Paul Henman formula1 Spanish Grand Prix – Race

Spanish Grand Prix – Race

I watched Qualifying but didn’t write any notes … and then deleted it from the PVR, so I can’t even write them now. Ho hum.

On to the race; the grid is: MW, SV, LH, FA, JB, MS, RK, NR, FM, KK, AS, PdlR, NH, SB, JA, VL, RB, JT, VP*, HK, BS, TG*, LdG*, KC*
*=penalties

HK is being pushed into the pit lane – not a good start for the Lotus driver

MW leads everyone away on the parade lap
BBC say HK has a gearbox problem
The grid starts to form up
A long wait for the Red Bulls on the front of the grid

01/66: A long run down to the first turn
MW holds P1 … in fact all the front runners hold station into Turn 1
NR ran wide

02: MW, SV, LH, FA, JB, MS, FM, AS, JA, RK
KK has dropped to P16
SB & PdlR both in the pits – looks like SB hit the rear of PdlR

03: KK passes JT into Turn 1
Replay of BS running across the gravel trap and tapping the tyre wall

05/66: MW, SV, LH, FA, JB, MS, FM, AS, JA, RK; retirements: BS

06: Pit-car radio for FM tells him he’s quicker than ex-teammate MS on the straight

08: RK closing on JA

10/66: MW, SV, LH, FA, JB, MS, FM, AS, JA, RK; retirements: BS

13: SB eases past TG for P18
VL pits – good stop but VL struggles to find a gear
VL rejoins alongside SB – forces the Toro Rosso to cut the corner

15: MS and FM pit – rejoin in the same order but the Mercedes stop was slightly quicker
NR pits is pushed back into the box – looks like the front right wasn’t on fully but he was told to go

16: “Incident involving cars 16 and 18 under investigation by the stewards” – that’s SB & JT

17: Very late move by FA to enter the pits
SV’s pit stop 2sec slower than FA’s … but JB’s was even slower!
BBC say JB’s problem was the right rear – couldn’t get the nut on
JB is now behind MS

18: MW pits from P1 – smooth change
LH pits too
LH rejoins just ahead of SV but a back marker had slowed in Turn 1, so LH had to avoid him and SV cuts the corner
Overhead shot shows there was room for them both to go through T1 but SV ducked out
BBC commentators quite critical of SV

19: Pit-car from LH says the back markers are very dangerous

20/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB

22: PdlR is out of the car
JB is all over the rear of MS – struggling to find a safe way past

23: “Drive through penalty for car 16 (SB) – re-joining the track unsafely”
JA takes P11 from NH into T1

24: FM is catching JB as he struggles to find a way past MS

25/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB
KC lets MS & JB past but closes the door on FM, who almost rams the Indian driver
Pit-car from FM – he’s damaged his front wing, so he did tap KC

26: MW has a 10sec lead over LH
BBC say Ferrari have decided not to change FM’s wing

29: KC pits without part of his front wing
Replay shows JA cut in too soon after passing KC, damaging KC’s wing and almost throwing himself into the wall

30/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB

31: KC has parked the car just off track
JB has fallen back from MS a little but FM continues to close on the McLaren driver

33/66: KK challenging VP for P13, as they both close on NH

34: Drive-through penalty for JA for the incident with KC

36: MW sets another fastest lap (1:26.154) and opens the gap over LH to 11.75 secs
Mind you, MW is now closing on the back-markers so he’ll have to be a bit careful

37: 2nd stop for NR

40/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB
SV is slowly closing on LH

44: Pit-car radio tells SV that the front wing adjustment is stuck

45/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB
SB is out of the car – hydraulic failure, apparently

46: Official timing screens have gone off
BBC say the whole pitlane have no data … except McLaren appear to have their own timing system!

48: NR busy adjusting the brake bias mid-corner!

49: All but the top 10 have been lapped

50/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB; retirements: HK, BS, PdlR, KC, SB

51: NR chucks it down the inside of NH and takes P15

54: SV runs wide, through the gravel

55/66: MW, LH, SV, FA, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB; retirements: HK, BS, PdlR, KC, SB
SV pits – rejoins safely in P4

56: Red Bull are clearing a space in the garage … but SV carries on

58: Pit-car radio for SV tells him to go easy on the braking

60/66: MW, LH, FA, SV, MS, JB, FM, AS, RK, RB; retirements: HK, BS, PdlR, KC, SB
Pit-car warns SV that his brakes are about to go!
LH fastest lap 1:24.357

61: Replay shows something flying off MW’s Red Bull

62: SV struggling to slow the car – runs wide but recovers to the track
Pit-car radio tells SV that he has to slow down!

63: Red Bull pit wall team still concerned about SV’s brakes

65: Team continue to tell SV to slow down – he’s got a good lead over MS
LH has a puncture, runs wide, through the gravel and hits the tyre wall
FA inherits P2, which the crowd clearly enjoy

66/66 = final lap

MW takes the chequered flag
FA takes P2, much to the crowd’s delight
SV nurses the other Red Bull home for P3
P4=MS, 5=JB, 6=FM, 7=AS, 8=KK, 9=RB (+1 lap), 10=JA
VL has stopped on track
From the reaction, you’d think FA had won the race
P11=VP, 12=KK, 13=NR, 14=LH (+2 laps), 15=VL, 16=NH, 17=JT (+3 laps), 18=TG, 19=LdG (+4 laps)
DNF: SB, KC, PdlR, HK, BS

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