Canadian Grand Prix – Race

Provisional grid: LH, MW, SV, FA, JB, VL, FM, RK, AS, NR, RB, NH, MS, VP, SB, JA, PdlR, KK, HK, JT, TG, BS, LDG, KC

MW received a 5 grid spot penalty after a gearbox change, so he’s now between FM and RK

01/70: There’s contact in the first chicane – FM & VL
VL spins – there’s debris on the track
KK up to P10
KK gets it wrong in the final chicane – hits the wall – loses his front wing but keeps going

02: PdlR pits for a new nose
Same for VL
FM pits too
MW pushing JB hard for P4

03: LH, SV, FA, JB, MW, RK, AS, MS, NH, JA
KK has retired
MW still all over JB’s tail

04: RK has closed on MW

05: MW attacks again … and takes P4 from JB

06: NR & JT pit

07: JB, AS, NH all pit
MW passes FA

08: LH & FA pit
FA exits the pits ahead of LH
Replay of NH damaging his front wing on the rear of a Force India

10/70: SV, RK (pits), MW, MS, SB, FA, LH, HK, JB; retirements: KK

11: VP under investigation for jumping the start

12: JB fastest lap 1:19.845
RB pits – new nose

13: JB f/lap 1:19.808
MS pits from P3
MS hits RK – they’re both on the grass
Looks like RK’s front wing is damaged

14: MW pits from P2
Replay shows MS was ahead of RK at the pit exit but MS squeezed RK and pushed him onto the grass and close to the wall

15/70: SV pits from P1
SB, FA, LH, JB, SV, MW, RK, AS
MS in the pits again

16: SB slows in the hairpin, holds up FA
LH passes FA as SB heads for the pits, so now LH is in P1
BS has retired in the pits

17: HK & KC are the only ones yet to pit … and with that HK pits

18: NR f/lap 1:19.431

19: PdlR & VP pit

20/70: LH, FA, JB, SV, MW, RK, AS, SB; retirements BS, KK
KC is the last man to pit

22: JB is closing on FA

23: VP under investigation for causing a collision with PdlR – he’s already had a drive-through for jumping the start

24: VP given another drive-through penalty

25/70: LH, FA, JB, SV, MW, RK, AS, SB
AS right on the gearbox of RK
PdlR dives down the inside of HK and steals P14

26: FA challenging LH but LH pits

27: Replay of AS passing RK but just as AS is about to turn into the final chicane RK – dangerous move!
AS picked up a puncture (did AS make contact?) and can’t brake into Turn 1 – cuts across the grass

28: JB & SV both pit
Drive through penalty for NH speeding in the pit lane

29: FA pits from P1
FA gesticulates at a Lotus(?) – he should concentrate on driving his own race
AS puts a move on his teammate into Turn 1 – takes P12

30/70: MW, LH, FA, JB, SV, SB, RK, NR

31: JB asks his engineer which tyres SV is running

32: PdlR pulls the Sauber off track as his engine lets go

33: LH has been told to look after his tyres as they’ve got to go “a long way” (to the end? surely not)

34: 3rd pit stop for MS – rejoins in P10

35/70: MW, LH, FA, JB, SV, SB, RK, NR; retirements: PdlR, BS, KK

36: FM f/lap 1:19.024
Incident involving cars 11 & 14 (RK & AS) will be investigated after the race

37: Pit-car radio tells MW to keep doing what he’s doing because JB and the cars behind him are not expected to stop again

38: Incident involving cars 17 & 9 (RB & JA) under investigation

39: FM challenging VL for P13
LH f/lap 1:18.868

40/70: MW, LH, FA, JB, SV, RK NR, SB; retirements: PdlR, BS, KK
Pit-car from MW says his tyres are beginning to go off
LH f/lap 1:18.810

41: SV f/lap 1:18.650

42: FM makes a move on VL, gets very close, but VL hangs on to P13
AS closes on NH as they approach the final chicane – touch – NH cuts the corner

43: LH continues to close on MW
FM pits

44: FA f/lap 1:18.567
MW is losing time as he’s behind the FM/VL squabble

45/70: FA f/lap 1:18.207
Close-up of MW’s rear tyres show they’re pretty worn
SV told by Christian Horner to try to pass the cars ahead

46: LH has cut MW’s lead from 11+ secs to 3.5 in the past few laps
If MW pits, he’ll drop to P5

47: JT pits but parks the Lotus and retires

48: SV asks his team how they expect him to pass – he’s told they’re “managing an issue”
LH now under 2secs behind MW

49: LH 0.5s off MW’s rear wing
LH attacks LH into the final chicane

50/70: LH takes P1 into Turn 1
FA right on MW’s tail now

51: MW pits from P2 – he should have done this a good few laps ago – bad strategy call by Red Bull
SB pits too

52: FA is still about 2.5secs behind LH, so it’s going to be a fight to the end

53: Even on new rubber MW isn’t much faster than the guys ahead of him – did they put used tyres on?

54: FM makes a nice move on AS as they lap HK

55/70: LH, FA, JB, SV, MW, RK, NR, MS; retirements: JT, PdlR, BS, KK
TG pits for the 5th time – mechanics are looking under the car

56: FA laps KC but JB gets a better drag and passes them both – that’s McLarens in P1 & P2

57: JA runs wide and VL steals P13
LH & JB lap MS 🙂

58: FA is hanging on to JB’s tail

60/70: LH, JB, FA, SV, MW, RK, NR, MS; retirements: TG, JT, PdlR, BS, KK

61: SB passes MS in Turn 1 and takes P8

62: LH f/lap 1:18.025
RK f/lap 1:17.606

63: FA still under 1sec behind JB
Pit-car for LH tells him he “clearly has the pace” over his teammate
RK f/lap 1:17.178 – he’s 8secs behind NR

64: FM closing on MS
MS makes a 2nd move across in front of FM, pushes FM off track – that’s GOT to be a penalty, surely?
FM’s front wing broken

65/70: LH, JB, FA, SV, MW, NR, RK, SB; retirements: TG, JT, PdlR, BS, KK
FM pits to replace the broken front wing

66: SV thinks about setting a fastest lap and is told to forget it – “don’t even think about it” and short shift instead

67: Incident involving cars 3 & 7 (MS & FM) will be investigated after the race

68: VL is catching up to MS – he’d better watch he’s not bumped off track too!
RK f/lap 1:16.972

69: Nice to hear that BBC also think MS has driven “appallingly”
MS cuts the chicane and stays ahead of VL

70/70 = final lap: VL trying to hard – needs to be smoother to get the line to pass MS

LH takes the chequered flag
JB home for P2
FA over the line for P3
P4=SV, 5=MW, 6=NR, 7=RK, 8=SB (+1 lap)
VL has passed MS … and so has his teammate!
Replay shows VL was up the inside but made contact with MS
P9=VL, 10=AS
MS is in P11 and hopefully has a penalty waiting for the next race
P12=JA (+1 lap), 13=NH (+1), 14=RB (+1), 15=FM (+1), 16=HK (+2 laps), 17=VP (+2), 18=KC (+4 laps), 19=LdG (+5 laps)
DNF: TG, JT, PdlR, BS, KK.

LH & JB seem pretty happy about the result 🙂
Of course the result is provisional – there are a couple of incidents under investigation, but they shouldn’t effect the points-paying positions.

Next race: European GP at Valencia in 2 weeks (June 25-27).