SUPERIOR strategy and a near-faultless driving display handed McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton victory in last night's German Grand Prix.
With Hamilton, runner-up Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and third-placed finisher Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) all forced to enter the pits and change tyres inside the final 10 laps, the Briton emerged victorious for the second time in the 2011 season.
Once racing resumed with pit stops a non-factor among the top three, Hamilton was never challenged in beating Alonso by 3.98 seconds at the Nurburgring.
Webber, who retained second spot on the championship standings with his podium finish, was a further six seconds back after having started the race in pole position.
As has been the case on many occasions over the past two seasons, Webber was unable to retain his starting grid position into the first corner. Hamilton, who started alongside Webber, started brilliantly to take the lead. The start was also unkind to Webber's Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel, who was passed by Alonso.
Vettel's frustration, however, didn't last long. The runaway series leader regained third place on the second lap after Alonso got it all wrong through turns three and four.
After twice setting the best lap time of the race, Webber quickly closed onto the back of Hamilton.
The news was not as good for Vettel, who spun out on lap nine.
On an increasingly slippery track and having already been re-passed by Alonso, Vettel paid the price for touching the white lines heading into turn 10. He quickly recovered but not without losing valuable time to the front-running duo.
Webber took the lead on lap 12 after Hamilton ran wide entering a corner, only to give up his lead when he entered the pits on lap 14.
Upon returning to the race he quickly resumed the lead as his main rivals completed their first stops of the afternoon.
Hamilton was in hot pursuit of Webber once the initial pit-stop phase had passed, only to see Webber set a new fastest lap. Webber made his second pit stop of the day on lap 30, with Hamilton making his second stop one circuit later.
As they had done for most of the race, Webber and Hamilton continued their duel, with the added ingredient of Alonso now thrown into the mix. When Alonso wedged himself between Hamilton and Webber, the Briton opened up a small buffer at the front.
Webber was unable to replicate his fast early pace, with his second set of tyres failing to provide the speed he had enjoyed earlier in the race. As the race entered the final stages, he was unable to bridge the gap on the leading duo.
With the race seemingly in his keeping, Hamilton was forced to pit on lap 51 after complaining that his tyres were losing grip, opening the door for Alonso to take the lead .
Vettel, who still holds a commanding lead in the championship race, had a day he would rather forget. With 20 of the scheduled laps still remaining, the world champion was battling Felipe Massa for fifth place. He finished fourth, but still holds a 77-point lead over his Red Bull-Renault teammate.
Webber said on Saturday that he had driven his car on the limit to claim his second successive pole position, his third this year and the ninth of his career.
''That was my complete limit, it was a pretty good lap,'' he said.
With Hamilton, runner-up Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and third-placed finisher Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) all forced to enter the pits and change tyres inside the final 10 laps, the Briton emerged victorious for the second time in the 2011 season.
Once racing resumed with pit stops a non-factor among the top three, Hamilton was never challenged in beating Alonso by 3.98 seconds at the Nurburgring.
Webber, who retained second spot on the championship standings with his podium finish, was a further six seconds back after having started the race in pole position.
As has been the case on many occasions over the past two seasons, Webber was unable to retain his starting grid position into the first corner. Hamilton, who started alongside Webber, started brilliantly to take the lead. The start was also unkind to Webber's Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel, who was passed by Alonso.
Vettel's frustration, however, didn't last long. The runaway series leader regained third place on the second lap after Alonso got it all wrong through turns three and four.
After twice setting the best lap time of the race, Webber quickly closed onto the back of Hamilton.
The news was not as good for Vettel, who spun out on lap nine.
Webber took the lead on lap 12 after Hamilton ran wide entering a corner, only to give up his lead when he entered the pits on lap 14.
Upon returning to the race he quickly resumed the lead as his main rivals completed their first stops of the afternoon.
Hamilton was in hot pursuit of Webber once the initial pit-stop phase had passed, only to see Webber set a new fastest lap. Webber made his second pit stop of the day on lap 30, with Hamilton making his second stop one circuit later.
As they had done for most of the race, Webber and Hamilton continued their duel, with the added ingredient of Alonso now thrown into the mix. When Alonso wedged himself between Hamilton and Webber, the Briton opened up a small buffer at the front.
Webber was unable to replicate his fast early pace, with his second set of tyres failing to provide the speed he had enjoyed earlier in the race. As the race entered the final stages, he was unable to bridge the gap on the leading duo.
With the race seemingly in his keeping, Hamilton was forced to pit on lap 51 after complaining that his tyres were losing grip, opening the door for Alonso to take the lead .
Vettel, who still holds a commanding lead in the championship race, had a day he would rather forget. With 20 of the scheduled laps still remaining, the world champion was battling Felipe Massa for fifth place. He finished fourth, but still holds a 77-point lead over his Red Bull-Renault teammate.
Webber said on Saturday that he had driven his car on the limit to claim his second successive pole position, his third this year and the ninth of his career.
''That was my complete limit, it was a pretty good lap,'' he said.
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