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Filed under: Formula One

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Mark Webber secured a comfortable wire-to-wire victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, while Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel filled out the podium after Lewis Hamilton crashed with one lap remaining.

Webber made it 10 straight winners from pole position at the Circuit de Catalunya after the Australian drove a flawless race for a 24-second victory over Alonso.

"It was a crucial pole," said Webber, who celebrated his third career victory by throwing his helmet into the stands. "I controlled the race."

Hamilton was second for most of the race before his tire blew out to send the McLaren driver into the wall shortly before the finish. Vettel took advantage to finish third for Red Bull despite running into the gravel after one of his brake pads blew out.

"Like it or not, I think it was a very lucky day," Vettel said. "Third is not a disaster, it's good points but the result is difficult with how it came together. We were just lucky to bring the car home, to be honest."

 

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Filed under: Formula One

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) -- Fernando Alonso won the Bahrain Grand Prix in his debut for Ferrari, leading the team to a 1-2 finish in Formula One's season-opening race on Sunday.

Alonso passed teammate Felipe Massa at the second corner after the start. He then overtook pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel on the 34th lap for a lead he would never relinquish.

After two frustrating years at Renault, Alonso pounded his chest after jumping on top of his car in celebration as Ferrari got off to its best start since 2004 -- when Michael Schumacher led a 1-2 start. Alonso replaced Kimi Raikkonen, who also won on his Ferrari debut three years ago.

"A very special day for me, coming back to the top of the podium is always special, but also more special with Ferrari and the history of the team and the expectations," Alonso said. "There is no better way to start the relationship."

 

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Filed under: Formula One

More cars, a return of the sport's Michael Jordan and a conflict over how one team will affect their car's handling by the movement of a drivers' knee.

All in an off-season's work for the ever-changing world of Formula One.

The international open-wheel series opens its 60th World Championship Sunday with the Bahrain Grand Prix (7:30 a.m. ET, SPEED) in its usual fashion -- new rules, new controversies and a still wide-open field for who will take home the season prize.

After a brief flirtation at the end of last season with replacing an injured Felipe Massa at Ferrari was derailed by a previous neck injury, eight-time F1 champ Michael Schumacher makes his return to the sport he last left after a narrow defeat at the hands of Fernando Alonso for the 2006 crown.

 

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Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, the winningest driver in the history of Formula One, has officially announced his return to the sport -- ending a three-year retirement with a newly signed three-year contract to drive for Mercedes that will reportedly pay the German $10 million in 2010.

"Apart from (his experience),'' Mercedes chief executive Nick Fry told the BBC, "we believe he's still got massive skill. ... we really think Michael will take us to the next step.''

The deal reunites Schumacher, 40, with Mercedes GP Petronas principle Ross Brawn, who served as technical director on all seven of Schumacher's world titles (two with Benetton and five with Ferrari).

And judging by the comments from the racing world, few would be surprised if Schumacher comes out of retirement to immediately contend for an unthinkable eighth F1 championship. At the least, he will be a well-needed adrenalin shot for the sport.

"Age will not be a factor in Michael's story,'' 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell told a British newspaper. "It wouldn't surprise me if Michael challenged for another world championship.''

 

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