Date November 7, 2010 | Course length 4.309 km (2.677 mi) | |
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Official name Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Petrobras do Brasil 2010 Location Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil Course Permanent racing facility Distance 71 laps, 305.909 km (190.067 mi) | ||
The 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix (formally the Formula 1 Grande Prêmio Petrobras do Brasil 2010) was the eighteenth round of the 2010 Formula One season. It was held in Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil on 7 November 2010.
Contents
Sebastian Vettel won the race, leading home a 1–2 for Red Bull Racing, which was enough to give the team the Constructors' Championship for the first time. Mark Webber's second place enabled him to maintain second in the Drivers' Championship, and the margin to championship leader Fernando Alonso was reduced to eight points with Alonso's third place. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth – and set fastest lap of the race – to maintain a mathematical chance of winning the championship, dropping nine points behind third-placed Vettel and 24 behind Alonso.
Free practice
Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time in both Friday practice sessions followed by his team mate Mark Webber. Robert Kubica was fastest in the Saturday session.
Qualifying
With a track drying and no rain falling, the first part of qualifying eliminated the new teams and Adrian Sutil. The second part saw a last minute challenge between local hero Felipe Massa and reigning world champion Jenson Button, the former advancing to the final session. The top ten qualifiers saw a track drying so much that after a round of laps in intermediate tyres and times up to 1:16's, the teams opted for slick tyres. This tyre gamble proved successful for Nico Hülkenberg, who took advantage of the situation and qualified over a second ahead of the next quickest cars, taking his first pole position. This also gave the Williams team their first pole since Nick Heidfeld qualified on pole at the 2005 European Grand Prix, and the first pole for Cosworth since the 1999 French Grand Prix.
Qualifying
Notes:
- ^ – Sébastien Buemi was given a five-place grid penalty, for causing an avoidable accident with Timo Glock at the Korean Grand Prix.
- ^ – Adrian Sutil was given a five-place grid penalty for causing an avoidable accident with Kamui Kobayashi in Korea.