MOTOR SPORT/CANADIAN GRAND PRIX:POLAND'S ROBERT Kubica claimed his first Formula One victory and the drivers' title lead in Canada yesterday thanks in no small part to a momentary lapse of reason that saw race favourite Lewis Hamilton crash out of the race and into Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen - in the pitlane.
Pole-sitter Hamilton was in control of the early stages of the race and looked set to dominate to claim another win at the circuit that brought him his first grand prix victory last year when on lap 18 Adrian Sutil's car expired and he limped to a halt at the circuit. As the marshals struggled to remove his Force India car, the safety car was deployed. Leader Hamilton headed for the pits, trailed by BMW-Sauber driver Kubica, Raikkonen and Renault's Fernando Alonso.
With the pit exit in a hazardous position it remained closed as the rest of the field circled the track and Raikkonen, quickest away, slowed at the exit, the lights still red. Beside him was Kubica, both waiting for the field to clear the track ahead. Hamilton, however, failed to see that red light and slammed into the back of Raikkonen, ruling both out of the contest.
The lights flashed green and Kubica powered away, on course for the first victory of a career that has been building momentum since he first piloted a BMW-Sauber at Hungary in 2006, after the underperforming Jacques Villeneuve had been given his marching orders by the Swiss-German team.
At the time, the former BMW and now Toro Rosso team boss Gerhard Berger had admiringly called him "an animal" and tipped the young Pole for future glory. Two races later Kubica justified the hype, claiming a third place and a podium finish at Monza. Yesterday he confirmed his place as a potential champion.
"I never struggled so much before, I was pushing so hard," said Kubica. "It was a great race. It is always chaotic with the safety car and is not easy. I was stuck behind the slower cars but I managed to make up the time. However, the last laps were very, very difficult.
"It is fantastic to win for BMW Sauber," he said. "We grew up together and thanks to the team providing a good car we managed to do first and second. Maybe our pace is still not best as I couldn't match Lewis's pace. It was a fantastic race, fantastic for the team, for me and for my country and for the fans, who I thank for cheering for me here in Canada.
"Winning in Canada where I had a big shunt last season and the goal to win a grand prix this season . . . we have done it and I'm leading the championship, so I hope the team will give me 100 per cent support to defend it until the last race."
Kubica was followed home by his BMW-Sauber team-mate Nick Heidfeld to score a notable one-two for the team.
"It shows we are going in the right direction," said Heidfeld. "We achieved the goal, which was quite high. We wanted to win a race. Next year we want to fight for the championship and will work flat out for that."
The final podium place was claimed by Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard, the Scot taking his first such finish since Monaco in 2006.
"I would never have expected a podium this weekend - I've had a horrible start to the year," he said.
The final points were taken by Toyota's Timo Glock, fourth, Ferrari's Felipe Massa in fifth, with the Brazilian being followed by Toyota's Jarno Trulli, McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen and Sebastian Vettel of Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Kubica's win elevates him to top of the drivers' table with 42 points, four ahead of the hapless Hamilton, with Massa tied with Hamilton on 38 points.
Raikkonen, who led before Monaco, now drops to fourth on 35 points after failing to score in Monaco when crashing into Sutil late on.
After yesterday's pitlane incident, Hamilton apologized to Raikkonen, saying he had seen the red light at the end of pit lane too late.
"It wasn't a great stop," he admitted of losing ground to Raikkonen and Kubica during refuelling.
"Then I saw the two guys in front battling in the pitlane and all of a sudden they stopped. I saw the red light but by the time I stopped it was too late.
"It is a lot different if you crash into the wall and are angry; it is not like that. I apologise to Kimi if I cost him the race, but these sort of things happen. I would rather neither of us were out, we were so quick, I was in front. Next time."
The race stewards immediately opened an investigation into the incident and there is a strong likelihood Hamilton could be penalised for causing an avoidable accident. That could earn him a five-place grid penalty for the next round, in France in two weeks' time.
Placings: 1 R Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1hr 36mins 24.447secs; 2 N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:36:40.847; 3 D Coulthard (Bri) Red Bull 1:36:47.747; 4 T Glock (Ger) Toyota 1:37:07.047; 5 F Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1:37:08.347; 6 J Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:37:12.147; 7 R Barrichello (Bra) Honda 1:37:17.947; 8 S Vettel (Ger) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:37:18.547; 9 H Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1:37:18.847; 10 N Rosberg (Ger) Williams 1:37:22.147; 11 J Button (Bri) Honda 1:37:31.947; 12 M Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:37:35.647; 13 S Bourdais (Fra) Toro Rosso +1 lap.
Not classified: G Fisichella (Ita) Force India; K Nakajima (Jpn) Williams; F Alonso (Spn) Renault; N Piquet jr (Bra) Renault; K Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari; L Hamilton (Bri) McLaren; A Sutil (Ger) Force India
Drivers: 1 Kubica 42pts; 2 Massa 38; 3 Hamilton 38; 4 Raikkonen 35; 5 Heidfeld 28; 6 Webber 15; 7 Kovalainen 15; 8 Trulli 12; 9 Alonso 9; 10 Rosberg 8; 11 Nakajima 7; 12 Coulthard 6. Manufacturers: 1 Ferrari 73pts; 2 BMW Sauber 70; 3 McLaren 53; 4 Red Bull 21; 5 Toyota 17; 6 Williams 15, 7 Renault 9, 8 Honda 8, 9 Toro Rosso 7
