Fernando Alonso secured his first win in Formula One in exactly a year today as he beat Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg over the line to win in Singapore.

Formula One's first night race took place this weekend, and not without incident.  A strong Ferrari team qualified P1 and P3, and Felipe Massa looked to have a strong lead until Nelson Piquet's Renault crashed on the pit straight forcing the Safety Car to be deployed.

Several drivers were forced to pit after the pit lane was closed because of very low fuel loads, and as a result, these cars were penalised with a 10-second stop-and-go penalty.

Massa and Lewis Hamilton were the first drivers to pit after the pit-lane was re-opened, only for disaster to strike at Ferrari when Massa pulled away after the green light had been given too soon.

Massa found himself dragging the fuel hose down the pit-lane and having to pull over before the hose was reclaimed about 45 seconds later, seeing him at the back of the pack.

Later on, it was discovered that he had also been released dangerously, and therefore faced a drive-through penalty, costing him another 25-30 seconds.

When things settled down after the Safety Car resumed its usual pit-lane position, Hamilton was behind a very strong Fernando Alonso as well as David Coulthard and Rosberg.

Alonso had a very short first stint on soft tires and pitted five laps before the first of two safety car incidents.  After the correct penalties and corresponding pit-stops were made, the race was all but over, with Alonso leading Rosberg, Coulthard, Hamilton and Raikkonen. 

Hamilton was struggling to keep the race-pace behind the slower Red Bull of Coulthard, but, after a superb piece of driving skill, Lewis was able to pass DC in turn seven of this new circuit. 

Lewis said, at the post-race press conference, "We had great pace, it was just a bit unfortunate I got stuck behind DC. He was a good second slower than me, but also a second slower than everyone in front of us, it was so difficult to get close to him to overtake, but he drove a fantastic race."

Fernando Alonso also drove stunningly, right from the word "go."  After a technical error which saw his high-velocity fuel pump cut out in yesterday's qualifying, he started out on the grid in 15th position.

He looked to be out of the fight, but the Spaniard just went out and did what he does best: drive a clean race.  Hamilton's ex team-mate took his ING Williams home and secured his first podium of the season and indeed his first Grand Prix win in exactly a year.

More heartache for Ferrari saw reigning World Champion Kimi Raikkonen side-slam a wall and crash out just nine laps from the end.

By this point, the points were decided and Lewis Hamilton had secured a seven-point advantage over Massa in the driver's standings, and had assisted in setting McLaren ahead of Ferrari in the constructor's championship.

David Coulthard secured two points in his Red Bull car, after driving his favourite sort of track.  DC is renowned for taking advantage on street circuits. Sadly, he is retiring at the end of this season. However, there are strong rumors that he will be sitting behind a microphone and commentating on British BBC from next year.

Fernando, who was obviously very happy with his win, couldn't believe it and said, at the post-race press conference, "It's a fantastic first podium of the season and first win, I'm extremely happy and can't believe it right now.  I think I need a couple of days to realise that we won a race this year which seemed impossible all season to be that close to the top guys." 

When asked about his strategy, he simply said, "We chose to do a very aggressive first stint because we knew starting 15th, you can't overtake and we thought about one stop but had concerned about the brakes. So we tried something very different with a short first stint, try to make as many places and see from there."

Lewis Hamilton was very happy to be able to extend his lead in the driver's championship and said, "It is good to be up here though, we got good points."

The final standings of the SingTel Singapore Grand-Prix 2008 look like this:

1.  ALONSO        Renault        

2.  ROSBERG       Williams      +2.9s

3.  HAMILTON      McLaren       +5.9s

4.  GLOCK         Toyota        +8.1s

5.  VETTEL        Toro Rosso    +10.2

6.  HEIDFELD      BMW           +11.1s

7.  COULTHARD     Red Bull      +16.3s

8.  NAKAJIMA      Williams      +18.4s

9.  BUTTON        Honda         +19.8s

10. KOVALAINEN    McLaren       +26.9s

11. KUBICA        BMW           +27.9s

12. BOURDAIS      Toro Rosso    +29.4s

13. MASSA         Ferrari       +35.1s

14. FISICHELLA    Force India   +43.5s

15. RAIKKONEN     Ferrari       +4 laps

R.  TRULLI        Toyota        +10 laps

R.  SUTIL         Force India   +11 laps

R.  WEBBER        Red Bull      +31 laps

R.  BARRICHELLO   Honda         +46 laps

R.  PIQUET        Renault       +47 laps

*R Signifies Retired

After the SingTel Singapore Grand-Prix 2008 the Drivers Championship:

1	Lewis Hamilton	British	84
2	Felipe Massa	Brazilian	77
3	Robert Kubica	Polish	64
4	Kimi Räikkönen	Finnish	57
5	Nick Heidfeld	German	56
6	Heikki Kovalainen	Finnish	51
7	Fernando Alonso	Spanish	38
8	Sebastian Vettel	German	27
9	Jarno Trulli	Italian	26
10	Timo Glock	German	20
11	Mark Webber	Australian	20
12	Nico Rosberg	German	17
13	Nelsinho Piquet	Brazilian	13
14	Rubens Barrichello	Brazilian	11
15	Kazuki Nakajima	Japanese	9
16	David Coulthard	British	8
17	Sebastien Bourdais	French	4
18	Jenson Button	British	3
19	Giancarlo Fisichella	Italian	0
20	Adrian Sutil	German	0
21	Takuma Sato	Japanese	0
22	Anthony Davidson	British	0

After the SingTel Singapore Grand-Prix 2008 the Constructor's Championship:

1	McLaren-Mercedes	135
2	Ferrari	134
3	BMW Sauber	120
4	Renault	51
5	Toyota	46
6	STR-Ferrari	31
7	Red Bull-Renault	28
8	Williams-Toyota	26
9	Honda	14
10	Force India-Ferrari	0
11	Super Aguri-Honda	0

This recap will have more and more material added to it as driver and team reactions are released.  However, you can have your say below by leaving a comment!

Two separate incidents changed the face of the Singapore Grand Prix today. Fernando Alonso, who took the start from the 15th position, was on a single stop strategy and the combination of the incidents and his strategy paid off for him.

Nelson Piquet Jr. sent his Renault into a wall in the early stages of the race which forced the race officials to send the pace car. While the rest of the pack was still forming, Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica were forced to stop to get fuel while the pit lane was still closed. Both pilots were penalized with a stop and go.

From the pole position, Felipe Massa was still leading when came the time to enter the pits. A major mistake from Ferrari sent Massa away while the fuel hose was still attached to the car. Massa ripped the hose from the tank and dragged it into the pit lane. The crew members were forced to run the entire length of pit lane to get the hose off Massa's car—a major mistake that will impact his drivers championship race with Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton led a quiet race and increased his lead to seven points over Felipe Massa with his third place finish. With three races to go, the margin of error for Felipe Massa is virtually nonexistent.

With ten laps to go, the safety car was brought out again and grouped the field for an exciting finish. Fernando Alonso kept his advantage and gave to Renault a much needed victory. Nico Rosberg finished in second place despite a penalty, bringing back Williams to the front of the pack for once.

Kimi Raikkonen completely destroyed Ferrari's weekend with four laps to go when he lost control of his car and hit the wall. A pole and a third place on the grid for the Scuderia ended with zero points at the end of the day. The team also loses its edge over McLaren who takes the lead of the constructors' championship.

Singapore Grand Prix top ten finish:

Winner: Fernando Alonso (Renault)
2-Nico Rosberg (Williams)
3-Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
4-Timo Glock (Toyota)
5-Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso)
6-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber)
7-David Coulthard (Red Bull)
8-Kazuki Nakajima (Williams)
9-Jenson Button (Honda)
10-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren)

Drivers championship after 15/18 races:

1-Lewis Hamilton 84 points
2-Felipe Massa 77 points
3-Robert Kubica 64 points
4-Kimi Raikkonen 57 points
5-Nick Heidfeld 56 points
6-Heikki Kovalainen 51 points
7-Fernando Alonso 38 points
8-Sebastian Vettel 27 points
9-Jarno Trulli 26 points
10-Mark Webber 20 points
11-Timo Glock 20 points
12-Nico Rosberg 17 points
13-Nelson Piquet Jr 13 points
14-Rubens Barrichello 11 points
15-Kazuki Nakajima 9 points
16-David Coulthard 8 points
17-Sebastien Bourdais 4 points
18-Jenson Button 3 points

Constructors championship:

1-McLaren 135 points
2-Ferrari 134 points
3-BMW-Sauber 117 points
4-Renault 51 points
5-Toyota 46 points
6-Toro Rosso 31 points
7-Red Bull 26 points
8-Williams 25 points
9-Honda 14 points

(Picture: Fernando Alonso, Getty Images.)

Ferrari

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Definitely. The Ferrari name is synonymous with motor racing, and they are the reigning constructor's champions. However, he won’t be able to make the switch in 2009 or 2010.

Do they have drivers under contract? Yes, both Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen will drive for the team in 2009.

Chances of Alonso joining in 2009? 0/10

McLaren

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? No, no, no. After his explosive 2007 with the team, there’s probably nowhere Alonso would like to drive less.

Do they have drivers under contract? Yes, both Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will drive for the team in 2009, not that it matters to Alonso.

Chances of Alonso joining in 2009? 0/10

BMW Sauber

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Probably. They have been the best team outside the big two of Ferrari and McLaren this season. However, Alonso may not like driving alongside highly rated youngster Robert Kubica, who has been with the team for three years and is established within it.

Do they have drivers under contract? Robert Kubica will drive in 2009 but Nick Heidfeld’s contract has not yet been renewed.

Chances of Alonso joining in 2009? The only thing stopping Alonso would be the issue of a fast team-mate. He likes to feel that the team is focused on him, something that wouldn’t happen at BMW. But maybe another chance in a good car after a poor 2008 would tempt Alonso. 7/10

 

Renault

 

Would Alonso like to stay there? If they could guarantee him a quick car, there would be nowhere Alonso would rather drive. The team loves him, and he loves the fact that the team is built around him.

But he would probably have to be convinced that they can challenge for race wins next season. The team has challenged for, and won, world titles with Alonso before, so he knows they can achieve it. It’s just a question of whether they can do it in 2009.

Do they have drivers under contract? Neither Alonso nor Nelson Piquet is confirmed at the team for next season.

Chances of Alonso staying for 2009? If he feels the team can give him a quick car capable of challenging Ferrari and McLaren, he will likely stay, as the team will undoubtedly bend over backwards to keep hold of him. 8/10

 

Toyota

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Perhaps. Toyota have the largest resources of any F1 team and relentlessly plough millions every year into developing their new car. In seven seasons in F1, they haven’t even won a race yet, but surely it is only a matter of time. But none of that matters, because…

 

Do they have drivers under contract? Yes, Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock have re-signed for 2009.

Chances of Alonso joining in 2009? 0/10

 

Red Bull Racing

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Yes and no. Yes because the team has been steadily improving over the last few years; no because he wouldn’t be the undisputed No. 1 driver. But none of that matters, because…

 

Do they have drivers under contract? Yes. Rising star Sebastian Vettel and veteran Mark Webber will drive in 2009.

Chances of Alonso signing for 2009? 0/10

 

Scuderia Toro Rosso

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? About a month ago, no. However, after their victory at Monza with Sebastian Vettel, coupled with strong performances in recent races, Alonso could make a shock switch to the team. However, his reputation could be dented by driving for Red Bull’s B-team. Also, he may not want to sign for a team whose future is unclear, with Red Bull rumoured to be selling the team in the next few years.

 

Do they have drivers under contract? No. Sebastian Vettel is moving to parent team Red Bull, while Sebastien Bourdais has not re-signed yet.

Chances of Alonso signing for 2009? Despite their recent success, it is unlikely Alonso would sign with a small team like Toro Rosso. Even though they would probably make him the focal point of the team, the ownership situation would probably put the Spaniard off. 5/10

 

Williams

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Probably not. Williams is a team with a lot of tradition but have been losing ground to the richer, manufacturer-supported teams in recent years. Plus, they have young superstar Nico Rosberg under contract, and he won’t play second fiddle to Alonso.

 

Do they have drivers under contract? Nico Rosberg is, but the team’s other 2008 driver, Kazuki Nakajima, hasn’t re-signed for 2009 yet.

Chances of Alonso signing for 2009? Very low, as it’s highly unlikely Alonso would want to sign for the team, and take on Nico Rosberg in equal cars. He could move as a last resort, though. 3/10

 

Honda

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? Yes. Honda have very large resources like Toyota, but also like Toyota, they have failed to be as competitive in F1 as they would like. However, with strategic genius Ross Brawn on the team’s staff, progress is likely. If Alonso was to go to Honda, though, he would have to work alongside either Jenson Button or Rubens Barrichello, both quick F1 veterans.

 

Do they have drivers under contract? Neither Button nor Barrichello is certain to stay with the team for 2009.

Chances of Alonso signing for 2009? The chances are quite high. Honda would pay Alonso well, and a partnership with Ross Brawn could be lethal. Like Renault, however, they would probably have to prove they can be competitive next year, after two very poor seasons. Alonso may also be put off by facing Button or Barrichello in equal cars. 6/10

 

Force India

 

Would Alonso like to drive there? No. Vijay Mallya’s ambitious team is rooted to the back of the grid. Alonso wouldn’t be able to drive anyway, because…

 

Do they have drivers under contract? Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil will stay with the team for 2009.

Chances of Alonso joining in 2009? 0/10

 

At the moment, it appears most likely that Alonso will take a chance on Renault for a second consecutive year. He would definitely be more interested in BMW Sauber and Honda if they could guarantee that he would be the focal point of the team, something that is not going to happen.

Renault will be optimistic of Alonso’s stay, as they are best team on the market who will give him undisputed No. 1 status in the team. But they’ll have to deliver a competitive car, because who’s to say which seats will become available in 2010?

With Raikkonen confirming he will stay at Ferrari until the end of 2010, I take a quick look at who will be where, and until when.

Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen (until end 2010, confirmed): Kimi has confirmed his new contract which will see him well into 2010 at Ferrari, with an almost definite retirement in 2011.

Felipe Massa (until end 2010, confirmed): Felipe has signed a new contract to stay with Ferrari until the end of 2010. 

McLaren

Lewis Hamilton (until end 2012, confirmed): With Lewis vowing to stay with McLaren forever, it's likely we'll be seeing him in the Silver arrow for the foreseeable future.

Heikki Kovalainen (until end 2009, confirmed): Heikki looked to be leaving McLaren after 2008, with Rosberg as his replacement, but these rumours were sunk when he signed for another year.

BMW

Robert Kubica (until end 2009, confirmed): Kubica has extended his current BMW contract for another year. With BMW giving him his first win, it looks like a good relationship. Will it soon get more fruitful?

Fernando Alonso (until end of 2011, rumoured): Fernando has been linked with a three-year BMW contract, it is only a rumour, but it has some good substance now that he can't move to Ferrari.

Toyota

Jarno Trulli (until end 2009, confirmed) - Jarno has had some great finishes with a third place in France; he is confirmed until end of 2009.

Timo Glock (until end 2009, confirmed) - With a second place at Hungary, Timo has proven himself and secured a seat at Toyota for another year.

Renault

Nelson Piquet (unknown, but likely to stay): He has not had a very good time as of late, but likely to stay with Renault for another year.

Nick Heidfeld (complete guess): Heidfeld is too good to lose. I think he may replace Alonso in a straight swap?

Red Bull

Mark Webber (until end 2009, confirmed): Very experienced, Webber has still shown some good driving skills and is set to stay at Red Bull.

Sebastian Vettel (until end 2010, confirmed): After shining in his Toro Rosso, Vettel has confirmed he is moving to Red Bull, to partner Webber.

Williams

Nico Rosberg (until end 2009, confirmed): Frank loves Nico, and would struggle to let him go. Nico is a definite Williams driver for the 2009 season.

Kazuki Nakajima (likely to stay until 2009): With eight points so far, it doesn't look too bad. Just one point behind Rosberg, Nakajima is set to stay at Williams.

Toro Rosso

Sebastien Bourdais (likely to stay with Toro Rosso): With his recent performance at Spa finishing seventh, Sebastian drove well, and this may warrant a new contract.

Bruno Senna (rumoured): Bruno Senna has been linked with a move to F1 for a few years now, but could 2009 finally be the year he joins Toro Rosso?

Honda

Jenson Button (until end 2009, rumoured): Jenson has had a miserable time, but it's likely he will stay at Honda, to see if Ross Brawn can change things.

Rubens Barrichello (likely to stay until end of 2009): The oldest driver on the grid, he has huge experience. Likely to stay at Honda, but only until the end of 2009.

Force India

Adrian Sutil (unknown, but likely to stay until 2009): Force India have been saying that Sutil has to impress them if he wants to stay. Did Monaco do enough? I think so; he should still be at FI until the end of 2009.

Giancarlo Fisichella (unknown, but likely to stay until 2009): Giancarlo is currently lying in last place. His future looks short, but another year is possible.

So what do you Bleacher Creatures think?

Does an Alonso-Kubica partnership sound good? 

Will Bruno Senna get a racing seat at Toro Rosso?

Where will Heidfeld be in 2009?

Will Barrichello retire this year or next?

Will Force India keep either of their drivers?

They're an odd triumvirate, aren't they? Why on Earth would one give their kudos to three teams, only one of which is a front-running challenger?

It's simple, they go out of their way, to a certain extent, to bring Formula 1 to the unwashed masses.

BMW has a pitlane park, Renault has their global tour, and Williams appears to be attempting to show off their wares by having an exhibition in Red Square in Moscow, Russia earlier this year.

I have talked about adding access to Formula 1 a while ago, and while a few teams are taking the initiative to do so, I would think that the other teams should at least consider a sort of pitlane park that BMW has used.

But moving away from the glitz and glam of Formula 1, I look at Nascar and see that they have a Pit Crew Competition where the pit crew are showcased in their attempts to change tires, fill up a car with fuel and other things.

The Nascar Pit Crew Competition really grabbed my attention and to be honest, it was a breath of fresh air from the regular oval racing that one observes.

Why can't Formula 1 be like this? Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, it should be a competition where new ideas come to the fore and a pit crew competition would be a great way to find ways to shave off tenths of a second in a pit stop.

A pit crew competition similar to Nascar would be an amazing way to catch fans, it basically creates a level playing field for all the teams, and it would just be a breath of fresh air.

I think to myself, the pit stops tend to be the most interesting part of a Formula 1 race, so why can't there be a competition to find out the best team's pit crew?

It won't count for championship points, but it would be an interesting way to improve on pit stops and it would leave the door open for anyone to win, even Force India!

As for venue, why not go somewhere where Formula 1 doesn't usually go? Why not somewhere like New York, Paris, or other major city? It would be interesting, and it would be a lot of fun for the average person to see a Formula 1 car in a place where you might not necessarily see.

C'mon Bernie, c'mon Max, c'mon Ross, Flavio, Vijay, Luca, Ron and all the others; appease your fans, make something interesting out of this...

With much of the Formula One world focusing on Lewis Hamilton's controversial penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix, one practically unnoticed news item also floated stealthily out of the F1 paddock at Spa-Francorchamps.

Fresh rumours have surfaced that Fernando Alonso, two-time world champion and Renault driver, has signed a three-year deal with BMW Sauber.

In recent weeks speculation has mounted as to where Alonso will be in 2009: it is believed that the Spaniard was seeking a one-year contract only, in order to leave himself a free agent for the 2010 season when Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari contract expires.

Recently, it has been hinted that Raikkonen may hang up his helmet as early as the end of this season, leaving Alonso free to take his seat this year, although the Finn and his employers have strenuously denied this.

One other potential option for the 2005 and 2006 world champion is Honda, with team principal Ross Brawn having made no secret of the fact that he wishes to lure Alonso to his team. Brawn apparently believes that the Japanese outfit are in need of a star driver if they wish to pull themselves up from their current position of lower-midfield obscurity, and that Alonso is the perfect man to fill this role.

It has also been mentioned that Alonso has been in talks with Red Bull Racing; this is unlikely, however, as Red Bull would be unlikely to offer Alonso a one-year contract, and in any case the Austrian-based team have already confirmed Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel as their drivers for 2009.

The other main possibility is that Alonso will remain at Renault for next season, using the French squad as a springboard to a potential Ferrari drive in 2010. By remaining at the same team next year Alonso will provide much-needed continuity to the team, as they attempt to recapture their title-winning form of 2005 and 2006.

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore recently mentioned in an interview with Autosport that Alonso's return to the team, after an unhappy year spent at McLaren, was a great morale boost for his workforce; after Alonso departed, the team slumped from first to third in the constructor's world championship, scoring only one podium in the whole of 2007.

But, with so many other potential options, it is beginning to look as though Renault need Alonso more than he needs them.

The recent rumours of a switch to BMW Sauber are the first indication that Alonso may have been forced to compromise on his wish for a one-year contract; BMW are a team with promise, having won their first Grand Prix this year, and it is not inconceivable that Alonso could now see them, rather than Ferrari, as the team with which he will win his next world championship.

BMW's team principal, Mario Thiessen, recently refused to confirm that they would be retaining their current driver line-up of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld for next season, leading to increasing speculation that Heidfeld, who has struggled to match his Polish teammate this season, will be dropped at the end of the year.

However, it is known that the Swiss-German squad have recently taken up their option on Kubica for 2009, a fact that Thiessen recently lamented on the basis that they could not persuade their star driver to sign for a longer period. All this indicates that Kubica has at least one eye on the potentially vacant Ferrari seat for 2010, and with the Pole's value in F1 rising all the time, Alonso could have some serious competition for that seat should he hold out and wait for a call from Maranello.

However, Thiessen's insistence that he prefers drivers to sign long-term contracts means that Alonso is highly unlikely to have signed with BMW for only a year; if the rumours are true, the Spaniard must have committed to the team for much longer than that.

Alongside all this speculation, of course, we must remember that these are only rumours, and according to the F1 rumour mill, Alonso has already signed with Ferrari for 2010. One thing is for certain, however: as happened last year, the F1 driver market will barely move at all until Alonso has revealed where he is going.

The rain appeared during the final two laps of the race and gave the fans the most exciting finish of the season today at the Belgium Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton had a lot of ground to make up on Kimi Raikkonen after his second and final pit stop. Raikkonen was in control and looked untouchable. But the British driver worked hard and managed to close the gap with only a handful of laps to go.

The rain appeared during the last five laps and complicated the task for the drivers on the track. Conditions deteriorated quickly and the cars, still on slick tires, were slipping all over the place.

The battle between Raikkonen and Hamilton during the final laps was epic. Both cars exchanged the lead multiple times due to the slippery conditions as both slipped and/or spun at every corner.

Kimi Raikkonen finally made a fatal mistake and spun his Ferrari into the wall with two laps left, handing the victory to Hamilton. It was the fifth victory for Hamilton this season.

Felipe Massa also continued on dry tires and finished in second place.

The situation was also very challenging for the rest of the field, as many positions changed during the final portion of the race.

Nick Heidfeld went into the pits to change to rain tires as soon as the rain broke out. The decision was very good for him as he passed six cars after his stop to take the third position at the finish line. This is the first podium for Heidfeld since the British Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso also chose the rain tires for his Renault and took the fourth place.

The story was different for Sebastien Bourdais who was running in third place just before the finish. However, his Toro Rosso slipped all over the circuit as he lost four positions to finish in seventh place.

The second place of Massa is important as it allows him to keep Lewis Hamilton at a reasonnable distance ahead. Hamilton's lead over Massa has increased to eight points.

Belgium Grand Prix Top 10 Finish

Winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) +14.3 seconds
3. Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) +23.8 seconds
4. Fernando Alonso (Renault) +28.9 seconds
5. Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso) +29.0 seconds
6. Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) +29.4 seconds
7. Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso) +31.1 seconds
8. Timo Glock (Toyota) +56.5 seconds
9. Mark Webber (Red Bull) +57.2 seconds
10. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) +1 lap

**UPDATE** The FIA has penalized Lewis Hamilton 25 seconds for cutting through a turn while battling with Kimi Raikkonen. This penalty sends Hamilton to the third place and his lead over Felipe Massa has been cut to two points.

Drivers Championship after 13/18 Races

1. Lewis Hamilton 76 points
2. Felipe Massa 74 points
3. Robert Kubica 58 points
4. Kimi Raikkonen 57 points
5. Nick Heidfeld 49 points
6. Heikki Kovalainen 43 points
7. Jarno Trulli 26 points
8. Fernando Alonso 23 points
9. Mark Webber 18 points
10. Timo Glock 16 points
11. Nelson Piquet Jr 13 points
12. Sebastian Vettel 13 points
13. Rubens Barrichello 11 points
14. Nico Rosberg nine points
15. Kazuki Nakajima eight points
16. David Coulthard six points
17. Sebastien Bourdais four points
18. Jenson Button three points

Constructors championship

1. Ferrari 129 points
2. McLaren 123 points
3. BMW-Sauber 105 points
4. Toyota 42 points
5. Renault 36 points
6. Red Bull 24 points
7. Williams 17 points
8. Toro Rosso 17 points
9. Honda 14 points

Amid the drama of this year’s title chase are a handful of feel-good stories on the grid. One that garners the most attention is the rise of Robert Kubica and BMW Sauber.

However, one more came to the fore in Hungary, as lady luck smiled on Heikki Kovalainen for the first time this year, as he won his first Formula One race.

To understand what makes this story “feel good,” look back to this past off-season after Fernando Alonso’s failed relationship with McLaren. It was clear that he would leave the Woking outfit at season’s end and, sure enough, not long after the 2007 season concluded, Alonso had left the team.

Where would he go? The obvious answer was to Renault (his former team).

However, it didn’t appear that there was room for him in the team. Heikki had assured himself of position in the team (or so I thought) with his performance in the second half of 2007 campaign, highlighted by a podium in Japan.

Plus, Nelson Piquet Jr. looked poised to be getting his chance as a Formula One pilot with Renault in 2008.

However, no other openings in any other team existed; Alonso would have to go to Renault if he wanted to race in 2008. Someone would have to give way to him then. The most logical choice seemed to be Piquet Jr.

He had been Renault’s tester and, while showing speed, would certainly not have been hurt by another year of apprenticeship. The man nicknamed “Kovy” looked assured of a spot as a Renault race driver.

He would probably have to play second fiddle to Alonso, but such would be expected, given that Alonso is a two-time champion and Heikki was still learning the ropes.

Still, he would be in a position to learn from one of the best drivers on the grid and, if he could hone his craft a little more, could look to move a better performing team in the future.

But then, Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore made the surprising decision to dump Heikki as Alonso’s partner, instead placing the inexperienced Piquet Jr. in the car (likely done to appease Piquet Sr. and to assure Alonso wouldn’t be subject to a teammate challenge).

Kovy was left out in the cold after he outscored his more experienced teammate (Giancarlo Fisichella) and after he gave the team its only podium that year. His reward? A release, and at a time nearly all the other teams had their drivers locked in. He looked to be Renault’s “junk.”

However, there was indeed a ride open…and toward the front of the grid at that! It was in McLaren, who hadn’t yet filled Alonso’s old seat. The McLaren ride was, far and away, the best available (the only other team with an opening was the new Force India squad, and heading there would be undeserving, given Heikki’s 2007 season).

It seemed the most logical choice. The team would bring the other 2007 rookie, pair him with Hamilton, and look to have a solid future lineup in place.

Plus, for Heikki, it was a move up the grid; Renault were left to rebuild after a disappointing 2007 season, and the 2008 prospects didn’t look appealing (even with Alonso back in the team).  

A move to McLaren would see him in a car that, if the cards would fall in his favor, could allow him to contend for a championship. It seemed as an “everybody wins” situation.

Alas though, something (or someone rather) was in the way of the move to McLaren: Kovy’s manager, Flavio Briatore (the same man who runs the Renault team and someone who is certainly not on Ron Dennis’ Christmas card list).

It seemed impossible that Flav would send a driver he manages to a team headed by a man whom he hates. From there, rumors persisted that either Nico Rosberg of Pedro de la Rosa would fill the vacancy at McLaren.

Kovy looked destined to go into the 2008 season without a ride. Such an occurrence would have left a sour taste in the mouths of all involved in the sport (drivers, mechanics, fans, journalists, etc.) for a very capable driver would have been caught out by the sport’s ruthless politics. Once again, Kovy appeared to be “junk.”

Fortunately, sanity prevailed and Heikki landed at McLaren for 2008. Still though, despite driving one of best cars on the grid, he still couldn’t find the speed to grab a win. More often than not, he would considerably struggle in comparison with his teammate Lewis Hamilton.

However, those struggles came down to a lack of luck rather than a lack of skill. In three straight races, he encountered problems beyond his control (a wheel failure and subsequent crash in Spain, a cut tire off of Kimi Raikkonen’s front wing in Turkey, and a mechanical problem that dropped him to the back of the grid in Monaco).

Despite his relatively poor performance being more a result of luck, many were wondering why McLaren hired him, and they would keep him.

With his win in Hungary, Heikki Kovalainen’s career has come full circle. He may have won due to some good fortune, but it is the first time this year he’s had lady luck on his side, and is very deserving of his win. Plus, he’s been reassured that he’ll have a spot on the grid next year, as McLaren have confirmed him for 2009.

From a struggling rookie, to future Grand Prix star, to a driver without a team, to a not-so-top driver in a top team, and not to a race winner, Heikki Kovalainen has gone from one man’s (Flavio Briatore) junk to another man’s (Ron Dennis) treasure.

In this era of political correctness, women's rights, and open-mindedness, I am reminded of a time when minds weren't so open. The inspiration to write this came from Peter Haydon's article about women in Formula One.

Two years ago, when working in a book storage facility at the university (Manual labour, a student job!), I met a retired French professor who appraised books, and we had a great rapport.

I never asked about her age, since I learned never to ask a woman that, but she was easily into her 70s.

She had a broken wrist, so my job on those hot summer days was to write down the prices of books that she appraised.

It was after the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix and the death of Édouard Michelin had hung over the racing community. Not having a television or internet access, she still knew about the death and was very sad about it.

I told her that the Grand Prix in Monaco had happened, how the champagne on the podium was not sprayed in his memory, and the first thing she asked me about it was if Renault was still racing. She learned that not only was Renault racing, they were winning!

I had only worked with her for two weeks, and this was the first time that I saw her genuinely happy. She told me that she never planned on becoming a professor, she always dreamt of becoming a racing driver like the greats in her time.

She told me that in the 1950s, when she was in her 20s, she went to try out for a French racing team. She was put through her paces by going around a track to see how fast she can go. They put her through water, oil slicks, and everything else you can imagine, and she passed with flying colours.

However, devastation ensued when she was called. While she was accepted, she was told that she would not be allowed to race because she was a woman.

She was bound to get married and start a family. The money they would spend on her would go to waste. She would have to commit the best years of her life to racing, something that just could not be balanced at the time.

"I was very heartbroken," she said.

Still, being rejected did not mean moping around for her. She ended up going to university in France and eventually, she became a full-time professor in French studies at the University of Toronto.

I met her when she was widowed and retired, and after that meeting, I realized that women were always proving themselves in every field. It never was a fad to begin with, they were always trying to break the mold, always.

Professor Corneaux passed away last year due to illness. She was loved by her family and everyone that met her. I might have only known her briefly, but the impact she left on me stayed forever.

She told the female students never to give up and never to stop when they're told to, just because they are women. They should pursue their dreams until they make it.

I will never forget her, and I'm sure that she is up there racing with the greats like Juan Manuel Fangio, Gilles Villeneuve, Ayrton Senna, and many others. Her perseverance, even in the light of not being able to be a driver, is what makes me admire her.

Toyota’s F1 team determined what happened to Timo Glock’s car that caused it to crash during the German Grand Prix on July 20.

The team said a part on the right rear suspension that was damaged during the British Grand Prix two weeks before was used again at the German Grand Prix. Toyota has now changed their inspection policy to make sure that this never happens again.

"Following Timo Glock's incident during the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, Toyota Motorsport initiated a thorough investigation," the team said in a statement.

"This initially established that a rear toelink (trackrod) gave way, causing Timo to lose control of the car, but confirmed that there were no exceptional circumstances before or during the incident in the German Grand Prix.

"Further investigation has established that damage sustained in the British Grand Prix two weeks earlier was the cause. During that race, Timo suffered several incidents.

"As is normal practice, some parts from the British Grand Prix were carried over to Hockenheim, including most of the rear right suspension. Although the parts were subjected to the normal test and screening process following the Silverstone race and passed fit for use at Hockenheim, it has become apparent that it did not identify an issue which subsequently led to the incident at Hockenheim.

"As a result of this investigation, Toyota Motorsport has revised its inspection processes to include such cases and is extremely confident there will be no repeat."

Well, let's hope so. God knows we don’t need any more injuries caused by silly mistakes.

Toyota determine cause of Glock's crash [Autosport.com]

Renault boss says F1 needs makeover

Flavio Briatore says F1 needs a major overhaul to get the fans back love in with the sport. Briatore believes that Max Mosley’s sex scandal problems has damaged the sport's reputation and have also hurt the teams along with the fans.

"His absence is felt, as there's no project for F1. The teams feel abandoned," Briatore told Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "The Concorde agreement, the number of races, the costs, the spectacle, the imperative increase of revenues. Formula One needs to be re-designed.

"I feel that it should be down to the teams to decide, by electing in turns a director of operations. A guy who does things, not a PR person. On top of that, we need to decide with a 51 percent majority, not unanimously like now. Otherwise, we'll carry on being stuck."

"Nowadays, [Bernie] Ecclestone takes 50 percent of all revenues,” he added. “But we are supposed to be able to reduce our costs by 50 percent.

"How? Starting from the engines. Making them more environment-friendly, accepting Mosley's challenge of reducing fuel consumption by 50 percent by 2015, while cutting the high costs of the engine themselves and also cutting the staff.

"The problem is that us, Renault, have stuck to the letter of the current regulations on frozen engines, and we've been buggered: others didn't do that and are far ahead, while we suffer. It's not fair."

Briatore says F1 needs an overhaul [Autosport.com]