Paul Henman formula1 Malaysian Grand Prix – Race

Malaysian Grand Prix – Race

As I mentioned in my Qualifying notes, we were away over the weekend so we’re watching the race well after it’s all over. Somehow we’ve avoided all news about the race, so here we go….

The provisional grid was: SV, LH, MW, JB, FA, NH, FM, VP, NR, KK, MS, SB, JA, PD, RB, SP, AS, PM, HK, JT, TG, JD, VL, NK.

With 83% humidity, it’s going to be a really tiring race. BBC report there’s rain a few miles away from the track but it’s not expected to affect the race.

Formation lap: SV leads everyone away.
BBC report that MW has a problem – his team said they can see it but they can’t do anything about it … but we don’t know what the problem is. Could it be KERS again?

01/56: Good start for both Renault; poor start for MW
MW down to P10 but passes KK on the last corner

02: SV, NH, LH, JB, VP, FM, FA, MS, MW, KK
PD fighting NR for P13

03: RB pulls off-line on the main straight – he’s got a puncture but he’s missed the pit entrance
Replay of the start with MW’s telemetry shows he had no KERS available

04: RB finally limps back to the pits

05/56: Apparently Red Bull changed the KERS battery on MW’s car in parc ferme last night

06: Pit-car radio for SV says there may be a few drops of rain but nothing significant
VP runs wide – hands P6 to FA

07: MS tries to dive down the inside of VP but had to back off

08: MW dives past KK but can’t stop it and KK re-takes P9

10/56: SV, NH, LH, JB, FM, FA, VP, MS, KK, MW
Pit-car from SV: “entering phase 2” – does that mean his tyres are going off?
BBC say rain expected in turns 6 & 7

11: MW pits from P9 for new tyres – that could be bad news if it rains
Pit-car for LH telling him to look after his tyres – they’re still expecting rain soon

13: LH pits from P3 – rejoins inches ahead of JA

14: SV pits from P1, and JB pits too … as does FM
MW f/lap 1:44.184
Some of the crowd are putting up umbrellas

15/56: Missed NH’s pit stop but he’s now behind LH
3-abreast into the final turn
JT exits the pits, locks up and runs straight off into the gravel

16: Spots of rain in the pit lane
VP pits

18: Incident involving car 18 (SB) under investigation – pit lane speeding
Clean stop for KK
FM f/lap 1:43.630
More spots of rain on the on-board camera’s lens

19: 10-second stop+go penalty for SB for speeding in the pit lane
LH f/lap

20/56: SV, LH, FA, JB, NH, MW, FM, VP, PD, MS; retirements: NK, PM
FA f/lap 1:42.602

21: Pit-car for MW saying he needs more front wing at the next stop
Piece of bodywork flew off VP’s car into Turn 1

22: Pit-car for MW saying stick to Plan A, which BBC think means 4-stops
FM easily past MW for P6

23: MW pits from P7 – rejoins in P11
NH struggles to turn in; understeers wide; more rain?

24: JB pits from P4 – rejoins in P7

26: SV pits from P1 – rejoins in P4 behind FM

27: FA pits from P1, along with NH

28 [half distance]: FM pits from P1, as does VP
MS and KK still battling over P8
Pit-car from FA complaining that DRS wasn’t working for him

29: MS pits from P9
Pit-car for SV tell him not to use KERS – that means both Red Bulls are effectively carrying ballast

30/56: SV, LH, JB, FA, MW, NH, FM, KK, VP, PD; retirements: SP, RB, NH, PM
Pit-car for JB telling him SV can’t use KERS

33: MW pits again – expecting one more stop

34 SV f/lap 1:41.539 … even without KERS

35/56: SV, LH, JB, FA, NH
JT in the garage but staying in the car – he might rejoin after some work on the Lotus

37: MW f/lap 1:41.423
KK pits from P9

38: LH pits from P2 – long stop – problem with the front left – rejoins in P6

39: JB pits – smoother stop than his teammate – rejoins ahead of LH
MW closing on LH

40/56: SV, FA, NH, JB, LH, MW, VP, FM, MS, KK; retirements: JT, SP, RB, NH, PM
Pit-car for LH saying no more planned stops

41: JB f/lap 1:41.388

42: SV pits from P1, as does FA from P2

43: MS runs wide, across the gravel but recovers
MS pits

44: MW pit stop #4, as expected – rejoins in P8

45: SV, JB, LH, FA, NH, FM, MW, KK, VP, PD
FA tries to move on LH but can’t do it

46: Pit-car for FA telling him the rear wing’s not working – he’s all over the rear of LH
FA hits the rear of LH!!
FA’s broken his front wing – serves him right!

47: BBC think LH has damage to the right rear of the floor
FA pits – new nose cone – rejoins in P7

48: MW has caught up to FM

49: Pit-car for JB reminding him to take care of his tyres

50/56: SV, JB, LH, NH, FM, MW, FA, VP, KK, PD
MW makes a nice move on FM for P5

51: BBC say McLaren have confirmed LH has a little aerodynamic damage

52: NH right on LH’s rear; NH uses DRS on the straight; takes P3 into Turn 1
LH runs wide and hands P4 to MW

53: LH pits – rejoins behind VP

54: VP is off – looks like he hit one of the braking point countdown markers; he’s out the car and the marshals should be able to clear it without needing the Safety Car
Replay of VP’s accident – he ran wide, thumped a kerb as he returned to the track … and the steering column came apart!!!!!!!!!!
He must have been a good foot or more up in the air when he hit the kerb/gutter – that was a huge impact, but braking the steering is really scary! Immediately makes me think of Senna’s accident!
The FIA should take a very close look at the Renault’s steering construction

56/56 [final lap]: MW pushing NH very hard for P3

SV takes the chequered flag
JB over the line for P2
NH hangs on to P3
MW home for P4
P5=FM, 6=FA, 7=LH, 8=KK, 9=MS, 10=PD
P11=AS, 12=NR, 13=SB, 14=JA, 15=HK, 16=TG, 17=VP
DNF: VL, JD, JT, SP, RB, NK, PM.

Provisional result: SV, JB, NH, MW, FM, FA, LH, KK, MS, PD; AS, NR, SB, JA, HK, TG, VP, VL, JD, JT, SP, RB, NK, PM.

Next race: China this coming weekend (April 15-17).

2 thoughts on “Malaysian Grand Prix – Race”

  1. FA & LH both penalised:

    McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso have had 20 seconds added to their race times by the Malaysian stewards following their clash during the Sepang event.

    Hamilton was penalised for making more than one change of direction as he tried to defend his position from Alonso. The Spaniard, meanwhile, received the same penalty for causing a collision with the British driver during the fight.

    Hamilton’s penalty promotes Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi to seventh in the race results and drops the McLaren driver to eighth. Alonso retains his sixth-place finish.

    [source: FIA]

    -> Revised result: SV, JB, NH, MW, FM, FA, KK, LH, MS, PD.

Comments are closed.

Related Post