As usual, I’ll put my live race notes behind a cut so as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the race yet…
Check out my notes from Qualifying; there were 3 penalties handed down afterwards, which means the grid looks like this: JB, RB, SV, RK, NR, FM, KR, MW, NH, FA, KN, HK, LH, SBu, NP, GF, AS, SBo, LH, TG, JT. The expectation is LH, TG and JT will start from the pit lane.
The tennis finishes just in time for TSN to jump over to Melbourne, straight to the BBC feed. 🙂
Official timing chart refreshes and shows JT & TG are in the pits but not LH – he’ll be in P18, right at the back of the grid.
Clear the grid!
JB leads everyone away on the formation lap
Both Ferraris on the super-soft tyres, as are many of the back runners
Everyone takes their spots on the grid … lights on … and off – they’re off!
Poor start from RB
Incident in Turn 1 – looks like RB and a Red Bull
RB down to P7!
01/58: JB, SV, FM, RK, KR, NR, RB, KN
LH up to P13
NH, AS & MW all pit
HK very slow – not even back to the pits yet
New front wing for MW
Replay shows RB hit MW, who in turn hit HK
02: JB fastest lap 1:30.612
HK has retired with a broken front left suspension
03: JB f/lap 1:29.848
SV f/lap 1:29.752
04: JB f/lap 1:29.223
SV f/lap 1:28.999
NP holds off LH for P9
05/58: JB, SV, FM, RK, KR, NR, RB, KN
JB f/lap 1:28.787
LH passes NP – next is KN
06: JB f/lap 1:28.513
SV 1:28.424
07: JB f/lap 1:28.246
SV f/lap 1:28.235
NR closing on KR for P5
08: SV f/lap 1:28.140
09: SB pits – that’s out of sequence, surely?
10/58: JB, SV, FM, RK, KR, NR, RB, KN
LH is 6.2 seconds behind KN
11: RB goes for a non-existent gap and hits the rear of KR
KR pits
12: FM and LH pit
13: RK pits from P4
15/58: JB, SV, NR, RB, KN, NP, SBu, GF
17: SV pits from P2
NR pits too – problem with the front-left means a slow stop
18: JB f/lap 1:28.020
19: KN has hit the wall!
Debris on track
RB pits from P3 – presumably a new nose too?
SBu & TG pit too
20/58: JB pits from P1
21: Safety Car deployed
GF missed the box and ran over the waiting tyre guns but fortunately none of the mechanics
22[SC]: Safety Car waves everyone past as he waits for JB to catch up
23[SC]: JB behind the SC
When the SC pulls off, the KERS cars will have a definite advantage
Lapped cars now allowed to pass the SC
Still clearing debris from KN’s accident
24[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
FM locks his brakes as he tries to warm them up
SC pulls into the pits; JB slows the pace to back everyone up
25/58: JB, SV, FM, RK, KR, NR, NP, JT (LH in P12)
NP spins in Turn 1 – he’s beached it
LH passes TG for P11
FA passes TG too
27: JB has already opened a 2sec lead over SV
29: Pit-car reminder for SBu that he’s got NR pushing him for P7
AS passes teammate GF for P13 but immediately loses it again
30/58: JB, SV, FM, RK, KR, JT, RB, SBu (LH in P10)
BBC interview NP – had a problem behind the SC
31: FM pits from P3
(I’m trying to ignore the fact that it’s 3am!)
34: JT pits from P6
35/58: RK f/lap 1:27.989
BBC talk to KN – he’s OK; says he bounced on the kerb and lost the rear
36: MW makes his 2nd pit stop; he’s down in P17 and last
37: RK f/lap 1:27.988
40/58: RK & KR pit from P3 & P4 respectively
41: TG spins the Toyota – looks like he was trying to pass FA
43: LH closing on NR who’s in P4
44: LH pits, as does KR – that’s the 3rd stop for the Ferrari!
LH rejoins just inches ahead of FM
45/58: NR pits, as does NH
JB, SV, RB, RK, FA, TG, NR, GF
46: KR spins – did he graze the wall?
SV pits from P2; rejoins just ahead of RB
47: FM slowing – problem with the Ferrari
48: JB pits – slowed by FM – slow stop – problem with the fuel hose – rejoins still ahead of SV though
FM is pushed into the garage and he’s out of the car
49: Slow lap for JB – SV closing in on him – hope it’s not a problem for the Brawn GP car
50/58: JB, SV, RB, RK, FA, TG, NR, JT
52: RB pits from P3, followed by FA
RB rejoins in P5, behing NR
53: RB dives past NR to take P4
54: JT takes P5 from NR – nice move
LH passes NR too
55/58: JB, SV, RK, RB, JT, LH, TG, NR
FA takes P8 away from NR
56: RK and SV battle into turn – contact and they both spin – RK loses his front wing and spins out – SV continues on 3 wheels
SC deployed – two SCs on track!?
KR pits – his 4th stop!
57[SC]: KR pits again – this must be a double retirement for Ferrari
58/58[SC]: Final lap
SV has parked off track
Huh – did JT pass LH under the SC?
SC in at the end of this lap, they’ll actually cross the flag behind JB
Provisional results: JB, RB, JT, LH, TG, FA, NR, SBu, SBo, AS, NH, GF, MW; DNF: SV, RK, KR, FM, NP, KN, HK.
It’s obviously “provisional” because of the outstanding protest regarding the diffusers of Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams.
There’s also the question of how LH went from 3rd when the SC was deployed to 4th at the end.
I really hope the Brawn 1-2 finish stands – those guys didn’t have a team, a car or even a job just a couple of months ago!
Hey, they’re playing my tune! 🙂
Nice to see Ross Brawn stayed on the podium when they were spraying the champagne.
Don’t forget JT started from the pit lane, so (assuming he keeps P3) that’s quite an achievement; if he’s penalised / pushed back to P4, then LH will be P3 and he was 18th on the grid.
“Toyota’s Jarno Trulli has lost his third place in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix after stewards penalized him for passing under the safety car in the closing laps.” [FIA]
“Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has been handed a 10-place grid penalty for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix following an incident in Sunday’s Australian race.” “Vettel continued to drive his stricken RB5 with its left front wheel hanging off as the safety car emerged following the incident. As a result the stewards have additionally fined him – and Red Bull Racing – US$50,000 for continuing to drive a damaged car.” [FIA]
Revised provisional result: JB, RB, LH, JT, TG, FA, NR, SBu, SBo, AS, NH, GF, MW; DNF: SV, RK, KR, FM, NP, KN, HK. [FIA]
Button’s victory marked the 200th for a British driver.
I forgot to say the next race is in Malaysia next weekend (April 3rd – 5th). It’s another “middle of the night” race for us: Friday practice starts at 10pm (Thursday) and session 2 is at 2am, qualifying and the race at 5am.
It’s sad (a) that it happened and (b) that it’s not a surprise to hear the FIA penalising McLaren: “Lewis Hamilton and McLaren have been stripped of their podium finish and all points at the Australian Grand Prix.” [BBC]
The BBC article also says: An FIA spokesman said it “could not rule out at this stage” further action against McLaren.
Unfortunately this isn’t a belated April Fool’s joke.
Great article.