Malaysian Grand Prix – race notes
[See previous entries for Saturday & Sunday qualifying notes] [Official timing page]
Commentators on both TSN and Speed have been saying about how hot it’s going to be, and a long-shot along the main straight looks quite hazy/misty. (Currently air temperature is 36°C; track temp 51°C; humidity 37%) [ITV commentators later confirm this is from local forest fires!]
Remember this is the second race of the season; many of the cars are running the same engine as the used in Australia (as per the new rules), so it’ll be interesting to see if they last.
01/56: clean getaway for everyone; Turn 1 clean; JM & RB touch in T3?
FA, JT, GF, MW, RS, KR, JB, DC; RB=12; MS=14; JV=15
02: JB passes KR in to T1
03: JB spun! Smoke – and that’s from his new engine!
PF out – spun on JB’s oil??
AD out – smoke & flames from his BAR – put out quickly
Bad news for BAR – 1 out and 1 suffering
04: JB stops – both BARs out and PF’s Minardi
FA, JT, GF, MW, RS, KR, NH, DC; RB=11; MS=13
05: Is MS sandbagging? He’s 20s a lap slower than RB!
06: RS closing in on MW (P4)
07: FA gap to JT ~3.9s
09: FA, JT, GF, MW, RS, KR, NH, DC; RB=11; MS=13; JV=14
10/56: ITV interview AD – “while it lasted, it was fun” 
12: Cars are quite strung out now – smallest gap is between 1.1s between RS & KR (P5+P6) and CK & JM (P9+P10)
ITV interview JB – “I’m very angry” … you don’t say!
13: FA sets another fastest lap – 1:36.026 – how long before he laps MS?
14/56 (=1/4 distance): FA, JT, GF, MW, RS, KR, NH, DC; RB=11; MS=13; JV=14; 3 retirements (PF, AD + JB)
16: FA f/lap 1:36.000
17: CA first to pit
RB locks up badly in to T1
18: JT f/lap 1:35.816
21: RS + NH pit
DC pits
22: FA pits – tyre pressures reduced as per pit-car radio discussion a couple of laps back; FA leaves box – very close to NK
23: GF pits – front wing adjustment
MW pits too – rejoins just ahead of RB
KR f/lap 1:35.483
24: JM pits
RB pushing MW for P6 … except MW has pitted and RB hasn’t
25: KR pits from P1 – front wing tweaked – rejoins ahead of JT – good stop
KR right rear puncture!
Everyone has now stopped once
26: KR pits – how much damage has it done?
26: FA, JT, GF, MW, RS, NH, JM, RB; DC=9; MS=11; JV=13; KR=14
27: JV spins – stuck in gravel at T1 – yellow flags
28/56: FA has ~13s lead over JT; four retirements
30: GF dropping away from JT?
KR is next to be lapped (then FM and then MS)
31: ITV interview JV – struggling with braking in T1 all weekend
32: MW ~0.5s behind GF, and RS about ~0.5s behind MW
ITV report Renault team say GF has oversteering problems
33: RS locks up and drifts into MW – minor contact
NH takes both RS & MW … but MW takes it back … RS passes NH … NH takes him back — excellent scrap!
35: DC finally gets past RB for P8
CK trying to pass RB now
FA, JT, GF, MW, NH, RS, JM, DC; RB=10; MS=11; KR=13
36: MW right on the gearbox of GF
RB pits – first of the (scheduled) 2nd stops – lots of front wing going on – probs removing fuel hose
37: FA lead just over 15s
38: Stupid driving by MW – he & GF tangle – GF ran wide (as expected – he’s been struggling for many laps) and slid in to the side of MW, then somehow GF flips over the top of MW! Both out, of course. MW storms over to GF’s car but he’s already out and heading for the tyre wall
39: “Incident involving cars (MW) and (GF) being investigated”
40: FA, JT, NH, RS, JM, DC, CK, MS; KR=10; retirements=6 (PF, AD, JB, JV, MW, GF)
41: FA pits – front wing tweaked
42/56: JT + NH pit
MS & JM only drivers yet to make 2nd stop
43: JM pits – rejoins ahead of RS
Replay shows winglet flying of RS’s Toyota
44: MS pits – that’s the end of the scheduled stops
46: KR passes FM and shows how MW should have passed GF
FA, JT, NH, JM, RS, DC, MS, CK; KR=9
48: ITV report Renault concerned that FA’s tyres suffering same as GF’s
50/56: lap times are increasing as the drivers try to preserve their tyres and engines
RB pits – pulls into garage and retires – no grooves left on the rear tyres
51: ITV interview GF – “car wasn’t fantastic”
53: Closest battle: 2.1s between MS and CK (P7+P8) but we’re almost out of laps
ITV report RB told pit wall that he had no grip
55/56: FA, JT, NH, JM, RS, DC, MS, CK; KR=9; just 13 cars still running
CK now just 1.1s behind MS, but KR also 1.1s behind CK
56: FA wins with JT ~24s behind.
MS, CK & KR finish in close succession – only 1.5s between MS & KR
FA climbed out of the Renault … the front tyres look awful … and his overalls are clearly soggy!
FA had to crouch down on the podium during the French national anthem – they all look tired.
What’s up with JT? Grabbed his champagne and left the podium.
Fernando Alonso: “there was no pushing really hard in any part of the race”
Jarno Trulli: 1st ever GP finish for Toyota
Nick Heidfeld: -
FA: 1st ever Spaniard to lead the Drivers’ Championship … looks like he’s stood under a shower!
I’ll worry about the points table in the morning – it’s 4:15am and time for bed!!
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Next race: Bahrain in two weeks. [calendar]
