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| An ecstatic Mark Webber as he celebrates his first victory this season. |
Mark Webber took his only victory this season at the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix, as team mate Sebastian Vettel came in second with gearbox problems. The Australian's victory helps him secure third in the Driver's Championship, the same position he came in the year before. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button splits the two, with second in the championship, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton.
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| From left: Sebastian Vettel, 2011 World Champion, Mark Webber, third in
driver's championship, Jenson Button, World Champion runner-up. |
Brazilian home hero Felipe Massa comes in fifth in his 100th race for
Scuderia Ferrari, with a momentary lead as other front runners make
their respective tire changes. His 6th season with the team is the first
in which he doesn't score any podium finishes, and with rumors abound
that he may be replaced by the likes of Sergio Perez or Robert Kubica,
shall we see a resurgence in form for Massa next season?
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| Home Heroes:
Felipe Massa, far right, makes his 100th race for Ferrari, as the fates
of compatriots Bruno Senna and Rubens Barrichello become increasingly
uncertain. |
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The Grand Prix itself started out in the usual manner, Vettel pulls ahead and gains a sufficient lead to eliminate the threat of a DRS pass, with Webber behind him in second, and a busy Jenson Button holding off Fernando Alonso, Massa's teammate at Ferrari. That was, until Vettel's Red Bull developed gearbox problems, forcing him to short shift and spend more time in higher gears, allowing an easy pass for his teammate Webber on the 30th lap. A similar problem manifested itself on Hamilton's McLaren, eventually ending his race and an amazing battle for 5th position between him and Massa.
