Montreal, 13 June

For the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix, a Ferrari driver has stepped onto the podium today, as Fernando Alonso finished third for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro behind a second consecutive one-two finish for McLaren, Lewis Hamilton winning from Jenson Button. To say Felipe Massa had a difficult day is an understatement and the Brazilian eventually came home in fifteenth place, needing two nose changes on his F10, the first on the opening lap after he was sandwiched between Button and Tonio Liuzzi and the Force India driver collided with him and the second in the closing stages when again he was the victim, this time when he was involved in an incident with Michael Schumacher.




There is no denying that a podium finish is a good result, but the team was not overjoyed at the end of the 70 laps, because all weekend the F10 has proved to be competitive and Fernando was always in the fight for the lead, given a spot-on tyre strategy which could have seen him finish higher, but for some unlucky breaks when trying to pass backmarkers. Having started from third, the Spaniard maintained that position behind Hamilton and Vettel, the Ferrari glued to the Red Bull gearbox and pulling away from Button, who was himself passed by Webber on lap 6. Having started on the softer tyre, Fernando made his first pit stop on lap 7, at the same time as Hamilton: the two men drove down pit lane side by side and as they emerged on track, the Ferrari was in front. However, on lap 14, as the duo came up behind Buemi who was leading at the time, the McLaren man got the better run and passed the Ferrari, the two men having a great battle which thrilled the completely packed grandstands at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit. Fernando led briefly and then made his next visit to the pits on lap 28, coming out behind Webber and Hamilton. The Ferrari and McLaren closed on the Red Bull, with Hamilton getting past the Australian on lap 50 and Fernando going second when Webber pitted shortly afterwards. Button was now closing on the two leaders and as he and Fernando came to lap Chandhok, the McLaren man seized the opportunity to overtake both men, so that Fernando was now down to third where he would stay to the chequered flag.

For the impartial race viewer, the Canadian GP was a thrilling afternoon of sport with action and incident throughout the field, even without an appearance from the almost traditional Canadian Safety Car. Behind the podium finishers, fourth and fifth places went to the Red Bull duo of Vettel and Webber, with Rosberg sixth for Mercedes, followed by Kubica seventh in the Renault, Buemi eighth for Toro Rosso, with Liuzzi and Sutil filling the final two points places for Force India. For race viewers who support Ferrari though, there is a touch of disappointment at the thought of what might have been. On the plus side, the F10 was definitely able to match the pace of the best and there is the promise of major technical novelties arriving for the next race in Valencia in a fortnight, which it is hoped will maintain this return to form.