Double World Champion Fernando Alonso took a brilliant victory in an unusually chaotic European Grand Prix to regain the championship lead in a race that saw both of his main title rivals retire. The result made the Ferrari driver the first repeat winner of the incredible 2012 Formula 1 season.
Sebastian Vettel was in control for most of the race until a mechanical failure forced him to retire, while Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of a podium finish ended in a last-lap collision with Pastor Maldonado’s Williams as they fought for third.
Raikkonen drove a quiet race for 3rd, ahead of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher who scored his first podium finish since the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix.
Mark Webber came from a low 19th position to take his fifth 4th place of season which moves him up to second place in the World Drivers’ Championship.
Force India duo Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta crossed the line in strong fifth and seventh place finishes, sandwiching Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.
Jenson Button struggled for pace throughout the race, the Briton took advantage of many retirements to clinch 8th position, followed by Sauber driver Sergio Perez in 9th and 10th placed Pastor Maldonado who entered the pits on the penultimate lap for a front wing change after his collision with Hamilton.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Alonso Ferrari 1h44:16.449 2. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault + 6.421 3. Schumacher Mercedes + 12.639 4. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 13.628 5. Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes + 19.993 6. Rosberg Mercedes + 21.176 7. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 22.886 8. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 24.653 9. Perez Sauber-Ferrari + 27.777 10. Maldonado Williams-Renault + 34.630 11. Senna Williams-Renault + 35.900 12. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 37.000 13. Petrov Caterham-Renault + 1:15.871 14. Kovalainen Caterham-Renault + 1:34.654 15. Pic Marussia-Cosworth + 1:36.565 16. Massa Ferrari + 1 lap 17. De la Rosa HRT-Cosworth + 1 lap 18. Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth + 1 lap 19. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes + 2 laps