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Formula 1
German GP
2009 German Grand Prix Race day at the Nurburgring
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Lap 11: Nico Rosberg in ninth is holding up Robert Kubica and Fernando Alonso. Fisichella is now just two seconds behind the Spaniard, and closing in on this trio quite quickly.
Lap 10: Leaders Barrichello and Webber are under investigation by the stewards - likely due to the coming together between the pair off the start.
Lap 10: Wow! Fisichella does send a move on Heidfeld at the NGK Chicane and he pulls it off easily. Fisichella now up into 12th position and he is just under three seconds behind 11th-placed Fernando Alonso.
Lap 9: A couple of battles are now shaping up down the field:
Giancarlo Fisichella is trying hard to get past Nick Heidfeld as they squabble over 12th. Fisichella is quicker and if he's brave enough could try a move on the BMW soon.
Kazuki Nakajima is hounding Timo Glock for 16th position.
Giancarlo Fisichella is trying hard to get past Nick Heidfeld as they squabble over 12th. Fisichella is quicker and if he's brave enough could try a move on the BMW soon.
Kazuki Nakajima is hounding Timo Glock for 16th position.
Lap 9: The train of cars forming behind the slow Kovalainen is playing in to the hands of the Ferrari duo, who are set to run much longer before their first stops and look well-placed to leap ahead of Button - who will be the first man to sop.
Lap 7: Behind the top eight, Nico Rosberg is ninth and struggling to hold on to Sutil, with Kubica tenth after making a great start. Alonso is 11th, Heidfeld 12th, Fisichela up to 13th in the Force India, Buemi 14th, Piquet 15th, Glock up to 16th from the pits and Nakajima 17th.
Behind them comes Bourdais in 18th, Trulli 19th after a visit to the pits and Hamilton dead last.
Behind them comes Bourdais in 18th, Trulli 19th after a visit to the pits and Hamilton dead last.
Lap 7: Button continues to harry Kovalainen as Massa and Vettel have joined to make it a four-car train.
Lap 6: Mark Webber is being told on the radio to preserve his tyres for the time when he can stay out after Barrichello's first stop.
Lap 6: Heikki Kovalainen has already fallen eight seconds behind the lead pair and is clearly holding up Jenson Button.
Button needs to pass on the road as the McLaren is a little heavier.
Button needs to pass on the road as the McLaren is a little heavier.
Lap 5: Webber continues to harry Barrichello for the lead with the fastest lap. He is comfortable in the knowledge that he will stop several laps later than the Brawn.
Lap 4: Replays of Hamilton's start show that he got an amazing launch off the grid and with the KERS engaged he was three-abreast with Barrichello and Webber heading into Turn 1. But he was going into the corner way too hot and ran wide over the grasscrete, dust, dirt and other rubbish at the side of the road having picked up a puncture.
Further replays show that the left end-plate of Webber's Red Bull made contact with Hamilton's right rear as they were in the braking zone for the first corner.
Further replays show that the left end-plate of Webber's Red Bull made contact with Hamilton's right rear as they were in the braking zone for the first corner.
Lap 4: Barrichello leads by a second from Webber, with Kovalainen third and under pressure from Button. Felipe Massa is fifth, being chased by Vettel and Raikkonen, with Adrian Sutil holding a strong eighth in the Force India.
Lap 3: Lewis has lost well over a minute bringing the car back, but he exits the pits with fresh tyres dead last and with little chance of scoring points this afternoon.
Lap 3: Jenson Button is already on the gearbox of Kovalainen's McLaren as he looks to move up to third.
Lap 3: Vettel is currently sixth but runs wide in Michelin trying to challenge Massa.
Lap 2: Here comes Lewis Hamilton struggling through the NGK Chicane and he will come into the pits with a right rear puncture.
Lap 2: Completing the first lap, Barrichello leads from Webber and Kovalainen as Jenson Button lines up to pass Felipe Massa for fourth into the first corner.
Lap 2: Hamilton was tagged as he diced for the lead at Turn 1 and he is in trouble. Lewis is dropping right down the field in the McLaren.
Lap 1: Down to the Dunlop hairpin it is Barrichello from Webber and Kovalainen after a chaotic start.
Lap 1: Webber gets away well and Barrichello is right with him, but here comes Hamilton! Barrichello gets the lead and Webber holds second from Lewis at Turn 1.
Lap 1: The five red lights go out and we are racing in Germany!
Mark Webber round the final corner and drives towards his grid slot. He stops and the field of 19 begin to form up behind him.
We await the start ...
We await the start ...
Tyre strategy and grip level will be critical in the early stages of the race. The field now blast down towards the NGK Chicane towards the end of the lap.
Mark Webber will have all the pressure, but the knowledge that he is heavier than his immediate opposition. He leads the pack round the Mercedes Arena and down the hill towards Dunlop.
Adrain Sutil is one of the few drivers going for the harder tyres for the first stint.
The formation lap begins at the Nurburgring. The 19 cars leave the grid without problem, as Toyota get Glock's car ready in the pitlane.
The super-soft tyre is the choice of the front runners.
The engines begin to fire with a minute to go before the formation lap.
There are 19 cars down there on the grid, ready for the start of the formation lap.
One driver will start the race from the pitlane. Timo Glock had originally qualified 19th, but he was subsequently given a three-place grid penalty for holding up Fernando Alonso during the session.
Toyota this morning announced that they would start the German from the pitlane.
One driver will start the race from the pitlane. Timo Glock had originally qualified 19th, but he was subsequently given a three-place grid penalty for holding up Fernando Alonso during the session.
Toyota this morning announced that they would start the German from the pitlane.
The teams have now fitted their final choice of tyres, with the decision made difficult by the green track and increased temperature.
Our final radar check before the start of the race: the latest images show that there will be no significant rain for at least 45 minutes.
There are five minutes to go until the cars roll away to signal the start of the formation lap.
The track temperature is up to 32 Celsius in the sunshine, which will certainly help the Brawn team get more speed out of their tyres.
Down at the 16th position grid slot, Robert Kubica is preparing for the race. His earpiece for the pit-to-car radio is being fitted by BMW Sauber trainer Josef Leberer.
Adrian Sutil puts on his helmet. He is in for an interesting race from an excellent seventh on the grid.
The drivers begin to get their equipment together and move towards their cars with ten minutes to go before the formation lap.
The German national anthem 'Deutschland Uber Alles' rings out over the Nurburgring, sung today by Daniel Schumacher.
The pitlane is now closed, meaning that no further reconnaissance laps will be possible before the start.
The on-site weather radar shows no rain anywhere near the circuit and things are actually quite sunny, with the track warmer than any other stage of the weekend.
Jenson Button reports to Ross Brawn on the grid that he could feel the car moving around a little at the rear, but overall the grip level is reasonably good.
Meantime, Sebastian Vettel is seeking advice from Bridgestone regarding the tyres and likelihood of graining during the race.
Meantime, Sebastian Vettel is seeking advice from Bridgestone regarding the tyres and likelihood of graining during the race.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton
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