french grand prix french grand prix formally grand prix france formula motor race held june france race date french eighth race formula season lap race won ferrari team starting second position started pole position finished second ferrari car toyota clean start started overtaken driver maintained positions round pit stops lap led half seconds seconds half distance right exhaust pipe broke caused engine lose power second place began quicker caught passed lap maintained lead second round pit stops won race finished seconds challenged stages win promoted lead drivers championship time career overtaking second points championship ferrari increased lead points ahead points report background grand prix contested drivers teams teams known ferrari force india ferrari toyota tyre supplier brought different tyre compounds race softer marked single white stripe grooves race led drivers championship points ahead ferrari points fourth ahead teammate fifth championship ferrari leading points points ahead points points ferrari came race long series success track having won seven races held ferrari taken ahead said important recent years people canada suited better ferrari way round france britain don think case year apart factors consider team equation year ferrari row grid think fuel canada race pace good races close march sport automobile stated intention rest circuit formula world championship season despite race held race dropped formula calendar formula world championship returned france previous race canada hamilton crashed pit lane stop red light end pit lane williams driver collided hamilton hamilton later said saw light late avoid hitting ferrari hamilton given place grid penalties meaning qualifying position start better 11th penalty given ceo said thought penalty severe citing similar incident crashed force india adrian penalty given said penalties canada deserved hamilton asked penalty force change approach hamilton said doesn race win approach going harder added coming don doubts worries think going strong package weekend think car good better race pace long stay trouble able score good points driver year formula scored points prior race said thought track suited car better previous races taken victory previous race team principal said second win unlikely technical developments ferrari toyota revised wings brought new wing version previous race decided use revised wing offered better levels ferrari wing changes aimed improving performance car nose hole nose hole introduced spanish grand prix aimed creating greater levels williams changed previous race modified bridge wing prevent comply latest rule team revised central section element aim generating greater levels practice qualifying practice sessions held sunday race friday saturday friday morning afternoon sessions lasted minutes session held saturday morning lasted hour practice session held dry conditions ferrari quickest ahead hamilton second teammate fourth quickest afternoon session held hot conditions saw record fastest lap ahead ferrari drivers hot weather conditions posed problems drivers cars ran road sliding gravel asphalt end session new system designed limit cars speeds potentially hazardous situations tested practice session held dry conditions continued strong practice performance leading final practice session quickest pattern season ferrari drivers ran heavier fuel loads session preparation final section qualifying saturday afternoon qualifying session divided parts minute period cars finishing 16th lower eliminated second qualifying period lasted minutes end fastest cars went final period determine grid positions race cars failing final period allowed race competing carried fuel earlier qualifying sessions clinched ferrari pole position time joined row grid teammate qualified hamilton penalty moved quicker driver 13th toyota qualified fourth started fifth given place grid penalty blocking qualifying start 10th grid rounded qualified 11th ahead hamilton 12th 14th quickest penalty demoted grid teammate took place final places went force india teams button qualifying ahead given penalty changing gearbox meaning started 20th grid place race conditions grid dry race sky overcast weather forecasts predicted rain near end race began race harder compound tyre rain fallen earlier morning removed rubber track meaning small grains rubber come tyre likely problem tyre types harder better cope good start retaining position maintained second place started passed passed turn exit good start taking sixth passing going corner button touched resulting damage wing hamilton started 13th passed drivers 10th end lap end lap led lap hamilton overtook ninth lap button forced pit stop damage sustained corner incident dropped field end lap led seconds seconds lap hamilton given drive penalty cutting corner turn seven lap gaining advantage took penalty immediately emerged 13th position laps ferrari drivers continued pull gap second lap quicker toyota lap set fastest lap race stretching lead teammate running fourth scheduled pit stop resuming 12th button drivers damage car sustained corner incident eventually retired lap lap fourth pitted laps pitted lap opened lead seconds half minute half distance pace slower caught passing teammate lap race explained lack pace car right exhaust pipe breaking causing engine lose power running seventh passed sixth lap second lead teammate lap pitted fourth starting round pit stops pitted lap laps later pitted lap emerged seconds ahead kept position places pit stops fourth closing lap light rain started fall continue rain lightly laps heavy problem drivers lap right laps later exhaust pipe broken earlier car came completely continued race similar lap times continued try find way past lap end race attempted pass ran wide defended position crossed line win race nearly eighteen seconds retained took podium spanish grand prix toyota podium australian grand prix finished fourth ahead took points formula hamilton finishing drivers post race delighted race victory saying great race fantastic result win came way problem car pace running hard beat track happy second place course win makes race said obviously bit disappointed hoped win unfortunately right exhaust pipe broke half distance engine lost lot power especially straight slow corners laps situation better end race ran risk stopping sort thing happen racing try look bright points good finish great result team built good lead thanks car competitive said today great race hard tough good pace battle cars quicker fight hard people expect toyota hamilton commented drive penalty drive penalty extremely close felt got past fairly ahead going corner outside couldn turn case crashed lost end drove victory previous race director said entire weekend package work perfectly driver said disappointing result said felt disappointed poor start race director said problems lay bad starts drivers button retired race commented collision got good start alongside thought going turn turn close door pulled unfortunately hit rear slowed corner feel broken car air coming car staying pack continued replaced nose pulled car retire scored points formula race having failed score point said happy hoped team continue like rest season race moved lead drivers championship points taking championship lead time formula career lost lead drivers championship falling points moved ahead hamilton points hamilton points remained fifth race ferrari points ahead championship race ferrari moved comfortable point advantage point points classification qualifying docked places grid race causing collision previous round canadian grand prix docked places blocking qualifying places grid gearbox change race championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2008 French Grand Prix