Destruction: The story of the Turkish GP 2010

Self destruction.

It's only taken Red Bull five years to move from the wilderness to the very pinnacle of the F1 ladder, an absolutely outstanding achievement.
But if Webber and Vettel carry on like schoolboys, it will only take a fraction of that time to send them right back to the wilderness. To quote an oft used phrase, "They snatched defeat from the Jaws of Victory".

Another great qualifying performance on Saturday saw the Red Bulls and Mclaren's lock out the front rows, Webber and Hamilton out front with Vettel and Button a shade behind. The start of the race gave us a lesson on how the dirty side of the track can Impact the cars, Vettel roaring past Hamilton  Schumacher passing Button. Vettel's elevation to second was only brief, Hamilton, passed him back around the outside of Turn Three to regain his starting place and Button only had to wait until turn twelve to re-take Schumacher.

The domination Red Bull showed in the last two races appears to be over. Last season we all marvelled at just how much development McLaren can achieve over the course of a season. The Mclaren went from road block to race-winning machine,  Hamilton, by some margin being the top points scorer in the second half of the 2009 season. History looks like it is repeating itself.

There was little to choose between the Top four until the pit stops. Lightening fast from the Red Bull mechanics for Vettel, and a little off pace from the Mclaren team for Hamilton and the German took second back again and Hamilton relegated to third.

This should have been race over, grab your Webber hat and head for the podium, but racing can do strange things to the mind, and Vettell was about to lose his.

Lap 41, 18 laps to go of the Turkish grand prix could well become the turning point of the season. Webber was leading, Vettel in second, Hamilton and Button, third and fourth respectively. The top 4 were miles clear of 5th-placed Schumacher. Vettel had been putting the pressure on his team mate for several laps, and suddenly decided to go for broke, he made his move. It all started fine, pulling alongside and then easing slightly ahead, Webber had no defence, Vettel wanted the win. But what the hell happened next? the cardinal sin of team racing, Vettel lost it, veered to the right and straight into the side of his team mates car. Crash, bits of broken car all over the place. Vettel’s race was over, rear right gone, and Webber’s car was damaged,  a pit stop for a new nose cone and the Mclarens now one and two.

A little rain, a little scrap when Button briefly managed to get ahead of Hamilton, but nether lasted. Race over, Hamilton Wins, Button second and Webber with a face like thunder, a distant third.

McLaren really are catching up with Red Bull, faster on the straights, but still need some work on the corners. Mercedes finished well off the pace, with Shumacher fourth and Rosberg Fifth, another step forward in the return of the great one. Ferrari seem to have lost the plot, cars not good, and both Massa and ex world champion Alonso seem to be struggling for form.

In the Constructors race, McLaren now lead with 172, Red Bull down to second on 171, Ferrari on 146, and Mercedes on 100. In the Drivers Championship, its now Webber out front on 93 Button catching up on 88, Hamilton third with 84. Alonso still just in touch with 79, and Vettel fifth with 78.

See ya all in Canada!