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