Bullfight sees Hamilton home

LEWIS HAMILTON was handed his first victory for 10 races on a plate following what Mark Webber described as “a disaster” of a Turkish Grand Prix for Red Bull.

Webber’s frustration in Istanbul was evident after hopes of a third consecutive win were wrecked by team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

With a Red Bull one-two seemingly in the bag at Istanbul Park, Vettel made a move on Webber on lap 40 of the 58-lap race that culminated in the young German crashing out.

It allowed Hamilton and McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, who were within two seconds of their championship rivals at the time, to nip through and claim their own one-two.

What followed after the race were recriminations, accusations and claims as neither Webber nor Vettel held their hand up to the incident – although Vettel did twice twirl his right index finger near his temple to indicate what had happened was crazy after emerging from his mangled car.

There was no apology from Vettel post-race – just a clear suggestion that Webber was in the wrong.

“I’m not in the happiest of moods,” stormed Vettel. “I was on the inside going into the corner. I was there, ahead and focusing on the braking point and then we touched.

“Mark’s car hit my rear right wheel and I went off. As far as I’m concerned I was not overeager. I felt I was a little bit faster.

“What happened was very silly among team-mates. You should give each other some room.”

When the incident happened, team principal Christian Horner shook his head with abject despair written across his face, while technical chief Adrian Newey put his head in his hands.

Horner confirmed Webber was told to turn his engine down to conserve fuel, whereas Vettel had another lap with higher revs, allowing him to close the gap and make a move.

The problem for Vettel was that Webber held the middle ground down the straight as he tried to force his way up the inside. The 22-year-old then cut across too soon, perhaps hoping Webber would yield, but the Australian instead held station.

The outcome was Vettel’s right-rear wheel colliding with Webber’s front left, sending the German into a spin and retirement.

As for Webber, he required a replacement front wing as Vettel had ripped off the end plate on the left-hand side, forcing him into a second unscheduled pit stop.

Afterwards Webber, normally not one to hide his light under a bushel, carefully picked his phrases.

Asked in particular if he felt responsible, Webber tersely replied: “No.”

Explaining the incident, the 33-year-old added: “It wasn’t my plan to have him on the inside.

“But he got there and I thought ‘okay, I will just stay in the middle, as straight as I can, to make his line as tight as possible into the next corner’.

“Once we got to the braking point he was obviously in a very strong position, but before we got there he came across to the right and I couldn’t react fast enough.

“I wasn’t at all expecting that at that point, and that’s why it happened so fast and there was contact.

“Of course, in Seb’s car it obviously feels very bad for him that I’ve turned left into him.

“But I’m pretty confident there was some drift from his way and then it was a disaster.”

It was almost likewise for McLaren just 10 laps later as Hamilton and Button diced their way through Turns 12, 13 and 14.

The reigning world champion momentarily held sway, bumping wheels at one point and taking the lead before Hamilton slipstreamed his team-mate down into Turn One and reclaimed top spot for good.

“It was a really fair battle with Jenson and a great result with our second one-two this season, which we truly deserved,” said Hamilton.

Despite the drama, Webber has increased his lead in the overall standings to five points. Button moved second, five points adrift, with Hamilton nine behind in third and Vettel 15 back in fifth. Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg finished fourth and fifth for Mercedes, followed by Renault’s Robert Kubica, with the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso seventh and eighth.

* Scotland’s Dario Franchitti charged to a second Indianapolis 500 win in four years yesterday, beating Dan Wheldon to help Chip Ganassi become the first carowner to win Indy and Daytona 500 in the same year.

With the victory, Chip Ganassi becomes the first team owner to win America’s two biggest races, Daytona and Indy 500s in the same year.