Lewis Hamilton was not only on the qualification for the European Grand Prix with his third place easier, but after the race at Valencia, he was able to finish on the second position – despite a drive-through. This had brewed the McLaren-Mercedes driver as he overhauled the Safety Car irregularly.

“I think it’s just very, very positive, leading the championship,” said the McLaren-Mercedes driver, who lies at 107 meters by six points ahead of team-mate Jenson Button. “Both Jenson and I have worked hard all year, and the results show the efforts that each invested. It’s great to achieve those results, we can earn. Hopefully we close the gap on Red Bull and then they really . challenge ”
The situation with the safety car could have cost the former Formula 1 world champion much more: “I really do not know. When we riding around the first corner, I saw the safety car line. I saw that the safety car next to me and thought that I had passed it, so I kept going and that was it. ”

Turbulent it went straight to after the start, when he was in a duel against Vettel the front wing damaged, “I had passed clear to Mark that I saw for this reason, not where he went. I came through the first corner, and Sebastian was very close . I could see the available gap and tried it. I brake it and we went with the same speed in the curve. ”
“I was inside came through half of the curve. I gave him room, but we touched and broke my front wing. During the safety car, I came into the pits and the team did great work to change the wings and tires .

“After that, the speed was much stronger. I was able to put him under pressure. It was impossible to overtake him on that line, when the cars were within one second, even with the F-bay system. “

Renault has fought valiantly in the previous eight races. Robert Kubica climbed on the podium twice and Vitaly Petrov has also shown fighting benefits. With six points from China, the Russian is so far even the best rookie. The black and yellow currently see no reason to replace the 25-year-olds.

Team boss Eric Boullier thinks about his discovery: “It meets our expectations and achievements are not surprising. We have chosen for him because he has brought in GP2 good performance. On the basis of which he brings exactly what we by him be expected. It shows that we have made the right choice. ”
As is set Felipe Massa at Ferrari in 2012, the speculation has broken about a change of Kubica. Since the other top teams are also occupied the long term, the former BMW driver will have to stay at Renault. His current chief says of the talks: “We speak today. But if you want to set for several years, then you have to overcome the obstacles, so that both parties are happy.”

An important issue is currently the tire question from next year. Pirelli is in pole position, but still nothing is decided. Boullier can announce as a member of FOTA is no news: “The decision must fall as soon as possible. But we have started based on the current tire course already with our plans for 2011.”

With the fifth place in Canada got Mark Webber his championship lead to the McLaren duo. Although the Australian strategiebedingt long was in the lead, he ran in the end the damage. The next race will be held in Valencia, but in the last season was the 33-year-old colorless ninth. Team-mate Sebastian Vettel retired with engine failure. This year, so it can only run better.

“This is an event that is probably not easy for us,” said Webber. “But we were competitive in Canada than we actually thought. It was a tight group at the top and at the finish, unfortunately we were at the end of it. I think we can still get a good result in Valencia. I would not pick a race where we can enter an easy victory. ”
“The track layout is not optimal for our car, but that’s to the championship. We have to prove to all the slopes, so that is just,” said Webber and looks ahead to the front. “The courses to Valencia we should again be better.” After eight races, the Red Bull driver only six points behind Lewis Hamilton. So everything is open.