Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso moved into the championship lead after winning a bizarre, rain-affected inaugural Korean Grand Prix in which both Red Bull drivers failed to finish.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was second, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa came third, Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher was fourth and Renault’s Robert Kubica fifth.
The result means Alonso now heads the championship by 11 points from Mark Webber and 21 points from Hamilton.
The race started behind the safety car but was stopped after just three laps, some drivers describing the wet conditions as the worst they had ever seen.
There was then a 45 minute delay followed by another start behind the safety car which stayed out for a further seventeen laps. Many drivers were still complaining about the conditions, the exception being Lewis Hamilton who was raring to go and couldn’t see what all the fuss was about.
Championship leader Mark Webber made an error just after the ‘proper’ start, hitting the wall and collecting Nico Rosberg on his travels across the track. Race over for Webber.
Sebastian Vettel then became the ‘live’ leader of the World Championship, but on lap 46 out of 55, his engine blew and that was that for him and he slipped back to fourth in the championship.
Two races to go and still four drivers in with a realistic chance of claiming the title. Jenson Button still has a mathematical chance of retaining his title but much would depend on others dropping by the wayside. But you never know.