Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton drove a near-perfect race in Shanghai today to win the Chinese Grand Prix, bringing himself closer to a first world championship.


Hamilton won by 14.9 seconds from Ferrari's Felipe Massa to move to the brink of the F1 title with only one race remaining. Hamilton claimed his fifth win of the season and ninth of his 34-race career, and goes into the Brazil Grand Prix in two weeks' time with a seven-point lead.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen finished third, meaning the Italian team pushed its advantage in the constructors' championship to 11 points.


BMW's Robert Kubica was sixth, ending his championship chances.

Provisional result of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai:


1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:31:57.403


2. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari +00:14.925


3. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 00:16.445


4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 00:18.370


5. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 00:28.923


6. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 00:33.219


7. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 00:41.722


8. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 00:56.645


9. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso 01:04.339


10. David Coulthard (Britain) Red Bull 01:14.842


11. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 01:25.061


12. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams 01:30.847


13. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso 01:31.457


14. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 01:32.422


15. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams 1 lap


16. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 1 lap


17. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India 1 lap


r. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 7 laps


r. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 43 laps


r. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 54 laps


(rank: r = retired, nc = not classified)


Fastest Lap: Lewis Hamilton, 1:36.325, lap 13.

www.independent.co.uk