Close Fight Ends With Hamilton on Top

Qualifying:

Pos	#	Driver	Constructor	Time
1	2	Lewis Hamilton		1:20.917
2	63	Jules Bianchi		1:21.023
3	1	Sebastian Vettel		1:21.140
4	62	Dave Cassidy		1:21.243
5	98	Salvatore Miccoli		1:21.449
6	27	Nathan McKane		1:21.476
7	99	Kevin Magnussen		1:21.885
8	29	Pastor Maldonado		1:22.036
9	5	Valtteri Bottas		1:22.054
10	21	Stoffel Vandoorne		1:21.960
11	28	Marcel Agyemang-Badu		1:22.142
12	6	Matt Solomon		1:21.605*
13	31	Rhys Davies		1:22.240
14	91	Max Verstappen		1:22.281
15	67	Pierre Gasly		1:22.425
16	30	Nico Hülkenberg		1:22.651
17	32	Daniel Melrose		1:22.731
18	55	Artem Markelov		1:23.257
19	12	Scott Dixon		1:23.568
20	42	Davide Valsecchi		1:23.601
21	22	Johnny Cecotto Jr.		1:23.643
22	66	Josef Newgarden		1:23.807
23	90	Daniel Ricciardo		1:22.735*
24	56	Bradley Dagnall		1:23.936
25	43	Sergio Pérez		1:23.361*
26	11	Daniël de Jong		1:24.287

* demoted five places for changing engine/gearbox

Report:

Strategic races can appear rather uninteresting to the uneducated outsider. Due to this regrettable fact, the first race back in Turkey since the 2013 Formula One season may have left some casual fans less than thrilled, even though it was an exciting showdown going down to the wire and challenging the strategists of all teams.

Qualifying proved that Precision-Mercedes and Caterham-Judd are currently the teams running Formula One: they occupied rows one and two and it never looked doubtful that they would do so. Regrettably, a four-way battle for the win was denied to us by Dave Cassidy suffering an engine failure at the end of the opening lap.

Hamilton and Bianchi, however, more than made up for that disappointment by fighting to the very end. The first stint saw Lewis Hamilton win the start and retain P1, until he lost the lead at the pitstop. With ruthless professionalism he stuck to Jules, however, and Caterham were able to use a later second stop to flush the Brit past the sole Precision left running.

Behind them, Vettel secured a pole after fighting past Miccoli, the Italian once more taking a fourth place. Nathan McKane overcame an earlier pitstop than he would have liked and got himself a fifth place. Points also for Markelov and Vandoorne, who had a tough battle for most of the race until Stoffel forced the issue after the second stop, getting past Artem.

Race:

Pos	#	Driver	Constructor	Time/Retired	Points
1	2	Lewis Hamilton		42:59.729	17
2	63	Jules Bianchi		+2.826	12
3	1	Sebastian Vettel		+13.215	10
4	98	Salvatore Miccoli		+19.578	8
5	27	Nathan McKane		+30.202	6
6	99	Kevin Magnussen		+33.559	5
7	29	Pastor Maldonado		+37.334	4
8	28	Marcel Agyemang-Badu		+43.740	3
9	21	Stoffel Vandoorne		+51.910	2
10	55	Artem Markelov		+57.859	1
11	32	Daniel Melrose		+62.494	0
12	30	Nico Hülkenberg		+64.129	0
13	6	Matt Solomon		+64.498	0
14	67	Pierre Gasly		+70.783	0
15	56	Bradley Dagnall		+73.817	0
16	22	Johnny Cecotto Jr.		+75.223	0
17	66	Josef Newgarden		+79.925	0
18	11	Daniël de Jong		+86.367	0
19	12	Scott Dixon		+1 Lap	0
DNF	5	Valtteri Bottas		Oil Leak	0
DNF	42	Davide Valsecchi		Engine	0
DNF	43	Sergio Pérez		Electrical	0
DNF	31	Rhys Davies		Accident	0
DNF	91	Max Verstappen		Engine	0
DNF	90	Daniel Ricciardo		Puncture	0
DNF	62	Dave Cassidy		Engine	0

Fastest Lap:

Lewis Hamilton – 1:22.554

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Artem Markelov – Impressed again and earned another point.

Reject Of The Race:

Precision-Mercedes – No excuse for having one of your cars blow up after the first lap if you are not a Ferrari customer.