Paul Henman formula1 German Grand Prix – Race

German Grand Prix – Race

From yesterday’s Qualifying notes, the provisional grid is: MW, RB, JB, SV, LH, HK, AS, FM, KR, NP, NH, FA, KN, JT, NR, RK, SBu, GF, TG, SBo.
TG will be starting from the pit lane, so he’s dropped behind SBo.

The weather forecast is for it to stay dry, unlike yesterday.
Currently air temp 18°C, track 30°C, wind 3.6m/s, pressure 939.5mBar.

My race notes are, as always, after this cut

MW leads everyone (except TG) around on the formation lap
Both Williams cars are starting on the harder compound tyre, as are most cars – only LH on soft tyres at the front
Only McLaren and Ferrari are using KERS this weekend
FA spins of the formation lap! Re-takes his place on the grid

01/60: Good start by RB
LH leads into Turn 1 but runs wide
LH wide in T2 – puncture?
NP runs wide in T10 but rejoins

02: RB, MW, HK, FM, JB, SV, KR, AS
JB takes P4 from FM in T1
LH pits followed by the Safety Car
JB attacking HK

03: RB fastest lap 1:35.348
JT pits

04: RB f/lap 1:35.312
MW f/lap 1:35.304
Replay shows MW touched LH’s rear tyre and caused the puncture on lap 1

05/60: RB, MW, HK, JB, FM, SV, KR, AS
RB f/lap 1:34.800
MW f/lap 1:34.602
LH is 2.5 secs off the leaders’ lap times and has been lapped because of the puncture and pit stop

06: JB taking another look at HK

07: HK is 1.5sec off the pace and holding everyone up
FM told by his engineer to look after his rear tyres

08: GF passes NH for P12 as they lap LH

09: SV takes a look at FM into the chicane
“Incident involving cars 14 (MW) and 23 (RB) under investigation” – that’ll be for the incident on the first lap, I suspect

10/60: RB, MW, HK, JB, FM, SV, KR, AS

12: “Drive-through penalty for MW – caused a collision” – seems a bit harsh based on the replay because there was room for RB to move

13: GF takes P11 from FA in Turn 1
Pit-car for JB: he’s graining the tyres (engineer says so is RB) and wants to stop early but is told no

14: JB pits from P4 – 6.6s stop (so 3 stopping?) – soft tyres – rejoins ahead of NP

15/60: RB pits followed by MW taking his drive-through penalty
RB’s stop – 6.6s – soft tyres – rejoins in the train behind HK & FM

16: HK pits from P2 – 8.4s – hard tyres – rejoins ahead of TG
TG takes a look at passing HK but can’t do it; instead KN takes P16 from TG

18: JB has passed SBu for P12

19: JB takes P10 from NH
SBo off track; recovers; Toro Rosso moving slowly; not a good weekend for SBo who may be replaced for the rest of this season

20/60: MW pits from P1 – 8.8s – rejoins ahead of JB
SBo pits – retires? No – he eventually gets back on track

21: LH asks his race engineer if he should save the engine & gearbox; told to concentrate on driving and leave the strategy to them!

23: JB pushing MW for P7

25: RK pits and now MW can pull away from JB

27: NH & NP pit
AS in P2 although that’s because he hasn’t pitted yet

28: AS pits from P2 – hard tyres so he’s got to stop again
AS collides with KR – lots of debris on track – both have front wing damage
Replay: looks like KR closed on AS and caused it – will the stewards penalise him?
No apparent damage to KR – only AS

29: new nose for AS – mechanic on car’s right barely gets his arm out of the way before the car is released

30/60: NR pits from P3 -7.3s – hard tyres – rejoins in P6

31: RB, MW, JB, SV, FM, NR, KR, HK; retirements: SBo
“Incident involving cars 4 (KR) and 20 (AS) after the race”

32: JB pits from P3 – 6.7s – hard tyre – rejoins in P7, ahead of HK and with clear air ahead of him

33: RB pits from P1, giving MW the lead again – 11.4s (long fuel = last stop) – hard tyres – rejoins just in front of KR

34: JB takes P6 from KR
KR well off the pace

35/60: MW, SV, FM, NR, RB, JB, KR, HK
RB asks if he’s fueled to the end – engineer says no, there was a refueling rig problem 🙁
Replay shows they switched to the backup rig after they couldn’t get the primary rig on

36: MW f/lap 1:34.425
KR parks in the Ferrari garage
FA passes TG for P9

37: MW f/lap 1:34.290

38: MW f/lap 1:34.003

39: FA all over the rear of HK, pushing for P7
BBC report it’s becoming cloudy over the paddock area

40/60: MW, SV, FM, NR, RB, JB, HK, FA; retirements: SBo, KR

41: HK pits
MW now 2s/lap slower than he was a few laps ago – problem?
NH passes teammate RK for P8

42: JB weaving on the main straight – struggling with front grip and trying to warm the tyres?

44: MW pits from P1 – 7.1s – soft tyres – rejoins in P2 behind his teammate

45: SV pits from P1 – 6.8s – soft – rejoins in P6

46: FM pits from P2 – 6.0s – hard tyres – rejoins in P7, behind FA

47: JB being held up by his teammate?
FA pits, as does AS
FA exits the pits and pushes his teammate wide in Turn 1

48: NR pits from P2

49: FA f/lap 1:33.744
Brawn get ready for a stop … but both cars pass the pit entry

50/60: MW, RB, JB, SV, FM, NR, FA, KN; retirements: SBo, KR
FA f/lap 1:33.365
JT pits from P16

51: RB pits first – 5.8s – hard tyre – rejoins in P6
Brawn pit team reset ready for JB
JB posting personal fastest sectors, trying to jump ahead of his teammate

52: JB pits – 6.2s – soft tyres – rejoins in front of RB

53: MW, SV, FM, NR, JB, RB, FA, HK; retirements: SBo, KR
HK leading a train of four cars (TG, NH, KN) all battling for that one point position

54: TG pushing HK hard for P8
FA closing on RB; meanwhile JB is chasing NR

55/60: MW, SV, FM, NR, JB, RB, FA, HK; retirements: SBo, KR

56: Bad lap for JB and now he has RB on his tail
JB’s right rear tyre is badly grained

57: Pit-car for JB tells him to look after his tyres – how can he do that and keep JB & FA behind?

58: RB’s got some graining too

59: MW has a comfortable 10sec lead over his teammate, who in turn has a 6.5s gap to FM
RB’s engineer warns him FA has been looking at Turn 13 for a pass

60/60: MW starts his final lap
MW takes the chequered flag for his first ever F1 victory
SV over the line for P2, followed by FM and NR
JB manages to keep P5 and RB stays just ahead of FA
Big gap (33.8s) to HK for P8

Provisional result: MW, SV, FM, NR, JB, RB, FA, HK; TG, NH, GF, KN, NP, RK, AS, SBu, JT, LH; DNF: KR, SBo

Next race: Hungary in 2 weeks (July 24-26).

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