2011 China F1 Grand Prix Race Report & Results

Event: Chinese Grand Prix
Track: Shanghai International Circuit

Weather: dry, cool, overcast

Lewis HAMILTON won his 15th F1 World Championship race at the 2011 China F1 GP, McLarens first victory of the year on a race-defining three-stop strategy. The McLaren driver started third and won at Shanghai by 5.198 seconds from Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull. It was McLarens 166th F1 win.

Vettel pole yet again, McLaren build a strategy

Shanghai on 17 April 2011 saw Vettel take his third consecutive pole with a 1:33.706, Button second for McLaren by 0.715, Hamilton third. McLarens race-day plan was clear: three stops on the fast-degrading Pirellis to give the McLarens fresh tyres late.

Race day: Hamilton picks off Vettel with 4 laps left

Vettel led early on the two-stop, Hamilton stalking on the three-stop. On lap 52 of 56, Hamilton, on fresh softs, passed Vettel down the pit straight for the lead and drove away. Vettel second for Red Bull, Webber a stunning third from 18th on the grid after his strong strategy work, Button fourth, Rosberg fifth for Mercedes GP, Massa sixth for Ferrari. Webber set the fastest lap on lap 42 at 1:38.993.

Championship: Vettel 68, Hamilton 47, Button 38

Vettels lead was 21 points, McLaren finally with a race-winning package. Turkey at Istanbul in two weeks would be next.

Classification 2011 China F1 GP

Pos	#	Driver	Constructor	Car & Engine	Grid	Laps	Led	Time	Pts
1	3	LewisHamilton	McLaren	McLaren MP4/26Mercedes FO 108	3	56	6	1:36:58.226	25
2	1	SebastianVettel	Red Bull	Red Bull RB7Renault RS27	1	56	18	1:37:03.424+5.198s	18
3	2	MarkWebber	Red Bull	Red Bull RB7Renault RS27	18	56	0	1:37:05.781+7.555s	15
4	4	JensonButton	McLaren	McLaren MP4/26Mercedes FO 108	2	56	13	1:37:08.226+10.000s	12
5	8	NicoRosberg	Mercedes	Mercedes W02Mercedes FO 108	4	56	14	1:37:11.674+13.448s	10
6	6	FelipeMassa	Ferrari	Ferrari F150Ferrari 056	6	56	3	1:37:14.066+15.840s	8
7	5	FernandoAlonso	Ferrari	Ferrari F150Ferrari 056	5	56	2	1:37:28.848+30.622s	6
8	7	MichaelSchumacher	Mercedes	Mercedes W02Mercedes FO 108	14	56	0	1:37:29.252+31.026s	4
9	10	VitalyPetrov	Renault	Lotus R31Renault RS27	10	56	0	1:37:55.630+57.404s	2
10	16	KamuiKobayashi	Sauber	Sauber C30Ferrari 056	13	56	0	1:38:01.499+1:03.273	1
11	15	Pauldi Resta	Force India	Force India VJM04Mercedes FO 108	8	56	0	1:38:06.983+1:08.757	0
12	9	NickHeidfeld	Renault	Lotus R31Renault RS27	16	56	0	1:38:10.965+1:12.739	0
13	11	RubensBarrichello	Williams	Williams FW33Cosworth CA2010	15	56	0	1:38:28.415+1:30.189	0
14	18	SébastienBuemi	Toro Rosso	Toro Rosso STR6Ferrari 056	9	56	0	1:38:28.897+1:30.671	0
15	14	AdrianSutil	Force India	Force India VJM04Mercedes FO 108	11	55	0	+1 lap	0
16	20	HeikkiKovalainen	Caterham	Lotus T128Renault RS27	19	55	0	+1 lap	0
17	17	SergioPérez	Sauber	Sauber C30Ferrari 056	12	55	0	+1 lap	0
18	12	PastorMaldonado	Williams	Williams FW33Cosworth CA2010	17	55	0	+1 lap	0
19	21	JarnoTrulli	Caterham	Lotus T128Renault RS27	20	55	0	+1 lap	0
20	25	Jérômed'Ambrosio	Virgin Racing	Marussia MVR-02Cosworth CA2010	21	54	0	+2 laps	0
21	24	TimoGlock	Virgin Racing	Marussia MVR-02Cosworth CA2010	22	54	0	+2 laps	0
22	23	VitantonioLiuzzi	HRT	HRT F111Cosworth CA2010	23	54	0	+2 laps	0
23	22	NarainKarthikeyan	HRT	HRT F111Cosworth CA2010	24	54	0	+2 laps	0
DNF	19	JaimeAlguersuari	Toro Rosso	Toro Rosso STR6Ferrari 056	7	9	0	Wheel	0

Fastest lap: 1:38.993 min. by Mark Webber

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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