European GP: Another points result from Rosberg

Qualifying for the 2009 European Grand Prix had seen AT&T Williams driver Nico Rosberg qualify in seventh position. Team-mate Kazuki Nakajima would suffer a problem with his car seeing him only finish in seventeenth. With the McLaren's on the front row the grid would move off with Hamilton leading the field on their parade lap. They would come back and form up for the start of the fifty seven lap race. Nico was quite heavy on fuel and was not expected to pit until lap twenty. Kazuki had a new engine fitted after his qualifying woes. Both McLaren's were on the super soft tyres but Vettel and Barrichello were on the soft tyre. Kazuki was not expected to pit until lap thirty four.

The grid would form up and the lights would go out and off the field would rush with Hamilton leading. There would be contact with a Toyota and a Torro Rosso. Barrichello was in third from Raikkonen, Vettel, Rosberg, Alonso, and Button. Lap one and Hamilton was leading by 1.5 seconds as Grosjean would pit. Button had made a terrible start and was down in eighth. Glock would pit joined by Buemi, who would have his nose replaced. Grosjean also received a new nose. Lap two and Hamilton was fastest with a 1m:41.807. He was 1.8 seconds ahead of Kovalainen.

Kazuki was down in fourteenth while Nico was right behind Vettel. A 1m:41.146 from Hamilton on lap three, now leading by 2.1 seconds. Another fastest lap from Hamilton with a 1m:40.401 on lap four. Webber was to c0mpalin about the fact that Button had cut the Turn five chicane seeing him get in front of Webber. Nico was now 7.6 seconds behind the leader but was still running close behind Vettel. Webber would pass Button for eighth. Button's pace was way off his team-mates. Lap six and Hamilton was again fastest with a 1m:39.810. Hamilton was leading by 4.0 seconds while Nico was now 1.5 seconds behind Vettel. It was believed that Button had to yield to Webber as a result of his cutting the chicane.

The race was starting to settle down with gaps between all top eight drivers. Nico would be setting personal best times but was now 2.0 seconds behind Vettel. Button was getting close to a full pit stop behind Hamilton. Nico was 13.9 seconds behind the leader. Kazuki was still in fourteenth behind Fisichella. Hamilton was expected to pit on lap fifteen. Lap fourteen and Hamilton set another fastest lap with a 1m:39.455, as he prepared for his first stop. Hamilton would pit on lap sixteen taking on the super soft tyre. Vettel and Kubica would also pit while Hamilton returned in sixth. Kovalainen was now leading from Barrichello, Raikkonen, Nico, Alonso, and Webber. Vettel would have a problem with his pit stops with his refuelling rig.

Vettel would have to come back in while Kovalainen and Alonso would pit. Barrichello was now leading while Vettel pitted this time getting his fuel. Raikkonen was second from Nico, Hamilton, Webber, and Button. Lap eighteen and a fastest lap from Barrichello, 1m:39.427. A personal best from Nico with a 1m:39.898 on the same lap. Lap twenty and Raikkonen would pit from second. Lap nineteen and another personal best from Nico with a 1m:39.890. Button had also pitted returning in eleventh. Lap twenty one and both Barrichello and Nico would pit. Webber had also come in while Barrichello would return in front of Kovalainen.

Hamilton was again leading from Barrichello by 3.2 seconds with Kovalainen third followed by Heidfeld, Sutil, Raikkonen, Nico, and Alonso. Heidfeld and Sutil would pit on lap twenty three. The order was now Hamilton from Barrichello, Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Nico, Alonso, Webber, and Fisichella. Nico was 2.3 seconds behind Raikkonen. Vettel running in fifteen would have engine trouble seeing him pull off the track to retire. This would be his second engine failure of the weekend. For Nico his race was looking very much like fifth would be the best he could hope for. Kazuki was down in tenth but had yet to pit being on a one stop strategy.

Lap twenty nine and Hamilton was leading by 4.1 seconds from Barrichello. Kazuki would pit on lap thirty one. Nico was dropping back from Raikkonen, the gap now 6.7 seconds. Nico was running on the soft tyre while those in front were on the super soft's. Lap thirty two and Fisichella would pit from eighth, seeing Button move up one place an have an empty round to chase down Webber who was in seventh. Kazuki was now fourteenth while Nico was now 7.5 seconds behind Raikkonen. Lap thirty four and a new fastest lap from Barrichello with a 1m:39.421, closing the gap to Hamilton to 3.9 seconds. But the next lap the lead was out to 4.2 seconds.

Lap thirty six and a personal best from Nico with a 1m:39.782, but he was a big margin behind Raikkonen so it gained him little. Lap thirty seven and Hamilton would pit seeing Barrichello leading. Hamilton's tyres were not ready costing him time and seeing him come back out in fifth place. Lap thirty seven and a fastest lap from Raikkonen, 1m:39.276. Hamilton was now on the harder tyre as Kovalainen pitted. Lap thirty eight and a fastest lap from Barrichello, 1m:39.071. Sutil had also pitted from eleventh. Barrichello was now leading from Raikkonen, Nico, Hamilton, Alonso, Kovalainen, Webber, and Button.

Kazuki's race would go bad when he was to suffer a tyre failure on the left rear. He would continue with the tyre flailing around. Barrichello would pit taking on the super soft tyres. Raikkonen would also pit joined by tenth placed Kubica. Kazuki would get back to his pit returning to the track on the super soft tyre. Lap forty two and a personal best from Nico with a 1m:39.451. Nico was currently in second from Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Webber, and Button. Kazuki was down in nineteenth. Alonso would pit on lap forty three joined by Button.

Nico would pit on lap forty four joined by Webber and Heidfeld. Nico had taken on the super soft for his final stint. Barrichello was now 6.7 second ahead of Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Nico, Alonso, Button, and Kubica. Buemi would retire with a front brake disc failure, spinning his car. Nico was 3.9 seconds behind Kovalainen. Lap forty six and Button would set a new fastest lap with a 1m:38.874, as he tried to close down onto Alonso. Kazuki was down in eighteenth and lapped. He was having another disaster of a race which will see him again fail to score a point. Nine laps remaining and Hamilton was now 6.4 seconds behind Barrichello.

Nico was now 3.2 seconds behind Raikkonen after lap fifty. Hamilton was still pushing trying to close the gap to Barrichello but he was running out of laps. Button was closing up to Alonso but would he have enough laps. Lap fifty two and a personal best from Nico, 1m:39.329. He was now 1.9 seconds behind Kovalainen with only a handful of laps remaining. Could Nico take fourth in the closing laps. It looked like Button had given up trying to catch Alonso but Nico was still pushing to get up to Kovalainen. Lap fifty four and Nico was 1.7 seconds behind Kovalainen. Barrichello was still leading comfortable from Hamilton with Raikkonen third.

Barrichello would start his penultimate lap while Nico had got the gap to Kovalainen down to 1.0 seconds but given the track it would be hard to pass the McLaren. Barrichello was on his last lap looking to secure this first win for Brawn. Kovalainen had responded to Nico seeing Nico still in fifth. Barrichello would cross the line to win the 2009 European Grand Prix. Hamilton was second from Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Nico, Alonso, Button, and the final point for Kubica. Another great race from Nico to again secure points for himself and the Williams team. For Kazuki it was another frustrating race finishing last after suffering a tyre failure.

Pos  Driver  	   Team		  	      Time
 1.  Barrichello   Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1h35:51.289
 2.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  +     2.358
 3.  Raikkonen     Ferrari               (B)  +    15.994
 4.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  +    20.032
 5.  Rosberg       Williams-Toyota       (B)  +    20.870
 6.  Alonso        Renault               (B)  +    27.744
 7.  Button        Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  +    34.913
 8.  Kubica        BMW Sauber            (B)  +    36.667
 9.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault      (B)  +    44.910
10.  Sutil         Force India-Mercedes  (B)  +    47.935
11.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber            (B)  +    48.822
12.  Fisichella    Force India-Mercedes  (B)  +  1:03.614
13.  Trulli        Toyota                (B)  +  1:04.527
14.  Glock         Toyota                (B)  +  1:26.519
15.  Grosjean      Renault               (B)  +  1:31.774
16.  Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  +     1 lap
17.  Badoer        Ferrari               (B)  +     1 lap
18.  Nakajima      Williams-Toyota       (B)  +    3 laps

Fastest lap: Glock, 1:38.683

Not classified/retirements:

Driver        Team                      On lap
Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)    42
Vettel        Red Bull-Renault      (B)    24