Race notes: Spanish GP

Sun, 13 May 2007, 04:26

Both Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso confirmed after the Spanish grand prix that they made contact whilst battling for the lead at the first corner.

McLaren’s Alonso, who fell to fourth after running through the gravel and ultimately finished third, seemed unhappy with race winner Massa’s behaviour.

“I thought I was in front but obviously he (Massa) didn’t think so,” the Spaniard said after the race, adding that the light clash damaged his bargeboard.

Massa protested: “It was a risk for both of us, but the first corner is important — you don’t want to lose like I lost in Malaysia.”

Lewis Hamilton is the youngest driver to ever lead the world championship.

David Coulthard’s fifth place, despite running with a broken gear in his new quick-shift gearbox, is Red Bull’s best result so far this season.

Takuma Sato finished eighth, which is Super Aguri’s first points after 21 grands prix.

Giancarlo Fisichella’s race to ninth was thwarted by having to make an extra pit stop because of a faulty fuel rig.

His Renault teammate Heikki Kovalainen finished seventh, and also had problems with fuel as he was earlier troubling Coulthard in the battle for fifth.

Christijan Albers had to serve a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags aboard his Spyker. The Dutchman finished last, two laps down.

Mark Webber’s Red Bull stopped with a repeat of the hydraulic problem that struck in qualifying on Saturday.

Vitantonio Liuzzi’s terminal problem in his very similar Toro Rosso was also hydraulics related. “We need to work a lot on our reliability,” said the Italian.

The next group formula one test takes place at Bernie Ecclestone’s Paul Ricard circuit in France.

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