European Grand Prix – race

July 22, 2007 by paul
Filed under: Uncategorized

The good news is the Hamilton is OK to race. [See my notes from qualifying if you don't know why that's an issue.] The McLaren mechanics rebuilt his car without needing to change the engine, so no penalty for him.

Provisional grid: KR, FA, FM, NH, RK, MWe, HK, JT, RS, LH, NR, AW, GF, RB, AD, TS, JB, SS, VL, DC, AS, MWi.
(Remember, now that Markus Winkelhock has replaced Christijan Albers at Spyker, I’m using MWe for Mark Webber and MWi for Winkelhock.)

Weather: air temp 19°C; track 28°C; humidity 52%
Rain is forecast about 15-20minutes in to the race

A look at the clouds in the distance confirms that there’s rain coming, and it could be quite heavy if short-lived.

There’s anticipation of KR & FA fighting hard into Turn 1, with the expectation that FA’s on a light fuel load.

FIA have updated the weather forecast: rain ~2mins after the start

Formation lap: KR leads the pack away
They can’t start on wet weather tyres – the tyres have a very limited life (and usefulness) on a dry track, so expect everyone to stop in a couple of laps time

There are spots of rain on the cameras as the cars complete their formation lap

MWi has gone into the pits

01/60: RK passes teammate NH before Turn 1
Both BMWs spin in T1
LH has a left rear puncture
DC off track but takes to the service road
The rain is now coming down quite hard
KR left it late to enter the pits – he spins and misses the entrance!
Almost everyone pits

02: KR has to do this lap on dry tyres because he missed the pit in
FM benefits from KR’s mistake – he doesn’t have to wait behind his teammate
GF runs off track but recovers

03: MWi leads the race!
MWi fastest lap 1:57.589
KR pits … and makes it into the pit lane this time
JB is stuck in the gravel – and he was on wet tyres
There’s a lot of water at the hairpin – so far in the gravel trap are JB, LH, AS
VL slides off at the same spot and hits a tractor! Fortunately no damage
Safety Car deployed

04 [SC]: MWi pits after leading his first ever race
A crane lifts the McLaren back on to the track with LH still in the car – he’s kept the engine running, so he sets off again!
The rain is incredible, and the track is just a river in places
Red flags – the race has been suspended

Charlie Whiting (presumably with input from the drivers) will decide when it’s safe to restart.
Unfortunately JB and the others* who aquaplaned off and damaged their cars won’t be able to restart. (*the list: JB, AS, NR, SS & VL)

The rain has already started to ease off, and the track does dry out quite quickly so maybe we’ll restart quite soon

ITV-F1 interview NR: he slowed right down, wasn’t braking and still aquaplaned off

The remaining 17 cars stopped on the main straight so now the mechanics are shuffling them around as they will restart line astern behind the safery car … and LH is right at the very back, one lap down … but at least he’s still in the race

Restart order will be [Safety Car] MWi, FM, FA, MW, DC, HK, KR, AW, RB, GF, RK, RS, TS, JT, NH, AD, LH
Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB

The cars are not under park ferme rules, so the mechanics are allowed to change tyres, adjust wings, etc.

ITV-F1 interview JB: in P4 after changing tyres; T1 was a lake; more rain forecast

Restart will be 1435 local time but there’s more rain forecast about the same time!

McLaren agree that LH is in P17 (last) but not that he’s a lap down – it all depends on the precise timing of when the race was stopped, so the FIA need to wind the clock back and see where everyone was

The mechanics will have to clear the track soon, so they’ll have to decide on tyres any moment – probably intermediate wets, but it really depends on the state of Turn 1

I feel sorry for the drivers if they’re sitting in a puddle – they can dry off the car and change to dry gloves, but they can’t get out of the car

Restart in 1 minute

There’s no aggregate time – it’s a straightforward race once they restart

Mechanics clear the grid

05/60: Safety Car leads everyone away in single file
The track is steaming but there’s standing water in places
Lots of smoke from the back of AW’s car but he’s running OK
Pit lane is open

06 [SC]: NH pits and changes from extreme wets to intermediates
SC will turn its lights off and exit the pits at the end of this lap
There are spots of rain again!
LH is passing the back runners – he’s allowed to unlap himself behind the safety car – someone in the McLaren garage is on the ball
JT pits for intermediate wets – only MWi is on extreme wets now

07 [SC]: FIA announce rain expected in ~30mins
Pit-car for GF explaining why LH passed him under the SC
LH pits – he’s going for dry tyres! I hope he’s right
SC in

08: FA tries to pass FM round the outside in T1
MWi is going backwards quickly
LH spins in the Dunlop curve but recovers

09: FM f/lap 1:48.046
LH is dropping well down the field too
NH (P14) f/lap 1:47.875
DC & MW (Red Bull teammates) battle over P3

10: FM f/lap 1:45.513
FM, FA, DC, MW, HK, KR, AW, GF
MW takes P3 from DC
KR tries to pass HK but he can’t make it stick
LH is back down to P17/last and a lap down – he’s 12secs/lap off the pace

11: FM f/lap 1:44.124
Looks like the dry tyres are beginning to work – LH posts a purple (overall best) Sector 3 time
LH now only 3secs off the lead lap time
Pit-car from MW – about 2 laps before the change to dry tyres

12: KR pits from P6 – 6.1s stop for dry tyres
LH f/lap 1:44.057 – it’s definitely time for everyone else to swap to dry tyres … at least until the rain comes again!

13: FM, FA & MW all pit
FM – 5.5s stop
FA – 7.7s stop because they had to take off some front wing
Not pitting: DC, NH but everyone else in the top 12 is stopping
LH f/lap 1:41.501
LH has almost caught DC (P1)

14: DC pits from P1, followed by NH – that’s everyone on dry now
LH f/lap 1:38.594 and he’s unlapped himself – he’s ~49s behind JT

15/60: FM, FA, KR, MW, AW, HK, DC, RK
LH f/lap 1:35.911
MWi pulls the Spyker off the track after his engine lets go
LH f/lap 1:35.604

16: FM f/lap 1:35.342
KR f/lap 1:35.129
HK & AW pushing MWe for P4

17: KR f/lap 1:34.902
LH is 31.6s behind JT but he’s 3s/lap quicker
LH f/lap 1:34.359 – there’s a 85sec gap to P1

18: FM leads FA by 2.4s; KR is 1.4s behind FA
HK pushing AW hard
HK takes the inside in to T1 and takes P5

19: RS is spun after contact by NH – the Toyota is beached
Replay shows NH had taken the inside line and was almost halfway alongside when RS turned in

20/60: FM, FA, KR, MWe, HK, AW, DC, RK
TS has pulled off too – another retirement for Super Aguri
Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB, MWi, RS, TS
LH f/lap 1:34.020

21: HK looking to pass MWe
Incident involving cars 9 & 11 (NH & RS) will be investigated after the race
LH f/lap 1:33.765

22: FM f/lap 1:33.732

23: FM now has a 4.0s lead over FA, but KR is only 0.6s behind in P3

24: LH f/lap 1:33.643 – he’s still last, in P14, but now 16.2s behind JT
ITV-F1 believe LH will be in the points by ~lap 45

25/60: FM, FA, KR, MWe, HK, AW, DC, RK; Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB, MWi, RS, TS
LH f/lap 1:33.607

26: KR has backed off a little
Closest battles currently: HK 0.4s behind MWe (P4) and NH 0.3s behind RK (P8)

27: HK pits from P5

29: FM personal f/lap 1:33.771
LH f/lap 1:33.401

30/60: FM f/lap 1:33.351
FM, FA, KR, MWe, AW, DC, RK, NH; Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB, MWi, RS, TS

31: GF pits – long fuel stop – is that his last stop?

32: LH under 3secs behind GF

33: LH tries to pass JT on the inside in to T1 but GF closes the door

34: FM f/lap 1:33.165
LH has two wheels on the grass as he breezes past GF for P13

35: FM f/lap 1:32.853
KR slowing in the hairpin – he’s picked up pace but it seems to cut out again – yes, he’s coasting now

35: LH pits – 9.3s stop

37: KR has finally made it to the pit lane but the Ferrari can’t make it up the hill so the marshals push him

38: FA pits from P2 – 7.7s stop
LH passes JT for P12
AW pits from P4; NH pits too

39: FM pits from P1 – 8.5s stop – so now it’s a fight to the flag between FM & FA
ITV-F1 interview KR: “I missed the pit lane because it was so slippery”

40/60: FM, FA, MWe, DC, RK, AW, HK, NH; Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB, MWi, RS, TS, KR

41: LH on the tail of RB after the Honda pit stop

42: LH takes P10 from RB in to T1
MWe pits from 3 – 7.6s stop

43: LH 16.4s behind GF and less than 1sec/lap quicker, so he’s probably not getting any points today

44: DC pits from P3

45/60: HK is still pushing AW for P4

46: LH shown blue flags as FM is closing in to lap him
LH slows hugely and lets the leader past

47: There’s a Ferrari wheel cover on the track, blowing around just off-line for Turn 1 – why is there no warning flag, or even a marshal retrieving it?

48: FM twitches left to avoid the wheel cover, LH jumps to the right

49: FIA forecast rain in 7 minutes (that’s very precise!) but they were wrong about it raining just after the restart

50/60: FM, FA, MWe, AW, HK, DC, RK, NH
The crowd are putting on raincoats – it’s raining in Turn 1 again
HK pits from P5 – he’s going for intermediate wets! – they won’t last long on a dry track – that’s quite a gamble

51: FA now 4.4s behind FM
Delayed pit-car radio for HK says they’re gambling on the rain, throwing P5 in the hope of getting a podium

52: HK hands P8 to teammate GF
It’s starting to pour down so there’s lots of activity in the pits
LH passes HK for P9

53: On-board camera shows FM struggling with the Ferrari sliding in the rain
The rain’s really coming down and everyone heads for the pits

54: FM pits from P1, followed by FA
McLaren let FA out the box and he almost hits GF – some of the Honda mechanics jump back

55: LH stays out on dry tyres – if he can keep it on the track, he’s in the points
FA tries to pass FM for P1 but FM keeps the lead
FA right on FM’s tail through the chicane

56: FA & FM alongside on the main straight
FM comes out of T1 ahead
LH has to pit – it’s still raining
FA takes P1 after tapping wheels

57: FA’s lead 0.8s over FM
FA, FM, MWe, AW, DC, RK, NH, HK; LH in P10 after pitting

58: NH 0.4s behind RK (P6)
The rain’s eased off and there’s already a dry line appearing, not that anyone’s going to swap back to dry tyres

59: LH has closed up onto GF

60 = final lap: FA’s lead now 7.9s – he’s safe unless he makes a mistake
LH passes GF for P9 – HK is 1.2s ahead with only half a lap left
NH passes RK for P6

FA takes the chequered flag, but will there be an investigation into his pit stop?
FM over the line for P2
MW slow out of the chicane and AW almost passes him for P3
P5=DC, 6=NH, 7=RK, 8=HK
P9=LH, 10=GF, 11=RB, 12=AD, 13=JT
Retirements: VL, SS, NR, AS, JB, MWi, RS, TS, KR

Michael Schumacher’s on the podium, presenting the Constructor’s prize to Ron Dennis – I bet that smarts

Interviews:
FA: “very exciting”; “first three laps were unbelievable”; overtaking FM “we touch twice”; “with Lewis & Kimi out, 8 points would have been good enough”
FM (Mr.Pouty): “good start”; “very easy to go off”; “car very good in the dry”; “not so bad in the rain”; “I was really surprised” when FA passed
MWe: “a special day for us”; “rain was phenomenal”; “suspending the race was sensible”; “wasn’t that disappointed” when he saw KR had retired (putting him back in P3); “Alex was pretty close at the end”
FA: “championship is so long and you never know what can happen”; “no doubt it will be tight at the end for all four drivers”

Provisional results: