Fernando Alonso takes the European Grand Prix

Formula 1 McLaren driver Fernando Alonso managed to shorten Hamilton's lead to only 2 point at a rainy European Gran Prix.

Fernando Alonso takes the European Grand Prix Rainy Nurburgring on Sunday proved hard to manage by many drivers, but Fernando Alonso wasn't one of them. The McLaren driver won the European Grand Prix to come 2 points away from the leader among the Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton.

Felipe Massa with Ferrari was leading the race until five laps before the end Fernando Alonso took the first spot and held to it until the end. Massa finished second for a total of 59 points - 11 behind Hamilton. The other Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, who started from the pole position at the European Grand Prix on Sunday, had a hydraulics problem and was forced to retire from the race. The Finn however maintains his 4th position among the drivers with 52 points.

And what an awful race the European Grand Prix turned out to be for Lewis Hamilton. Starting with his crash at the qualifier on Saturday, Hamilton had to begin the race from the 10th position on Sunday. But the rainy track was not the strong side of the Britton, and although he started great to run fourth, suffered a puncture that crippled his car.

But that's just the start. No sooner had he pitted for a replacement than he slid off the road in the lake in Turn One, from whence he was lucky to be rescued by the mobile crane, now being a lap behind. The new Formula 1 rules allowed Hamilton to make up that lap behind the safety car, but a premature switch to dry tires put him off the road again briefly. At the end, the McLaren driver was battling Heikki Kovalainen (Renault) for the point given by the eight spot, but Lewis Hamilton finished ninth at the European Grand Prix, effectively ending his 9-race string of podium appearances.

The first eight at the European Grand Prix:

1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes
2 Felipe Massa Ferrari
3 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
4 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota
5 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault
6 Nick Heidfeld BMW
7 Robert Kubica BMW
8 Heikki Kovalainen Renault

Published on 07/22/2007