Paul Henman formula1 Canadian Grand Prix – Race

Canadian Grand Prix – Race

Looks like a really nice day for a race – hopefully without any stupid student protests. Air temp 27°C, track 45°C.

PM has a 5 grid-spot penalty following a gearbox change

Grid: SV, LH, FA, MW, NR, FM, RG, PRe, MS, JB, KK, KR, NH, DR, SP, BS, HK, VP, JV, PRo, TG, PM, CP, NK.

As previously noted, the tyre compounds for the race weekend: primes = soft (yellow band) and options = super-soft (red).

SV leads everyone away on the formation lap

01/70: Clean start at the front; SV maintains P1
FM looking for a chance to pass NR but the Mercedes holds P5
NR has to defend on the final straight

02: SV, LH, FA, MW, NR, FM, PRe, RG, MS, JB
FM still attacking NR, which is letting MW open a gap
FM takes P4 before the final chicane

03: SV fastest lap 1:20.663
DRS enabled
PRe takes P6 from NR

04: SV f/lap 1:20.567

05/70: SV f/lap 1:19.737
SV, LH, FA, MW, FM, PRe, NR, RG, MS, JB
PM clawing his way up from P22 – he’s now P19

06: LH f/lap 1:19.683
Yellow flag – FM has spun in Turn 2 – recovers but he’s down to P12
Radio for NR – told to do a better job looking after his tyres

07: FM gets close to the Wall Of Champions

08: Radio from FM complaining of vibration from the tyres – probably a flat spot from when he spun

10/70: SV, LH, FA, MW, PRe, NR, RG, MS, JB, KR; no retirements

11: Radio for JB saying front runners on options (super-soft tyres) are showing signs of degradation
Cloud cover means track temperature has dropped a couple of degrees since the start of the race

13: RG taking a look at NR
FM pits – that’s an early stop – 2 stop strategy? – takes on prime tyres – rejoins in P20, between VP & PRo

14: PRe pits, as does MS

15/70: KR steals P7 from JB
RG f/lap 1:19.634
SP cut Turn 14

16: LH pushing, closing up on SV
JB pits – he was the only one in the top 10 who started on the primes
NR f/lap 1:19.536
LH right on SV’s tail in the hairpin

17: SV pits, handing P1 to LH – clean stop – rejoins P6
KK f/lap 1:19.345

18: LH pits, passing P1 to FA – slow getting away from the box but still rejoins ahead of SV
MW pits too
FM f/lap 1:19.191

19: SV attacking LH as the approach the final chicane

20/70: FA pits – he’s got a 15sec lead so he may rejoin ahead of LH – he does but LH has the momentum
FA defends and holds off LH
LH f/lap 1:18.994
FA runs deep in the hairpin but fends off LH
LH uses DRS to pass the Ferrari

21: RG in P1 because he has yet to pit; LH leads FA and SV

22: RG pits, as does NH
NR f/lap 1:18.945

23: NK spins in Turn 1; recovers

24: LH f/lap 1:18.712
NK has parked his car off to the side of the track

25/70: LH, FA, SV, KR, (KK pits) SP, MW, NR, RG, FM, PM; retirements: NK
KR & SP yet to pit; also PM, PRo, CP
Radio for MS telling him he has to pass PRe “to make our race”

26: PRo pits but he’s pushed into the garage – lots of brake dust from his front left

27: LH f/lap 1:18.698

28: LH f/lap 1:18.643

29: LH f/lap 1:18.455 – he’s got a 3.4sec lead over FA
Radio for LH reminding him he needs to make his tyres last

30/70: LH, FA, SV, KR, SP, MW, NR, RG, FM, PRe (JB down in P14)
MW f/lap 1:18.345
PM pits

31: MW closing on SP to challenge for P5 – SP (and KR, P4) still yet to pit

33: Yellow flag in track sector 6

34: LH f/lap 1:18.083
JB pits for a 2nd time from P14; options (super-soft) again; rejoins in P17, behind PM

35/70 = half distance: LH, FA, SV, KR, SP, MW, NR, RG, FM, PRe; retirements: PRo, NK
Clearly KR & SP are 1-stopping

36: NR f/lap 1:17.972
Radio for MW telling him to “hang in there” as they watch where he’ll rejoin after a pit stop

38: NR f/lap 1:17.908 – he’s closing in on MW

39: NR pits – 2nd stop – primes – rejoins P9

40/70: LH, FA, SV, KR, SP, MW, NR, RG, FM, PRe; retirements: PRo, NK
RG takes a look at MW as they approach the final chicane
Replay shows a minor mistake from MW

41: LH f/lap 1:17.773
KR pits from P4 – his one and only stop – rejoins P8
NR f/lap 1:17.514
MS dives down the inside of KK into the hairpin – takes P11 but KK reclaims it

42: SP makes his only stop – rejoins alongside NR but NR edges ahead

43: NH pits

44: HK pits
MS pits, followed by JV; VP pits too

45/70: MS’ rear wing (DRS) is stuck open – pits – mechanics try to force it to close but can’t move it
Mercedes engineer did well to radio MS and warn him it was stuck, which means a lot less downforce under braking
MS pushed into the garage

46: Drive-through penalty for car 17 (JV) for speeding in the pit lane

47: Radio from LH – “rears are going off”

48: LH has a 3.3sec lead over FA, who in turn has a 3.4sec gap to SV

49: JV serves his drive-through penalty

50/70: LH, FA, SV, MW, RG, FM, NR, SP, KR, KK; retirements: MS, PRo, NK
NR f/lap 1:17.393

51: LH pits – slow on the right rear, and then a stutter as he leaves the box – another poor stop for McLaren – rejoins in P3, ahead of MW

53: MW pits from P4 – rejoins in P8
LH f/lap 1:17.244
JB pits again – that’s stop #3

54: LH f/lap 1:17.135
Radio for LH confirming another fastest lap – “great job”
LH now 10sec behind SV, which means he can’t afford to stop, and nor can FA

55/70: FA, SV, LH, RG, FM, NR, SP, MW, KR, KK; retirements: MS, PRo, NK

56: LH 0.9sec faster than SV and 1sec over FA – he can catch them before the end, assuming they don’t pit

57: NR attacking FM into the final chicane; NR cuts the corner, so he’ll have to yield the place
SP attacking FM too – sneaks past NR as the Mercedes yields to the Ferrari

58: SP easily past FM for P5
NR hassling FM, but they have MW on their tail too
NR attacking FM again – takes P6

59: Now MW looking at FM but FM dives into the pit lane
DR pits too

60/70: FA, SV, LH, RG, SP, NR, MW, KR, KK, FM
LH f/lap 1:17.020 – 3.2sec behind SV
SP really motoring but he’s a long way behind RG

61: LH now 2.0sec behind SV
SP f/lap 1:16.889 – he’s 11sec behind RG but 0.5sec/lap faster

62: LH is right on SV’s gearbox – he’s got 8 laps to pass SV and catch FA, so don’t rush it
Radio for LH reminding him there’s time to pass SV
Timing chart shows TG has retired – didn’t see when/why
LH easily past SV in the DRS zone

63: LH 2.1sec behind FA but visibly closing on the Ferrari
FA clearly struggling more than LH

64: SV pits from P3! That’s a late decision to take on new rubber – rejoins in P5
LH attacking FA; FA defends into the hairpin
LH uses DRS to glide past LH to take P1

65/70: LH, FA, RG, SP, SV, NR, MW, KR, KK, FM
FM f/lap 1:16.828
SV is 4.4sec behind SP – will his new tyres help him catch the Mexican?

66: SP f/lap 1:16.772
RG is 2sec/lap faster than FA – he’ll catch him in a lap or two … or even sooner – he passes the Ferrari to take P2

67: Now FA has to worry about SP
Radio for FA warning him that SP is closing
SV kisses the Wall of Champions – sparks but no obvious damage

68: SP f/lap 1:16.414
SP 4.2sec behind FA but he’s 3.5sec/lap faster than the Ferrari
SV f/lap 1:16.047
SP right on FA’s tail as they exit the hairpin
SP takes P3 from FA

69: SV is 3sec behind FA and almost 4sec/lap faster – it’s going to be close
DR spins but recovers
SV has passed FA into the hairpin; the Spaniard is down to P5

70/70 = final lap: BS very close to making contact with the Wall of Champions

LH takes the chequered flag – that’s 7 different winners in the 7 races of 2012!
RG home for P2
SP over the line in P3
SV takes fastest lap 1:15.752
FA=P5, followed by NR, MW, KR, KK, FM

Provisional result: LH, RG, SP, SV, FA, NR, MW, KR, KK, FM; PRe, NH, PM, DR, JV, JB(!), BS, HK, VP, CP.
DNF: TG, MS, PRo, NK.

LH’s first victory was in Montreal in 2007

That’s amazing – you can hear LH’s excitement even through his helmet!

One thought on “Canadian Grand Prix – Race”

  1. So how did my GridBids picks do? JB=P16, MW=P7, LH=P1, HK=P19, SV=P4, VP=P19, KK=P9 & PRo=DNF … so only 4 of them in the points.

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