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Formula 1
European GP
2009 European Grand Prix Race day in Valencia
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Lap 14: Adrian Sutil is beginning to put some pressure on Nick Heidfeld as the pair enter a battle over 11th place.
Lap 13: Rubens Barrichello's pace is improving in recent laps but he is still over eight seconds behind Hamilton in third.
Lap 12: The closest fights on the circuit are for ninth place between the struggling Jenson Button and Robert Kubica, and another battle much further down the field for 15th as Trulli is now coming under fire from Jaime Alguersuari.
Lap 11: Grosjean is back on the pace and beginning to catch Luca Badoer once again. The gap between Badoer and Grosjean is exactly 10 seconds.
Lap 11: Sebastian Vettel, in fifth, is closing in on Raikkonen's Ferrari. The Red Bull is, however, lighter than the two cars ahead.
Lap 11: There could be a fight at the back of the field soon. Jaime Alguersuari is tight up behind Trulli in 16th place. Then comes Badoer in 17th.
The Ferrari driver was about to come under serious attack from Romain Grosjean, but the Frenchman has recently spun away his chance to pass at Turn 1 and has lost six seconds on that lap.
The Ferrari driver was about to come under serious attack from Romain Grosjean, but the Frenchman has recently spun away his chance to pass at Turn 1 and has lost six seconds on that lap.
Lap 10: Kimi Raikkonen remains fourth but has slipped off the back of Barrichello's Brawn in recent laps.
Lap 10: Mark Webber in eighth is now pulling away from Jenson Button. Kubica is less than one second behind the Brawn driver, with Heidfeld still 11th, Sutil 12th, Fisichella 13th, Nakajima 14th and Trulli in 15th.
Lap 9: Barrichello is using the harder tyre, while the McLarens are running strongly on the softer option.
Lap 9: Barrichello is now seven seconds off the lead in third and has little chance of making use of his heavier fuel load as Hamilton sets a race-winning pace up front.
Lap 9: The race is beginning to settle down into the rhythm of last year's event - that of no overtaking possible due to the tight confines of the circuit.
Lap 7: Mark Webber's radio call would seem to have paid dividends, as Button was informed by the Brawn team that he should let the Red Bull driver through into eighth, rather than risk a penalty.
Lap 7: Hamilton continues to set the fastest lap as adds another second to the gap back to his team-mate.
Lap 7: Behind Kubica, Heidfeld is 11th with Sutil 12th. Fisichella made a good start and runs 13th ahead of Nakajima, Trulli, Alguersuari and Badoer.
Lap 6: Webber is through and up into eighth in the Red Bull. Button is now down to ninth and out of the points. Robert Kubica is tenth and climbing all over the back of the Brawn.
Lap 6: Lewis leads by three seconds from team-mate Kovalainen, who is 1.8 seconds in front of Barrichello.
Lap 6: Mark Webber is attacking Jenson Button for eighth but the Red Bull driver is unhappy with the Briton's driving on the opening lap. Button cut across the Turn 5 chicane on the opening lap.
Mark is asking for the team to point this out to the stewards. As yet, no notification of an investigation has been given.
Mark is asking for the team to point this out to the stewards. As yet, no notification of an investigation has been given.
Lap 5: Lewis Hamilton improves the fastest lap to 1m40.401s as he builds a useful margin out front.
Lap 4: Luca Badoer made a terrific start in the Ferrari and made up several places, but he spun exiting Turn 10 on the first lap, and now runs in 17th place ahead of the three drivers that have been into the pits for repairs.
Lap 4: Jenson Button remains down in eighth after being delayed in scrap with Vettel off the start and is 1.7 seconds behind Alonso.
Lap 3: Jenson Button currently occupies the final points-paying position in eighth and is facing the attention of Mark Webber as the battle for the title takes place at the edge of the points.
Lap 3: Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest lap as he extends his lead. This is exactly what the world champion needs to make his lighter fuel load pay off.
Lap 3: Timo Glock and Sebastien Buemi are also into the pits at the end of a frantic first lap with plenty of track arguing as the second half of the pack sorted themselves out.
Lap 2: Kimi Raikkonen is harrying Barrichello for third as the McLaren pair begin to sprint away.
Lap 2: Romain Grosjean is into the pits at the end of lap 1 and the Renault mechanics are fitting a new nose to the R29. Grosjean leaves in 20th and last place.
Lap 2: Lewis Hamilton leads into the second lap from Kovalainen, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Vettel, Rosberg and Alonso.
Lap 2: Jenson Button has had a terrible start in the Brawn and is down in eighth position as they complete the first lap.
Lap 1: Jarno Trulli sends a move up the inside of Grosjean at Turn 10 and the Toyota takes 18th place after a poor start.
Lap 1: Over the bridge at Turn 10 it is Hamilton from Kovalainen, Barrichello and a fast-starting Raikkonen
Lap 1: They blast away and it's Lewis Hamilton with a good start into Turn 1. It's clean as they go through Turn 2 and the McLarens are away in front.
Lap 1: The five red lights go out and we are racing in Valencia!
As the crowd rises, Hamilton rounds the final corner and parks neatly in pole position. The field are slowly forming up behind the pair of McLarens.
We await the lights ...
We await the lights ...
The pack stream through the final section of the lap and up towards the final corner on this tough circuit.
Lewis Hamilton leads the field through the opening section and along the long back straight next to the Mediterranean.
The formation lap begins at Valencia. All 20 cars have left the grid without problem.
In contrast, Barrichello and Vettel are on the harder rubber.
The McLaren pair have chosen the super soft rubber for the start.
Key factors for the race:
Turn 2. It narrows down dramatically and if there are going to be problems it will be at the tight right-hander on the first lap.
Tyres. Can the drivers make the soft tyres last?
KERS. Will the power boost work effectively for the McLarens, enabling them to lead off the start?
These and many other questions will be answered in the next 90 minutes.
Turn 2. It narrows down dramatically and if there are going to be problems it will be at the tight right-hander on the first lap.
Tyres. Can the drivers make the soft tyres last?
KERS. Will the power boost work effectively for the McLarens, enabling them to lead off the start?
These and many other questions will be answered in the next 90 minutes.
The engines fire up with a minute to go before the formation lap.
All 20 drivers are down there on the grid. There was some talk late last night that Jarno Trulli may start from the pitlane, but he is on the grid and ready to go.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton
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