European Grand Prix – Race
*TS has had an engine change so is now in P20 on the grid.
MS qualified in P10, behind both teammate RB (P7) and little brother RS (P8).
Wow! 50°C – that’ s going to give the tyres a problem – that’s a lot warmer than past Nurburg Grands Prix.
Apparently (according to ITV-F1) yesterday was the hottest May 28th for 100 years!
Formation lap: NH’s first pole
JT’s team very late clearing the grid but JT is away in the right position … will they be penalised?
Yellow flags for GF – everyone is sent round for another formation lap while GF is moved off the grid from P9 … except the marshalls aren’t moving him! Charlie Whiting shouting at the Renault mechanics to get out there and help the marshalls. GF’s in the pits just in time. Clear air for FM.
01/59: Everyone cleanly off the grid but there’s a collision at Turn 1. MW and JM collided. RS and a few others run wide.
Ferrari mechanics are in the box waiting for ??
02: KR, NH, JT, DC(!), FA, FM, VL, JB; RB=P9; JV=11; MS=14 – MW retired.
TS pits
RS pits too … very quick – no speed limiter?
03: KR fastest lap 1:32.073
Replay: looks like JM turned across MW.
“Incident involving car 16 (JT) under investigation” (presumably re: grid)
04: NH f/lap 1:31.323
05: NH f/lap 1:31.287
06: RB pressuring JB … running side by side … and takes him
JM now pushing to pass JB
07: KR, NH, JT, DC, FA, FM, VL, RB; JM=9; JB=10; MS=11; JV=15L RS=19.
08: “Drive through penalty for car 16 – team personnel on grid at 15 seconds signal”
09: VL tries to hold off RB but he’s not fast enough out of the corner; RB takes P7
JT takes his drive-through penalty, giving DC P3; JT rejoins ahead in P9 (ahead of JB)
10/59: KR f/lap 1:30.940
Closest battles: FA 1.2s behind DC; RB 1.8s behind FM; JM 0.5s behind VL; MS 0.6s behind JB, with GF 0.5s behind MS
11: ITV-F1 interview MW – he says it’s not JM’s fault
MS passes JB for P10
Ferrari pit crew getting ready for RB
12: RB pits from P6
Williams crew ready too
13: NH pits from P2, rejoins in P5 ahead of FM
BAR mechanics have a problem with the refuelling rig – changing hose and testing it out
14: KR, DC, FA, NH, FM, VL, JM, JT; MS=9; JB=10; RB=12; JV=14; TS=16; RS=18
RB struggling with the Ferrari in Turn 1
16: KR lead over DC now 21.0s
JM pressuring VL for P6
18: McLaren crew ready for KR from P1 … 9.1s stop – rejoins behind FA (P3)
DC leads the race!
19: JT pits – long stop (10.8s)
Red Bull team getting ready
20/59: VL and JM pit together from P7+8 … McLaren send JM out first
21: DC pits from P1 … held up a bit by PF
MS pits from P5
DC rejoins just ahead of the JB/GF scrap
Still to stop: FA (P1), JB (6), GF (7), JT (12), TM, JV & NK
22: ITV-F1 interview Red Bull boss
23: FA f/lap 1:30.816
DC under investigation … for overtaking in the pit lane?
GF pits from P6
Drive-through penalty for DC for speeding in the pit lane
24: FA pits – rear tyre pressures adjusted
DC in for his penalty
JB pits from P5
25: KR, NH, FA, RB, DC, FM, MS, JM; JB=11; JV pits from P12; TS=14; RS=15; retirement: MW.
26: Closest battles: MS (P7) 0.7s behind FM; JM 0.4s behind MS
27: KR laps TM like he’s standing still
RS pits – stop #2, after new nose on lap 2
28: DC gets the chicane wrong – was that bodywork or bollard left on the track?
TS pits from P13
29: GF hassling JB for P11
30/59: Williams crew ready for NH …?
KR runs wide and lets NH take P1!
31: Drive through penalty for car 21 (CA) for ignoring blue flags
NH pits from P1 … locked up at the brake line … stop #2 of 3
32: CA in for his penalty
33: RB pits from P3 – rejoins behind NH in P4
34: KR locks up as he’s lapping a Sauber and flat-spots his tyres
35: RS off in the kitty-litter – ran wide, up on the kerbs, and spun off
Local yellow flags as they remove the Toyota
36: Despite his mistakes, KR still has a 15s lead over FA
KR, FA, NH, RB, DC, FM, MS, JM; JB=11; TS=13; JV=14; 2 retirements: MW & RS.
40/59: JM and MS battling for P7
42: KR laps TS (P13)
43: JV almost parks on the apex of Turn 1 as he tries to let FA lap him
McLaren mechanics getting ready for KR
44: KR pits from P1 with a 14s lead over FA – front tyres look quite worn
ITV-F1 say the right bargeboard is broken too, which may account for some problems
45: Drive-through penalty for car 18 (TM) for ignoring blue flags
FM pits from P7; VL pits from P10
ITV-F1 interview RS – says he lost front downforce when closing on (someone)
46: JM pits from P8 – rejoins behind FM
FA runs wide in to gravel but rejoins – big lock up and it’s cost him ~7s
47: MS pits from P6 – tyres not looking too bad – rejoins ahead of FM
JB puts from P8
48: FA pits from P1 – lots of gravel to clean out – rejoins behind RB
DC pits from P5
49: RB pits from P3
50/59: KR, NH, FA, RB, DC, GF, MS, FM; JM=9; JB=12; TS=13 (1.3s behind his teammate); JV=14/1lap down
KR’s lead just 1.8s over NH, and (we think) NH needs to pit again
TS pits
51: NH pits – rejoins in P3, ahead of RB
GF pits (2nd stop) from P6 – rejoins barely ahead of JM
52: VL almost spins it on the last corner
FM runs wide across the gravel; rejoins in P9
On-board shot shows the evil vibration caused by KR’s flat-spotted front right tyre – will there be delamination problems?
53: KR lead just 6.1s over FA
54: FA closes to 4.9s on KR
55/59: MS runs wide across the gravel – rejoins
FM looking like he’s slowed a lot … and runs wide – puncture or suspension problem?
56: Replay shows FM’s front left tyre slash the front wing
FM pits for a new tyre and nose
57: KR lead down to 3.5s
ITV-F1 says they can hear KR’s tyre as he passes the pits – will it survive?
NK runs wide, touches the gravel, fishtails and teammate TM passes him for P15
Close-ups show KR’s tyre beginning to delaminate and wobble like crazy!
58/59: KR’s tyre lets go into T1 … breaks the suspension and spins him off … just missing JB
The tyre teather did a good job – without it, that wheel looked like it was heading for KR’s head!
59/59: FA wins!
Order: FA, NH, RB, DC, MS, GF, JM, JT; JB=10
FA signals 4 wins as he tours round.
Replays show JB watch KR sliding backwards within inches of his rear wing, and a close-up of the suspension failure as KR approaches Turn 1. Wow!
Not many grooves visible on FA’s rear right.
TSN commentators saying FIA should rethink the tyre rules because of safety concerns – I don’t think they should, because KR could have pitted if he wanted to.
P9=VL; 10=JB; 11=KR; 12=TS; 13=JV; 14=FM; 15=TM; 16=NK; 17=CA; 18=PF.
F.Alonso
59
K.Raikkonen
27
J.Trulli
27
N.Heidfeld
25
M.Webber
18
R.Schumacher
17
G.Fisichella
17
J.Montoya
16
M.Schumacher
16
D.Coulthard
15
R.Barrichello
15
A.Wurz
6
J.Villeneuve
5
P.de la Rosa
4
C.Klien
3
F.Massa
2
V.Liuzzi
1
Renault
76
McLaren Mercedes
53
Toyota
44
BMW Williams
43
Ferrari
31
Red Bull
19
Sauber
7
BAR, Jordan, Minardi
0
Next race: Canada in 2 weeks. [F1 calendar, 2005]
European Grand Prix – Qualifying
(see updates since Monaco GP re: changes to qualifying, BAR’s return, drivers, etc.)
The BARs will be first up; will they run the engines from Imola or take the 10-spot penalty?
Batch 1: TS, JB, NK, DC, PF.
TS – Sector 1 = 30.4s; S2=68.7 (ran a bit wide); 1:32.926 = pP1
JB – S1=30.3; S2=68.7; 1:32.592 = pP1
(So the BARs are going to use the old engines)
NK – S1=31.5; S2=71.8; 1:36.192 = pP3
DC – S1=30.5; S2=69.0; 1:32.553 = pP1 – excellent 3rd sector!
PF – S1=31.3; S2=71.6; 1:35.954 = pP4
Batch 2: VL, CA, TM, GF, JV.
VL holds on to the Red Bull drive for another race in place of Christian Klien – S1=30.3 (0.3s ahead); S2=68.6 (0.452 up on DC); 1:32.642 = pP3 – he slid a little in S3 and lost a lot of time
CA – S1=31.3; S2=71.7; 1:36.239 = pP7 (last) – not a good lap
TM – S1=31.2; S2=70.7; 1:35.047 = pP5
GF – S1=30.3 (just up); S2=68.3 (0.8s up); 1:31.566 = pP1 by 0.987s
JV – S1=30.6; S2=69.3; 1:32.891 = pP5, ahead of TS
Batch 3: JT, FM, RB, MS, RS.
JT – S1=29.8 (0.477s up); S2=67.5 (0.737 up); 1:30.700 = pP1 by 0.866s
FM – S1=30.3; S2=68.6; 1:32.205 = pP3
RB – S1=30.2 (it’s looking a bit squirmy); S2=67.9; 1:31.249 = pP2
MS – S1=29.9; S2=68.1; 1:31.585 = pP4
RS – S1=29.9; S2=67.9; 1:31.392 = pP3
Batch 4: JM, FA, MW, NH, KR.
JM – S1=30.0; S2=67.7 (kicking up dust); 1:30.890 = pP2 (JT remains on provisional Pole by 0.190s)
FA – S1=30.0; S2=67.9; 1:31.056 = pP3
MW – S1=29.767 (0.026s up); S2=67.156 (0.377 up); 1:30.368 = pP1 by 0.332
NH (MW’s team”mate”) – S1=29.737 (0.030 up); S2=67.037 (0.119 up); 1:30.081 = pP1 by 0.287s
KR is last man out – S1=29.860 (0.123 down); S2=67.275 (0.238 down); 1:30.197 = P2, splitting the two Williams drivers.
That’s Heidfeld’s first pole.
- N. Heidfeld (Williams) 1:30.081
- K. Raikkonen (McLaren)
- M. Webber (Williams)
- J. Trulli (Toyota)
- J. Montoya (McLaren)
- F. Alonso (Renault)
- R. Barrichello (Ferrari)
- R.Schumacher (Toyota)
- G. Fisichella (Renault)
- M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
- F. Massa (Sauber)
- D. Coulthard (Red Bull)
- J. Button (BAR)
- V.Liuzzi (Red Bul)
- J. Villeneuve (Sauber)
- T. Sato (BAR)
- T. Monteiro (Jordan)
- P. Friesacher (Minardi)
- N. Karthikeyan (Jordan)
- C. Albers (Minardi)
[This weekend's schedule] [F1 calendar, 2005]
European Grand Prix – Friday Practice 2
I missed the first half of the session, but then it’s only a practice session.
Top of the timing table:
- N.Heidfeld 1:31.813
- J.Montoya 1:31.841
- K.Raikkonen 1:31.870
- M.Webber 1:32.088
- R.Barrichello 1:32.143
RZ has put in the most laps (31) so far.
The Speed commentators obviously don’t think anyone is watching as they make all sorts of “jokes” in mock-German accents. Jerks.
With just over a minute left, everyone barring RS is on track – all 23 of them!
Alex Wurz is putting in some good times in the 3rd McLaren … and jumps from about 10th to top spot.
Chequered flag is out.
Zonta was also putting in some good sector times but takes 2nd spot by just 0.007s.
Top times:
- A.Wurz (McLaren) 1:30.623
- R.Zonta (Toyota) 1:30.630
- N.Heidfeld (Williams) 1:31.813
- J. Montoya (McLaren) 1:31.841
- K. Raikkonen (McLaren) 1:31.870
- M. Webber (Williams) 1:32.088
- R. Barrichello (Ferrari) 1:32.143
- F. Alonso (Renault) 1:32.335
RS was 10th (1:33.098); MS 13th (1:33.242); DC 14th (1:33.430); JB 16th (1:33.753); JV 19th (1:34.645).
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