All-Champion podium: First since '91

One has to go back almost two decades to the last time three World Champions locked out a Formula 1 podium although that's what happened on Sunday as Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso made the rostrum in Canada.

The last time such a result sprang up was at, ironically, another North American race as Ayrton Senna led home Alain Prost and Nélson Piquet in the 1991 season-opening event in Phoenix. The fact that it was a McLaren on the top step on that occasion therefore seems appropriate, when considering yesterday's classification.

However, prior to Montreal 2010 there have also been also been a number of pre-Champion podiums in recent seasons, not least when then reigning title holder Alonso shared the platform with future victors Kimi Räikkönen and Hamilton three years ago.

Sunday marked McLaren's 11th victory in the Canadian Grand Prix, more than any other team in the country which was first visited by F1 at Mosport Park in 1967.

All-Champion F1 podiums:

Canada 2010: Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso
USA 1991: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nélson Piquet
Brazil 1973: Emerson Fittipaldi, Jackie Stewart, Denny Hulme
South Africa 1970: Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart
USA 1968: Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, John Surtees
Mexico 1967: Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme *
Italy 1967: John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark
Holland 1966: Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Jack Clark
Great Britain 1965: Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Surtees
South Africa 1965: Jim Clark, John Surtees, Graham Hill
Great Britain 1953: Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Nino Farina

* Title-clinching race for Denny Hulme

Source: GP Update

Bernie: Vettel will make it five Champs

Bernie Ecclestone has reiterated his belief that by the end of this season there will be five World Champs on the grid as Sebastian Vettel joins the mix.

Ecclestone has made no bones about the fact that he is a member of the Vettel fan club and is firmly tipping the Red Bull racer to win this year's title.

And should he do so he will join Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in the ranks of F1 World Champions.

"Sebastian should have won the Championship last year," Ecclestone told the official F1 website.

"So he is competitive , the team looks good, he looks in good shape, so I hope he doesn't let me down this year!

"But in the end I'd like four or five to win. I just think that it should be his turn."

Source: Planet F1

Jenson Button & Lewis Hamilton - The Showdown Of Champions

Source: YouTube

Two F1 champions to miss 2010 season opener

Two living world champions look set to be missing at next weekend's F1 season opener in Bahrain.

Last month, the race's organisers announced that all twenty living title winners would attend as part of the sport's 60th anniversary celebrations.

If Jacques Villeneuve is driving for the hopeful Stefan GP, the 2010 grid will already be boasting five of the champions, including Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and 2009 winner Jenson Button.

The other champions confirmed for Bahrain are Mika Hakkinen, Damon Hill, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Niki Lauda, Keke Rosberg, Alan Jones, Jody Scheckter, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jackie Stewart and John Surtees.

83-year-old Sir Jack Brabham, the oldest living world champion, will also be at the 2010 season opener, and the late Juan Manuel Fangio's nephew and namesake will be representing the great Argentinean.

The only two champions who have not confirmed their attendance are three-time winner Nelson Piquet, and 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who has switched full time to the world rally championship.

Also at the circuit will be more than 20 of the cars driven by the sport's legends.

"We expect the majority of the 20 plus cars to be displayed on track and, where possible, be driven by the original world champion," circuit advisor Martin Whitaker is quoted as saying by the Gulf Daily News.

Damon Hill will be on track representing the cars of the 90s, and so his son Josh will drive the Lotus 49 as raced by his grandfather Graham.

Source: F1Complete