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Formula 1
Monaco GP
2009 Monaco Grand Prix Race day in Monte Carlo
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Lap 11: Sebastian Vettel comes into the pits in the Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton also in for McLaren.
Lap 11: Rosberg, Massa and Kovalainen skirt by Vettel as the Red Bull slows dramatically.
Lap 11: While this great scrap continues behind Vettel, Fisichella has passed Sutil for 14th place. Fisichella and 13th placed Bourdais are in fact catching the long snake of cars that is led by Vettel in fourth!
Behind them, Sutil is holding up Heidfeld and Hamilton in a battle for 15th.
Behind them, Sutil is holding up Heidfeld and Hamilton in a battle for 15th.
Lap 10: It is a massive scramble behind Vettel as he slows the pack considerably.
Barrichello is told to look after the super-soft tyres, which are currently slowing Vettel.
Barrichello is told to look after the super-soft tyres, which are currently slowing Vettel.
Lap 9: That leaves the big scrap up front as Vettel fourth, Rosberg fifth, Massa sixth.
Kovalainen, Webber and Alonso are also catching the train forming behind Vettel, who is struggling with graining rear tyres.
Kovalainen, Webber and Alonso are also catching the train forming behind Vettel, who is struggling with graining rear tyres.
Lap 8: Massa tries it again on Vettel but is forced over the escape road at the chicane. Handing the place back to Vettel, Massa loses speed and Nico Rosberg squeezes through into fifth.
Lap 8: Adrian Sutil in 14th place is now leading a train of four cars. Fisichella, Heidfeld and Hamilton are all nose to tail behind the German.
Lap 7: Kimi Raikkonen shows his pace as he builds heat into his harder tyres. Kimi now has the fastest lap.
Lap 7: Down the field, Kazuki Nakajima has maintained his good starting position in tenth. He is falling away from Fernando Alonso with his heavy fuel load, but equally is a good two seconds ahead of Nelson Piquet, who has Sebastien Buemi tailing him closely.
Lap 7: Felipe Massa is not keen to wait for the first stops and has a look at the outside of Vettel in to the chicane. There is no chance for the Brazilian as Vettel defends cleanly.
Lap 6: Jenson Button sets the fastest lap as he pulls to 1.5 seconds clear of team-mate Barrichello.
Lap 6: The closest battle on the circuit is for 16th place. Nick Heidfeld is now coming under serious attack from Lewis Hamilton.
Lap 5: In the back half of the top ten it is Rosberg sixth, Kovalainen secenth, Webber eighth, Alonso ninth and Nakajima tenth - all still in grid order.
Lap 4: Throughout the field the positions are static, save for Hamilton in the early stages of the race.
Robert Kubica has rejoined following that pitstop. He is 20th and last, almost 30 seconds off the rest of the field.
Robert Kubica has rejoined following that pitstop. He is 20th and last, almost 30 seconds off the rest of the field.
Lap 4: Felipe Massa is tailing Vettel's Red Bull in the early stages. Vettel is due to pit very early and Massa will surely leap him at the first stop.
Lap 4: Button and Barrichello are already pulling away from Raikkonen's Ferrari. The duo need to get a move on in case their super-soft rubber does fade towards the end of the first stint.
Lap 4: Lewis Hamilton deploys his KERS device and steams up the inside of Kubica as they enter the tunnel. A good opening couple of laps for the world champion - he is 17th as Kubica comes into the pits in the BMW.
Lap 2: Hamilton then tries a move up the inside of Robert Kubica into Sainte Devote on lap two but can't out-brake the Pole. They are nose to tail as the second lap continues.
Lap 2: Jenson Button leads up the hill for the second time as the Brawn pair get an ideal start on the super soft rubber, demoting Raikkonen to third.
Lap 2: Lewis Hamilton zooms up the inside of Jarno Trulli for 18th place as they enter the Tabac on lap 1.
Lap 1: It's a fabulously clean start to the race as Timo Glock leaves the pits and all 20 cars are now in the race.
Lap 1: Down to the harbour for the first time it is Button from Barrichello, Raikkonen, Vettel and Massa.
Lap 1: Jenson Button gets a stunning start and leads ahead of Barrichello and Raikkonen into Sainte Devote.
Lap 1: The five red lights are out and it is go in Monaco!
Jenson Button slots the Brawn into pole. The field begin to form up behind him on the grid.
We await the lights ...
We await the lights ...
Polesitter Jenson Button exits the Piscine and accelerates towards the Rascasse. He begins to slow down and bring the cars into line behind him.
The field file their way through the narrow, twisting streets of the principality. Button leads the cars into the tunnel as the formation lap continues.
Kazuki Nakajima's Williams was smoking quite a bit on the grid but it has now cleared as he rolls around on the formation lap.
The formation lap is underway in Monte Carlo. The 19 remaining cars on the grid have moved away without problem.
Jenson Button is starting on the super-soft tyre, with front-row rival Raikkonen on the harder choice.
The engines begin to fire with a minute to go before the formation lap.
Tension builds on the grid leading up to the start of a long race.
Timo Glock has elected to start the race from the pitlane. The Toyota driver had qualified well down the field and has nothing to lose this afternoon.
Bernd Mayländer roars around the circuit in the safety car to take up his position at the back of the grid.
Many of the team strategists will be hoping that is the final tour for the big Mercedes this afternoon.
Many of the team strategists will be hoping that is the final tour for the big Mercedes this afternoon.
There are five minutes to go until the formation lap begins in Monaco.
The grid girls begin to clear away with their boards, as Renault boss Flavio Briatore also moves away, as he walks towards the pits and the Renault team office.
Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is now heading back down the grid towards the paddock. On his way, he passes Nick Heidfeld and shakes his hand to wish him 'good luck'.
The German will need all the luck he can get this afternoon, starting from near the rear of the field.
The German will need all the luck he can get this afternoon, starting from near the rear of the field.
The grid begins to thin out as non-essential personnel head off to watch the race.
Ferrari engineering chief Chris Dyer is not optimistic that Raikkonen can use the KERS advantage off the start.
"Unfortunately, this is the worst circuit for the magic button," he said.
"Unfortunately, this is the worst circuit for the magic button," he said.
The Monaco national anthem 'The March of Monaco' now rings out over the principality, with just under 15 minutes to go before the start.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton
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