2007 Formula One season

Formula One 2007 race schedule

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* † Driver did not finish but was classified, having completed more than 90% of race distance.

Drivers statistics

* † After an incident at the end of Qualifying Session 3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, an FIA decision was made that, due to team infringements during qualifying, McLaren would not be awarded any points. The drivers, however, do retain the points won. (Alonso was demoted five places from pole on the start grid). 15 points were lost by the team in this event. This punishment could have been appealed, but the team did not following the greater punishment later.
* ‡ McLaren lost all their points in the Constructors Championship as a result of a World Motorsport Council decision over the espionage controversy. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6991147.stm McLaren hit with constuctors' ban] , BBC News article (Retrieved 13 September 2007)]

Constructors statistics

* † After an incident at the end of Qualifying Session 3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, an FIA decision was made that, due to team infringements during qualifying, McLaren would not be awarded any points. The drivers, however, do retain the points won. (Alonso was demoted five places from pole on the start grid). 15 points were lost by the team in this event. This punishment could have been appealed, but the team did not following the greater punishment later.
* ‡ McLaren lost all their points in the Constructors Championship as a result of a World Motorsport Council decision over the espionage controversy. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6991147.stm McLaren hit with constuctors' ban] , BBC News article (Retrieved 13 September 2007)]

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Races

First races without Michael Schumacher

The season started at Albert Park in Australia on 18 March and Kimi Raikkonen took a lights to flag victory there with Fernando Alonso coming second and debutant Lewis Hamilton finishing 3rd. Felipe Massa took his first pole of the season in Malaysia but Fernando Alonso won his first race with McLaren with rookie, Lewis Hamilton, continuing his excellent pace to finish second. Felipe Massa won from lights to flag in Bahrain and Spain and in both races Lewis Hamilton finished second, becoming the first rookie to finish on the podium in more than his first two outings. McLaren would dominate Monaco with Fernando Alonso winning from Lewis Hamilton after the pair had lapped everybody apart from themselves and Felipe Massa, who was not too far from being lapped.

Drama and controversy

The Canadian GP was a very dramatic affair with 4 safety car periods and one of the biggest crashes of Formula One in recent years. The race started off with the second all McLaren front row with Lewis Hamilton taking his first pole position followed by Fernando Alonso. Alonso made a mistake in turn 1 losing several places while Lewis Hamilton was opening a gap between himself and Nick Heidfeld. On lap 22 the first safety car period began after Adrian Sutil hit the cement wall. The safety car went into the pits on lap 28 but before the lap could be completed Robert Kubica made one of the most bizarre accidents in the history of Formula One. He apparently lost his front wing after hitting Jarno Trulli. He then went wide and hit a bump on the grass that launched him into the air and into a massive impact with the retaining barrier at a peak G Force of 75G. The safety car was once again deployed and went in on lap 35. Lewis Hamilton once again opened up a gap to second placed Nick Heidfeld until lap 50 when Christian Albers left a lot of debris on the track after a crash forcing the deployment of the safety car. The race restarted on lap 55 and was deployed again on lap 56 after Vitantonio Liuzzi hit the so called `Wall of Champions`. The safety car period was extended after Jarno Trulli hit the tyre barrier at the exit of the pitlane after trying to catch up with the field. On the restart Lewis Hamilton led to the finish to claim his maiden win in only his sixth race. The next race at Indianapolis saw Lewis Hamilton take a lights to flag victory after a 300kph side by side battle with Fernando Alonso for the lead. Ferrari took their first 1-2 finish in France with Kimi Raikkonen winning from polesitter, Felipe Massa.

In Britain Lewis Hamilton thrilled his home crowd by taking his third pole position in front of them. It wasn't to last, however, he went on to finish a distant third behind winner, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. Europe(Germany) would see Lewis Hamilton's run of consecutive podiums come to an end. After a mighty crash in qualifying he started in 10th in the race. On lap 4 he aquaplaned off the circuit in a torrential rainstorm but fortunately for him the race was stopped. He restarted after his car was pulled out of the gravel but after taking a gamble to change to dries on a drying track he spun off several times but recovered to finish 9th, just missing out on the final point.

After a controversial qualifying incident between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, Alonso was demoted to 6th on the grid at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton then took a lights to flag victory with Raikkönen coming second. In Turkey Felipe Massa took a dominant lights to flg victory followed by Kimi Raikkönen and Fernando Alonso. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth after he suffered a tyre failure while running in 3rd. In Italy Fernando Alonso won from Lewis Hamilton followed by Kimi Raikkönen. In Belgium Raikkönen won from Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.

Dramatic season conclusion

The Japanese Grand Prix moved to Fuji Speedway and this event was marked by treacherous weather and was started under safety car conditions. Lewis Hamilton survived a brush with Robert Kubica to win from Heikki Kovalainen and Kimi Räikkönen. At the last 3 corners Robert Kubica and Felipe Massa ran side by side in a battle for 6th and Fernando Alonso aquaplaned and crashed on lap 41 of 67. In China Lewis Hamilton won his 6th pole of the season and led up to lap 28 when he was overtaken by Kimi Räikkönen and he then spun off entering the pitlane. The season finale marked the first time since 1986 that 3 drivers had a chance of becoming world champion at the season finale, and the first time since the inaugural season in 1950 that the man stood in third before the final race went on to win the championship, the driver then being Giuseppe Farina. Lewis Hamilton was the favourite with 107 points followed by Fernando Alonso on 103 points and Kimi Räikkönen on 100 points. Lewis Hamilton started 2nd but dropped to the back of the pack after a gearbox problem. He recovered to 7th but Kimi Räikkönen won the race and the championship. The final standings were Räikkönen on 110 points followed by Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso each on 109 points.

References

External links

* [http://www.fia.com/sport/Championships/F1/F1_Season_Guide/2007.html FIA Formula One World Championship Season guide 2007]
* [http://www.formula1.com/race/ 2007 season at Formula1.com]
* [http://www.4wdmedia.de/download/formula-one-world-championship-race-calendar-2007.ics All formula one races as iCal-calendar]
* [http://f1gmap.googlepages.com/f12007.html 2007 F1 Tracks on Google Maps]