Hamilton and Kubica pitted at the same time at the end of lap 21, vaulting Kovalainen to the head of the field. Crucially for the pair's ambitions to leapfrog Massa, they both rejoined just
behind Rosberg, though the
Williams too would make its first pit visit only a lap later.
The biggest drama of the race, though, was about to follow, as the cameras suddenly showed Kovalainen's car embedded heavily in the tyre barriers at turn nine, after something seemed to break and fly off the
McLaren, causing its left front tyre to blow midway through the corner – not dissimilar to team-mate Hamilton's high-speed ‘off' in qualifying at the Nürburgring last year – and the Finn became a helpless passenger at more than 140mph.
The MP4-23 ploughed straight on at unabated speed into the tyres, with the safety car and medical car both being immediately sent out. Happily, Kovalainen gave the thumbs-up as he was stretchered away to the medical centre afterwards, no doubt in a degree of shock and pain, but happily conscious. He was later transported to the local hospital for further checks on possible concussions.
A big loser under the second safety car period of the race was new leader Heidfeld, who had no choice but to pit before the pit-lane was open as he was about to run out of fuel, the German thereby earning himself a stop-go penalty. Both Hondas, Coulthard and Nakajima all took the opportunity to re-fuel once the pit-lane had been officially opened, before Barrichello – in his 256th grand prix – curiously managed to remove his front wing leaving the pits again, almost colliding with another car on the exit. That prompted a particularly slow out-lap and another pit visit for the experienced Brazilian – not to mention a good deal of embarrassment.
