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Formula 1 Italian GP

2009 Italian Grand Prix Race day at Monza

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Lap 12: Fernando Alonso is approaching the back of Liuzzi's Force India in a battle for sixth.
Lap 11: Vettel has lost a lot of time being stuck behind Kubica for those early laps. He is a full eight seconds adrift of Heikki Kovalainen, who is eighth.
Lap 10: It is a straight-forward nose change for the Polish driver. He rejoins at the rear of the field. This promotes Vettel to ninth and Heidfeld to 10th.
Lap 10: Rubens Barrichello sets his best lap as the fuel begins to burn off in the Brawn. He is now 12.4 seconds behind Hamilton and needs to hope Lewis is caught in traffic after his first stop.
Lap 10: This four-car scrap is the closest fight on the circuit. Kubica now comes into the pits and the BMW team will change the front wing.
Lap 10: Adrian Sutil sets the fastest first sector as he continues to push Raikkonen.
Lap 9: Kubica does not answer the call and continues over the line to begin another lap.
Lap 9: Raikkonen continues in second but is now 4.2 seconds behind Hamilton. Adrian Sutil remains a strong third, just a second further adrift.
Lap 9: Kubica runs ninth at the moment, but is now backing up Vettel, Heidfeld and Fisichella behind him.
Lap 8: Robert Kubica is being shown the black and orange flag, warning him that his car is not safe and he should come into the pits.
Lap 8: Another driver who has made good progress in the opening laps is Kazuki Nakajima. He has a heavy load of fuel on board and runs in 13th place.
Lap 7: Hamilton continues to set the pace with a clear track in font of him. His advantage is now nearly 10 seconds over Barrichello and could be on course to make two-stops the winning strategy.
Lap 7: Kubica is ninth and losing ground to the pack. Sebastian Vettel is still tucked up behind him.
Lap 6: Robert Kubica is running with a damaged front wing. The Pole is choosing to stay out there for this first stint.

Replays show that it was his BMW that tagged Mark Webber at the Roggia on the opening lap.
Lap 6: Nico Rosberg is coming into the pits ... and there is a problem with the right front. Rosberg gets rid of the hard tyres and switches them for a set of the softer compound.
Lap 5: Hamilton is flying off at the front on a pace that might be enough to make his strategy pay off. He's now 7.6 seconds clear of leading one-stop man Barrichello.
Lap 4: Fernando Alonso makes his move on Kovalainen into the first chicane, taking seventh away from the Finn with a good move down the inside.
Lap 4: Romain Grosjean has lost several places after a mistake. He falls to the rear of the field in the Renault.
Lap 4: Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest lap as he pulls 2.1 seconds clear of Raikkonen.
Lap 4: Giancarlo Fisichella has made a good start in the Ferrari and is up to 11th place.
Lap 4: Fernando Alonso is challenging Kovalainen for seventh. Heikki is struggling for pace so far today.
Lap 3: Great moves there by Alonso and Kubica. Vettel's afternoon is already compromised heavily.
Lap 3: Lewis Hamilton leads from Raikkonen and Sutil. These three now need to push and get away from the Brawn pair, who now lead the one-stop challenge.
Lap 3: Fernando Alonso muscles his way past Sebastian Vettel at the Roggia on lap 2, and the German loses out to Kubica into the first Lesmo. Alonso is up to eighth, Kubica ninth and Vettel 10th in the early stages.
Lap 2: It has been a terrible opening lap for Kovalainen, falling to seventh.
Lap 2: Heikki Kovalainen is dropping down the field as Liuzzi blasts by him into Parabolica.
Lap 2: There is a shunt towards the back of the field at the Roggia chicane. Mark Webber has crashed the Red Bull and is out of the race already.
Lap 1: Through the Lesmo corners for the first time it is Hamilton from Raikkonen, Sutil, Barrichello, Button and Kovalainen.
Lap 1: Hamilton leads into Turn 1 ahead of Raikkonen and Sutil has held his ground in third!
Lap 1: The five red lights go out and we are racing at Monza!
Hamilton pulls up into his pole position starting slot. The field are forming up neatly behind him. All set for 53 racing laps at Monza.

We await the lights ...
The track temperature is 38 Celsius for the start.
The field exit the final corner and head towards the grid.
Lewis Hamilton leads the pack into the Parabolica on a wonderful sunny afternoon.
Adrian Sutil is advised by his race engineer to take the inside on the run to the first chicane when the lights go out.
With Alguersuari moving into position at the end of the pitlane, the field come round the far side of the circuit.
The formation lap begins at Monza. All 19 cars on the grid leave their positions without problem.
Rubens Barrichello has opted for the harder tyres, in contrast with softer rubber for most of the leading drivers.
The engines fire with a minute to go before the formation lap.
The mechanics begin to clear the grid as the sound of music rises above the cheers of the crowd.

By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton

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