The Italian Grand Prix Formula 1

That is as far as my Italian goes. But it does not matter what

nationality you are as the pursuit of speed is the universal language.

This place has reverberated to the sound of the racing car since 1922.

But what has not changed is the love they have around here for one

team, Ferrari. I imagine the garage is a nervous place at the moment.

If there is one race where this team needs to reform it is right

here in Monza for the 2011 Italian Grand Prix. Welcome to coverage

with us right here on BBC One. Have you been enjoying the famous

Italian hospitality? You can almost smell the passion. We will not talk

about the wind on this show but the food is fantastic. Yesterday we

talked about David winning here so it is only right that we should

start the programme to date with this.

Another magnificent victory for Eddie Jordan. People said you could

only win in wet-weather! I do remember one occasion when I got

poked in the chest and told that it was the first one I had ever won on

merit. And what do they mean when they talk about the piranha Club?

Well it was a moment when Schumacher it was taken off to

another team. Words always stay with you and I have never forgotten

those words. And he was right because it is a difficult business.

Making reference to the Ji Parana Club, everything will be OK

provided you can get on and win and get what you need. That is how

sport is and motor-racing is no exception. Let's take a look and

see what is happening with the rest of the Formula 1 season. The magic

of the sport is that in two weeks' time you can be in Singapore, it is

just so different everywhere you go. You have both maternity and history.

That is what sets aside from so many other sports. It is a truly

local sport. It looks like a tough end to the season for these teams.

A lot of time away from home. A lot of stress and shipping everything

back and forward. The team principal of the Ferrari has just

popped over and to say hello. As strange weekend for you in many

ways because there is such a warmth from the fans but yet such pressure

to perform. Yes I was discussing last night the difference between

what is a driver for Ferrari and the feeling of people towards the

drivers. The drivers become famous because they're driving with us.

Everyone would like to see us in the same place we were last year.

It is difficult to do and for sure today will be a challenge for

everyone. And the Italian fans one year strip your car off almost

every piece of bodywork? Passion from the Italian fans, be

wanted to have a memento. They took anything they possibly could!

expensive day for Williams. We hope this is a successful day for

Ferrari. The advice to any driver around their today is do not stop

on the track because once again the David, explain how much you are

aware of the fans when you're racing around here? Eel are, it

piquancy the crowd and they are so colourful. They move around in the

Grandstand and you know when a pass has happened even if it is not on a

piece of track where you are racing. And if you glance up but the big

screens you can get a very good visual reference of where you might

come out after a pit stop. miles an hour and still watching

television! It is going to be difficult and it is difficult in

the Championship battle as well. Mark Webber is sitting at the

moment in second place in the constructors Championship. Ferrari

are sitting buried at the moment. Not so famous drivers knocking

around. Let's take a look at some famous faces. And there is such

pressure on Ferrari because of the past, their history. Nicky louder,

we all know him of course, it is good to see him back. And Eddie

Irvine, my old Irish buddy. A pretty famous face. These guys had

such passion about coming here and driving. I have one concern, and

where are the Italian drivers now? Those that are able to win. Why

does an Italian driver, very seldom, to see them driving at Ferrari.

Traditionally it does not happen but I would love to see the passion

of an Italian driver here at Monza driving at Ferrari. Did you ever

get close to driving for Ferrari? did have a conversation with them

at one stage but I figured that British teams felt comfortable.

There is no question that it would have been an emotional thing to

drive for Ferrari but it would have been difficult as well. You did OK

in the end! So the game today is to continue to chase Sebastian Vettel

and beaten to that world Championship. But they cannot even

beat him on Saturdays in qualifying! Here is Ted Kravitz.

The slow pace of life in the royal park gets turned upside-down when

the Grand Prix comes to town. 24 cars rushing past in a blur. The

early action came from Pastor Maldonado who opened his role would

baulk rear wing to a saloon pitching his Williams into a spin.

Nico Rosberg was trying something different in the race. He was slow

and qualifying because he used the hard tyres at the start. Michael

Schumacher is one place ahead of him on the grid. We have a

different strategy between the go and myself and we will find out

what is the better one. No matter what it is a team effort. Ferrari

tried an old slip streaming tick to try to get Fernando Alonso up the

grid. And it worked. Fernando Alonso is the 4th while the

obliging philippic master is only in 6th place was DUP we know how

important the slipstream is here at Monza. At the start you're in a

good position and you are in the first places in the first couple of

laps. I could not manage to put everything together. It was a shame

because of that. It was a messy session for Mark Webber who is

running different here ratios than his team-mate Sebastian Vettel and

they are more suited to the race. So the fight for pole position it

will be between Sebastian fettle and the McLaren cars. He managed an

impressive power slide but not the fastest way around the corner. That

gave the McLaren cars and chance but they could not take advantage.

They could not beat Sebastian Vettel's original time. And then he

went even quicker, half a second faster on a track that

traditionally has not suited the Red Bull. Half the second is a lot.

I want to finish and then if there is another opportunity I will take

it. All in all I'm a very happy. We feared that in qualifying we could

be too slow on the straights but we got everything together and the

balance was perfect. So in the corners I was able to catch up and

managed to be quicker than the others. Previously we were

struggling on this circuit so it is nice to come back. So Sebastian

Vettel in pole position for the 10th time this season. Lewis

Hamilton alongside and Jensen Button behind, both ready to attack.

Mark Webber also has strong race case and could make the podium. But

watch out for Nico Rosberg on that different tiers strategy. It is an

all Williams raised in rose 7. Team Lotus and HRT behind.

We're just making our way down to the Mercedes. They have had

brilliant speed all season on the straight lines. Not the greatest of

qualifying sessions. But first McLaren, if Jensen Button and Lewis

Hamilton have not made individual errors in qualifying, could they

have lived with the pace of Sebastian Vettel? I spoke to them

after qualifying and they felt they did lose some time on the

qualifying laps. But the gap was simply too big. The strategy they

had gone for it was for race pace and they never expected to pull it

off in a qualification. But Sebastian Vettel did a fantastic

lap. Red Bull have had an issue all season with KERS. And Mark Webber

was handicapped yesterday. They have had certain problems all

involving the same area. I am surprised that they do not have a

handle on it. We thought it was all finished with around the British

Grand Prix. But it is still lurking in the background and they need to

sort it out. It was five years ago at this very race that Michael

Schumacher announced that he was retiring from Formula 1. But here

he is and he starts from eighth position today. That's find out how

Are you feeling? I am very excited because Monza is special. We have a

different strategy, and hopefully one of us can take advantage of

this. Maybe even both. Let us see which of the two is the better.

have one here five times. What is it like to be back here, albeit not

in red? I get a good reception from the fans. This certainly have not

forgotten what we do together. they certainly. Just a few moments

before he climbed into his car. We are in the next port a long as Nico

Rosberg gears up. He has sacrificed speed for better strategy. He

qualified on harder tyres. Is that a wise move? That remains to be

seen. The rumours of blistering on compound tyres. Pirelli have the

strategy of making the race interesting. I think it is good

that someone in the top 10 is on a different strategy. They have the

advantage, which is two very similarly skilled drivers in terms

of timing. As a result, and also it is very hot, icy blistering as

being a problem. I fancy Nico Rosberg winning this little joule,

because I think to start on the hard tyres is a good omen because

at the end they will have soft tyres and they will be able to pick

up the pace. And keep an eye on Michael Schumacher, who has been

amazing at the start this season. How hard is it to drive around the

circuit? It is mainly a lows of straights with a few corners. If we

decided to go to the next best thing then driving it ourselves, in

the company of a man who knows a fair bit about racing. Maughan says

all about speed. The driver has to work especially hard. -- Monza is

all about speed. Off they go! would be the driver's ultimate

nightmare. Dear me. I am watching the screen to see how he gets on. I

am hugely excited. Having never sat in a Formula One car, how will I

know what to do? In my day, we only had to think about the gears.

quite nervous now. Running for the line. It is a rather unimpressive

31.8. What is the record? 22. Your nine seconds off the pace. What is

the trek to a fast lap time? needs to be treated aggressively.

You have to be hard on the brakes and the clutch. How often does

Christian drive this? Maybe once. Once his once too much. Christian

is going first. Should I? Good luck. On the brake a leg. How do you

reckon he will be? Well, people do not realise that Christian used to

race. He still has a GP to team for some -- GP2 team. Massive

deceleration. Nice apex. This is going to be the greatest Lapper

your life. No pressure. Approaching braking point! He has blown that!

To going, this is it. It is like a load of Banksy drivers. I will give

you that it has been a few years since we were in the car. There

were some nice lines around there. Has this ever held due to winning?

Our guys came on here before it that race. -- before the race. That

track knowledge, the time they spend on the simulator gives them

the edge going into free practice. The key thing that people do not

realise when they are playing games his house sensitive a Grand Prix

car is to drive. When you have it within its operating window, there

is lots of downforce and grip. It is not designed to go sideways. You

have to keep it tidy. And nice getaway, Jake. Nice apex. This is

it. Use the KERS. You will get another boost. And again. Is he

going to get the braking point? Would define the handbrake? I have

decided this is the flying lap. -- where did you find. That chicane is

ridiculous! How do I get this corner right? I am going to go slow,

As you can see, driving a Formula One car, or on track or in the

simulator, is really difficult. All things considered, it was a pretty

good effort. You need talent to drive a Grand Prix car or a

simulator, neither of which Jake has got. Tell us something we do

not know. A sterling effort, Christian. It looks so easy. Some

new-found respect for the boys out there. Absolutely. This circuit has

not got many corners, so imagine what you would be like at

Silverstone. Let us talk about the set-up. Pretty much everybody

behind you have said they feel good about this because looking at the

top speeds, Sebastian Vettel does not have the advantage. Is that are

concerned? Is the aim to run and hide today? -- is the aim.

Hopefully, if he is stalled, he will still be competitive. He

should still have enough straight- line speed to pass McLaren because

they have a big way in. We think we are in a good position. -- winger.

I think we both need a bit more tuition from David cold start. --

David Coulthard. Sebastian Vettel, heading to top

spot on the grid, but Jenson Button is right behind him. The man in 4th,

his future is not completely secure. Tell us about this season. What

would your report cards say. What Would You report card say? You

have got me there. A sensational drive for Button. Maybe some of Cs.

The As would have been in the races. What a brilliant drive.

qualifying, it has not been strong, the first part of the season, but I

fear her -- I feel that I am improving. It is a pity that I have

not had a good chance to push it in qualifying. Misunderstanding, and

not getting a Lappin into two. -- a lap in to two. You have done more

over lapping than -- overtaking than anyone else. Why is that?

Races like Canada, it is those races that have meant that I have

had to overtake a lot. It is that excitement, are really making a

move stick. That is what you really expect. Overtaking Fernando or

Felipe Massa or Michael. It really means a lot. You have a real smile

on your face when it happens. seem really happy. Winning here,

beating Lewis Hamilton, has that raised your stock as a racing

driver? As it made people sit up and notice you more? It is

difficult to comment on but from what other people say, yes. I think

I am driving better than I was at Brawn. My confidence is very

different to what it was. Finding a car that I am unable to work with,

and a good balance, that makes a difference. -- I am able. You feel

that you are emerging as the team leader? I am sure that Lewis

Hamilton would say he is the team leader, but I would say that it is

me. We're both working as hard as we can. That does not mean we are

fighting against each other. Fighting against rebels and

Ferrari's is not easy. -- Red Bulls and Ferraris is not easy. If

Sebastian Vettel does not win this year, it will be a big surprise.

For us, we are all fighters and we all want to win the championship,

but pretty much, it is over. We want to keep the excitement in the

sport though, so every race, we should be fighting for a victory.

If we can do that, it is an amazing end to the year. That will carry

over to 2012. We're not going to be running a new car, the rules are

not different. Having a great end to the season is exactly what we

need. So we will definitely see racing for McLaren next year? Is

that signed and sealed? probably better speak to Martin

about that. But for me, my overtaking in the last race was

great. I lost my wing mirror so we could not see where the car was.

That is probably the best thing to do. Black the wing mirrors out so

you cannot see if the car is going to hit you. It worked for me.

would be a success for wrap up to the season in your eyes? Winning

them all. No pressure! No for some talking about pressure, we have

made their way out on to the grid. I'm sure some of the drivers are

feeling nervous. You can see the incredible grandstand that they

have got here. There are very few in Formula One to rival this one.

The thing is, it is a park every day of the week except for this

week. There is this amazing atmosphere were people have been

coming in. I came here particularly early and the place was rammed. It

is just a different place. It is going to be a very hard thing for

new races to compare to this. This is one of the very special places.

Let us make our way over to the other side of the grid. It would be

nice to see where Jenson Button will be starting. We will talk

about his future. It may be worth waiting, because I think we have

the World Champion making his way down. Sebastian Vettel experience

last year what Jenson Button felt the year before. Why have they not

got their heads together and sorted out a contract? And do not think it

has anything to do with the agreement to want to drive. Both

drivers had been vocal about the fact that they are burning out

during the course of the season. From my time at McLaren, I know

that there were many promotional days because of the Investment

model. The partners require peace of the action with the race drivers.

In fairness, I viewed that I raced for fun and I got paid for

promotion, so you cannot always have it. Do you agree that Jenson

Button's stock has gone up? He might not be winning the worst

title -- the world title, but he seems a better driver than he was.

He is seen as a better person overall. You have to understand

that I think he was an exemplary World Champion. His stock went up

because of that. His face is more familiar. He is somebody who has

moved away from sport, into the global renown. I think he has

turned out to be a remarkable man, very easy with the public as well.

He is prepared to talk and sit down. I guarantee you, he is one of the

guys that if you wanted to an interview on the grid, he would be

the first to do it. I spotted something on the McLaren, they have

a reversed Gurney on the rear wing. You have to come in behind the car

to see it. Typically, if you look at the black girl a sitting up

against the wing, that is to get down force of the real -- off the

rear wing. -- Black Gurney. That is very interesting. Literally, that

suggests that the McLaren wing is to bake, and that they have had to

Will that compromise it around the circuit? Leads move down to the

front were Martin Brundle is waiting. You have to look at the

technical features of the cars. Maarten, good to see you. We have

already celebrated Eddie's win around here. I'd finished second

with the Benetton team. It was pretty exciting. Ayrton Senna beat

me in the race that day. He leaned over and said, we are going to be

team mates next year at Williams. I thought that I was going to

Williams and I did not know that he was. But as it happens neither of

us drove for Williams the following year. But that was a long time ago.

Let's concentrate on the day. I just want to show you the 800 metre

run down to the first corner. I think that is going to be pivotal

to day in terms of McLaren. Can they stop Sebastian Vettel getting

that one second in front that he needs to stop them getting into its

DRS activation zone. So the safety car has only been used three times

in the past 10 years despite the high-speed nature of this circuit.

Despite that it tends not to be needed as there enough -- as there

is enough run-off area at the chicanes. Christian, you have got

the short 7th year in his car. If you could change that now, would

you? I would not. We split our options because we have got Mark

Webber on the other gear. We think it should be OK even install

position. We are about to find out. I will come back to Sebastian in a

moment. Let's find this Jensen Button who is the third on the grid.

He is under the umbrella. A quick word. Are you working together with

Lewis Hamilton to fight Red Bull? Obviously when we get out there.

But it is every man for himself out there. We will see what happens

during the race. We know what we're doing now. We're not going to trip

over each other. It is so hot today and I think it is going to be tough

on the tyres and that DRS is going to make it an interesting race.

you think that you have an advantage with though -- the gear?

I don't think so. Sebastian Vettel expected to be in pole position but

Mark Webber did not. We will see what happens. There are also at a

lodge of flies about. I am glad you picked up on the important things!

But it will be important if you cannot see where you're going! So

Mark Webber just walking off the grid, unfortunately. This is a

Fernando Alonso's car. Let's take a look at the rear wing. They have

much less drag. But the Ferrari has not been fast enough, except that

they think they're vain to use their tyres much last. -- going to

use. Less see if we can find Felipe Massa up. It is so hot down here. I

think they all want to get out of the sunshine as quickly as they can.

Let's have a word with Vitali Petrov. Sorry, let's have a word

with Jackie Stewart. You know this place very well indeed? There's

more atmosphere here than at any other race track in the world. The

Italians for motor racing are probably the best advice of all the

countries. And Gerard, you are the governor at Lotus. It is really

positive this year with our drivers. They have brought positive energy

into the team. I would try to have a quick word with Vitali Petrov.

Are you satisfied with the 7th place? It was an interesting

weekend. The engineers did a fantastic job and this is the

result. Can you get anywhere near the top six? We will try. To date

is another day and we will try to fight the guys in front. Felipe

Massa here are hiding in the shadow of the wall. Talking to his

Engineer. British engineer, of course. Last minute details. We

just have about 30 seconds remaining. He is on a run, I think

it will be his 6th consecutive points scoring opportunity. So

Felipe Massa are very much back on form these days. But that is not a

conversation that I am going to interrupt at this moment. So an

expectant crowd for what should be a thrilling Grand Prix. It is going

to be who finds out first and relax the fastest if they cannot get

through without three stops. Once again Formula 1 is all about

dealing with your tyres and making sure you have your strategy bang on.

But there's a whole new strategy, it used to be UK men with as little

drag as you could get away with. But that has all changed because of

the DRS. And for the first time. am a little bit confused and

slightly disappointed. For me this was the great track where you could

slipstream in the natural way. But then to insert two DRS, that

confuses me. What are would like to do is just keep a lid on these

artificial moves. I would like to see a little bit more natural. I am

a believer in KERS and DRS, but let us not overdo it. One man who will

want to try to get to the front is Mark Webber. I thought sunshine had

been banned from Formula 1 but it is a hot day. How will that help or

hinder you? It should not be too bad. It is nice to have a pretty

straight forward Grand Prix in terms of decisions, whether Wise.

We will see how that DRS work. And KERS, the boys seem pretty relaxed

about that at the moment. We have done everything we can so it should

be OK. Do you think you can make up a couple of places on the first

term? I would love to. I'm looking forward to a decent start more than

anyone. That was Mark Webber. He will be

feeling quite tense at the moment but the fans certainly are not.

Jaime Alguersuari has once again gone out in the first part of

qualifying. And there is Michael Schumacher. Would you rather be a

Michael Shaw banker or Nico Rosberg today? -- Michael Schumacher.

think Nico Rosberg at this stage. When you sacrifice the qualifying

position blab to be confident he will make it up during the race.

Nico Rosberg has that in his mind. But we cannot rule out Michael

Schumacher. Since Canada he has upped his pace. So it will be very

interesting to see how this pair operate. Every single person

dressed in red, all hoping that Fernando Alonso can do the business.

Time for a treat for you, the man on pole position against the man

who is second. How much difference was there between the lapse of

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton? Blocked a lot. -- not a

lot. It is the super high-speed KERS circuit. Let's take a look

with the lap with Sebastian Vettel on the left-hand side and Lewis

Hamilton it on the right. They head towards the heavy braking zone.

towards the heavy braking zone. Both cars with great traction going

up through the gears. There it equally matched at this stage.

Approaching 200 miles an hour. Easily the full throttle even with

the DRS wide open. Heavy braking at the second chicane. And Lewis

Hamilton slightly ahead with better straight-line speed. Down there now

towards the first corner. And on the exit of that, once again Lewis

Hamilton is slightly ahead halfway around the lap. The second corner

is a little bit tighter, great precision needed. At this stage in

the lap they are absolutely neck and neck. With the fast chicane to

come. They fly the car or a cross the curse. But Sebastian Vettel

clearly has more grip and confidence. He is taking several

metres out of Lewis Hamilton at that particular place which makes

all the difference. The magnificent Parabolica corner ahead of us. Pick

up the throttle as early as you dare. The shortest run now to that

finish line and it is a brilliant 25th poll position for Sebastian

Vettel. Incredible. And he is the first man except fought Ayrton

Senna to have temple positions in two different seasons. A great

record. There is the race director up having a final look at the cars.

He is the man who will start the race and do that before too long.

Sebastian Vettel, starting on pole position, tell me about that.

race has all kinds of permutations. You talk about Sebastian Vettel,

Jensen Button, Lewis Hamilton. I have a sneaking suspicion that

Lewis Hamilton might just pull this one out the back. All the evidence

is dragging you towards Sebastian Vettel as being the one. But the

problems he had since Belgium, coming out and saying he was wrong,

I just have a sneaky suspicion that he might just bring it home. That

would be a big shout, to beat Sebastian Vettel. I believe he can

do it. I think he was wounded, he had a little swipe at a journalist

the other day. It was a veiled disagreement. Well the fans are

certainly ready and I hope you are as well. On the red Button you can

ride on board with different drivers. Almost time to hand it

over to David and Maarten. The fastest track on the racing

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

calendar. About to walk into life heritage and the magic of Monza.

The first race held here in 1922 and this circuit has played a part

in every Formula 1 world Championship apart from 1980. It is

a temple of speed whether fans worship at the Alter of Ferrari and

Fernando Alonso in particular, the winner last year at Monza. David,

what are the challenges faced by average speech. -- all about

momentum. There is a massive amount of braking forced through the

braking system and the driver. It is a short race but the heat

saturates into you. I do not know what it is the forest, but

physically, it is a hard one for the drivers. This is all going to

be about slipstream in and track position. Presumably Sebastian

Vettel asked to get ahead to keep the McLarens at? He does not have

the top speed of the cars around him. He was one of the slowest cars

in qualifying. They have taken a strategic decision to set the car

up to be as fast as possible. You do not have the use of DRS on the

straights. You can gain an extra few kilometres an hour, but that

leaves a number of places on the track were due are sub-optimal. We

will see two strategies playing out. Mark Webber, the only man in the

field to elect not to have a brand new engine for the race this

weekend. He does have a brand new set of softer compound tyres. The

people in front of them do not have that luxury. We will see if that

manages to give him an advantage. Jenson Button, who I thought seemed

particularly perky and confident. Lewis Hamilton, in the other

McLaren, or on the front row. caught up with the team principal

of McLaren after we pointed out that Gurney on the underside of the

wane. He confirmed that he never thought it was the right way to run

the wing, but apparently that is the right way for McLaren to run.

They have put the smallest amount of fuel in, why is that? You cover

the distance at greater speed. All will lap distance is the same, you

just do not need as much fuel. -- although the latter distance.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

us see how they line up for around who took the decision to qualify on

the harder tyres, had to take another set of harder Prime tyres

for the start of the race because there was damage to the sense that

he used in qualifying. Because of blisters, do you think? Will love

rubber will literally get so hot it explodes. -- the rubber will

literally. That could be so that -- that could be the case. These four

drivers are taking the autumn at a route. They want to get at higher

out of the way. While you have the heavier fuel load, the equivalent

of two medium-sized passengers, why not put on a more durable tyre?

makes perfect sense. The only issue is that the harder tyre is law. We

presume that we will see some blistering this afternoon. But we

saw blistering inspire. Sebastian Vettel was able to run quite

happily. -- in spite. There is about 2.5 mm of Russia -- or proper

before you have the belt that texts the surface of the tyre. Blistering

is not a problem, it is when you get down below the top surface,

then you have issues. Interestingly, Lewis Hamilton... As the mechanics

bolt from the grid. If anybody stalls on the grid, they will be

running back out there again. As they make their way back to the

pits, Lewis said this morning earlier on "I just want to get to

the end of this race. I have not finished here for a while." That is

not consistent with attacking like crazy. This is the second DRS zones.

It is quite an unusual choice, because there is a curve in it. I

wonder why they did not put Ascari down to a parabolic in the next

section. Interestingly, it is not the obvious place for a driver. It

is not a clear place to have a DRS zones. It would be interesting to

speak to Charlie Whiting to explain how they come up with these

decisions. It would be a more obvious place, to pick a straight,

then there is no ambiguity with drivers weaving to take their

natural line. From the Ascari chicane, down to the parabolic.

tarmac. It looks lovely. There we have the old historic tarmac. I

would love to know when its surface was laid. It could tell a few

stories. The last time they changed the tarmac was in 2000. The last

time they use the scary bank in was 1961. -- banking. Phil Hill won

that race. These drivers, trying to make their mark on the history of

Formula One. Burning out their tyres. The drivers of old would be

protecting their tyres at this stage. These guys know that they

have to get heat and pressure into those tyres. It is a 53 lap race.

83% full-throttle as they go around this super high-speed layout. It is

a challenge for everybody. They now have to find the perfect biting

point of the clutch to get off the line and down to the first corner.

The trigger for that is when the five lights go out. We do not

bother with the green. They react as soon as they see them disappear.

And the Monza race is underway. Wheelspin from Sebastian Vettel.

Three of them, side by side. Look at that, Hamilton and Sebastian

Vettel touching. Felipe Massa fancies the inside of Hamilton. We

have a car approaching sideways, taking two out. I think it is

Petrov. Barrichello, two. Three cars out, as we saw somebody

arriving sideways. Alonso leads. Hamilton defending against Michael

Schumacher. He is ahead. Immediately ahead of Felipe Massa.

The safety car is out because the carnage is in the middle of the

track. Jenson Button dropped out of the first chicane. Michael

Schumacher up to third. We have Liuzzi, Rosberg, Petrov, with a

black crash helmet on. Recognising the ice hockey players and others

killed in an awful airplane crash earlier on in the week. Rubens

Barrichello, trying to get his car starting again. Remarkably, he

beached himself, trying to get over the sleeping businessman --

sleeping policemen. Was at the Hispania? I think it was Liuzzi. He

got a wheel on the grass and lost control. Of course, they are

thinking that at least they got through the first turn, but then

from nowhere, absolutely nowhere, comes a car to knock them out. The

computer is showing for Schumacher third but he is 4th. Felipe Massa,

Button. Another tremendous start for Schumacher. He has been the man

on the opening laps. Why is that? It is always easier to make lots of

positions if you are not qualifying at the front. But does not take

anything away from him. The start system on the Mercedes, it will be

the softer end je -- software engineers and be taught set-up. The

mechanical set-up and the reactions of Schumacher, and he is

undoubtedly the king of starting. do not think we saw Kobayashi in

the melee but he was obviously involved because he needs a new

front wing. Cruising up to the back of the field, he will effectively

get a freak pit-stop. Alguersuari has gone up from 18 to 11. -- Free

pitched up. -- pit-stop. Sebastian Vettel got way too much wheelspin

off the line. Alonso was not as quick. So lucky that Hamilton and

Sebastian Vettel did not connect. But look at the back. There is an

HRT with its wheels on the grass. No grip. He was going straight to

the scene of several other people's accidents. He cause of that. That

is where Kobayashi got his damaged nose. Fernando Alonso leads the

Grand Prix. Schumacher, muscling through as we watch complete

carnage. A confetti of carbon fibre raining down a few seconds after

the silliness of the first turn. Plenty of space on the right-hand

side. Everybody knows that. But look at that, the Wall was coming

towards him and he stays absolutely planted, as you would expect. Some

nice fresh air. He put a wheel on the grass and momentarily the rpm

increased. It shows how tight he was. Here it is Liuzzi, heading for

an impact, hoping that he will slot between the cars. Unfortunately,

several cars taken out. Rubens Barrichello was unlucky. He managed

to Nicosia the first car but was blocked by the second. Liuzzi's

problems started earlier. He put a wheel on the grass and never

resolve the incident. Kobayashi is there, at the back. How did he lose

his nose? It might have been another incident. We have Bruno

Senna in the pits. He has got is hard tyres out of the way now. If

you're new to Formula One, you will know that they both have to use

both compounds during the Grand Prix. D'Ambrosio is out of the

Grand Prix. Barrichello, back in the pits, and Ricardo, still going

around. We have lost Petrov and Liuzzi. Barrichello came in and his

car was undamaged. They put on a new nose and put him on hard tyres.

Kobayashi can run with soft tyres, as can Bruno Senna. He has got his

hard tyres out of the way. Daniel Ricardo was coming in with what

looks like a damaged HRT. He is retiring. I will check that out

because d'Ambrosio was not involved in that accident. The safety car is

out. It has only been out three times in the last 10 years. I think

there will be some recalculated strategies going on right now.

is why they have the supercomputers. Maybe not the small teams, but

certainly the main teams will be looking at that on the screen now,

running hundreds of thousands of what-ifs. This will change the face

get to the second the safety car line. They all look as if they are

relatively in line. Lewis Hamilton is nowhere to be seen. Michael

Schumacher then punishes Lewis Hamilton for that see the restart.

Mark Webber for the Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel again down the

inside, getting so much better acceleration. And Fernando Alonso

having absolutely none of that. know that Sebastian Vettel went

with the shorter ratio in qualifying. It was all about

getting good race pace. They have more mast to accelerate now was the

petrol. Fernando Alonso has got to break the one-second margin of two

Sebastian Vettel. Sebastian Vettel it right on the back of Fernando

Alonso. But Michael Schumacher having another tremendous start to

this Grand Prix. We know that the Mercedes are quick in the straight

line. Another contact! Mark Webber has lost his nose. Filipe Massa or

pointing the wrong way. Sebastian Vettel has been turning point. That

was bravery at 200 miles an hour. Nobody would lift up the throttle,

nobody would yield and Sebastian Vettel came out the winner. No we

spoke about this in the qualifying show. He was flat on the grass

around the outside of Fernando Alonso. We have got yellow flags

out at the moment. Jensen Button presumably got held up as little

bit. We do not know if Felipe Massa or managed to recover his position.

On board with Mark Webber. In a good slipstream. He tries to muscle

his way around and he hits the kerb, flies drew the air. -- flies

through the air. He has done into the barriers. Clearly front wing

and damage. Michael Schumacher at looking at second place as well.

All the former world champions, they know what it takes. Fernando

Alonso just has a little bit of space between them. He was faster

is to it -- yesterday in qualifying. Five world champions fill the top

five places. DRS has been enabled. That should assist Hamilton. But

the Mercedes is so much faster on the straight line. A lot of

turbulence on the front wing of that McLaren. Southerly they mass

at making his way back, up in 9th for Williams, almost three seconds

off the pace of the leaders. Jensen Button beginning to hone in on this

fight as they are so busy watching each other that they are losing

time. Schumacher goes outside the white lines was DUP you are allowed

to do that at this place on the track. Parabolica corner. We have

got Mark Webber, a replay of that. No front downforce. And that shows

you just how effective those wings are when they are doing their job

properly. They are there to push the car into the ground. Mark

Webber was racing to get back to the pits. Lewis Hamilton and, for

some reason his DRS did not work on that main straight but it is

working now. They reckon the DRS is worth about 15 kilometres around

here. Lewis Hamilton now has his DRS wide open. Will he remember to

use it? Let's see what effect that has. Michael Schumacher in knows he

does not have the DRS available. But he does have KERS. The straight

speeds look OK. Schumacher is just very high. Explain that one. The

guy in front is just a bit quicker! You are not slow, he is fast. But

the net result is the same. should have delivered to the old,

there is good news...! Such a tricky piece of race track. No DRS

down this section. Jensen Button cannot quite join in this battle.

Lewis Hamilton it looks better positioned this lap. It is a long

way down the straight before up the DRS actually becomes available. Now

he has closed it again, what is all that about? We know that McLaren

had some issues during practice. They had issues with we attaching

the airflow. I wonder if that is why it Lewis Hamilton it was

getting it close nice and early. Safety first, playing the long game.

Hamilton tries to go on the inside. But Schumacher it with a robust

defence. A much better slipstream this time for Hamilton. But there

is not enough of a breaking the zone to make the difference down

into Parabolica. Hamilton now with his DRS wide open once again.

Hamilton is not using his KERS. Is there an issue their? He does have

it available but he is choosing where to use it. He is not using it

on the main Straits. It is difficult to pool which might be

another issue. I think we're seeing Lewis Hamilton catch up so much

around here because he is using his KERS and his DRS down at this

section. But there is now worth to overtake when you get to the end of

it. -- know where to overtake. Perhaps he's just trying to put

Michael Schumacher or under pressure. He can hold Michael tight

and hope that that makes him slope the limiter. He cannot do anything

at the moment about Michael Schumacher. Jensen Button it still

as second and a half behind which is surprising me. But you do not

want to be right up behind those cars, losing downforce. Over

heating the engine. Maybe Jensen Button is just plain the smart game

here. He is probably pretty comfortable to let them battle it

out. This is a slightly more cautious Lewis Hamilton than we

have seen at other Grand Prix. He's going for a very deliberate and

very safe overtake. The average speed around this race track is 245

kilometres an hour. There are very few breaking stones and he need

those 2 euros per wasted kinetic energy. Lewis Hamilton now out of

the slipstream of Michael Schumacher. It is just a question

now of fool can break the latest. A very tidy, Adlene moved from Lewis

Hamilton. But Schumacher or still has that speed, he has the

slipstream and to the DRS. Jensen Button are now just joining that

party. But Lozelles and really needed to cut that one straight

back off again. -- Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton again trying to get

Michael Schumacher have to go defensive. This is going to be

overtakes. He is the man who has overtaken most on track this year.

And he will have the DRS. Michael Schumacher only has his horse power

to defend with. The two are really homing in on third place man

Michael Schumacher. He has won the scrum Prix five times, Michael.

There are groans of frustration at the McLaren garage. They will have

to change their strategy. Michael in third position is holding up the

to McLaren's. That is the message to Masser, but Vettel will be

absolutely delighted with this. They will say that they have had

enough of this. They are going to call one of their drivers in quite

soon. Felipe Massa is now up into 6th place. It was smart of

Maldonado to let him through and not waste any time. If you are

going to be five metres better on the brakes than the driver in front,

you need a breaking zone to do it. The principal at Maclaren is

watching his two men. 18,000 revs in 7th gear. It is a critical

choice of 7th gear ratio that you must make before Saturday morning.

They have appeared their car to use all of the rpm without DRS. That

means they are just banging up against that it read level. You

can't go any faster. Schumacher is struggling to grip on those tyres.

This will all be about pit stop strategy and Les Lewis Hamilton and

Jenson Button can make this stick on the track. In the lead on lap 15

by nine seconds is Sebastien Vettel. Mark Webber is out of the Drumcree

in the second to Red Bull. Hamilton is looking up the inside into

Parabolica. The activation of DRS is quite a long way down, that is

why you will not see it Popeye Open and tell... They are both on it

now! Hamilton had to duck back into the slipstream of the Mercedes,

that is how fast it is. Steve -- Schumacher has had to go super

defensive, slow on the exit. He is on the grass! Sue will give him NO-

SPACE a tall. -- Sue or won't give he loses that place. A sporting

etiquette, are amongst race drivers, that was right on the limit. Lewis

Hamilton has been super clean so far in this race with Michael

Schumacher. This may be a chance for Lewis Hamilton on Ascari. He

will be furious with Michael. Michael Schumacher is pushing the

boundaries of what is correct, and has been doing for several laps now.

He is absolutely on the limit. He has gone into the pit. We

understood that Hamilton was going to pit that lap. As soon as they

got that message, they told him to stay out, no doubt. Michael

Schumacher goes on to a brand new set of soft tyres. Take us through

this, David. Around Ascari, Michael sees Lewis Hamilton take the inside

line, and he chops across him. He takes a tight line on entry. You

see how much Lewis had to lift out. That was a heart-stopping moment

for Lewis Hamilton. This is a replay. For some reason, it works

so much better for Jenson Button to make that move down the outside.

Michael Schumacher's tyres were losing him speed. He was working

hard to keep that faster Maclaren behind. When he got the opportunity,

he was able to make it stick. Sebastian Vettel moves into her lap

18. He as at 1:28.6. Jenson Button the pit lane as to how long it took

them to do that stop. We can expect Lewis in pretty soon after that, I

would imagine. He has a lovely clear space as long as he can stay

ahead of that traffic. 3.5 seconds, that stop for Jenson Button, as he

makes his way down. They are a long way ahead after all that fighting

with Schumacher. We are saying Michael is pushing the boundaries.

You can't say he has done anything that would warrant standing outside

the headmaster's door yet. Certainly not, but in sporting

etiquette amongst racers, that was at the limit. There is a certain

etiquette as to how much she would squeeze yourself in as a junction

and how much you would give your competitor a bit of a squeeze on

the racetrack. You can see Maclaren coming out. This will be for

Hamilton. The difference here, of course, you are doing it at 200 mph.

This looks like quite a last-minute decision. There are entire lap 19

already. A new set of tyres for Lewis Hamilton, and away he goes.

It is all about where Jenson Button is, and he is a long way ahead.

Michael Schumacher just there to the left. It is all about the

breaking. Michael Schumacher takes the position away. That will please

Lewis a bunch. A pity it Jenson Button first, and that kept him

ahead of Michael, and they pitted Lewis Hamilton next, and that kept

him behind. Frustration at McLaren. A lot of this is because they are

running this... Do we call it a battle? This is Maldonado, Perez

and Argos wiry fighting for 7th. That squabble started at the

beginning of this lack. There is Perez, who we think is now our pin

28 position. The reason why it McLaren were running that big wing,

they thought they would be in a fight with Red Bull which has a

Renault engine. They never imagined they would be up against a Mercedes

with the same engine that they have. They were always on to a loser, and

that is why they have lost out. It will be a massive task far either

McLaren to get anywhere near winning this race. That was a 3.0

second stop. Yet again it is Michael Schumacher versus Los

Hamilton. -- Lewis Hamilton. Still they are side by side, and still

Michael Schumacher will not healed, and why should he in that position.

He is having to get really defensive, and that is two moves.

The rules are clear that you can make one change of direction, and

you cannot move back. I am fully expecting to hear a radio message

soon. Sebastian Vettel comes into the pits at the beginning of lap 20

for soft tyres. He has been absolutely untroubled once he

managed to retake the lead after the fast starting Alonso. There was

no need to panic or rash or get anything wrong, because he has the

whole pit straight to himself. Webber was put out of the race

earlier by contact point. Again, bouncing off the limiter in 7th

gear. It is going to have to be a brave move that puts Lewis Hamilton

passed Michael Schumacher. How far is Jenson Button away? 3.8 seconds.

The F I A are aware. Stay with it. That is what we were expecting.

What do you think they will do about it? As I was saying, you are

only allowed one move, and it is a very clear rule. I can hear all

Schumacher's supporters saying that it was fair, but it is not at all.

You can make one defensive change of direction. There he is again

coming back across at the braking zone. They designed this rule for

the safety of the drivers and of the crowd. Yes, and I think he has

breached it, not so much there as earlier on. We have Senna and

Kobayashi side by side. I am pleased they didn't miss that.

Felipe Massa, and Lewis Hamilton has got the inside line. Will

Michael Schumacher yield anything here at all? I think Lewis knew he

was going to dive into his space, so he wasn't about to put his car

there. You have to say, the patience of a saint from Lewis

today. He did say he was going to keep an eye on finishing his

crockery. He hasn't managed to do so the last couple of years. --

that the one under the heading spoilsport? That is probably what

Michael Schumacher or is wondering. That is what Lewis Hamilton is

saying. It is a fair defence, or is it over the mark? Beyond reasonable

driving? Sebastian Vettel has the fastest lap in the ground Prix,

1:27. He is now 11. Second -- 11.7 slipstream. Will he try to sell him

a dummy? I don't think Michael but Michael won't give him the

outside. There are now side by side, and there is no where to go. He is

only too well aware of that. And a look at the inside. I sense a

little bitter frustration going on there now in that yellow helmet of

the McLaren driver. Here is the rule as it is written in the

and unaided. Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers such as more

than one change of direction to defend a position. Deliberate

crowding of a car beyond the Bench of the track are not permitted.

That has happened a few times. We had an radio message there from the

team principal telling Michael to leave him some space. You cannot

charge back across the track. You cannot fault Michael's positioning

of his car, it is just the way he is moving it about. As a driver

would you prefer a direct message? It was just a fairly generic hint.

They do not want him to get a drive through penalty. I always wanted my

engineer to give me very specific pieces of engineering. Because

there's a lot of action, a lot of noise in the car and sometimes it

is difficult to filter out the message that you get. Jensen Button

honing in now on Fernando Alonso. Lewis Hamilton on the limiter now.

They are of course only on a half tank of fuel. Lewis Hamilton is

being tentative. Schumacher or release seems to be struggling at

this stage with the performance of his car. He just does not have the

grip of the McLaren. If a McLaren comes up alongside you you just

cannot take the position back, he have to leave some room. So he did

understand that message! Lewis Hamilton it is losing one seconds

per lap. Jensen Button has just done his personal best of the race.

Jensen doing a great job closing in on Fernando Alonso. Jensen Button

once again coming alive in the second half of this race. He seems

to be finding grip in it wet conditions and he also seems to

like these low downforce places. Pastor Maldonado now slipping

backwards after that tremendous start. We have a fight between

Schumacher and Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton's tyres are going to wear

out quicker. RADIO: please make sure you leave room for the car

when you move and change direction. A coded message there that they are

doing something about this. I think that is a very clear statement

there. Michael it is now leaving a lot more space. Michael of course

will get as slipstream from the car in front. Lewis Hamilton is on the

limiter. Hunting down a feisty Michael Schumacher. He has the car

that is fastest on the straight line. We know Lewis Hamilton is

going to be massively frustrated. We both know Michael well, how do

you think he will receive that message? He is a smart cookie. He

has always pushed the boundaries during his career and he has got

away with it more often than not. I think he has done that this

afternoon that I do not think that a penalty is necessary. Maybe now

he has just broken the back of this race. A 4th or even a 5th place for

him would be a great result. when Jensen Button got his chance,

he took it straight away. We can see a replay now of Hamilton with

ever more speed. Has he taken that position? He has indeed. Michael

finally yielding to him. So a tremendous exit. And she mucker

realised finally that he had to leave that space. -- Schumacher.

Getting a great slipstream from Michael. Schumacher now in a

comfortable 5th place. And he did backed down a bit. I think he has

had enough of that particular fight! It is only a matter of time

before he loses that position to Lewis Hamilton. He is now thinking

of fending off Felipe Massa. A new battle to look for, Jensen Button

versus Fernando Alonso. This race often lasts only one hour and 20

minutes. Now we can see some different camera angles of Michael

going left to defend and then staying left. That was a clear

field. Yes I think Lewis Hamilton it was able to use his DRS more

effectively there. So less time on the limiter and in the end I think

Michael Schumacher could not defend. We know Mercedes have been

struggling a lot with the degradation of their tyres. It

costs you dearly around this track if you do not exaggerate quickly

enough. Jensen Button has lost a little bit of momentum. A little

bit slower than Fernando Alonso on this part of the track. Presumably

he is going to be buzzing on the limiter just like his team-mate

will stomp --. Keeping an eye on Lewis Hamilton's time. He has just

done the fastest middle sector of the entire Grand Prix. Now Hamilton

can do something about closing that eight. Five-second gap. I'm down in

the Red Bull garage. It is feeling relaxed that Sebastian Vettel has

this cushion. Disappointed of course that Mark Webber is out of

the race. And the next stop will come in about five or six laps time.

The tyres are holding up a lot better than they thought. Ferrari

are going to hold out as long as they cannot on the soft tyres. --

as they can. Fernando Alonso in its second place.

As Sebastian Vettel does a new fastest lap of the race. Alonso has

more the problem of Jensen Button closing in. We have 17 miners at

the moment out on the race track. We have lost Kobayashi, Mark Webber,

Vitali Petrov. On board with the Toro Rosso as they go up to the

Force India of Paul di Resta oeuvre. And that was sadly very easy indeed.

Different tiers of course on those two cars. Paul di Resta has a fight

on his hands to stay in the points. Michael Schumacher is now just the

fastest first sector of the Grand Prix. He was sober aggressive

against Lewis Hamilton but it seems to have switched around. Schumacher

is actually only two seconds behind Lewis Hamilton will stop he is

hanging on quite nicely. Keeping the gap back to Felipe Massa. So it

is working for him as well. Sebastian Vettel, changes his

helmet every race. Choosing to run wide through the exit. The man with

259 points. Mark Webber, out of the Grand Prix. You would have to say

that Sebastian Vettel pretty much has two hands on that trophy now.

Jensen Button falling back a little bit from Fernando Alonso. It was a

one-second gap. Now down to 1.6. Mark Webber has been talking to our

own Lee Mackenzie. Bad luck. Just talk us through that moves. I got a

good run down the straight. Trying to get around the outside and

Felipe Massa it was starting to come across. I did not know if he

was going to come that far across. And when I got towards the second

term I started to belt out of the move. But those curves are so high

it just launched the carp and I made contact with him. Then I tried

to get back to the pits. I knew that there was some damage but I

did not know that the front wing was jammed under the front of the

car. Invaluable points lost today. For bit of a dent junior

Championship aspirations. What are you aiming for now? I think we are

all battling for second place now. Sebastian Vettel needs to have an

incredibly disappointing end to this season and for anyone to take

the Championship from them at this stage. A missed opportunity for me

but I will come back in its Nearly a missed opportunity for

Nearly a missed opportunity for Barrichello to get into the pits

there. And that will have cost Jenson Button and his gap to

Fernando Alonso. Ted has got some news as we just watched Massa.

Breathing space, David. You are absolutely right, and that is what

Ferrari are concerned about. I just went in there to ask how Alonso's

race is going, and they are worried about whether he is going to keep

his place on the podium, so they can see that the McLaren's are

gaining on him. Alonso comes into the pit. Yellow flags out as they

clear. A good pit-stop again for Ferrari as we now await Lewis

Hamilton into his human garage. The car is boiling hot, the brakes at

nearly 1,000 Celsius, the engine at over 125 centigrade. He is now

again and behind Barrichello. A fresh set of tyres. Will that get

into the end of the Grand Prix? should do. So we are not expecting

any more pit stops at the front of the field. He is actually even

closer to Alonso then he was before the pit stop. They are both on the

Prime hard Tyre, so everything that went to before. They have also got

less fuel. And the team are ready to welcome Sebastien Vettel. No

pressure during this stop. There are really getting that fine-tuned

now towards the end of the season. They are coming out of Ascari as

Vettel is coming out of the pit lane. Ferrari historically this

year have not been giving as hard a tyre. Mark Webber is reflecting on

what might have been. Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, tickling it

-- typically not as good on the harder tyres. You fancy, then, that

Jenson Button has got a very good chance of taking second place at

this stage. If past performance is any bearing on future success, yes.

Well Fernando come back at him? Surely an error there from Alonso?

He has got no traction, it seems to me. Very poor traction on this

harder compound tyre, which they always say really hurts Ferrari.

But it is very soft rubber compared to what we used to run. They appear

to have issued heating their tyres, and we are seeing it played out

there. Jenson Button takes advantage of the slipstream of the

Lotus years lapping. -- he is lapping. 12 the position at the

moment, and that could be the best result for Lotus this year.

tyres come out of the blankets at 100 degrees. Michael Schumacher

presumably does have to stop again to put a harder tyres on. Button is

15.6 seconds off the lead. How do you start putting red bull under

pressure? You say the tyres come out of the blankets at 100 degrees,

but it is a bit like wearing a pair of jeans. He have got to get them

on the track, stretch the tyre, move the side wall. Lean against

them under braking, before they really give you the performance.

do think that is a great analogy. I know exactly what you mean.

Schumacher here in second place at the moment, a bit out of kilter

with his tyres, he has to come in again and put the Prime tyres on.

There have been plenty of different strategies. But we are certain

Michael has to pick a game, and here he comes, out of second place.

It should put him somewhere very close to Hamilton again, actually.

And there is a big gap back to Schumacher from there. -- back to

Alguersuari from there. It wouldn't have been a big step by Mercedes to

put them side-by-side Again. Hamilton over break himself! He was

so excited to still be in front of Michael Schumacher. So how has this

all shaken out? Sebastien Vettel leads by 15.6 seconds from Jenson

Button, about a second ahead of Alonso in third. Masseur is up to

4th, do arrested just outside the top 10. Maldonado has pitted in

on the set of hard tyres from the start, and the team think he could

have been on for 7th or 8th, so a shame for him. The cyber team

looked very good on Friday. -- the Sauber team. Alonso is definitely

holding on to Button better than we thought he might. Maybe those tyres

are now coming to him. You can see some debris from earlier on in the

race, you don't want to run over that and cut your tyres. If the

race finished now, Sebastian Vettel would have pay 112 point lead. And

it is a different person who keeps finishing well behind him in terms

of those pursuing him, and he wins each one. So he has built up a full

league. Felipe Massa there is behind him, but has only pitted

once. How did you read that with Mark Webber? I think that Felipe

Massa were left in plenty of space on the way into the chicane. I

think I would have had the tendency to just try to cut to the left. I

think Mark just didn't expect it, and by the time he made the

decision to try to stay on the track, he just got launched into

the back of Felipe Massa's car. didn't play out as he expected. You

have to keep your guard and hope be the seventh consecutive race

that a driver who drops out in the early part of qualifying ends up

scoring championship points? He has locked up the rear axle. He is 17

seconds behind Alguersuari. Bruno Senna up into 9th place. He is

lapping slightly faster than Maldonado. Still plenty of action

to come. Sebastian Vettel is just handling him, every time Jenson

Button does a fast lap, Sebastian Vettel El response in the lead to

keep the lead. -- responds in the At the moment, the fastest is

1:26.09. That is with KERS, with DRS and with Pirelli tyres. So they

are going a lot slower this year engineers are saying these are very

soft tyres. That is a very clean pass there. Buemi has pitted from

8th, Senna from 9th. He had that damaged wing earlier on, and it is

the soft tyres that have gone on for Senna. I think we are going to

see a very good fight the seventh, 8th, 9th, 10th and possibly even

11th. Maldonado, Barrichello is a long way behind in 12th. Ricardo

his 16th. Some 14 laps behind the leader, but still running his

Daniel Ricciardo. A three-second stop for Ferrari again. 2.9 is the

quickest we have seen. Felipe Massa wants to use both compounds of

tyres. He always seems to be on for a good result, but then something

weird happens or he gets himself into a bit of a mischief. That is

what happens when you are not at the front of the field. Sebastian

Vettel leads by 15.8 seconds over Jenson Button. Fernando Alonso his

third, and he is 7.5 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton in 4th. It is a

tall order for Lewis to make that up. Sadly for him. He is the

fastest man on the track without this bit of traffic, but he needs

to find his way through. Sebastian Vettel has not been troubled since

he retook the lead after Alonso's start. After that, it was really

about who could negotiate Michael Schumacher, and particularly the

incredible fight between him and Lewis Hamilton that was tough

racing in the extreme, no doubt about that. No contact, as it

happens. Jenson Button cruised up in the melee and made his way past

both of them, and that has made the difference for him. That gave him

the chance to take Alonso in that tyre stop phase, and he is

comfortably ahead of Hamilton. He didn't drop behind Schumacher again

at the next stop. That was a pivotal lap or two. That is what

has got him up in a comfortable second place. Another great weekend

for Jenson Button. He is a little behind in qualifying, but it hasn't

made much of the difference as to who was on pole position. He looked

like he was struggling in the early stages of the race, but I suspect

he was just keeping his tyres under control, watching the fight in

front. You just want to try to keep back in case they get into an

incident. He is once again showing, we had the conversation before who

is the team leader in Maclaren, and Jenson Button said, I am. Hamilton

now has closed the gap to Alonso down to 3.9 seconds. Apparently is

in need of some encouragement. I just asked their man in the garage

what the plan is now, and he said the plan is to catch Alonso and

passed him, we have to encourage him and tell him that he can do it

on the radio. After the day that Hamilton has had, apparently he

just needs a little pick me up on when he leaves the car about the

wheel to wheel action. If you look at Mark Webber, passing on the

outside, there is more wheel-to- wheel action. More than I can

remember for a long time. The cars are pretty equal. They know they

cannot waste a moment. It has made for some incredible race in.

what is also interesting, the engineers are really getting to

show their decision-making capabilities, with strategy. Who

went with short ratios? Mercedes arguably had nothing to lose. They

went along and that allows you to Michael Schumacher to do than that

position. It would be easy for McLaren to reflect on this and say

that they left the ratios too short. It is all about optimising the

package. Buemi, too hot into the chicane. Bruno Senna had a better

exit. But Sebastien Buemi has the turning point. Sensitively

realising that he should spin the rear tyres. He almost lost his nose.

Surprising how slow the Torro Rosso was. That could be strategy from

Sebastien Buemi. Slowing him down before he gets into the second DRS

zone. Soft against hard. It has worked well for Buemi. He has

broken the zone. Samad, not only has a different car, but he should

be eight tenths quicker. -- Bruno Senna. Let us to a run-through of

these final moments of the Italian eight laps to go. We can catch di

Resta as well. Sebastien Buemi is one second a lap slower than the

rest of. It looks like it would be quite a bit faster. Especially on

those tyres. He might be within the one seconds on. Tardy coming out of

the second chicane. He is not going to be in a position to pass the

Slapper. He has to take advantage of the different tyres. This is

important for Bruno Senna's future. They need to see, if he gets too

much on the kerb, he needs to show that team that he is a potential

team leader. Perez, who dropped out with transmission problems. Still

16 runners of the 24 starters. Ricciardo, running 16th. The gap

between Hamilton and Alonso, 5.2. Will Bruno Senna run out of laps?

If he can clear this Torro Rosso, he has a run at Paul di Resta. Paul

di Resta, doing a tremendous job. He scored again in Germany. Can he

do again -- can he do the same again for Force India today? Over-

ambitious towards the first corner moment. But in his lapping him. --

he has won. Sebastian Vettel has matching him punch for punch, but

Alonso has no answer. In the background there, Hamilton coming

off others worry. -- Alguersuari. Bruno Senna opening. Does he have

the revs and the pace? He goes inside and stays inside. As long as

he can keep him on the racetrack. He has better traction on the

chicane. His next target is Paul di Resta. 4.3 seconds down. Bruno

Senna has a chance. I am surprised that Sebastien Buemi was so

compliant. He is racing. Bruno Senna, he gets his tyres dirty. But

Sebastien Buemi really lost a lot by lifting out on that straight.

think I would have been a miserable so-and-so and held Jenson Button up.

If he wants to catch di Resta, that is what he is going to have to do.

Sebastien Buemi kind of half defended it. Sebastian Vettel, the

race leader. Hamilton still catching. This is the venue where

Sebastian Vettel won his first Grand Prix. An incredible drive for

the Torro Rosso team, who were not really in a position. But using a

lot of Red Bull technology at the time. It was a Ferrari engine in

the back of it. Wet conditions for qualifying and the race. A little

bit like when Ayrton Senna won his first Grand Prix in Estoril and

signalled to the world. "I am here." He might be thanking Michael

Schumacher for making them work extra hard today. There is an event

at the end of the season called race the champions and they are

paired off together as teen Germany. Annoyingly, they have won it for

the last few seasons as team Germany.

I do not think he has opened his DRS all day, Sebastian Vettel.

Great overtaken the beginning of the race, Paul di Resta. RADIO:

Bruno Senna has passed Sebastien Buemi. We need to push, Paul, but

we should be safe. He has a 5.5 second advantage. Lewis Hamilton is

pursuing. We must not forget that Lewis Hamilton was sleepy on the

restart, which allowed Michael past him. I would be interested to know

whether he did not realise the safety car was coming in, or

something else. They had many settings they need to change on the

steering wheel when they are running behind the safety car. They

will have all sorts of different things to adjust. Maybe he was

looking at his steering wheel and then we had the two front runners,

Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, and he was caught slipping.

Could this be the first Renault engine victory since Johnny Herbert

won in 1995? Very strong here with Ferrari and McLaren. I was just

wondering that. You had a Mercedes engine when you won? Yes. Lot of

traffic. Hamilton trying to fight his way through. Buemi ahead of

them. Between him and his target of a podium. Bruno Senna, closing.

Paul di Resta was faster than Bruno Senna on the previous match. --

previous lap. Alguersuari, not catching and seven. -- in seven.

The main fight his Hamilton catching Alonso, that is the real

story as we home in on the last three laps. It has been, I think,

very interesting Italian Grand Prix. He was caught out completely by

that closing speed and locked up his front axle. Sebastien Buemi

news over and says, there you go. That is a little strange. It caught

Hamilton out. Deals Lewis Hamilton, his hand would have been out the

window, waving and being annoyed, but he does not get distracted by

that any more. -- the old Lewis Hamilton. His only Focus's Fernando

Alonso. I have just popped into Mercedes and they say that Michael

is very happy in the car. They say that Michael is taking it to the

flak. We saw the championship graphic. Kovalainen and 13th, that

is good for Team Lotus. They are top 10 in the can structures

championship. -- Constructors' Championship. If it finishes as it

is, Sebastian Vettel will be 112 points ahead of Alonso, which will

be short of the 125 points that he would need. He will have to go to

Japan or career to win the championship. -- Korea. Let us hope

he does not win it too quickly to keep the championship alive. We

have six more runs out her -- after this race finishes. Some tremendous

racetracks to finish the end of the year. Singapore, Japan, Korea,

India, Abu Dhabi, and then finishing up in Brazil. We are then

on the bottom of rap -- penultimate lap of the Grand Prix. Hamilton as

a clear picture of his target. The gear box of that Ferrari of

Fernando Alonso. Struggling to stay within the confines of the corner.

Hamilton is three-tenths up on the middle sector. Hamilton, six tenths

on this latter alone. He is going to be with him right at the end of

the Grand Prix. Alonso coming upon traffic, giving him the chance to

get into the one second zone and uses the arrests. -- used his a DRS.

Look at that, he is tantalisingly close and he will not get the DRS

that time. It is not available. The only DRS that is any good to him is

the exit of the Ascari. 1:26.18. The DRS does not kick in until the

race is effectively over. Hamilton, tantalisingly close to the back of

the Ferrari. Bruno Senna ahead. Di Resta, he has caught him at a

massive rate. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel was going through the Ascari

chicane. Towards the end of the Grand Prix. Alguersuari in front of

them for traffic. Look how close Hamilton is. He has the DRS as they

head down towards the edge Gary G Cain. -- Ascari chicane. Alonso was

really fighting. Hamilton... Sebastian Vettel crosses the line

for his 18th Grand Prix victory. Absolutely untroubled here at Monza.

Jenson Button will finish second. That will be happening any time now.

No chance for Hamilton. The finish line is very soon after the exit of

this corner. Alonso on the podium. Lewis Hamilton and forth.

Alguersuari, di Resta, and Bruno Samad, there battle is over. --

Bruno Senna. One Red Bull on a home. That is the first time a Red Bull

has not finished in the Points since Korea last year. They have

not had two cars in the top five all season. RADIO: Fantastic,

Sebastian, you have won the Italian Grand Prix. Yes! We did it! Nobody

can believe that we would still be that Sebastien best -- Sebastian

Vettel, bottom and Alonso had shared the podium. He will be

feeling pretty good with that 7th place, but anybody who doubted that

Sebastian Vettel could raise wheel to wheel, you have got to give it

to him today. He was phenomenal on his pass, and he just drove away at

the front. No sign of any complaints from the officials about

Michael Schumacher's driving, so clearly his subsequent actions on

the team's instructions headed that off. I think it was just this side

of the line. It was well worth giving his driver a reminder. But

no reason for them to be outside best result of the season for locus

-- Lotus. Daniel Ricciardo did cross the line, but is not a

classified finisher be behind. A Adrian Sutil and Mark Webber,

d'Ambrosio, Petrov Rosberg, all caught up in the first corner

incident. In third place, we just saw a great crowd shot there. How

will they be feeling? Getting out of this place is a nightmare for

everybody. Alonso led into the first corner, but only made it into

there line on third. They have had a great day's entertainment. They

know Ferrari will not win the championship this year. They had

the adrenalin rush at the beginning of the race, but no great surprise

that this man is the winner once again. The organised chaos that is

getting out of Monza, it will contain plenty of smiles. It is the

31st podium for Vettel in 75 starts. 18th victory. You have got to start

considering this young man and now on the same level as Ayrton Senna

or Michael Schumacher, surely. answer locally. Are we witnessing

one of the true greats, the legends of the sport? Are always difficult

to judge when it is so early in the career. But his results are

remarkable. He has proven today that he is a racer, fighting for

the victory when he doesn't have to take such risks. He has speed, and

great humility. He has a wonderful champion. We need a cross-eyed the

G on his back - Red Bull gives you with his speed. We could consider

him away if sue macro, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, all the

Not many double winners of the Italian Grand Prix, but he has got

that already. And he is such a lovely bloke, a really

straightforward lad. The whole family, we saw Papa Vitale their on

the screen before hand. Sometimes we can hear some titbits of how

they felt it went. They don't know what happened to the other drivers.

It amazes me how much they do know, their perception of what was going

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

before he puts it on. Attention to red ball representative. Nice from

Sebastian Vettel to Alonso, saying, you had me on a great start. The

best podium of the year. The and that is why they call him Teflon,

everyone just bounces straight off him. For the second time, Sebastien

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

Vettel on the top step here in Why do you think he is looking so

emotional on this particular victory? It is where he had his

first Grand Prix winner, a lot of history on this track. Close to

tears there. He hoists the trophy aloft. He is unbeatable. And

something you said earlier on, I have never subscribed to this

concept that he is fast but only from the front. He is good at any

place in the field. And the prize there for the constructor. It is

Jenson Button on his 38th visit to the podium. He knows what it feels

like up there. And once again, the best placed McLaren driver, and he

is enjoying it so much, he put the trophy back up again! One of the

best podiums in Formula One. Being a Ferrari driver, you are already a

winner. Look at that celebration, a great moment. I love that image

here in Monza. More grand prix tracks, please get the fans below

the podium. And they love Fernando Alonso, despite finishing only

third today, and they love him. Yet again, a brilliant and faultless

performance, Sebastian Vettel wins the Grand Prix. Next time out where

in Singapore, but meanwhile, we have a celebration going on here in

Monza. Judging by the sound of the crowd, you would have thought that

Fernando Alonso had just one that, but it is Sebastian Vettel, three

years to the day since he picked up his first winner in Grand Prix. He

can't be crowned champion when we had to Singapore in two weeks'. It

has been a very special weekend all round for that young man. Yes, and

I think the reason he is emotional, at the beginning of the season he

would never have put this down as a possible winner. He wouldn't even

have done that last week for two weeks ago. I think the team have

got this car on a new level, and the rest of the teams need to watch

out. And surely that is the greatest podium position in Formula

One. People have said that Sebastian Vettel can't overtake, he

can't race. But I think he has proved that when he needs to, he

can. I don't know where we kick- start these people into, but look

have been the end of his race, just like Webber. This is bravery at its

extreme, and it is fantastic to watch. We spoke before the race

about how the car was set up, and we knew he didn't have a top speed

advantage, and if he was stuck in traffic, he would not have had the

advantage. We are all clutching at straws here, because I think he

does have the speed advantage. Look at how he pulled away. Look at how

many laps Lewis Hamilton spent behind Alonso, Schumacher,

everybody. There is no hiccup in this red bull calf. I cannot see

anyone touching him for the remainder of the season. This man

is just dominating Formula One at the moment. It is hard when someone

is in the middle of their career to ask whether we are seeing a legend

being born. How good you think he is? You have to look at the DNA.

His junior racing was exemplary. You then see him coming across in a

car that has not a hope of winning a race, he did that three years ago

with Toro Rosso. Andy has gone on to prove to us each and every time

that he is about to emerge. Michael Schumacher needs to go in his

rocking chair in time to come and say, good God, there is that

Sebastian Vettel, and years now the ninth world champion shop -- he has

now won at nine world championships, and everybody thought my seven

couldn't be beaten. Well, he looks a long way from the rocking chair

at the moment. The home fans have had a fair bit to cheer about, they

had a man on the podium, and a great start from Fernando Alonso.

This was bravery at its extreme. Lewis doesn't know which way to go.

The one thing he doesn't want is a repeat performance with Kobayashi