German Grand Prix – race

July 24, 2005 by paul
Filed under: Uncategorized

We’re watching the race about 3 hours late after a lie-in … it was a good party yesterday!

Air temperature 24°C; track temp 33%deg;C; humidity 53%; forecast of showers

Grid: KR, JB, FA, GF, MS, MW, NH, TS, JT, CK, DC, RS, FM, JV, RB, CA, RD, TM, NK, JM*.
Montoya penalised because of an engine change, but he was already in 19th spot because he failed to set a qualifying time.

Formation lap: KR leads them away; lots of smoke from TM? and it looks like JM was ahead of NK in to Turn 1, but he’ll have to drop back or he’ll be penalised.

Track temp is ~3° cooler than about half an hour ago. (Now ~30°C)

01/67: MS pushed a bit wide in Turn 1; a few others run very wide
TS lost his front wing

02: KR, FA, MS, JB, NH, GF, DC, FM; JM=11!
TS pits for a new nose cone
JT pits too
MW very slow and pits … and retires – right rear suspension broken

03: replay shows RB and JV coming together

04: JM up to P9!
JV and RD both off – replay looks like JV ran into the back of Doornbos – lots of carbon fibre thrown up – JV rejoins
JV and RD both pit

05: KR, FA, MS, JB, NH, DC, FM, GF; JM=9; CK=10; RS=11; RB=12

09: RD doing his best to move aside as everyone laps him

11: KR lead over FA ~3.9s

15/67: KR lead ~6.3s
MW has rejoined race

16: JM seems to be struggling now

17: NK pits – problem removing refuelling rig, and then slides the car sideways as he leaves the box

18: “Incident involving car 20 (=RD) under investigation by the stewards”

19: KR lead ~8s

20/67: FM & CK both pit
I was expecting MS to pit early, given the difference between his qualifying time & “teammate” RB

21: JB pits from P4 – 9.2s
DC pits too

22: “10 second stop/go penalty for car 20 (=RD) for refuelling and changing tyres at the same time” – d’oh!
FA pits from P2 – 9.3s
MS pits too – 9.3s
CK runs wide at T12 and goes across the kitty litter; rejoins

24: RD pits for his stop/go – the “lollipop” man looks very indecisive – did they release him too soon?
GF pits

25/67: KR pits from P1 – 9.0s
RS pits too – 8.6s – rejoins just ahead of GF but RS locks up and GF is past him

27: RB pits – JM is the only front-runner yet to stop

28: JM pits from P3 – 9.9s – rejoins behind JB
JV and TM in major contact – replay shows TM pushed JV onto grass, JV couldn’t stop and runs into the back of TM

31: KR lead over FA ~11.5s

32: KR, FA, MS, JB, JM, GF, DC, RS
JB closing on MS – only ~1s off him – but JM is closing in on both of them

35/67: KR slowing … and the engine locks up … he’s stuck on track but at least he’s off the line … FA inherits P1

37: JB getting very close to MS, but he’s in the dirty air; JM only ~3s behind JB

39: CK has passed RB for P10

40/67: “Incident involving cars 11 & 18 (JV & TM) under investigation by the stewards”

41: JB takes a look at MS … with JM only ~1.5s behind

42: FA, MS, JB, JM, GF, DC, RS, FM

45/67: BAR should think about pitting JB early – he’s not going to get past MS and JM is a real threat
Excellent move – JB passes MS down the inside into the hairpin – brilliant!

46: JB has already opened a large gap over MS who now has JM right on his tail

47: JB pits from P2 – 7.7s

48: FA pits from P1 – 7.8s

50/67: MS pits from P2 – no time shown – JB easily retakes the position

51: FA has ~17s lead over JM, but JM will have to pit
GF pits from P3 – 9.1s
RS pits too – 6.3s

52: CK passes RB easily at the hairpin

53: JM being held up a bit trying to lap NH & JT

54: “Drive through penalty for car 16 (=JT) for ignoring blue flags”

55/67: TS pits; JT takes drive-through penalty
NK runs wide into the kitty litter, rejoins, off the other side of the track, rejoins

56: FA, JM, JB, MS, GF, RS, DC, FM (remember JM has yet to pit)
JT pits – 5.6s

57: JM pits – 6.2s – rejoins ahead of JB and retains P2
NK running very slowly – replay shows him spinning off

59: JT pits again! (that’s stop #5 plus a drive-through) – apparently it’s a pneumatic problem

60/67: FA, JM, JB, MS, GF, RS, DC, FM; only retirement: KR

62: GF pushing MS hard; MS looks to leave the door open and then chops across GF’s nose

64: DC closing in on the MS/GF/RS battle – MS is holding them all up

65/67: Ferrari team apparently saying both drivers have problem with no rear grip

66: GF very close to passing MS again … MS locks up again … GF needs to commit to a pass … yes, he’s down the inside at the hairpin and GF takes P5

67/67: JT has pulled off the track and retired the Toyota
FA wins with a huge lead
JM takes P2 with JB in a close P3 (remember JM started 20th on the grid)
GF over for P4; MS holds on to P5 from his brother

Provisional result: FA, JM, JB, GF, MS, RS, DC, FM; CK, RB (+1 lap), NH, TS, CA, JT, JV, NK, TM, RD, MW; only one retirement (KR)

Provisional results:

F.Alonso (Renault)
J.Montoya (McLaren)
J.Button (BAR)
G.Fisichella (Renault)
M.Schumacher (Ferrari)
R.Schumacher (Toyota)
D.Coulthard (Red Bull)
F.Massa (Sauber)

Points:

F.Alonso	87
K.Raikkonen	51
M.Schumacher	47
J.Montoya	34
J.Trulli	31
R.Barrichello	31
G.Fisichella	30
R.Schumacher	26
N.Heidfeld	25
M.Webber	22
D.Coulthard	19
J.Button	15
F.Massa	8
A.Wurz	6
T.Monteiro	6
J.Villeneuve	6
N.Karthikeyan	5
P.de la Rosa	4
C.Klien	4
C.Albers	4
P.Friesacher	3
V.Liuzzi	1
T.Sato	0
A.Donaldson	0
R.Doornbos	0