Kimi Raikkonen just keeps racking up the points: China was his 20th top ten finish in a row. Here’s more on that and four more interesting stats from the Chinese Grand Prix.
Raikkonen hits 20 in a row
Kimi Raikkonen is Mr Consistency in F1 today. China was his 20th consecutive race in the points. During that time he’s has two wins, nine podiums and one wayward trip up a closed escape road in Brazil.
If he finishes the next five races in the points he will beat Schumacher’s record for scoring in 24 consecutive races – though Schumacher managed it at a time when there were fewer points available.
Alonso matches Mansell
Fernando Alonso is steadily climbing the list of F1’s most successful drivers of all time. His Chinese Grand Prix victory was his 31st, meaning he draws level with 1992 F1 champion and 1993 IndyCar champion with Nigel Mansell.
Ten more wins will put him on a par with Ayrton Senna. A further ten will see him equal Alain Prost. And after that he will need another 40 to match record holder Michael Schumacher’s 91 Grand Prix victories.
Ricciardo’s best result
Daniel Ricciardo came home in seventh place, which is his best result so far in Formula One. It’s also better than his team mate Jean-Eric Vergne has managed as the pair vie for a promotion to Red Bull.
Five champions in the top five
For only the second time in F1 history, the top five finishing positions were filled by world champions: Fernando Alonso (2005, 2006), Kimi Raikkonen (2007), Lewis Hamilton (2008), Sebastian Vettel (2010, 2011, 2012) and Jenson Button (2009).
Alonso unstoppable in China
This was the tenth running of the Chinese Grand Prix and it was fittingly won by the only driver who’s finished every lap of every race at Shanghai: Fernando Alonso.
Jenson Button, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa have also started all ten races.