Chinese Grand Prix – Race
Yes, it’s 1:45am and I’m up – maybe an espresso at 10pm wasn’t a good idea 
Then again, at least I can watch (part of?) the race live, with the FIA live data feed.
Oh, and why is TSN showing boxing and not the Grand Prix, as advertised? And why won’t the PVR (=Tivo) let me record Speed?? 
The grid: FA, GF, KR, JB, JM, MS, DC, RB, RS, MW, FM, JT, AP, CK, NK, JV, TS, CA, TM, RD.
[my notes on qualifying]
It’s a race of “lasts” – it’ll be the last time we see Jordan, Minardi and Sauber race; next year they’ll be Midland, Red Bull’s 2nd team (it’s “Red Bull” in Italian but I can’t remember what that is = “Squadra Toro Rosso”) and BMW respectively. Oh, and BAR-Honda will be just Honda.
Note: even the official FIA site says MS was slower than CA and then appeared to “veer unexpectedly to the left. The stewards are investigating the incident.”
TSN are still showing boxing (WHY? YOU SUCK!) but somehow Speed has now deemed to let me record their feed.
Track temperature 28°C; air temp 25°C; wind 1.7m/s; humidity 24%
MS makes his way (in the spare car) to the end of the pit lane, ready to follow everyone off the grid.
FA leads everyone (bar MS + CA) off on the formation lap.
NK pits instead of taking his place on the grid.
01/56: The final race of the season is GO!
FA is already opening a gap over his teammate
TS passes FM for P11
02: FA, GF, KR, JM, DC, RB, RS; 9=MW; 10=JT; MS=17
CK has passed TS for P11
03: FA sets fastest lap with 1:35.373
KR is right up behind GF – is GF deliberately holding up the McLaren (Renault’s only competition for the Constructors’ title)?
“Drive through penalty for car 4 (TS) for jump start”
No word on the MS/CA incident yet though
04: FA f/lap 1:34.749
JV dropping back to P15
MS still behind TM (TM=P16)
05: FA f/lap 1:34.722
TS takes his drive-through penalty
06: FA f/lap 1:34.685
FA’s lead now ~5.9s over GF
DC still pressing JB for P5
07: FA f/lap 1:34.581 – is he 3-stopping?
FA, GF, KR, JM, JB, DC, RB, RS; JV=15; MS=16
08: FA f/lap 1:34.399
Pit-car radio for FA suggests he’s pitting soon?
TS passes CA to take P19
09: JV has passed TM (for P14) off camera
10/56: FA, GF, KR, JM, JB, DC, RB, RS; MS=16
11: FA’s pace has levelled off; he’s still ~11s ahead of GF and lapping ~0.5s/lap quicker than him
TS has now moved up to P17, ~7s behind MS
12: FA f/lap 1:34.168
13: FA f/lap 1:34.134
14: FA f/lap 1:34.000 … and his lead is the whole length of the straight
Is JM looking to pass teammate KR? As long as they both beat the Renaults, I’m sure Ron Dennis won’t care which order they finish
15: KR struggling a little with some of the tighter corners at the start of the lap
Pit-car radio: FA says his car’s really pointy and hard to drive … and he’s got a 15+ second lead!
16: TS now under 5s behind MS and closing ~0.2s/lap
TM is first to pit, from P15
18: DC pits from P6
JT pits from P11
19: FA f/lap 1:33.838
“Safety Car standing by” – why?
JM pits from P4 and JB pits from P5 – JM got a new front right tyre
Safety Car deployed – ITV-F1 believe JM his something
20/56: FA pits from P1
GF and KR both pit
RB pits too … as do RS, MS, JB … that’s all the top drivers in
JM pits again!? Ah, it’s for fuel because he got the tyre replaced last time and they’re not allowed to do both in one stop
21: Replay shows JM hit some debris on the racing line, so presumably the SC is out so they can clean the track
Everyone’s pitted except MS, now in P10
Official announcement: “Drain cover damage at Turn 10″! A marshal has just cleared it away, so the SC should be in soon
Race order behind the SC: FA, GF, KR, RB, RS, MW, JB, DC; MS=10; JV=13
CA is between FA and GF – that’s unlucky, because if he was ahead of FA he’d be sent past the SC and could rejoin the back of the queue
22: Marshals on track at Turn 10, checking the track around the problem area
Replay shows JV running wide (in Turn 10?) under the SC!
23: SC lights still on but there’s no more activity (that I can see) on track
MS spins off backwards into the gravel! Stomps off across the track – that’s a no-no Michael!
Will the SC stay out until the clear the Ferrari?
24: SC in at the end of this lap
Pit-car radio reminds GF he can’t pass (=lap) CA until they cross the start/finish line
25: CA pulls well out the way and lets everyone past
JM pits!?! He’s parked it in the garage. McLaren’s hopes are finished
What a shame – out because of a drain cover.
26: FA, GF, KR, RB, RS, MW, JB, DC
Retirements = MS & JM
FA opening up a gap again; can KR pass GF? Is there any point?
28/56: ITV-F1 interview JM – he sounds dejected (understandably) and said he couldn’t see what he hit
29: ITV-F1 report the drain cover actually punched a hole through the bodywork and caused terminal damage!
TS locks up at Turn 1, runs wide and rejoins
30/56: NK’s Jordan (or what’s left of it) is sitting in the track – no right side wheels and a small fire – didn’t see the cause though
NK is out OK
SC deployed again
Replay: looks like he ran wide out of Turn 13 and smacked the barriers
31: FA pits from P1 … so do GF, KR, RB … MW, JB, DC … and a heap of others
The track’s a mess from the fire extinguishers – that’ll take a while to clean up
RS, FM & CK the only ones in the top 10 who did not pit when the SC was deployed
KR exits the pits ahead of GF, and they’d not picked up the SC so that’s OK
32: FA still leads, behind the SC; order is FA, RS, FM, CK, KR, GF, RB, TS; JB=11; DC=12; JV=14
CA pits this time around
33: Pit-car telling GF not to worry about trying to pass the guys ahead because they’ve got to pit, which means GF doesn’t need to; does FA or did he swap to a 2-stop strategy?
34: JB passed TM under the SC and waved yellows – is there a penalty coming?
SC in at end of this lap
35: SC in
FA leads them away again
MW and JB pass TS … then slows to a halt – TS out
ITV-F1 interview MS – the tyres were cold and the car couldn’t stop – not his fault, no, no, no.
36: KR had to react quickly to avoid a Jordan
ITV-F1 report BAR say TS burnt out the gearbox
37: CK all over FM, pushing him for P3
ITV-F1 reports from the medical centre that NK is OK
38: DC passes TM to take P10, behind JB again
39: ITV-F1 interviews NK: big impact but he’s fine
40/56: FA, RS, FM, CK, KR, GF, RB, MW; JB=9; DC=10; JV=13
Retirements: MS, JM, NK, TS.
FA’s lead ~3.0s over RS
Closest battle is MW ~0.4s off RB
RS, FM & CK are expected to pit again
41: MW all over RB but can’t pass him
42: JB closes in on MW after the Williams runs a bit wide … but MW re-opens the gap fairly easily
43: KR sets a personal f/lap 1:34.478
44: CK f/lap 1:33.727
45: FM pits from P4; RS and CK must be in soon too
RB messes up the final hairpin & runs wide, giving DC hope to pass him
46/56: FA f/lap 1:33.536
CK pits from P3
DC passes RB down the inside in T1, taking P9
47: FA, RS, KR, GF, CK, FM, MW, JB; DC=9; RB=10; JV=12
RB pits from P10 – splash & dash – his right front tyre is looking very tired (i.e. bald!)
48: RS finally pits from P2; rejoins in P4, ahead of CK
50/56: “Incident involving car 6 (GF) under investigation” – holding up the queue into the pits under the SC?
KR f/lap 1:33.313
If they penalise GF, will it affect the Constructors’ Championship?
51: “Drive-through penalty for car 6 (GF) – Obstructive driving in the pit entry”
Pit-car radio: team tell GF he’s got a penalty but he’s to stay out, presumably while the team contest it – he’s got 3 laps in which to serve the penalty though
53: Pit-car radio: GF told to take the penalty now, but not to worry because it doesn’t affect the (Constructors’) outcome
GF rejoins ahead of CK, dropping just one place to P4
CA suddenly slows into T1 – looks like a wheel nut fell off the front left
54: CA pits from P16/last – very slow stop – a problem changing the wheel … and he’s out of the car
55/56: KR f/lap 1:33.255
FA, KR, RS, GF, CK, FM, MW, JB; DC=9; JV=10
Retirements: MS, JM, NK, TS, CA
MW pushing FM for P6
56/56: Final lap of the final race of the season
JT pits from P15/last
MW runs a bit wide, easing the pressure off FM
FA wins, his 7th victory; Renault take the Constructors’ Championship
KR f/lap 1:33.242
P2=KR; 3=RS; 4=GF; 5=CK; 6=FM; 7=MW; 8=JB
AP has stopped out on track
RD pits rather than cross the line
P9=DC; 10=JV; 11=TM; 12=RB; 13=AP; 14=RD; 15/last=JT
An exciting race to finish off the season.
Final Points:
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Note: 7th & 8th places not awarded at US GP |
Comments
5 Comments on Chinese Grand Prix – Race
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Den Whitton on
Sun, 16th Oct 2005 4:03 am
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paul on
Sun, 16th Oct 2005 4:07 am
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Den Whitton on
Sun, 16th Oct 2005 5:20 am
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paul on
Sun, 16th Oct 2005 10:06 pm
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paul on
Mon, 17th Oct 2005 10:52 am
The three best parts:
Ferrari didn’t win the Constructor’s Championship
MS didn’t win the Driver’s Championship
MS didn’t finish.
SCORE!
Poor Smug.
Funny how when he wins it’s down to him but when he doesn’t it’s the car’s fault.
(I’m not saying the car wasn’t bad though – it looked pretty awful at times.)
Smug rarely finishes a race when he’s not in the high points.
Is 2006 his last season?
“Schumacher received the ticking-off after colliding with Minardi’s Christijan Albers during the warm-up.” [source: BBC Sport]
No penalty, just a “ticking off”! Would any other driver have gotten away with that? Yet again the FIA show their pro-Ferrari, pro-Smugmacher bias.
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