German and Italian anthems are back

Record-breaker Sebastian Vettel called his maiden Formula One victory "the best day of his life" after dominating the Italian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old became the youngest race winner in the sport's history with a drive of speed and skill in treacherous conditions at a rain-lashed Monza.

Starting from pole position but behind the safety car, the Toro Rosso man stretched out an early lead and never looked back, winning by 12.5 seconds from McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica in third.

Vettel put his pace down to a dry-weather set-up on his car, which allowed him to be quick when the rain relented later on. And the German made his second pit stop at exactly the right time, switching from wet-weather tires to intermediates for the rest of the race.

While the usually chirpy Kovalainen was subdued, Kubica was satisfied with turning 11th on the grid into six world championship points.

In the championship fight, Ferrari's Felipe Massa could only manage sixth, one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, whose drive from 15th on the grid to seventh in his McLaren was a race highlight. Hamilton now leads Massa in the standings by one point with four races -- and an appeal over his Belgian GP result -- to go.

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

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pic 1: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008
pic 2: Italian GP, Monza circuit, Formula 1, 2008

Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps Race

Lewis Hamilton was denied a dramatic Belgian Grand Prix win, after race stewards dropped him to third place following a late race battle with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen that left the Briton on the top step of the podium and the defending champion's title hopes as shattered as his car after the Finn crashed out.

Hamilton had toiled through 41 laps behind Raikkonen, the Finn having stolen the lead on the second lap of the race after Hamilton had spun at the La Source hairpin on lap two.

The Englishman had reeled the defending champion in over the intervening period, but with a few laps left and a second between them it looked like three-time Belgian GP winner Raikkonen had done enough to seal his first win since Spain, over three long months ago.

But, in true Spa fashion, then came the rain. Three laps from home and with the pair almost nose to tail the heavens opened and a classic and chaotic battle ensued. As they went into the Bus Stop chicane, Hamilton made his first attempt, banging wheels with Raikkonen as they fought for control on worn, dry-weather tyres on an increasingly treacherous track.

Raikkonen and Hamilton had a battle. At some moment Hamilton went off the track, cutting the chicane.. Raikkonen reacted and then Hamilton was inside the Ferrari, brushing past as they headed for the hairpin. Raikkonen tried to nudge back in front, down the inside of the hairpin and tapped the McLaren, but it only pushed Hamilton forward and the Briton took the lead.

Raikkonen later crashed into a wall and resigned. The lead was taken by Hamilton finishing the race as the first, but Stewart's later decided hid overtaking was wrong and gave him a 25s penalty letting Massa the win, Heidfeld second place and Ham managed to qualify on third place.

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

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pic 1: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps
pic 2: Belgian GP Spa Francorchamps

The first European GP Valencia, Spain

Ferrari's Felipe Massa won today's European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia, the first- ever Formula One race in the Spanish city.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton came second, 5.6 seconds behind, and stretches his lead in the drivers' standings to six points. BMW's Robert Kubica was third.

Massa led Hamilton right from the start, with the order changing only when the drivers went in for their two pit stops. To the disappointment of home fans, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Renault dropped out just after the start, when an accident with Kazuki Nakajima's Williams damaged his car. It was the Spaniard's second retirement in this year's two races in Spain.

Ferrari was involved in controversy
First Massa -- who led Hamilton by as much as 10 seconds at one point -- was released into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil as they left the pits, but pulled back before there was any contact. Stewards said they would investigate any potential safety violation by Massa after the race rather than impose an immediate penalty.

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen came fourth, and Toyota's Jarno Trulli fifth. Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel, Timo Glock of Toyota and Nico Rosberg of Williams were the other points- scorers.

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

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pic 1: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia
pic 2: European Grand Prix on a street circuit in Valencia

Europe and Belgian GP comming up next

After uploading the German and Hungarian GP, I still left out Europe and Belgian GP! I intend to upload them this weekend, when I have a bit more time...

For those who have missed the previous posts have a look here:

__Hungarian GP

____German GP