The Chinese Grand Prix Formula 1

Fabulous stuff. It is pouring down.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 46 seconds

anything to go by, we could be set for a cracker. 2011 was incredible

and the way the cars are lining up points to the fact that this could

be a spectacular Grand Prix. This is the way that the calendar looks

for 2012. The big story this weekend has been the fact that on

the 22nd April, we are due to race cars in Bahrain. It is an ever

changing situation, but the FIA said that race goes ahead. Let's

look at standings ahead of the third Grand Prix. Alonso, despite a

struggling car, was leading. Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button close on

his tail. And look at Mark Webber sitting fourth ahead of Sebastian

Vettel. McLaren have set the early pace and

extended their lead in the last race. Three teams have yet to score.

The three newest teams in Formula One.

Right, time to show you what happened in qualifying followed by

looking for his fourth poll position, but he was left looking

for answers after going out in Q2 for the first time since Brazil

2009. Ferrari may have won the last Grand Prix, but they knew this

weekend would be tough. Felipe Massa was another Q2 casualty.

Still delighted after Sunday in Malaysia, Sauber were given more

reasons to celebrate. Hamilton knew before qualifying

that he would have to take a penalty for a gearbox change. He

dropped back into seventh and his team-mate will start fifth.

No one expected a stunning time from Nico Rosberg. Michael

Schumacher put his car third and was surprised when he spoke to his

engineer on team radio. TEAM RADIO: OK Michael, Nico's lap

time 35.1. Lewis Hamilton's penalty. Kobayashi

moves up to third. Jenson Button starts fifth and Webber moves up to

sixth. Hamilton starts seventh. Alonso is ninth with Vettel behind

him and Felipe Massa in twelfth. Williams are on the seventh row and

Torro Rosso is on the ninth and Vergne starts from the pit lane.

the grid here in China, but they have been beaten to poll position

by a man who has yet to win a race in 110 attempts.

After the changeable conditions of Malaysia, the key factor today is

likely to be just how warm or cool the track is going to be. The 3.4

mile circuit with its long, long straight, 1.1 kilometres long and

speeds approaching 200mph at the end of sector three, but some

twiddling sections to deal with. Mercedes working brilliantly in

qualifying, but there is a question mark as to whether the Mercedes car

will be as fast in race conditions. We will see lots of overtarks but

we will see a great race, I think. Now we are starting the build-up.

For Rosberg this is where the nerves begin to show.

Apologies if I'm repeating anything you said, Ben. It took me a long

time to get up to the commentary box. It is ten years since he had a

poll position and what he will need to be watching out for is when he

comes around and sits on in the poll position position it can be up

to a minute until the last year, it will be the HRT car that will be

starting at the pit lane. You have got to make sure you don't arrive

with too much temperature. A few procedures they will have to work

with. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher

lead them around. Gar Gary is our man in the pits. Gary, what are we

thinking of in terms of strategy today? My prediction is a three

stop. But you could do four. If you did a two, the tyres would be so

used, and minute with a three could catch you quickly. It looks the

same as last year. There are cars getting trouble to getting the

softer tyre to work. It is not just about how many stops, it is it is

about how quickly you can you can get the car up to temperature and

make sure you reach the decisions when the cars are suffering tyre

problems. The teams will be reacting as

quickly as possible to the problems. Mercedes have scored one solitary

point this season. They want to improve on that. The tyres we're

using this weekend are the soft, the tell yo banded tyre and the

medium tyre with the white writing on the side wall. The Inter

meadates and the wets, but it doesn't look like there will be

rain. The key thing as I was mentioning David, is the track

temperature. It is 24 degrees. If it drops away, some teams could

struggle. As we heard from Jenson on the grid, the Pirelli tyre is

sensitive to changes. Normally in the past you would notice if if you

had a five or ten degree difference. A number of people are saying this

could be a classic Grand Prix. Not only have we a number of cars

showing great pace. Who will get the tyres working? Who will have

the right temperature of the track? As we get that wonderful shot there

of what the drivers' view is like. They will be trying to get the rear

tyres nice and warm. Look at Nico.

He is keeping it slow on to the start/finish straight. China is a

huge market for Mercedes, it is their thard largest -- third

largest market after Germany and the USA. Cars produced in China and

now they have got to convert the two front row positions into

descent points this afternoon which has not been the the case this year.

Behind the two Mercedes you have Kobayashi and Kimi Raikkonen.

Jenson Button starts on the right- hand side as you look at it on the

third row of the grid and Lewis Hamilton behind him. They have got

Mark Webber on the sore side to watch out for. Fernando Alonso is

starting in ninth place in the Ferrari. And the rest of the cars

now moving into position. Start procedure is underway! Lights

out! Away we go go! Rosberg gets off the line beautifully well.

Schumacher is slower away. And catch Kimi Raikkonen. Kimi

Raikkonen is trying to go up to third. Jenson Button is trying to

go around the the outside. Jenson Button gets past Kimi Raikkonen.

Hamilton trying to follow through. Kobayashi had a poor get away and

he has got his team-mate not far behind.

Looking further down the grid, it looks like Sebastian Vettel dropped

grid positions in that scramble, but unlike in the previous two

years where we have seen the poll man lose his place in the run into

the first corner, that was a perfect start for Nico Rosberg.

Kobayashi and Perez fighting for position and Perez got past

Kobayashi. Yes, he has. Mark Webber has got - Alonso passed him. Alonso

charging. He has to make the post of this first lap. Rosberg leads.

Schumacher second. Hamilton fifth. Perez is sixth. He has come up

really well, Perez, from eighth place.

The end of the second sector. We have got Sebastian Vettel who not

only had a terrible qualifying, he a terrible start and he is down to

15th. Really struggling. Alonso Trying to

get past Mark Webber as they fight their way down this long straight.

Mark Webber and Alonso look at them side by side and Alonso retakes the

pace from Mark Webber. Felipe Massa is behind them as well. As they

they head through and they are up to the left-hander Alonso versus

Mark Webber and a crucial stage of the Grand Prix. Mark Webber needs

to be ahead of that Ferrari. Rosberg leads from Schumacher. They

have a gap of 1.3 seconds over Jenson Button. There is a move move

which doesn't come off. Vettel had passed him. He is up

into 14th. Looking at the front running order, Michael Schumacher

is 0.7 behind Rosberg. The reason the second lap we will get DRA

one second window to his team-mate, Michael Schumacher.

Grow Grosjean has not had any mishaps. Vettel is 14th. Kovalainen

and Nico Hulkenberg is 17th. Glock is in 18th. Take a look at the

start. Michael Schumacher Made a

reasonable start relative to the other cars, but that Mercedes must

have been hooked up. Everything, RPM, everything sorted. You can see

Sebastian Vettel was getting bunched in.

Yeah and Massa got contact from one of the Williams. We will keep an

eye on that. At the back of the grid, Grosjean

was close to come nothing the back of the Ferrari of Alonso. He has

only done four racing laps. Give him a couple of laps and he will be

a journey into the unknown. You have Senna fantastic start. Oh he

runs into the back of the Ferrari and he has front wing damage.

But he is in 12th place, Senna. How did the start for Lewis

Hamilton go? He deployed the KERS. That was tarred tarredy of Perez,

leaving the door open. That was Kobayashi. It allows Lewis

Hamilton to run the inside line. Kobayashi was slow away. Kovalainen

is running in 16th place and he had a good run going.

Yeah, there was bunching up as they went through the first corner. Here

we have it from Kobayashi's position. It looked like it was a

similar start to Michael Schumacher but he got swafrd as he lost --

swamped as he lost the momentum of the others. Look at how small the

mirrors are on the car. There is a blend spot in these cars. Hamilton

was going around the outside. Sensible stuff from Kobayashi. He

managed to stay out of trouble, but he did end up losing a place on

that the first first lap to Perez who runs in sixth. The DRS has been

enabled. We are on lap three out of 56 and Rosberg leads.

David, this Sauber seems as effective in the dry, doesn't it?

This car has shown good tyre wear. We talked about the track

temperature not being high, but we have the mac Clarence trying to eek

more out of the tyres at this stage. The cars are heavy with fuel and

they have gone off the grid with 130 kilos of weight. It is like

they have taken on a couple of passengers. The Sauber drivers have

the confidence to push and lean on the tyre and as we get into the end

of the fourth lap of Grand Prix racing, we we can expect the first

pit stops to be around lap ten to 1.6 seconds ahead of Michael

Schumacher. Jenson Button is 1.6 further back. I RADIO: Keep pushing,

we need to get through Felipe Massa. That is interesting, the team have

had they'd look at the data. The bit of damage that we saw from the

front wing of Bruno Senna or does not seem to be hurting him, he is

still in 12th place. He is being chased by Paul di Resta. Bruno

Senna, one second behind Romain Grosjean. That damage does not seem

to be affecting him. Nico Rosberg has the advantage over Michael

Schumacher. Jenson Button are in third, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis

Hamilton, world champions, running together. They are being led by

Nico Rosberg. Nico Rosberg led... RADIO: Which are in a good position

now. Let's try to pull away from the Lotus. I am sure he can have

worked that out himself! Some comforting words. Nico Rosberg led

the Grand Prix last year, and Mercedes did not have enough petrol

in the car. That saw him drop down the order. He is a Shanghai

specialist. He has opened the gap to two seconds. There was some talk

before the race, would Mercedes and strategically? Would Michael

Schumacher try to back up the pack, allowing Nico Rosberg to open a

gap? They are harder on the tyres than the cars around them. We will

have to wait and see. Felipe Massa, 10th, there is Bruno Senna. Paul di

Resta, 38. Sebastian Vettel, 14th, not making any progress at the

moment. Then, Pastor Maldonado. Then, Heikki Kovalainen, Nico

Hulkenberg, and Daniel Ricciardo. Jean-Eric Vergne has moved up to

20th place. This is Sebastian Vettel, down in 14th position after

the miserable first lap. He is trying to get past Paul di Resta.

Watch the data on the dashboard. Seventh gear. He will hold back for

a long way. You can see the speed of the Force India in front of them.

Presuming Paul di Resta used his DRS... It is going to be a long

afternoon if he is not able to get into the slipstream and use the DRS

to pull the pass on the Force India. Clearly, the Red Bull is faster,

but he is running in the dirty air, so he loses downforce, and the car

slides more. It takes away tyre wear. RADIO: I cannot get passed on

the straights. Undisturbed. -- understood. A bitter frustration

coming through in his voice. He did not have expected to be in this

position. The straight-line the figures, traditionally, quite low.

The only cars that were behind them yesterday in qualifying at, HRT and

Marussia. It was not age huge margin to the other cars, but when

you do go down the field, it is hard to overtake. All of last year,

they were regularly in the bottom half of the speed, and they worked

with the FIA to see if Renault could get an upgrade to their

frozen speck of engine, because at the point at which it was frozen,

it did not allow the engine to be powerful. When you are running in

clean air, you want to exploit the downforce, so it is not the problem,

but when you are racing, you have a difficulty. That would make me

nervous, given Romain Grosjean on's record! He has made it to the

seventh lap, he has almost doubled his laps! RADIO: How is it? I do

not know what is wrong. Nico Hulkenberg struggling. That is a

very early pit-stop. Let's get some reaction. What do you reckon?

Webber is on Bahadur tyre. -- on the hard of tyre. He wants to get

one of the stops don't know, so hopefully, he can overtake a few of

them. It is a gamble, but you have got to do something. Will we see

something similar from Sebastian Vettel? I would not be surprised.

He is struggling for straight-line speed. I would not be surprised, he

is to cut traffic, so he might as well. Up front, no change. Nico

Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, first and second. Then, Jenson

Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button for -- Lewis Hamilton. He

has got a useful margin over his team-mate as he comes to the end of

the straight. We saw a lot of break blocking in the colder temperatures

on Friday. Now, 150 kilos of fuel, three times the size of an average

family car. It is a massive emote. They have to be careful not to lock

the tyres. Yes, his huge amount of mass that you are trying to slow

down when you get on the brakes. They are running several seconds a

lap slower than qualifying. They are trying to be gentle with the

tyres, they suffer from thermal degradation, and you do not want to

take them just beyond their operating window, otherwise they

will fall off the cliff in terms of performance art. It is interesting

that Mark Webber has gone for Bahadur tyre, which will be slow,

and it will give some interesting information for the other teams if

they are looking to see what sort of lap time he can get. They are

getting a perfect run from Mark Webber. Unsurprising Glick, he has

gone quickest in the first sector, he is running in clean air, in 20th

place. Kimi Raikkonen, another formal world champion, returning to

the sport this year. Fourth place at the moment. He set the fastest

lap at the end of the Malaysia race. He was disappointed in qualifying

yesterday. He finished fourth. But in Malaysia, he thought he could

have challenged for pole position. When he saw Nico Rosberg, he

realised there was no way. We thought Nico Rosberg was

exceptional, but he is doing the Lapps, one after the other at the

moment. He has a 3.5 second lead over Michael Schumacher. Sergio

Perez is part of the group challenging for second place. As

his Kamui Kobayashi and Fernando Alonso. Then, Felipe Massa. Bruno

Senna, 11th position. Still not coming into the pits, Sebastian

Vettel. He is deciding to stay out. RADIO: Similar lap times to

Fernando Alonso. Mark Webber has already pitted. A lot of

information going to Felipe Massa. He started the race on the heart of

the two compounds, perhaps that explains why he is happy to stay in

front of Romain Grosjean. He has already done the -- he has already

done double the number of laps he managed in the first two Grand Prix.

This, he will be happy to see that! He will be happy to see 56 at the

end! Interestingly, Michael Schumacher is 0.6 seconds slower

than his team-mate, but he is not looking like he is holding up

Jenson Button. Jenson Button is there, but he is not looking like

he is being held up. I do not think it is a strategic play from

Mercedes. Let's keep an eye on that. Definitely. We will see which of

the south because will head into the pits. They are preparing. --

which of the Sauber cars. It is Kamui Kobayashi. Also, another

change. Presumably, Sebastian Vettel. Yes. The tricky pit-lane

entry which caught out Lewis Hamilton when he had no grip in

2007. Sebastian Vettel stops cleanly in his box. They get ready

to send him on his way. Force India, Nico Hulkenberg. Kamui Kobayashi

has already headed off. Sebastian Vettel hoping that this early pit-

stop will help them. He comes out into some traffic, he is on to the

harder compound. As did his team- mate, Mark Webber. Perhaps what

they have learned from Mark Webber is sufficient. Nico Hulkenberg has

a new nose. A bit of damage, we knew he had problems on the first

lap. Jenson Button is not really keeping with Michael Schumacher. He

is being hounded by Kimi Raikkonen. Sergio Perez is still on the softer

tyre. The same as most of the front runners. This is the battle for

second place. A number of different drivers and different cars, that is

what is making Formula One so exciting. The DRS zone was clearly

marked, but it is not having an effect in the racing. We saw more

than 60 passes on the track last year. DRS accounted for half of

those. So far, there is not as much marbling. Lewis Hamilton is going

into the pits. Everybody reacting to Mark Webber having stopped on

the hard tyre. He is the fastest man on the track. That is giving an

indication to everybody. The soft tyre again. That is what we

expected, Lab 11. It was the Battle of the pit crews! Letters were not

as good as McLaren. -- notice. is a place gained by McLaren. They

changed their the AA jackets, and have they come out with Mark

Webber? Yes, Kimi Raikkonen might have lost the place to Mark Webber

as well. A fraction of a second lost in the pits, and Kimi

Raikkonen has lost two places. It is a tricky place to try to

overtake! He gets squeezed out, Mark Webber gets the place. That

was great stuff. Mark Webber defended nicely. Kimi Raikkonen

would have used his KERS is strategically. That was great

racing. Two very experienced drivers. Mark Webber led his car

ran out onto the line. RADIO: This is the option tyre. He is on the

softer compound. They had a problem with it the real Jack last time in

Malaysia, McLaren lost a lot of time on the pit stops. It has meant

another designer of the jack. There was nothing wrong with that pit-

stop, and it benefited then hugely. It got them ahead of Kimi Raikkonen

and Mark Webber. Lewis Hamilton's pit stop going according to plan.

They are closing on Heikki Kovalainen in 13th. Kimi Raikkonen

try to get past the Toro Rosso. Kamui Kobayashi in the next as well.

Jean-Eric Vergne is in the Toro Rosso. We have got a few more pit

visitors. Jenson Button leaves the pits, ahead of Lewis Hamilton. That

is Kamui Kobayashi, part of the group. This was the battle between

Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton. It is all fair, the pit lane is

part of the racetrack. They will be running with their limiters. It was

all over for Kimi Raikkonen when he was dropped from his pit box. That

was great work from McLaren. What is interesting, we have been

talking about Mercedes not being able to make the tyres last. They

still have not stopped! It is so confusing, this year, to make head

nor tail of the tyres. They are under tyres they qualified on

have been able to go this way? have been working hard on that and

23 you look at Rosberg's time, they are in the mid-40s. The car should

go faster because of the fuel usage, but it is not. There is Michael

Schumacher just as we speak now. Michael was doing a good good job

of making sure that Rosberg got a window.

That's the gap opened up. He has gone for the harder of the two

compounds of tyre. Bruno Senna is into the pits. I wonder if they

will do anything to Senna's front wing? Schumacher comes out. Michael

running wide there on the new hard tyres and that's worked

fantastically for Jenson Button who gets out in front of Michael

Schumacher. One thing I want to come back on Ben as we see a replay.

I suspect a lock-up. Indeed, he runs wide. No real harm done

though? No. Rosberg pushing on as he approaches his first stop, but

as you say Jenson Button crucial to getting past Michael Schumacher and

Schumacher pulled off. Is that? There must be a problem for Michael

Schumacher for the second time this year. It was a gearbox problem in

Australia that took him out of the race. Something has gone wrong for

Michael Schumacher. It is not going to be his day of days. He is not

going to take his 9 92nd victory and Schumacher is out. Well,

Schumacher is out. Something with his wheel. We saw

one of the pit crew slapping the ground as the car pulled away.

Rosberg has come into pit. Let's Michael mention a problem with the

wheel? I didn't catch him myself. Which tyres are going on? Rosberg

doesn't have anyone backing him up anymore. He has to do this on his

own. Away goes Nico Rosberg. He maintains the lead of this race, I

believe. No, he won't, Perez has not been in yet. Perez will be the

race leader and again, Sauber as usual going fob a different

strategy, but Michael Schumacher. Let's see if we can spot anything

here, David. No. I'm sure he mentioned he had an issue with his

wheel and I saw one of the pit crew slapping the ground. I am trying to

to catch out for any wobbly wheels. I can't spot anything, but we will

get news on that soon and that's a shame for the crew, for Michael and

for Ross brawn. They are down to the one car in the race, but it is

the lead car. Let's keep an eye of the left-hand side. The hand comes

He never got the gun on the nut. He had not got the airgun on the nut.

He knew that was not going to be good. Disappointment for Mercedes.

That's a surprise, but they have got their other car leading the

race. Michael Schumacher will have a few words about that when he

comes back, but he was given the signal to go and that's what he did.

Rosberg made his pit stop and Perez, now did he come out in front of

Perez even though Perez hadn't stopped? Perez is leading. There we

are with Perezle. Perez was going for the victory last time and had

to settle for second. He leads in China. He is moving the wheel a lot

which may suggest the tyres are going off. We can suspect -- expect

him to come in at the end of this lap. Felipe Massa is running on the

harder tyre. TEAM RADIO: Felipe Massa has not

stopped. Button maybe on Plan B for him. Rosberg has gone on to the

harder tyre, but he has a new set of the softer tyre available to him.

A lovely position to be in as a driver knowing you have got a

perfect set of tyres waiting for you.

He is in a commanding position right now. He is running nicely on

the tyres. The track temperature is playing nicely for him. There is

only three-and-a-half seconds which separate him from Jenson Button so

he will have to keep pushing. This is where there is great racing.

Jenson Button doesn't have much of an advantage of Hamilton. The two

McLaren drivers on it. Behind them Raikkonen and Alonso. There is

Webber in the Red Bull. There is Raikkonen. Fernando Alonso If they

can get get fer Ferrari moving up the top ten they can protect that

championship. Jenson Button is third. Jenson Button needing

Hamilton in there. Rosberg has just set fast test lap. The -- fastest

lap. He has done a 1.42.5, but the other mer sedees driver is --

Mercedes driver is back at paddock and it is race over for Michael

Schumacher. Another look at that pit stop.

You can see the front right heel. It seemed to be -- wheel. It seemed

to be slow coming off. When the other wheel was presented.

traffic light had gone to green. You can see the green light. Quite

why he got the signal. Normally the system is the lights

go green when the wheel nut has been engaged and the gun has been

taken off the wheel and that's why we are seeing sub three second pit

stops because you are taking out the human reaction to informing the

chief mechanic who informs the go or no go for the car. The wheel nut

is housed within the wheel. It is a system that's been used in DTM,

German touring cars for a number of years. A number of teams have adopt

that had so every wheel has its unique nut.

Sauber Are getting ready for Perez. A big lock up for Perez as he gets

ready to come into the pit. Gary, give me a thought on the pace we

have seen from Perez before he comes in? Do you think they might

go for a two stop where others might go for the three? Yes, that's

what I would do out there putting on the harder of the two tyres

again. Try to go as far as possible. That lock up probably hurt that

left front tyre as well. They will maybe change them now and see how

far they can go. He is into the pit box. This is a

crucial stop for Sauber. Yeah, it is the harder tyre. A little slow

away there. He seemed to be drags his clutch.

That will have cost him time in the pit lane. Normally it is 21 seconds

from leechg the track -- leaving the track, but in that case it it

took 22 seconds. He has come out ahead of Sebastian Vettel, behind

Grosjean, but ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Vettel has got Bruno Senna

behind him. That was an important place. He don't want to come out

behind Sebastian Vettel. It shows how close close Formula One is. No

team seem to be leaping forward like we have seen in the past. You

have got a battle for each position. Massa has not stopped yet. Massa is

going deep. Ferrari are going for the two stop option. We can expect

Rosberg to get the use of DRS and we will see his rear wing open up

any time soon. There is the DRS zone open and that's a textbook DRS

overtake. For someone like Rosberg, that's

where DRS is useful because he doesn't lose time behind somebody

who has not come into the pits. There is bits of rubber. Is that

going to cause problems? Later in the race it makes it more difficult

for the drivers because the racing line starts to narrow where you see

the marbles being thrown off. They get thrown up into the air and they

drop down and there is less grip out there.

Kimi Raikkonen with Fernando Alonso behind behind. Kimi is a former

Ferrari driver himself, a world champion with Ferrari, but Alonso

the current star at Ferrari. It is great to see the two of them

running close together. There is Perez after that pit stop. He is in

front of Sebastian Vettel, but can't find a way past Grosjean yet

and Grosjean sitting there in nieurpt place doing what -- ninth

place doing what he needs to do, finish in the points. That's what

he has got to do after the two non finishes, the Frenchman needs to to

deliver points here today and so far he is driving sensibly.

Kobayashi running up aof them. Let's look at Perez. This was the

battle trying to get get past Kimi Raikkonen.

Kimi had it. The rules are, the drivers can make one change of

direction to defend their position and they have got to do it clearly

and maintain the line as they go into the braking zone. We have got

the past being taken. It is Grosjean rather than Kimi in

that little group. Kobayashi just ahead of them. Jenson Button and

Hamilton no real change between those two.

The rest of them heading down. So behind Alonso you have got

Kobayashi with Perez behind. We are getting a message on our

screens telling thaws an incident involving car seven which is

Michael Schumacher will be investigated for an unsafe release.

Presumably that must be the fact that the wheel nut has not been

tightened up. Normally when you use that terminology is because you

have been released into another car in the pit lane.

Massa has been in for that one stop. I wonder where he will come out

with regards to Perez. Now everybody has cycled through one

pit stop, we have got Nico Rosberg leading the race again by a margin

of 4.4 seconds over the McLaren of Jenson Button. Then it is Hamilton

behind. Mercedes power, powering the top three cars. Felipe Massa

Has dropped down the order. After that early pit stop, it seemed to

work well for Webber. It brought him up to fourth. Who is that?

That's one of the Saubers. That was Perez. Perez, indeed. He went wide

out in the hide speed corner. that's not good news for Perez who

was running strongly. It is Perez. Kobayashi is the lead Sauber. Senna

is tucked in behind him. He lost that lace to -- place to Vettel.

As we see the running order after the round of pit stops, generals

Jenson Button is dropping back from Nico Rosberg so Mercedes have

genuine race winning speed. They are making their tyres last. What

could become Nico Rosberg and his first Grand Prix victory? Will he

have to turn down the engine later in the race? If they haven't done

that, they have done their sums right. He is looking in a

commanding position. He is looking good. The track

temperature is consistent. The cars working in these conditions and

they won't be worried. Senna one running in 11th. Felipe Massa is in

14th place ahead of Vergne, Nico Hulkenberg in 16th and it is

Charles Pic running in 17th place, ahead of his team-mate, Timo Glock.

That's Grosjean and he is tucked in points are important to Sauber

after the remarkable second place for his team-mate, Perez. We know

that podiums are not likely to be regular occurrences, but top ten

finishes are likely with this car. Still getting the running of this

harder tyre out of the way. They have to run both types of tyre at

some point during the race, but it is up to the teams as to when to do

that. Gary, just a little look at the lap times over the last few

laps? Generous bettering, does seem to have -- Rosberg does seem to

have the pace? He has done a 42.5 there. They are fresher than Button

and Hamilton's. The car is working and the tyre is well, both the soft

and the medium tyre. It is looking good at the moment. There is more

to go yet, but it does look good for them.

There is a way to go, but Nico Rosberg commanding things by 4.47

seconds, now a race going on in the background as Paul di Resta is

trying to get past. That won't be an easy task.

Paul di Resta finding that Williams is using road that he would be like

to be in, and behind them it is The lap times are not too far away

from Fernando Alonso. This is not the position we are used to seeing

Ferrari in. Felipe Massa has not been able to get as much out of the

car as his team make. But a couple of tenths -- couple of tenths is a

respectable gap. Paul di Resta not as close to Pastor Maldonado this

time. Lots of looking in the mirrors, that was Narain

Karthikeyan, about to be lapped by hairpin. Still chasing after Kimi

Raikkonen. Mark Webber comes in. He was the earliest in on the first

stint, now he is in after 21 laps. He is going on to another set of

harder tyres. A Yes, he will be spending a lot of time in the pit

lane. He will rejoin in to clean air, nobody on the track. The next

man will be Jean-Eric Vergne. He has had a 15 lap stint on the

previous set of tyres, so he is struggling to make them last. As

the race goes on, you burn fuel. Every set of tyres should be able

to go a bit longer in the race. are on board with Fernando Alonso,

chasing Kimi Raikkonen. Kimi Raikkonen moving around quite a lot.

What can we learn from the behaviour of the cars? Kimi

Raikkonen desperately trying to make sure he does not allow

Fernando Alonso to get within the activation said which allows him to

use the DRS. It looks like he has got a better drive off of turn 13.

He has opened the gap slightly. You have to be in the zone to get the

activation. Not really closing up at all. McLaren get ready for a pit

stop. Jenson Button or Lewis Hamilton? They are second and third

at the moment. Lewis Hamilton, from third position, bringing the

McLaren into the pit lane. They are in a good point scoring position,

but he is getting it fed up with third place. I am sure he is not

really, because he is it -- he is in a strong position in the

championship. Lewis Hamilton could take the championship lead. He

comes out behind Felipe Massa. A 3.9 second pit stop. That will be

the second of what we expect to be three stops for Lewis Hamilton. It

is crucial, how they print the tyres in when they leave the pit

stop. They cannot hit it too hard, because they get the thermal shock

into the rubber. At this stage, they are having to drive with their

fingertips. You are holding it with a light hand, allowing the car to

use all of the road, and desperately trying to not generate

slip angle across the tyre. Nico Rosberg has got a 4.2 second lead

over Jenson Button. The last lap, Jenson Button was a bit quicker.

Lewis Hamilton has been into the pits. Next up, Kimi Raikkonen and

Fernando Alonso. They have seen Lewis Hamilton go into the pits.

Behind them, Kamui Kobayashi, chased by Romain Grosjean on, and

behind them, Sebastian Vettel. Mark Webber is lighting up the timing

screens with his new set of tyres. It is interesting that they went to

the harder tyre. Do we think the compound tyre is working better

today? We cannot hear from Gary at the moment. We will come back to

him at the moment -- in a moment. What is Heikki Kovalainen doing?

Heikki Kovalainen going in a bit deep. Heikki Kovalainen backed out,

I do not know if he has got a problem? When you are in the wider

path, you have to get off the marbles. If you pick up the rubber

deposited off the racing line, it gets buried into the tyre, and it

can affect your performance. Rather wisely, he decided not to hand it

around the outside. This is where he pulled the pass on Sebastian

Vettel last year. He has got more speed as they go through the apex.

The concertina effect as they break and roll through the eighth corner.

A lot of patience as they go through the double left-hander. A

bit of oversteer correction. Hard on the brakes, clearly within the

DRS activations own. -- activation zone. He has got a better drive. He

had to hesitates slightly at the latter part, which has allowed the

Ferrari to open the cap slightly. It is important to get clear of the

Ferrari as fast as possible, he does not want to get stuck in the

traffic. Into the pits, Jenson Button. Again, he goes for the

harder tyre. The yellow tyres being displaced. Interesting tactics

about Red Bull and McLaren going on to the harder tyre. Do you think it

is the better tyre? Both tyres are competitive, but it is about how

your car makes it work. You have to run both types. I am sure they will

make another stop. They can make up their mind for the final set, with

they want to use the softer tyre. They are making the switch now, to

make the decision constructively. The last 10 laps, it will tell the

tale of who got the strategy right. Whenever you pick from the lead off

from second or third, you end up in the 11th or 12th, because everybody

is packed tightly together. It is interesting, Jenson Button trying

to get past Pastor Maldonado. Lewis Hamilton is still further behind,

still trying to get past they have -- Felipe Massa. Both of the

McLaren cars are in situations where they are in traffic. The

Williams ahead is sliding around. The DRS on the real wind does not

open for a bit. Now it is open, now he has got the top speed. The

braking should be straight forward into the hairpin. Jenson Button has

done what Lewis Hamilton has failed to do. This is costing Lewis

Hamilton, especially now that Jenson Button has got past his car.

Lewis Hamilton could get frustrated. Remember how many times Fernando --

Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton clashed last year. Yes, they got up

close and personal. This is where Lewis Hamilton past Jenson Button

last year. He has got to watch out for Mark Webber, leaving the door

open. Mark Webber will have a go if he sees an opportunity. He has been

very fast over the last two laps. He wants a bit of that action.

is within the zone. Felipe Massa does not make it easy, but he

Paul's the pass. Mark Webber will try to do the same. That has cost

Lewis Hamilton some time. When you first go out from the pit stop,

you're tyres are at their best. Lewis Hamilton has used the best in

trying to get past Felipe Massa. has got to be careful he does not

put the tyre over its peak of operating temperature. Perhaps that

is why he was being cautious. In the end, he would have used the

KERS. That is a cautious overtake. He gets the appreciation of the

McLaren crew. Achy retirement, early on,... The only retirement of

the race so far, Michael Schumacher. He is talking to Lee McKenzie.

disappointing, the team seemed to know straight away the wheel was

not on. When did you find out? noticed it in the third quarter. --

third corner. By the sixth corner, there was smoke and damage. Afford

it was better to stop before I made a serious damage. Should the team

have told you it was not on? probably found out before them,

maybe. I do not have any hard feelings. I feel sorry for my boys,

Agassi feels responsible. But it is part of the game. The car seemed to

be looking after the tyres better than in the past. Can Nico Rosberg

win the race? It looks pretty positive. We are looking stronger.

We told you that we were struggling with where, so there must have been

a middle way, and we have found their way of operating the car.

saw Jenson Button go past Pastor Maldonado, but he has also got past

Bruno Senna. This is Mark Webber against Fernando massive. --

against Felipe Massa. The Ferrari is not working so well on the

brakes, a clear sign it is lacking overall downforce. Lewis Hamilton

behind Paul di Resta. That looks as though it will be a fairly

straightforward pass. He needs to be a bit careful, he could lose

another place to Mark Webber. Jenson Button going quite quickly

over the past couple of laps. Into the pits, Fernando Alonso. He has

gone on to the softer tyre, I think. Bicker was but continues to lead

the race, 27 laps completed -- Nico Rosberg continues to lead. It is a

straightforward pass for Mark Webber over Paul di Resta. Nico

Rosberg leads. Kimi Raikkonen has not made his second pit stop.

Romain Grosjean has been competitive. It will be fascinating

to see how it works out at the end. There are people on different

strategies. The Jenson Button behind Sergio Perez. Just in front

of him, in the distance, Sebastian Vettel. He has not pitted again.

Different strategies being played between Sebastian Vettel and Mark

Webber. Yes, I wonder how long they can go on those tyres. Romain

Grosjean on his going well in fourth position. Kimi Raikkonen is

second, because McLaren have been into the pits. Here comes Jenson

Button, with the DRS activated. Another straight forward pass. The

race winner here a couple of years ago, in the tricky red -- in the

tricky weather conditions. Kimi Raikkonen is also another former

race winner, and looking to get a podium for Lotus. Using Renault

power. The same power as Red Bull used. He sets off en route again.

He will come out behind both the recast. It has been Fernando Alonso

and Kimi Raikkonen throughout this race. Mark Webber still in the hunt.

We should not discount him from this race. But he needs to close

the gap to Lewis Hamilton. Keep an eye on the speed of the McLaren of

Lewis Hamilton, who has got himself held up behind Pastor Maldonado.

That might give Mark Webber the chance to close the gap. Having an

eye on the gap that Nico Rosberg has, having done one stop. The

first of the people with two stops, Jenson Button. RADIO: This is a

brilliant job, the cars in front of there for the taking. A bit of

encouragement! Jenson Button is 20 seconds behind Nico Rosberg, so it

will be extremely close when Nico Rosberg goes into the pits, whether

he comes out in front of Jenson Button or not. We expect it to be

around 21 seconds between leaving your circuit and getting back out.

Jenson Button, if Nico Rosberg will have to follow a similar strategy,

and go into the pits again, it will through. Vettel's tyres are older

than Jenson Button's. Jenson Button was a second-and-a-half faster than

Vettel so he is right up behind him. Will he have to wailt for the --

wait for the DRS zone or will he be able to overtake before they get

there? We have Jenson Button doing 41.7. Jenson Button has has got the

gap down. A car going very slowly, that's

that's Kovalainen. The Finn is in trouble. The two Ferraris, 11th and

12th. The Ferrari must be sliding around a lot so I wouldn't think he

will block Alonso for long. TEAM RADIO: Fernando is on a

different strategy so let the other car past.

Team orders are allowed in Formula One now. It was brought to a head

because of the information that Massa got a few years ago where, I

think, his engineer said... Sorry to interrupt you there, David. He

has got that move made and cleanly done. Maybe that is a demonstration

there of the straight line speed, even with DRS he had that move made.

No chance for Massa really with the DRS in operation and Alonso goes

past his team-mate. Well, Rosberg is running about one-

and-a-half seconds slower than the pace of Jenson Button. He lost time

passing Jenson Button. Rosberg will be trying to hold on to do a two

stopper this afternoon. That looks like the best opportunity for him

to win this Grand Prix. If he was to bail in now, he is going to come

out behind the McLarens. The tyre wear at the end of the

race could be crucial and it might be difficult to stay up there. Well

wait and see. Rosberg still the race leader. Alonso making another

move and getting past Paul di Resta. No problem up at turn six. Massa

not coming into the pits. It looks as if the two Ferraris are on

different strategies. A new fastest lap has been set by the Torro Rosso

by Jean-Eric Vergne. They changed a lot of the bodywork. He was unhappy

after qualifying and although he is new to Formula One and he has been

rapid in the ranks of single-seater racing before come nothing Formula

One, he has the fastest lap. I am sure welds the fastest laps tumble

as more fuel is burnt off. TEAM RADIO: Paul, we are in a race

here. We are still in a race. Currently sitting in ninth place.

In other words, do not let that Ferrari past too easily!

I can imagine a a frustrated driver behind the wheel saying, "Thanks

for that message! ". Gary, a quick thought, look ago the pictures we

are seeing. We are not seeing the overtaking under DRS, we have seen

vetting into the pits, but we are not seeing the sort of overtaking

that we saw last year or that we expected. What are your thoughts on

that? I am surprised. We have seen a bit of difference in car speed

down the end of that straight in qualifying and you would have

thought the 15 to 20 kilometres an hour that you get from the DRS

It is not enough speed. They don't start the DRS at beginning. It

should be able to be done, but difficult, but it was too difficult

today! We have seen some passes, but not as many as we might have

expected. Jean-Eric Vergne with that pass. Heikki Kovalainen Has

brought the car back into the pits. This is maybe what caused him to

trundle. Was there a problem trying to get the wheel on? Yes, there was.

He is out of the Grand Prix. Two retirements, Michael Schumacher and

hike and Heikki Kovalainen. Grosjean finds himself running in

second place. He has only done one stop like Rosberg. He did his first

stop on lap 11 so an early stop, trying to get good life out of the

second set of tyres. done the one stop and lapping well,

but Jenson Button set fastest lap now. Hamilton trying to get past

Perez. There was no way there, but you thought he might have a go up

the inside and decided against it and Perez fending off Lewis

Hamilton, the double winner in China in the past for the moimt. --

moment. In comes Grosjean. That was a good stint by the Frenchman. He

will have moved himself up the order hugely as a result of that

and Romain Grosjean showing the pace we saw in testing from him

which he hasn't been anal to demonstrate -- able to demonstrate

in the first two Grand Prix of this year.

It may not sound impressive to the viewers back home.

TEAM RADIO: Generals Generalsons, we are in -- Jenson, we are in this

race to win. That will means he will have had a

planned strategy. He is informing Jenson they will be adding three

laps to his next stop. Jenson Button has done two stops this

afternoon. We can expect to see him in again around 40, maybe longer,

43, 44. So a few more laps to do on this set of tyres.

It looks as if Rosberg is going all the way on one more stop. Jenson

Button is going for the three stop. Hamilton has not found a way past

Perez. Look ago the lap comparisons between Rosberg and Jenson Button

and there you are. R -- there you are, the benefit of going on to a

fresher set of tyres. Jenson Button is making more stops. Last year it

made for an exciting finish. It looks like we are in for a similar

grandstand finish today. How close can Hamilton get to Perez without

getting past him? That saub her a mass -- Sauber had a massive top

speed in qualifying. Hamilton is having to get defensive.

That won't work, Mark! Nice try, anyway! Hamilton is too

sharp for that one! This Sauber gives a little bit of a breathing

space to Hamilton. When you have got the DRS available, you have

only got 5 or 6 kilometres and that's not enough speed. You have

Jenson Button running 12 seconds behind Rosberg. We expect both have

to do an extra stop. A crucial 12 second gap will decide who will win.

If Jenson Button can close that up before Rosberg does his second stop

or on the last part when he is he is on the fresher set of tyres.

Hamilton on DRS, no Sergio Perez gets it turned in. He might lose

the place on the exit because he was deep into the corner and he

just stays in front of Hamilton. Again, he has locked up.

And behind them Vettel, sorry Webber coming in. Rosberg has been

in. Rosberg a race leader, into the the pits and back out and he is

coming out ahead of that fight again Perez and Hamilton. That is

where rs Ross re-- Rosberg re- emerges.

That was crucial for Rosberg. The Mercedes team...

TEAM RADIO: Try to get two or three more laps and stri to stay in front.

-- try to stay in front. The Mercedes team trying to take

advantage of this battle. That released Rosberg into some clean

air. Rosberg still fighting for the victory, but Jenson Button going

well. So are Hamilton and Perez. These tw are fighting for -- two

are fighting for a potential podium. Perez last weekend, he was closing

up on Fernando Alonso, now he is being hounded by another, Lewis

Hamilton. There is Rosberg up ahead of them and there is Alonso. This

will be a three-way tussle. Perez has great straight line speed.

We have said Mercedes can't make their tyres last. Alonso on the

back of a McLaren. He is the current World Championship leader

after three Grand Prixs. They are battling again.

How does he make the corner? I don't see how you can be that

locked up and make the apex. The pit entry is tricky. If you are

going into the pits and you are following another car, you have to

slow down and accelerate up again. Perez has the benefit of a straight

run in. Alonso right with Hamilton. This is

exciting stuff. The two former team-mates a few years ago, of

course, which didn't always go according to plan. Alonso chasing

down Hamilton. Let's take a look atted lock up. Having locked up

once on the worn tyres, it is likely to happen again.

There is no ABS, you can see the wheel turning as the driver driver

tries to create his own ABS by pumping at the brake pedal. You

can't release your poot your foot from the brake otherwise you will

go on. Is Jenson Button doing enough? It

is Jenson Button leading Rosberg now because Jenson Button still

needs to make another pit stop. Jenson Button needs to pull out 12

seconds to stand a chance of winning the Grand Prix. He is nine-

and-a-half seconds ahead of Rosberg. If he can pull another 12 seconds

before his final stop, he can come out in front of Rosberg. If he does

come out in front of him, he can race him on the track. Let's keep

an eye on the gap. Rosberg now set for the rest of the Grand Prix

without stopping. Hamilton comes through behind with Alonso

shadowing his every move. Felipe Massa, he is on a different

strategy to Alonso. He is going for the two stop race. Kimi Raikkonen

sorry Kobayashi and Sebastian Vettel in there, Grosjean is a

little bit further behind in the the second Lotus.

The top ten at the moment, but they are on different strategies. You

are riding on board Sebastian Vettel.

Alonso fourth, Kobayashi seventh, then Sebastian Vettel eighth, you

are riding with him. Ninth place is gre is Grosjean and in tenth is

Bruno Senna. Let's watch watch Vettel. It is a different story for

Sebastian Vettel. He has been used to a a lot of clean air and that

led people to question his ability to race wheel to wheel. Webber is

very wide on the exit of turn 13 and well, that will be one for the

FIA to look at the kerb. Clearly it launched the front of the car into

the air. I am not surprised if that has country damage to the chassis.

The car is run on something that is called the plank. It is not a piece

of wood, but it looks like it. That is bolted to the chassis and a

driver as tall as Mark is sitting with his spine on the base of the

I wonder if he will be a pilot when of times! Down into the hairpin and

Kobayashi in the middle of the group, but Felipe Massa is trying

to eek it out on these tyres. This is looking like a good performance

from Massa. He has got to keep his head and not make mistakes. A great

performance from Rosberg. It does not look that Jenson Button is able

to do much with this set of tyres and Rosberg who we expect to take

this sector has good pace. That's really interesting. Jenson

Button is not getting the sort of lap time that he needs. At moment

Rosberg is living with him. This tussle between Felipe Massa in the

Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus, chased by Kobayashi and he

has has Vettel had a Grosjean is not far back, but on different

strategies and Felipe Massa doing his up most to stay in his position.

A long time since Massa won a race. If he could come home with points

that would take the pressure off him at Ferrari, Jenson Button is

doing? 0.7 slower than us. If we get a few more laps out of this set,

we will be OK. There is always a delay on the radio communications.

Let's see what this club is like. 42.04 Jenson Button. 41.4 seconds

for Nico Rosberg. McClellan responding. Passionate McLaren

responding. Ferrari very fast with their pit stops in Australia. Force

India won the game last time out. This time, even Stevens between

McLaren and Ferrari. Beautiful work from both sets of mechanics,

getting the car serviced. That will give them an instant feeling of

increased grip. As we enter the latter stages, they have burned off

a lot of fuel, and the car responds so much better. It stops so much

easier. Mark Webber having a sniff of Bruno Senna in the run down to

the sixth corner. Mark Webber is the fastest guy in the first sector.

The fastest of all cars this afternoon. You will expect to see

the lap times continue to drop until late in the race. Sergio

Perez has been into the pit stop for his second stop, so that has

dropped him down the order. He is on a different strategy from Kamui

Kobayashi. Sensible stuff. Romain Grosjean on the back of the group,

chasing Sebastian Vettel. McLaren pit crew are coming out

into the pit lane. That will be for Jenson Button. There he is, in the

pit lane. He will not be leading when he comes back out. He is on

the harder tyre. A problem! It is a slow pit-stop. He is still there!

Now, he moves. He had a dreadful pit-stop. As he finally gets going,

you should see him emerge from the left-hand side. Look at the places

he has lost! He has lost a bunch of places, and his chances of winning

the Grand Prix have gone out of the window. He has got all of these

cars ahead of him. Agony for McLaren. A problem with the left

rear tyre. He could not get there will not in. Not even a shake off

the head, he just sat there. There was the problem. They do not want

to take any chances. Remember Silverstone, McLaren could not get

it on at all, and he had to pull off. They have had some changes.

They would rather have a slow start. RADIO: Jenson Button has been slow

in the pit stop, this could be close. Jenson Button coming out

behind this group. He has got past Romain Grosjean. That was important.

He has got to throw caution to the wind to an extent, he is on the

fresh tyres, he has got the advantage in terms of grip. Jenson

Button was stationary for nine seconds. Normally, he would be in

and out in three seconds. It would have been painful. Waiting for the

lollipop man to tell you it is safe to go. Mark Webber is further back.

Jenson Button is still ahead of his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton. This is

the group battling for second place. He has to get to the front of this

group as quickly as possible, but he is 20 seconds behind the race

leader. There are 15 laps to go. Nico Rosberg has a 22nd advantage

over Jenson Button. -- 22nd advantage. He can almost Chase de

Champagne, and less there are any mechanical issues. That would be

the only thing that can stop him. That would be an emotional moment

for Mercedes and for him. I do not want to tempt fate, but he is

driving superbly. There is something about the Shanghai

circuit that suits Nico Rosberg. Felipe Massa still has not made his

second pit stop. How long can he go? He has not been passed by them.

You could not want people with better CVs trying to get past him.

But he is staying in front of them at the moment. He has done 22 laps

on these tyres. It is a great drive, he is making them last. It is not

the quickest way to drive, but it is allowing him to run in second

place. He will have to stop again, of course. Mark Webber getting the

pass on Bruno Senna. RADIO: You have to look after the tyres. The

next guy is 19 seconds behind. Felipe Massa has released this

bunch. Kimi Raikkonen in second, Sebastian Vettel in third, Jenson

Button enforced. Sebastian Vettel's tactics have worked well. Jenson

Button, trying to get past the Red Bull and the Lotus as quickly as

possible, and then go on the chase of Nico Rosberg. But Nico Rosberg

has been told that all he has to do is look after the tyres. Romain

Grosjean getting on to the back of Jenson Button. Jenson Button will

be looking at the DRS zone. He wants to position himself into the

perfect spot. The Red Bull does not have the straight-line speed. He

could be a sitting target. He is trying to get past Kimi Raikkonen.

Kimi Raikkonen will not have DRS, Sebastian Vettel well, and Jenson

Button also. RADIO: All of the guys in front of you will either go into

the pit stop or run into trouble. Presumably he means they will not

have any grip? Yes. 2.5 mm of rubber available when you put the

tyres on. All of the debris, that is discarded rubber that has been

removed from the top of the surface. Once you get down to 2 mm, you lose

the ability to keep the temperature in the tyre. The Engineer is

banking that, when they hit the cliff, they will be able to pick

them off. This was Lewis Hamilton on Pastor Maldonado. That was for

ninth position. Is this the same move? Yes. The sixth corner, that

has been a passing place for him this afternoon. A good mood. --

good mood. Although Nico Rosberg might have the edge, look at how

close they are, racing for second place. It is incredible. It is like

Formula Ford! They are nose-to-tail, great stuff. World champions,

second, third and fourth. Lewis Hamilton getting past Bruno Senna.

He is into seventh place. Fernando Alonso trying to get past Fernando

-- Pastor Maldonado. He is on the marbles, he runs wide! Does he lose

a place to the Sauber? Yes. Sergio Perez has got past Fernando Alonso.

Pastor Maldonado having none of it. Fernando Alonso pays the price.

does not seem to be making much difference. I thought that Jenson

Button would be able to make the moves. Lewis Hamilton has got past

Pastor Maldonado, and Bruno Senna. The same place as he made the move

on Pastor Maldonado. On his way does Lewis Hamilton. Nico Rosberg

still lives. This is what happens when you go off the racing line.

The dust and debris. It is like driving on ice, you cannot control

the car. You have to allow it to run wide. I am surprised that

Jenson Button cannot close the gap a bit more. Mark Webber on slightly

fresher tyres that Sebastian Vettel. Lewis Hamilton closing up onto the

back of the group. Nico Rosberg doing a fantastic job at the front,

22.6 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. If he needed to make

another pit-stop, he could get in and get some new tyres and get back

out. It is a wonderful position. He has got the choice. Could he give

the pit crew a bit of breathing space? It was the pit-stop that

went wrong for Jenson Button that has allowed him to be in that

position. Gary, your thoughts? RADIO: Next up, Mark Webber. His

tyres of five laps older than ours. Gary, your thoughts, with 12 laps

to go? Just as David said, if Nico Rosberg can keep it tidy, he is

making the gap bigger all the time, he just needs to keep in his rhythm

and makes sure that he does not abuse the tyres. They should not be

any problem for him as long as he can keep his focus and

concentration. His first Grand Prix win after quite a few starts, he

will be hearing every rattle and jingle in the car for the last few

laps! I wonder how his nerves are! His lap time again was 1:41.3, so

no nervousness. Kimi Raikkonen in second place, controlling things at

the moment. To get to the end of this race, he will have to get 28

laps and of the set of tyres. Detractors improve, and the tyre

where improves. Yes, he can. Mark Webber getting past Romain Grosjean,

or the Romain Grosjean is not giving the place up. He will go

wide, a carbon copy of what Fernando Alonso did. It looked like

he got the pass initially, but he drifted on to the marbles off.

Pastor Maldonado, they made contact in Australia. Let's hope this does

not end badly for Romain Grosjean. He just has enough. Pastor

Maldonado will have a look! They hit each are there! Be touched

twice! Pastor Maldonado round the outside. This time, Romain Grosjean

fence him off. He has damaged his plate! Sergio Perez getting in on

the act. He is going to get one of them into the hairpin. He has got

past Romain Grosjean, but Romain Grosjean will try to get back on

the exit. It looks like they are racing in GP2! Romain Grosjean has

stayed in front of Pastor Maldonado. He is taking a quick sigh of relief

as he tries to pull away again. Sergio Perez trying to get past

Pastor Maldonado. That was great driving from Romain Grosjean.

Fernando Alonso has slipped up the inside of Sergio Perez. He has got

the familiar view that he had from Malaysia, the back of the Ferrari.

I was holding my breath. RADIO: Take it very easy on the Left Front,

you can afford to lose another 0.5 seconds. That is interesting.

Fernando Alonso makes the move on Sergio Perez, he gets him back. It

is so important in terms of championship points, that his tenth

place. That is worth one point. The championship lead is surely going

to disappear for Fernando Alonso, because the McLaren drivers are

ahead, but they will not win the race as it stands. Jenson Button is

still in fourth place. He has got Red Bull either side of him.

Sebastian Vettel is in third. After their problems in qualifying, with

Sebastian Vettel in 11th, they have shown today they have got a car

that is fast in racing. The benefit of qualifying in 11th, you get more

fresh tyres to use in the race. Last year, Mark Webber qualified

18th and finished on the podium. Sebastian Vettel kept a cool head

yesterday, with the disappointment, and at the moment, he will be

rewarded with a podium, presuming he will allow the harder tyres to

make it to the end. What are they talking about come up with the

front tyres? It is not just be lowered, it is the amount of energy

being put into the surface, and you get the more balls flying off. You

end up losing the gauge from the tyre. Imagine you are rubbing and a

razor on to a piece of paper. It will get hot, and it will start to

break, if anybody uses robbers on has to manage now. Do they bring

him in or leave him out there? It looks like they have decided to

leave him out there. As soon as the lap times starts to go, they can

bring him in. At moment he is running 41.7 compared to Raikkonen

so he is opening out that gap. He has got a 25 second lead over

Raikkonen and they have the luxurious position of going to the

end of this set of tyres of pitting or getting a fresh set of boots.

Their preferred strategy strategy would be to leave the car out and

not take any chances with the pit stop.

Red Bull have their two cars in the top five, but is that going to

change because Webber and Hamilton and Webber are coming through so

Hamilton. There is a battle as Hamilton tries to get past Mark

Webber? He slipped up the inside! Mark Webber is holding the inside.

This is good stuff, isn't it? Now Mark Webber fends him off and

Hamilton couldn't make the most TV. Sebastian Vettel is going on the

outside of Raikkonen trying to do the cut back. He will use KERS as

he comes off turn six. Will he do what Alonso failed to do which is

get around the outside? He does and Raikkonen goes wide and that allows

Jenson Button through. Vet set is in -- -- set set is into

second second -- Sebastian Vettel is into second.

Raikkonen who held on to second place, he lost two places. Now he

might lose another one to Hamilton as well. What a race this is

turning into! It might not be for victory, but boy, this is amazing

stuff between so many different cars. We have the Lotuses and the

Red Bulls and the McLarens and Senna is down in the seventh. Bruno

Senna on for another good haul of points for Williams, but Sebastian

Vettel got himself into second and Jenson Button is in third place and

as they fight for second, Hamilton is down the the inside. Yes,

Hamilton claims the place and Raikkonen could drop back quickly

because Mark Webber gets a run on him and goes around the outside and

Raikkonen's tyres are as they say fallen off the cliff, he is

struggling for grip now. He is in trouble. We saw two black lines at

turn 14. Yeah, how to lose several places. Another place lost as Senna

goes up the inside and what will Grosjean do? He is up the inside.

He has done it as well. In one lap, look how many places Kimi Raikkonen

lost. This Is a textbook example of tyre performance. He loses another

position to Maldonado and next up is Alonso. Alonso passes him coming

off the turn and Raikkonen goes from second to tenth. Grosjean

gained a place on Senna as well. So Grosjean, who has had a difficult

start to the year, is flying now for Lotus. They have a fast car.

Their tyres haven't lasted for Raikkonen, but for Grosjean things

are working better. Alonso is going to to try and get past the Williams.

Hamilton this was on the move on Mark Webber. He got down the inside

and they were side by side and Mark Webber did not want to give that

will place up at that stage. So managed to fend him off, but then

further around as they were trying to deal with Raikkonen and that's

where Mark Webber ran wide. He was trying to position it down

the inside and look at the debris off the racing line, the dust and

debris being thrown up as we have the two Saubers going wheel to to

wheel. Kobayashi is up into 11th place.

Well, your team-mate is your biggest rival and that's Kobayashi

getting past Perez. Let's not forget that Nico Rosberg still

leads for Mercedes. The race is on for second second between Sebastian

Vettel and Jenson Button. That was a late move from Perez to defend

his position. Kobayashi caught out by that. He put a wheel on the

grass and again we have seen it several times this afternoon, Perez

locking up. We have got a replay of the battle. Raikkonen on the

outside watching him. He will be thinking, "Well, it would be useful

for me if they were to touch right now! ". Senna is further up the

road. There is a battle for second between Sebastian Vettel and Jenson

Button. It includes Hamilton. Hamilton is going quickly at the

moment. Hamilton did a 1.40.6. He is only two seconds behind Jenson

Button so we will have the three world champions Sebastian Vettel,

Jenson Button and Hamilton fighting for second place in the Grand Prix,

but Nico Rosberg is marching, marching, towards his first ever

Grand Prix victory. There we are, this is the battle for second

that's developing. It is Sebastian Vettel versus Jenson Button.

And as that radio message tells us, Hamilton is quicker. Now Jenson

Button might be able to go faster if he could get past Sebastian

Vettel, but he hasn't been able to do that for a lot of laps. He has

been sliding the rear of that car using up precious rubber. It will

not be lost on Jenson. He has been chased down by his team-mate.

Memories when Hamilton got past Jenson Button for Hamilton it would

mean the championship lead of course, as well. Into the pits is

the Caterham of Vitaly Petrov. Vitaly Petrov running in 18th place,

no, it is Kovalainen's car. I thought he was out, but he is still

running. On board with the race leader, Nico Rosberg.

Look at that soft grip on the steering wheel. Ever so gentle on

the acceleration. He is leading this race and he has plenty of time

to think. Look at all that clear space behind him! Who would have

thought we would have the Mercedes with a 20 second lead.

In the distance, we have black markers and that battle for for

second. Vettel's tyres have done eight laps more than Jenson

Button's tyres. It might become more and more difficult and Jenson

is going for. Jenson Button takes second place, but can he hold on to

it? Jenson Button is in second place ahead of Sebastian Vettel,

but Lewis Hamilton is catching. I was tripping over you with the

excitement of that late pass that Jenson went for, but assured on the

brakes. Put his car down the inside, committed to the pass and Sebastian

Vettel tried to come back at him. Look how far back he was come

nothing the DRS zone. He starts to say, "I'm thinking about it."

Vettel holds the racing line. He should have been more defensive,

but subtle approach to overtaking Button trying to eke out his

advantage over the Red Bull. But that gap to the race leader is 25

seconds, that's the margin. Remember the slow pit stop that

Jenson Button suffered was a part of that. Without that slow pit stop,

Jenson Button might have had more of a chance, but looking at the

performance that Nico Rosberg has been putting in. Rosberg is still

in the one minute 41s and that on tyres that have done many laps, it

shows that Mercedes have not had the tyre problem here.

The mystery of Formula One's tyre performances continues. We had the

surprise of the Ferrari in Malaysia and only four laps, but 20

kilometres over separate Nico Rosberg from his first Grand Prix

victory. Rosberg started on poll position

and launched himself into the lead. It looked as if Michael Schumacher

might be able to back him up, but Schumacher was our first and only

retirement from this race after a wheel nut didn't go on properly and

since then we have seen great battling. Kobayashi didn't start so

well and dropped down the order a bit. Raikkonen held on to second

place. Just a note that Felipe Massa who is on the different

strategy, Massa is down in 13th and Raikkonen is down in 14th place now.

.So Vettel and looking back at Hamilton then Webber. These guys

are close. A little lock up. Hamilton with that lock up. I

wouldn't have expect that had to damage the tyre, but it is getting

to the end of their usable life. Sebastian Vettel has to pass a

lapped car. We have got both bits of action going on.

Yeah, Hamilton's tyres should be in better shape. They are seven laps

newer than those of Sebastian Vettel and you could start to see

Vettel's car sliding more and more and Webber who has newer tyres than

Vettel come into the factor as well. It is about tyre management and as

a Grand Prix driver, David, it is part of that their job to look

after those tyres? It is indeed. It Formula One World Championship. It

was about preserving everything, the gearbox, the engine, the brakes,

the cars were so fragile back then. Modern Grand Prix racing,

reliability is so good. The only thing the drivers need to worry

about is the tyres. Rosberg is doing that fine in the

Mercedes. Jenson Button does a 1.41.1, Jenson Button only gaining

two tenths. TEAM RADIO: Jenson, pull away now

before Lewis gets past Vettel. a great, great message.

McLaren let their drivers go for it and race and clearly his engineer

is rig to get the -- trying to get the best for his driver.

We are on board with Alonso. He is behind Maldonado. Both Williams are

running in the top ten. Maldonado is in eighth place. Sir Frank

Williams would celebrate his 70th birth dape tomorrow.

-- birthday tomorrow. My goodness, they were almost

banging wheels there! Look how sideways he got! This was a slow

burn race. Almost Coming together with the Sauber of Kobayashi.

How are the tyres holding up for Nico Rosberg? Hamilton goes to the

inside. He is into third position. that. Mark Webber trying to get in

on it, can he? Sebastian Vettel coming back on the inside, but

surely he can't do anything and for the second year in succession,

Sebastian Vettel gets past by Hamilton, but this time it is not

for the lead. Hamilton has got to be careful for

that that that that weaving. He was pulled up in Malaysia a few years

ago. No team orders apply. We are in the

closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix. Jenson Button is second.

Hamilton third for McLaren. Sebastian Vettel fourth. Mark

Webber fifth for Red Bull and Romain Grosjean in the Lotus, he

hasn't finished a Grand Prix yet this year, but Grosjean is in sixth.

It is not over yet, but Webber wants to get past his team-mate.

Newer tyres on Mark Webber's cars. There is not a huge margin, three

laps the difference between them. Take another look at this. A

classic DRS pass. Gets in the slipstream and opens up DRS, a

little bit of defending down into turn 14 and then, of of course,

any left over KERS, but he is on the outside as you come into the

tight last corner and then just to clarify the situation of the rules

now, you are allowed to make one change of direction to defend your

position. Look at this. It is Mark Webber

versus Sebastian Vettel. The Australian going for it! Can he do

it? He goes wide into the hairpin. Sebastian Vettel defends. No, he

has got the inside line. Mark Webber has done it. He has gone

past past his team-mate. He could be on for a hat trick of fourth

places. He has taken a a fourth from Sebastian Vettel. I suspect

that was a sweet feeling. He got shown how to drive last year, but

of the two Red Bull drivers. They are running cars in different

specification as well and that will cause thinking back in Milton

Keynes which specification car is best? Mark Webber seems to show

that what he has got is working. Here is the guy that led this race

from the beginning, apart from the odd change on the pit stops, he has

dominated this race, has Nico Rosberg and he looks all set now

for his first ever Formula One victory. His 111th Grand Prix and

Nico Rosberg, former team-mate in cart to go Lewis Hamilton, former

GP 2 champion in 2005, and now he looks to come into the last few

corners, Nico Rosberg, his father, of course, world champion back in

1982. He took his first win at Swiss Grand Prix in 198 2, but this

time it is Nico Rosberg who wins Sebastian Vettel in fifth place,

Romain Grosjean in sixth place, Bruno Senna in seventh, Pastor

Maldonado eighth, Fernando Alonso ninth, but still in the points, and

Kamui Kobayashi gets the final point. It is Nico Rosberg who wins.

For a RADIO: A great effort. Pickup rubber and enjoy! Yes, come on!

brilliant job! Fantastic. Well done. Thank you, everyone. Amazing!

RADIO: Thank you. Not the result we were looking for, the pit stop

made it more difficult, but even so, a good result, and a fun race.

The car slowing down after this historic victory for Nico Rosberg.

What a feeling for the Mercedes boss! He is delighted! He does not

know what to do! All credit to him, he has kept Mercedes in 4 min one.

-- in Formula One. They have been rewarded, their first victory. Of

the modern era. Their first since 1955. That came from poor position

as well. -- from pole position. Michael Schumacher might have come

second if he had not had the problem, but they will settle for

this! They will celebrate this very special moment. You know Mercedes

well, what must this mean to these guys? Naught but started life as a

journalist, he has been the motor Sport boss of Mercedes for 20 years,

and through difficult times, he has kept them steady, he has been

committed to motor sport as a platform to show their winning ways.

As you mentioned, this is a huge market in car sales. I said it

yesterday, this was the right man to take the first pole position in

the modern era, and the right man to take the first victory. This man

is the architect of the victory. He has enjoyed such success. The

Michael Schumacher era at Ferrari, and then when he took on the team

that was Honda, he had to purchase the team, and he had to make them

survived. It was purchased by Mercedes, and he is the architect

of success again. It was changing all the time!

were eight of us together at one point. That was serious! That is

not mine! I nearly took your hat! I will have to make it harder for you

next time! A chat between the drivers. It is

fun, they were talking about the long queue of cars. Nico Rosberg

had nothing to do about it! Let him so could the moment up. Such a

special moment for Nico Rosberg. He receives the trophy for victory

here. The first winner for Mercedes since the Italian Grand Prix of

1955. Nico Rosberg has achieved that. He will make the most of all

of the celebrations that will come. The constructors Trophy to Mercedes.

He did not even know where to go, a moment ago, it is so long since he

has been up there. Mercedes have never been up there in the modern

era. A very special moment for him. Jenson Button, to receive the

trophy for second place. The McLaren boys are looking strong, it

will be a massive rivalry between the two of them, but not just

between them, Red Bull is fast, Mercedes is fast, they will not

have it their own way. A hard- fought third place for Lewis

Hamilton. Now, it is time for the champagne shower. Nico Rosberg,

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton celebrate. The Chinese year of the

Dragon, Shanghai has been conquered by Nico Rosberg.

A frenetic race! Congratulations, Nico Rosberg, he kept himself out

of trouble. Jenson Button, and Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber got

ahead of Sebastian Vettel. That today. They moved up to fifth place.

Congratulations, you are a Formula One race winner! It feels amazing.

Hello to everybody at the team, thank you for all of your efforts.

It is very special, it is great to share this with everybody. The

whole weekend went really well. Pole position, a great strategy, a

great race, the weather helped, it all came together. It is nice to

see how quickly we are progressing. We have had a strong start to the

season, qualifying was good, and the race was good. I really enjoyed

it, lots of fun overtaking. Not just the DRS zone. To come away

with second place is good, but if the last pit stop was as good as

the others, which were very fast, we could have been in clear air,

and we could have perhaps chased down Nico Rosberg. I had a good

battle with Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean, but you always

want more. As a team effort this weekend, we have done very well. We

have got good points on the board, and we are leading it in the

constructors. My team-mate is only two points ahead, so a positive

weekend. I go to Bahrain very happy, looking forward to 32 degrees in

the air and 45 on the track! With just a few laps to go, you were

fighting in fifth position, and seconds later, you are on the

podium. How does that feel? feels great, I had a great race, I

am really happy for Nico Rosberg. I am happy that we could get back on

the podium and score some good points. It was a tough race, if we

started where we were supposed to start, it would have been better,

but we still managed to gain some time. We did not do much overtaking,

but it was quite close at one point. We expected more wind. We

compromised a bit in qualifying, but we were not quick enough to

make up the ground. We kept ourselves in the hunt, like

Australia, but it was not enough. We were very close, but when you

are not getting in the points, it is not good enough. I will have to

work hard for Bahrain, but nothing new there.

That was a frenetic Grand Prix, it was incredible from start to finish.

It started slow, everybody was trying to manage the tyres. Then,

as we got into the final rounds of pit stops, we thought the Mercedes

car had problems with tyres, but it went the Grand Prix with two stops.

There was frantic activity, Kimi Raikkonen falling off the cliff,

coming from second place to 14th place. It shows how unpredictable

this is. Last season, we were reduced to a German driver being

ahead throughout, and that is what Nico Rosberg did today. He won by

more than 20 seconds, I do not recall Sebastian Vettel were named

by that margin in many of the basis last year, if at all. The margin of

victory was very close, but he was able to dominate qualifying up, get

a clean start, and gain track position. It was a masterful drive,

he has done 110 races, it is a long time coming, but what a way to get

it! McLaren, both drivers on the podium, it was a really nice battle

towards the end. Sebastian Vettel, he has got to take the good with

the bat. He has had a great run, there is a long way to go this year.

He is in the hunt, battling for a position with McLaren. We will not

have called conditions next weekend in Bahrain. The pecking order could

be on its head when we arrived in a hot country. The track temperature

he was 25 degrees, we could have doubled that in of rain, which is a

significant difference. -- in Bahrain. I think McLaren or Red

Bull for that race. Before that, you can see highlights of to date

at 7pm. -- highlights of today's It was 57 years until they won

again. Congratulations, Mercedes and Nico Rosberg.

Nico Rosberg is going to have his first ever pole position! That was

a perfect start. Different drivers, different cars, that is what is

making Formula One so exciting. They virtually touch! Something has

gone wrong again for Michael Schumacher! Nico Rosberg commanding

Hamilton. What a race this is turning into! He is down the