Hamilton leads McLaren 1-2
Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix for the second time in four years, holding off McLaren teammate Jenson Button on Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to take the season points lead from Mark Webber.
Hamilton, the McLaren driver who raced to his first F1 victory in 2007 on the 2.71-mile track, also won two weeks ago in Turkey in the previous race. The 2008 series champion started from the pole en route to his 14th career victory.
Hamilton moves to the top of the Formula One drivers’ world championship with 109 points, ahead of second-placed Button with 106. Hamilton took the lead from Red Bull’s Webber on the 50th of 70 laps. Webber then pitted for the second time after giving up considerable time on badly worn tires.
Button, also second in Turkey, finished 2.2 seconds back. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso was third, followed by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Webber. After starting the race on Bridgestone’s super-soft compound tires, Hamilton gave up the lead on the seventh lap to switch to the more durable medium compound.
Webber pitted for the first on the 14th lap, electing to stay with the medium compound, and had little tread left when he hit the pits again on the 50th circuit. Hamilton pitted for the final time of the 26th lap, putting another set of medium-compound tires. He rejoined the race in fifth place, quickly worked his way to second and slowly reeled in Webber — more than 11 seconds ahead at one point.
Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher, a seven-time Montreal winner, finished 11th after starting 13th. — AP
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