After a wet Qualifying session, the race should be dry.
Provisional grid: HAM, RIC, VET, ROS, ALO, MAS, BOT, HUL, VER, GRO, RAI, BUT, KVY, SUT, MAG, PER, GUT, KOB, BIA, ERI, CHI, MAL*
*Technically MAL has a 5 grid spot penalty after spearing GUT in Bahrain.
There’s lots of news/updates in my Quali post.
Tyre compounds for the race: prime = medium compound (white), option = soft (yellow)
No new penalties since Quali so the provisional grid stands.
Radio for PER – only MAG starting on prime tyres
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
Radio for ROS – we have no telemetry
HAM very slow approaching the end of the formation lap, trying to bunch everyone up
01/56: Great start from MAS
ROS slow off the grid
Contact between Williams and Ferrari (MAS and ALO) before Turn 1
Also contact between BOT and ROS
VET ahead of his teammate
ALO attacking RIC – takes P3
02: HAM, VET, ALO, RIC, MAS, ROS, HUL, GRO, RAI, BOT (BUT P14)
BOT past RAI for P9
Radio from MAG – feels like damage to his front wing
03: BUT squeezes past VER for P13
MAL up to P18
04: DRS enabled
ROS very close to the tail of MAS
05/56: HAM, VET, ALO, RIC, ROS, MAS, HUL, BOT, GRO, RAI
06: SUT pits; pushed into the garage
07: Radio from HAM – tyres look quite good
08: BUT pits – switch to primes – rejoins P21
09: Radio from VET – serious graining on front left
ALO locks up
10/56: HAM, VET, ALO, RIC, ROS, MAS, HUL, BOT, RAI, KVY
11: HAM continues to open a gap to VET
MAS pits from P8
RAI and PER pit too
Terrible stop for MAS – did they bring out the wrong rears? Problem with the rear left?
12: ALO pits, followed by HUL
13: VET pits from P2 – clean stop, rejoins P6
KVY moves aside and lets VET take P5
15/56: HAM, RIC, ALO, VET, ROS, VER, HUL, BOT, MAG, RAI
16: Radio from VET – too slow to pass ALO
RIC pits from P2; rejoins P5
RAI all over the rear of MAG
17: RAI takes P8 from MAG
GRO closing on MAG
GRO inside MAG for P9
MAG struggling coming out of the final turn
HAM runs wide
18: HAM pits; rejoins still well ahead of ALO
Radio for ROS asking him to read off the fuel remaining as he crosses the line
19: VET dropped back from ALO
20/56: HAM, ALO, VET, ROS, RIC, HUL, BOT, RAI, GRO, PER; (BUT P11) retirement: SUT
22: HAM’s lead ~6secs over ALO
23: ROS attacking VET for P3 – nice move by ROS to take the position
RIC closing on VET
24: VET defending from his teammate
PER takes P9 from GRO
Radio for VET – let RIC through
25/56: HAM, ALO, ROS, VET, RIC, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, GRO
Radio from VET asking about RIC’s tyres; told RIC stopped later; “tough luck” says VET
26: VET continues to hold off RIC, which is letting HUL catch them
VET runs a little deep; RIC steals P4
27: MAG pressuring GUT for P14; holds him off for a couple of turns but MAG takes the position
28/56 = half distance: Radio for GRO – problem with 4th gear
Radio for VET telling him to stay out
29: GUT pits
GRO runs wide, across the gravel
30/56: HAM, ALO, ROS, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY; retirements: SUT
GRO limps back to the pits; retires
Radio from HAM – graining on the left front
31: Rash of pit stops
33: Radio for ROS – push hard to pass ALO
34: ALO pits; rejoins P5
KOB passes VET but he’s a lap down
Radio from VET whining about KOB unlapping himself
35/56: HAM, ROS, RIC, VET, ALO, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY
VET pits from P4; rejoins P5
37: ROS locks up and runs wide
38: ROS pits, as does RIC
VET fastest lap 1:42.169
MAL round the outside of GUT for P14
39: HAM pits; primes; lots of smoke from the front brakes
Radio for RIC – your tyres will be good to the end
40/56: HAM, ALO, ROS, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY; retirements: GRO, SUT
HAM’s lead ~13.7secs
41: ALO laps MAS after that terrible pit stop
42: ROS closing on ALO; lines him; uses DRS for an easy pass to take P2
43: RIC slowly catching ALO
44: Radio for HAM – manage the pace, look after the tyres in case of a late safety car (which will kill his lead)
David Coulthard channelling James Hunt? 🙂
45/56: HAM, ROS, ALO, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY (BUT P11)
HAM leads his teammate by ~15secs
ALO responding to RIC
47: Radio for RIC telling him he can catch ALO
48: VET falling away from RIC
50/56: HAM, ROS, ALO, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY
BBC report BUT has said he’s losing electrical power
Radio for RIC – keep pushing
51: CHI pits – late stop
ALO’s front left looking badly grained
53 = 4 laps left: MAL not as generous when RIC laps him compared to when ALO did
55 = 2 laps left: HAM, ROS, ALO, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY; retirements: GRO, SUT
HAM still extending his lead
Final lap: Radio from HAM – I just got the chequered flag! (Probably just the officials getting ready)
HAM takes the chequered flag (for real this time)
Big gap back to his teammate, ROS
P3=ALO, first podium of the season
RIC ahead of his teammate, VET
Last minute dive by KOB as he passes BIA
Provisional result: HAM, ROS, ALO, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, RAI, PER, KVY; BUT, VER, MAG, MAL, MAS, GUT, KOB, BIA, CHI, ERI
DNF: GRO, SUT
That makes 25 F1 wins for HAM, equalling Niki Lauda’s and Jim Clark’s career wins.
My GridBids picks for this race were: ROS (P2), HAM (P1), RAI (P8), GRO (DNF) & BUT (P11).
“You scored 47 points for this race and have a total of 213 points this season. You ranked 122 for this race and 96 overall.”
HAM was right – someone did indeed wave the chequered flag one lap too soon!
This mistake is actually treated as if it were a red flag (prematurely ending the race) and that means the result is based on one lap *before* the flag … so KOB is shown as being behind BIA despite that last lap pass.