Turkish Grand Prix – Race
Notes from Friday practice and qualifying.
There were a lot of drivers struggling with the new track, so the grid line-up is a little unexpected:
Sato was penalised (I think unfairly) for delaying Webber’s qualifying lap.
M.Schumacher was penalised 10-spots (but he already on the last couple of rows) for an engine change.
Grid: KR, GF, FA, JM, JT, NH, MW, FM, RS, CK, RB, DC, JB, TM, CA, JV, RD, NK, MS, TS
Track temperature 45°C; air temp 30°C; win 1.3m/s; humidity 46%; pressure 999.7mBar
Formation lap: KR leaves everyone away.
TS pits instead of joining the grid.
01/58: Three abreast into Turn 1; GF comes out ahead
FM runs wide in T1 after hitting the rear of NH
KR retakes P1 – replay shows GF touched the dirt in T10
02: KR, GF, FA, JM, JT, NH, DC; JB=12; MS=11
FM pits
pit-car radio tells FA that he’s faster than GF
03: KR, FA, GF, JM, JT, NH, DC; JB=12; MS=11
KR sets the first ever fastest lap 1:28.881
04: MW passes DC for P8
FA f/lap 1:27.563
05: JB passes RB for P10
KR f/lap 1:27.289
06: FA f/lap 1:27.105
NH pits from P9 with a right-rear puncture
07: KR f/lap 1:26.960
08: TS passes JV for P14
MW passes CK in T12 for P6
09: GF f/lap 1:26.579
JB passes DC for P8
MW has a right-rear puncture, same as his teammate a couple of laps ago!
10/58: KR, FA, GF, JM, JT, CK, JB, DC; MS=10
KR f/lap 1:26.330
11: MW makes it to the pits – he dropped right to P20
JB passes CK in T12 for P6
TS passes TM for P11, behind MS
12: KR f/lap 1:26.102
Looks like NK dropped a couple of places but nothing on TV
13: NH dropped a spot or two? Again, no coverage
Ah – could just be the FIA lap computer redisplaying things
14: FA pits from P2 – 10.1s – rejoins ahead of JB for P5
KR f/lap 1:26.013
NH pits from P14
15: GF pits from P2 – both Renaults qualified light – fuel rig failure!
MW tries to pass MS, tags him, loses his front nose – MS closed the door on MW
16: MW + MS both pit
Ferrari take a long time to decide what to do with his tyres – both lefts off – long stop – ~40s
17: MS pushes GF off track!
MS pits again and parks it in the garage
18: KR f/lap 1:25.520
JB still pushing FA but can’t get past
19: KR f/lap 1:25.443
JT pits from P3 – 10.3s
20/58: KR ,JM, FA, JB, CK, DC, JT, RB; retirements = just MS
JM f/lap 1:25.420
21: JB has another run at FA … and passes him for P3
JB already opening up a gap to FA
22: KR f/lap 1:25.073
JM pits from P2 – lollipop raised while the refueller is still lifting the rig and JM starts to move
JB pits from P3 – 11.5s
23: KR pits from P1 – 10.0s
MW spins – another right-rear puncture!
MW pits … and parks it in the garage
24: CK pits from P4
25: DC pits from P4
RB pits from P6
FM sets a personal f/lap 1:26.668
26: TS personal f/lap 1:26.474
ITV-F1 report Ferrari are still trying to get MS back out (he’s ~11 laps down)
28: TS is now right on teammate JB’s tail (TS hasn’t refuelled yet)
29: CA pushed back into his pit box – stalled it leaving the box?
30/58: KR, JM, FA, GF, JT, JB, TS, DC
FM sitting in a cloud of smoke in his pit box – fire? – pushed into garage
31: TS pits from P7 – rejoins in P10
NH runs wide – another right-rear failure for a Williams! (Two for each car)
32: NH pits … and parks in the garage too
Retirements: MS, MW, FM, NH
33: Track temperature 44°C; air temp 30°C; win 1.0m/s; humidity 47%; pressure 999.8mBar
34: MS rejoins the race, 18 laps down
35: FA pits from P3 – 12.3s – another long stop – fuelled to the end?
36: KR, JM, GF, FA, JT, JB, DC, CK
37: GF pits from P3 – rejoins behind JB for P6
JB personal f/lap 1:26.559
39: JM f/lap 1:24.997
40/58: KR, JM, FA, JT, JB, GF, DC, CK; retirements = MW, FM, NH; MS rejoined but is still 19 laps down (8 laps behind the retired NH)
42: JM pits from P2 – 7.7s
TM very nearly runs into the back of RD as he tries to pass for P14
43: MS pits for fuel
44: JT pits fro P4, releasing JB, but that was a short stop
GF slowing his pace? There’s a problem with his transponder so it’s hard to see his times accurately
45: KR pits from P1 – 6.2s – rejoins still in P1
CK pits too, from P7
47: RB pits from P7
48: JB pits from P4 – 6.1s – rejoins ahead of JT
49: JB is ~4.1s behind GF who is in P4
50/58: KR, JM, FA, GF, JB, JT, DC, CK; TS=9; RB=10; JV=11; RS=12
MS has now passed all the retired cars (MW, FM and NH) so he’s got as far as he can – CA is 13 laps ahead in P16.
51: JB personal f/lap 1:25.931, although it’s hard to see if he’s closing on GF because of (GF’s) transponder problem
52: MS parks, having moved himself up the qualifying list for Monza
53: FIA website reports GF’s transponder has failed and is being timed (only) at the line
JB is (apparently) 2.0s behind GF
ITV-F1 just described GF as a “ghost ship” because he appears and disappears off the timing list 
54/58: KR lead over JM ~23.2s; JM to FA ~8.0s; FA to GF ~20.7s
55: TS unlaps himself by passing KR … a little close for comfort!
CA pits from P16/last – pushed into garage
56: JM spins after being rear-ended by TM! Rejoins but he’s lost a lot of time. TM should be disqualified and penalised – that’s stupid & dangerous
MS interviewed by ITV-F1 tries to convince everyone that MW hit him from behind, whereas the pictures clearly show MW was mid-way alongside MS. Liar.
57: JM runs wide in T8 and FA passes him for P2
58/58: DC & CK both put in personal f/laps
KR wins; FA=P2; JM=3; GF=4; JB=5; JT=6; DC=7; CK=8; TS=9; RB=10; JV=11…
KR: “not exactly my best start”
FA: “a nice surprise at the end”
JM: TM broke the McLaren’s diffuser (when he rear-ended JM) so he had no rear grip in T8, hence he ran wide, letting FA through.
Note: 7th & 8th places not awarded at US GP
F.Alonso
95
K.Raikkonen
71
M.Schumacher
55
J.Montoya
40
J.Trulli
39
G.Fisichella
35
R.Schumacher
32
R.Barrichello
31
N.Heidfeld
28
M.Webber
24
J.Button
23
D.Coulthard
21
F.Massa
8
A.Wurz
6
T.Monteiro
6
J.Villeneuve
6
N.Karthikeyan
5
C.Klien
5
P.de la Rosa
4
C.Albers
4
P.Friesacher
3
V.Liuzzi
1
T.Sato
1
A.Donaldson
0
R.Doornbos
0
Renault
130
McLaren Mercedes
121
Ferrari
86
Toyota
71
BMW Williams
52
Red Bull
27
BAR
24
Sauber
14
Jordan
11
Minardi
7
Next race: Monza (Italy) in two weeks (September 4th). [F1 calendar, 2005]
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