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Monday, 23 July 2012 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
HOCKENHEIM, Germany, (Reuters): Fernando Alonso led from pole position to chequered flag to win the German Grand Prix for Ferrari on Sunday while Germany’s world champion Sebastian Vettel was stripped of second place for an overtaking infringement.
Race officials said that Vettel left the track as he passed McLaren’s Jenson Button on the penultimate lap in a controversial move.
Vettel, who has yet to win his home grand prix and indeed any race in July, went wide as he and the Briton went through a corner side by side. He was handed a 20 second penalty that demoted him to fifth.
Button moved up to second place, ending a run of disappointing performances, and Finland’s 2007 Kimi Raikkonen took third for Lotus.
Alonso’s win was Ferrari’s 219th, the 30th of the Spaniard’s career and third of the season.
“That was fantastic again, pole position...victory.” he told his team after taking the chequered flag. “Tonight we have some parties at least.”
The Ferrari driver now has 154 points to 120 for Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber, who finished eighth. Vettel has 110 after 10 of the season’s 20 races.
Button’s podium finish was a boost for McLaren, who moved ahead of Lotus into third place in the constructors’ standings, but it was soured for the team by Lewis Hamilton suffering a puncture early in his 100th race and having to retire.
Alonso started on pole and held off challenges from Vettel and then Button as he stormed to victory in warm, sunny conditions, a stark contrast from the heavy rain which fell during practice and qualifying.
Alonso, who won on the last occasion a Grand Prix was staged at Hockenheim two years ago, briefly surrendered his lead after the first of his two pit stops but the double champion otherwise dominated the race despite being under intense pressure throughout.
Webber, winner of the previous race at Silverstone, had started eighth after a five place demotion on the starting grid for an unauthorised gearbox change.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said before the decision was announced that a penalty for Vettel would be harsh.
“He goes to the outside under the braking area, he then gets clearly ahead, he gives Jenson room on the right. Jenson runs him out wide and ends up over the kerb himself
“I think it’s unfair to say he got an unfair advantage from that. I think it’s a racing incident,” he told reporters.
“Jenson’s actually wheelspinning out of the corner. He’s got no traction. I think it would be very harsh to penalise him (Vettel).”
McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh said the rules were clear: “You can’t drive off the track and gain an advantage and overtake.
“That’s the normal rules of motor racing. We’re in the heat of battle and the stewards are the best people to look at that.”
Vettel was also angry with Hamilton for trying to overtake him while one lap behind.
“That was not nice of him, I don’t see we he’s trying to race us, its stupid to disturb the leaders,” said the German, who gesticulated at the McLaren as it went past.
Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi finished fourth for Sauber, after Vettel’s demotion with Mexican team mate Sergio Perez sixth.
Germany’s seven times world champion Michael Schumacher was seventh, ahead of Webber and two more Germans - Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg.
