My Formula One race reports

[adam46]

Hello,
throughout this year I intend to write race reports on all forms of racing, including Formula One. I will post all the Formula One reporting I do here. Here is the race report from Melbourne... Please give me feedback!

"The Australian Grand Prix began with a familiar sight; That of a Red Bull, driven by a certain protagonist going by the name Sebastian Vettel, heading the grid. His team mate Mark Webber lined up second, with Lewis Hamilton third and Nico Rosberg sixth. The Mercedes duo were separated by the two Ferraris.

Quite often the Australian Grand Prix has been a race of attrition, and this year looked to be no exception before the race even began. Nico Hulkenburg was unable to start the race due to a problem with his cars fuel system. Also, the skies were far from blue as the cars headed out of the garages, onto the grid and then onto their warm-up lap.

Many in the paddock were predicting a Red Bull domination. But, as the 1999 race proved, qualifying pace doesn't equal race victory; That year the McLaren's looked set to run away with it, only for both to be struck down with problems during the race. That year it was Eddie Irvine who won for Ferrari; Could a man in Red overalls possibly stand victorious at the end of the race?

You could feel the excitement in the air as the cars completed their warm-up lap. The cars lined up on the grid and the lights lit up...

And it was go in Melbourne! the grid made it through the first corner cleanly and Sebastian Vettel had already broken away. Massa took second followed by his team mate Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen was hassling Lewis Hamilton, who was holding fourth at the end of the first lap. And, three quarters of the way through lap two Raikkonen took the position. The Renault engine obviously has speed as he was noticeably faster than the Mercedes.

Mark Webber had an appalling start. The Australian fell back to seventh at first, and began hassling Nico Rosberg. Jenson Button changed from badly worn out Super Soft compound tires to the more durable Medium compound. This was after just four laps.

By lap six Webber had also pitted. Meanwhile, the Ferrari duo of Massa and Alonso had reeled in Vettel by roughly two seconds. Kimi Raikkonen was also catching up to the lead group, before Vettel ducked in to pit on the end of Lap 8. He, like his team mate, changed to medium compound tires.

Raikkonen was still gaining on Alonso as Massa pitted, also choosing mediums. Massa exited the pits behind Vettel. On the next lap Alonso and Raikkonen both pitted, maintaining their order but both also slotted in behind Vettel.

The Mercedes team kept Hamilton and Rosberg out, with the team holding a one-two order as they crossed the timing beam to begin lap eleven. Adrian Sutil was third on his Formula One return, but of course all three of these cars would slot in behind the leaders once they pit...

The Mercedes cars began to pit, with Hamilton being the first silver arrow to do so. On the next lap Nico Rosberg pitted, leaving Adrian Sutil out front on the medium compound tire he started the race on. Vettel was close behind his fellow German at the fifteen lap mark.

Mark Webber was losing time to the pack, as he was stuck behind the struggling McLaren of Jenson Button. But Mark then pitted to find clear air, putting the Australian way down the order. Sutil was doing a fabulous job leading the race, he even appeared to be building a lead over Vettel, who was falling into the grasp of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.

On Lap 21 Fernando Alonso bowed out of fourth to pit and change to another set of mediums, he came out seventh. Then, on the next lap, Adrian Sutil and Vettel both pit. Sutil and the Force India team manage to keep Sutil ahead of the Red Bull, but Alonso got around him as he exited the pits. Massa remained out and was leading. Vettel managed to pass Sutil at turn three on lap twenty three, and at the end of the lap Massa pitted. This left Kimi Raikkonen in the lead with Hamilton second. Pastor Maldonado spun off at turn one, putting him out of the race.

Kimi was getting away from Hamilton and the pack, he over a dozen seconds ahead. At turn four Nico Rosberg pulled off and out of the race, as drops of rain started to fall around turn thirteen.

The team radios started telling the drivers of a predicted short and light shower on lap 30... And indeed, rain does start spitting down from the clouds but it leads to nothing. Lewis Hamilton was still second, with Alonso right behind him. Alonso makes it by, just before Hamilton makes a pitstop, moving Alonso to second and Vettel to third. Adrian Sutil was still hanging on in fourth.

Hamilton radios his team telling them that his tyres will not last the 27 laps required to pull off a two stopper as Raikkonen pits, handing Alonso the lead but critically, meaning he shouldn't need to stop again. Vettel also pits, and exits behind Lewis Hamilton. Jenson Button and Romain Grosjean also pit; They are joined by Webber, who has not made up the positions following his horror start.

Alonso exits the pits in the foreground as Vettel passes Hamilton. Then Massa did the exact same thing towards the end of the lap as team radio tells us that light rain is falling in the last sector. Webber makes a good pass on Di Resta as Hamilton pits, changing to a three stop strategy. Sutil was in the lead, but Raikkonen swiftly passes him to take that position.

The Force India driver then got overtaken by Alonso, who immediately drove away trying to chase Raikkonen down and claim victory. Sutil then pitted, dropping down to fifth and changing to super softs. Alonso was now just eight seconds behind the Finn in the Lotus, but Vettel was only five seconds behind the double champion from Spain. More light rain was to be expected, according to the radar in front of Jules Bianchi's Marussia team.

Hamilton was now right behind Sutil. But Sutil was passed with ease by both Hamilton and Mark Webber, as his tyres were now fading away. The teams behind Sutil were now smelling blood as he cautiously made it round each lap with just four to go.

But, as the chequered flag waved it's Kimi Raikkonen who crossed the line first, followed by Alonso and Vettel. Massa came home fourth, with Hamilton fifth and Webber sixth. Sutil held off his team mate for seventh, meaning Paul Di Resta finished eighth. Button and Grosjean round out the top 10 in Melbourne.

So a brilliant start to the season for Kimi Raikkonen and the fans, who witnessed a very exciting motor race unfold."

Please let me know what you think, in a good or bad sense.