Italian GP: Double points scoring finish from Williams

For the fifty three lap 2010 Italian Grand Prix both AT&T Williams drivers would start inside the top ten ten with Nico Hulkenberg in eighth and Rubens Barrichello tenth. The Williams team would be aiming to come way with a positive result especially after the frustration of the last race in Spa. In a BBC interview Nico commented as he waited on the grid that things were not bad but before we weekend he did not feel that we were that competitive. Rubens would comment that people are really going to have to look after their tyres in the opening laps. With Alonso on pole with Button alongside the start would be decisive.

In third was Massa followed by Webber, Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Nico, Kubica, and Rubens in tenth. The grid would move off on their parade lap but one driver Kobayashi would have to start the race from the pit lane rather than thirteenth after having a gearbox problem. All of the top ten cars were on the softer tyre for the start of the race as the field returned to the grid. They would form up and the red lights would go out and it would be Button making a great start and would lead into the first corner. Alonso would try to block the McLaren but failed while it would all go wrong for Hamilton as he made contact with the rear of a Ferrari and broke his steering arm. He would finish in the gravel at the first Lesmo, while Button was still leading from Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Kubica, Nico, Vettel, Schumacher, Webber, Buemi, and Rubens in eleventh.

Lap two and Button was 0.7 seconds in the lead while Sutil pitted. With his high downforce setup Button was somewhat exposed on the straights. Kobayashi would also retire while Nico was right behind Kubica as Button continued to fight off Alonso. Rubens was running right behind tenth place Buemi as the lead drivers completed lap five. Webber would pass Schumacher at the first chicane but Schumacher would fight back but Webber kept his place. Massa was pulling away from fourth place Rosberg as Webber closed into onto his team-mate Vettel. Nico was still running in sixth while Buemi kept Rubens behind him. Nico had Vettel right behind him as Webber was told to look after his tyres. The fastest lap was been shared by the top three with Massa going fastest on lap eight with a 1m:26.922.

Rubens was now 1.0 seconds behind Buemi while Liuzzi would pass De la Rosa at the second chicane. A group was forming behind fifth paced Kubica, with Hulkenberg, Vettel and Webber right on his tail. Lap eleven and Button went fastest with a 1m:26.861. After lap thirteen Button was now 1.6 seconds ahead of Alonso with Massa third. Senna would retire out on the track. Webber was running right behind Vettel while Vettel was challenging Nico. A 1m:26.421 from Alonso on lap fourteen seeing him take a tenth out of Button's lead. Alonso would continue to push reducing Button's lead to 1.3 seconds on lap fifteen. A 1m:26.101 from Alonso seeing him close in onto Button further. It was now 1.1 seconds as on lap seventeen Alguersuari would pit from fourteenth. De la Rosa would also come in while Nico had seen Kubica move away from him with the gap now 1.1 seconds. Rubens was 1.4 seconds behind Buemi while at the front Massa was dropping away from Alonso.

Alguersuari would get a drive through penalty for missing the first chicane and gaining an advantage. Liuzzi was now closing in onto eleventh placed Rubens. Vettel would come on his radio saying that he was having a problem with his engine seeing Webber pass him and move up to seventh. Vettel's engine was a brand new one while on lap twenty two Alguersuari would take his penalty. Despite complaining about his engine Vettel would continue while at the front Alonso was now just 0.7 seconds behind Button. Massa was 2.9 seconds behind Alonso with Rosberg 11.7 seconds behind Massa in fourth. The leaders were now staring to close up to traffic seeing Alonso now right behind Button as they completed lap twenty five. Nico was still in sixth and Rubens eleventh. Nico would make a mistake at the first chicane which did not see him lose any places but also he did not gain any real advantage from the move.

Webber was running right behind Nico as on lap twenty seven Button set a 1m:25.929 to be 0.7 seconds ahead of Alonso. A 1m:25.769 from Button seeing him extend his lead by a tenth. Nico was now 1.4 seconds behind Kubica while despite his complaints Vettel was back to full speed. Button was now 1.0 seconds in the lead while Rubens had closed in onto Buemi to be 0.3 seconds behind the Torro Rosso. Twelfth placed Liuzzi would pit on lap thirty two returning in thirteenth. Alonso continued to attack Button after Button made a small mistake at the first chicane. Twenty laps remaining and it was all going to come down to the pit stops. Lap thirty four and Kubica would pit taking on the harder tyre. Button was told to push as he was approaching his pit stop.

Kubica was now in ninth while Buemi had pitted seeing Rubens move up to tenth. Rosberg would pit on lap thirty six joined by Webber. Rosberg would come back out in seventh while Webber would come out behind Kubica. Button would pit on lap thirty seven making a clean stop. Button would come back out in third. Nico would also pit coming out in front of Kubica as they went through the first chicane. Webber was close behind Kubica and would get past the Renault as they ran while Alonso would pit coming back out in front of Button to take the lead and he would hold the advantage going down to the second chicane. Rubens would pit on lap thirty eight while Massa would pit on the next lap. Massa would come back out in third behind Button.

Nico would make a mistake going into the first chicane and would cut the chicane coming back out in front of Webber. Would this see Nico incur a penalty. Button would come on the radio asking why he pitted before the Ferrari's, but he was told that the new tyres were faster. Alonso was leading from Button, Massa and Vettel. Vettel's pace was such that he was on course to move ahead of Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Webber, and Kubica. Vettel was yet to pit while Alonso's lead was out to 1.8 seconds over Button. Lap forty two and Alonso had set a 1m:24.676 while Webber would drop away from Nico. Button was now 3.6 seconds behind Alonso while Massa was also closing in onto the McLaren. Rubens was down in eleventh 5.6 seconds behind tenth placed Petrov but Petrov had yet to pit. A 1m:24.531 from Webber seeing him close up to Nico, the gap now 1.1 seconds. Fourth paced Vettel had still yet to pit while team-mate Webber continued to close in onto Nico.

No action was going to be taken against Nico so it was down to Webber to try and get past the Williams. Lap forty eight and a new fastest lap from Alonso, 1m:24.483, while Trulli would retire. Nico was getting quite ragged in his attempts to keep Webber behind him. But he was not able to do so as Webber would pass him going into the second chicane. Webber would brake later and yield to Webber. This would see Nico in seventh while Rubens would move up to tenth when Petrov finally pitted. Lap fifty one and Alonso would make a mistake at the first chicane and would runs over the yellow speed humps. He was able to continue with his lead now 2.7 seconds. two laps remaining and Vettel would pit from fourth. Vettel would come back out in front of Rosberg as Alonso started his
final lap. Button was still second with Massa third.

Alonso would cross the line to take victory in the 2010 Italian Grand Prix. Button was second from Massa, Vettel, Rosberg, Webber, Nico, Kubica, Schumacher, and Rubens picking up the final point for tenth. With a Ferrari victory at Monza the tifosi would be so excited. But for the Williams team they would see a double points scoring finish in what was a very encouraging weekend for the team. Despite making several mistake Nico showed a lot of fight during the race in his attempts to keep his sixth place. He would have to finally give way to Webber but his performance must give the Williams team a great deal of encouragement. Rubens seemed to struggle in the race but at least he did fight for his single point. A great effort from the Brazilian.

Pos  Driver  	   Team		  	      Time
 1.  Alonso        Ferrari                    1h16:24.572
 2.  Button        McLaren-Mercedes           +     2.938
 3.  Massa         Ferrari                    +     4.223
 4.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault           +    28.193
 5.  Rosberg       Mercedes                   +    29.942
 6.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault           +    31.276
 7.  Hulkenberg    AT&T Williams-Cosworth     +    32.812
 8.  Kubica        Renault                    +    34.028
 9.  Schumacher    Mercedes                   +    44.948
10.  Barrichello   AT&T Williams-Cosworth     +  1:04.200
11.  Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +   1:05.00
12.  Liuzzi        Force India-Mercedes       +  1:06.100
13.  Petrov        Renault                    +  1:18.900
14.  De la Rosa    Sauber-Ferrari             +     1 lap
15.  Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +     1 lap
16.  Sutil         Force India-Mercedes       +     1 lap
17.  Glock         Virgin-Cosworth            +    2 laps
18.  Kovalainen    Lotus-Cosworth             +    2 laps
19.  Di Grassi     Virgin-Cosworth            +    2 laps
20.  Yamamoto      HRT-Cosworth               +    2 laps

Fastest lap: Alonso, 1:24.139

Not classified/retirements:

Driver        Team                         On lap
Trulli        Lotus-Cosworth               47
Senna         HRT-Cosworth                 12
Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes             1
Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari               1