TheChequeredFlag

Lewis Hamilton led home team-mate Jenson Button as McLaren claimed another 1-2 after an absorbing Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who started from pole, endured a thoroughly entertaining battle with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso for the race victory. The Spaniard struggled late on though with pace and traffic, which let in reigning champion Button with an opportunistic move with 14 laps to go to snatch second.

Red Bull, who went with a completely different tyre strategy, finished fourth and fifth, with Sebastien Vettel getting the better of Mark Webber for the first time in two months.

Nico Rosberg finished sixth in his Mercedes after a steady drive, followed by Renaut’s Robert Kubica. The Polish driver may have finished higher up the field had it not been for a scrap with Michael Schumacher early on, which left front-wing and diffuser damage on the Renault.

Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi produced a sterling display to pick up eighth place. The Swiss driver led the race at one stage after the leaders chopped and changed their tyre strategies in the pit-lane.

The two Force India’s of Vitantonio Liuzzi and Adrian Sutil secured the last two points positions, finishing ninth and tenth respectively.

The result in Montreal puts Briton Hamilton at the top of the drivers’ championship standings with 109 points, three ahead of fellow countryman Button. Webber is another three points behind the 2009 champion. Alonso and Vettel are the next challengers on 94 and 90 points respectively.

The constructors’ championship standings sees McLaren open up a 22 point lead over Red Bull, with Ferrari another 32 points back.

Indeed it was McLaren’s and Lewis Hamilton’s day, and the 2008 champion was absolutely delighted with the performance and result.

“It was an incredibly challenging afternoon, especially in the last 20 laps, when I was trying to look after my tyres while also keeping Jenson (Button) and Fernando (Alonso) behind me. It wasn’t easy, I can tell you that,” a smiling Hamilton said.

“Fernando put a lot of pressure on me. We had a really good battle, but, although he was pressing me hard, I was able to pull out a small gap and then maintain it. It was such a sensational feeling to cross the line!’ he continued.

2009 champion Button admitted afterwards that his team-mate was just too strong around the Montreal circuit, and consequently, was delighted to finish runner-up on this occasion.

“This has been a great weekend for us. Lewis (Hamilton) did a phenomenal job in qualifying – I couldn’t touch him – but it feels good to have finished second just behind him. Hopefully, next time the order will be reversed!” Button said.

After some poor results in recent races, Fernando Alonso was back up the front and he believes victory was very possible had it not been for traffic.

“Today, we could have won but we did not manage it because, on a few occasions, we paid a heavy price for traffic. These things can happen to anyone in a race and this time it was our turn,” said the former double champion.

The race itself was nothing short of spectacular. The return of the Montreal circuit on the Formula 1 calendar has been a tremendous success for Formula 1, with high drama from the first corner incident involving Felipe Massa and Vitantonio Liuzzi to the final lap maneuvers on seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher by both Force India’s.

Tyre degradation and differing strategies was certainly a major factor, with all the leaders pitting twice before the halfway mark of the race.

Button, in particular, really struggled on the softer tyre (option tyre) and was the first to pit on Lap 6. On the harder compound though he was posting some quick times to bring himself back into the frame for victory.

Hamilton wasn’t faring any better, and pitted the lap after his team-mate. Alonso came in at the same time, and both emerged side-by-side out of the pit lane with the hard tyre (prime tyre) on. It was a case of who was to brake first into the first corner as to who would gain the position, and on this occasion Alonso won.

The Red Bulls, who started on the hard tyre, were able to grind out a few more laps but once the pair made their stops, it was clear there were differing strategies within the team. Vettel emerged on the soft, whilst Webber continued on the hard tyre, with the intent to build a lead before having to change again to the mandatory soft tyre.

The Australian’s plan, though, backfired due to traffic and massive tyre graining. His twelve second lead was quickly whittled down and Hamilton, who overtook a floundering Alonso a few laps before on the final long-straight, was able to pass a slowing Webber on the start-finish line.

It was now a case of whether the tyres would hold for Hamilton, and whether he could hold off the challenge of Button, who had beautifully passed Alonso thanks to more traffic issues for the Spaniard.

The 25-year-old proved he had more speed in his McLaren by posting two blistering laps to keep the chasing sister car well behind.

Whilst the action dried up at the front, Schumacher was being as astute as ever holding up the Force India’s on the final laps. His controversial defence, reminiscent to the earlier incident involving Kubica, was undone though as both cars took advantage of the German’s diminishing tyres on the final lap.

Whilst all the action in the midfield was hotting up once again, Hamilton crossed the line to secure a fantastic win for the Woking squad.