 cars, Michael Schumacher continues to challenge fellow drivers on-track with skills that only a 7-time World Champion would possess. Finishing 8th, Schumacher was more than 26 seconds in front of Lotus Renault Racing's Vitaly Petrov and 10th place Kamui Kobayashi.

As Sebastian Vettel's early season showing and Mark Webber's drive in China reflects, the Red Bull Racing team is shown as a formidable squad again in 2011. However, McLaren F1 is proving to be an early challenger having at least one car on the podium at the end of grand prix this season. After three races in the 2011 Formula 1 season, Vettel is 21 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Next race for the Formula 1 tour will ake place on May 8th as drivers and teams are given a long preparation for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Mercedes Power Strong on Day 1 of Prep for Chinese Grand Prix

Home to the third Asian continent round of four initial races on the Formula 1 tour, the open wheel racing machines set course for the 5.451 kilometer (3.387 mile) Shanghai International Circuit in the People's Republic of China for the 6th running of the Chinese Grand Prix. Active winners of the grand prix includes Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel from last season. What makes this noteworthy is that, in 6 previous runnings of the Chinese Grand Prix, there has yet to be a repeat winning driver on the track.

Further adding to the unpredictability of the apparent variables in this grand prix is a chaotic start to the 2010 Formula 1 season overall. Three drivers competing in three different cars hold victories in the first three rounds of the Formula 1 series this season. This feat was last accomplished by the Formula 1 tour in 1990. While front-runners Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing have all recorded their first wins of 2010, the streak different driver/team victories could be extended if Mercedes GP or Renault would find the top of the podium in China.

In first day preparations for the Chinese Grand Prix, teams powered by Mercedes-Benz engines continue to show a consistent presence at the top of the Formula 1 time sheet. The top 4 times in both Chinese Grand Prix practices were captured by Mercedes-Benz powerplants of McLaren-Mercedes and the fully factory-backed Mercedes GP team. Overall, the second of two practice sessions proved fastest on day 1 with 2008 race winner Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest mark of 1 minute, 35.217 seconds for McLaren. Mercedes GP's Nico Rosberg posted the second fast on the day. Teammates for the top-2 runners in practice Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher were nearby on quick times.

Filed behind the Mercedes-Benz powered vehicles, the Red Bull Racing cars placed 5th and 6th fastest times with Sebastian Vettel leading Mark Webber. Red Bull Racing's satellite team Scuderia Toro Rosso, received a tremendous amount of attention for the wrong reasons. In first round of practice, a frightening scene transpired on the car of Sebastien Buemi entering into turn 14. As Buemi braked into th corner, the front suspension system of his Toro Rosso seemingly exploded sheering the front front wheels off the vehicle. Sebastien Buemi slid into the run-off zone but not made mild contact with a retaining barrier. Buemi was unhurt and no other drivers or spectators were directly threatened by parts flying from the Toro Rosso. Upon examining the vehicle, the Toro Rosso race team linked the suspension failure to a new-for-China design change to the front suspension upright. After the accident, the Formula 1 team reverted back to the design used the previous suspension uprights.

Foreshadowing the Chinese Grand Prix, a considerable focus in China is off-track as the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. Occurring in the western part of the country, 1,144 people are reported to have perished since the Wednesday earthquake shook the ground.