The provisional grid was: SV, MW, FA, FM, LH, NR, VP, RK, PdlR, NH, JB, RB, AS, MS, SB, VL, JA, KK*, TG, HK, JT, LdG, BS, SY. [My notes from Qualifying]
*KK got a penalty for failing to stop for scrutineering during Qualifying, so he now starts in P23
(My race notes are slightly delayed thanks to a problem with my web host.)
Track temperature 46°C; humidity 51%
BBC report that the official word is that “track repairs are incomplete” after an incident in a support race
SV leads everyone away on the formation lap
BBC say MS had an off-track excursion on his way from the pits to the grid!
Grid forms up
01/70: FA to P2
VP has passed LH for P5
02: SV, FA, MW, FM, VP, LH, NR, RK
VP has to defend against LH in to Turn 1 … and T2
LH has passed VP to reclaim P5
JA has blown his engine and is spewing oil all over the track – totally irresponsible
03: SV f/lap 1:28.362
Replay of MS’ start – great start – he was alongside JB just as they entered T1 but MS ran wide
05/70: SV, FA, MW, FM, LH, VP, NR, RK, RB, NH
Replay of VL struggling, causing JB to take an unusual line and KK almost passing them both
Pit-car from JB telling them that some of the cars ahead of him are on the prime (hard) tyres so they need to think about strategy
06: BBC report that JB’s problem (and presumably why VL was struggling) was JA’s oil
07: Pit-car from MS says the brakes are becoming spongy
09: SV has a huge lead – over 8secs
10/70: SV, FA, MW, FM, LH, VP, NR, RK, RB, NH; retirements: JA
12: SV’s lead over FA now 9sec
14:
15/70: JB pits
New nose cone for VL
Safety Car deployed
16[SC]: SV pits … as does everyone else
LH exits the pits ahead of FM
Collision in the pits! And NR at pit exit with only 3 wheels!
Replay: Renault released RK just as AS was entering his box – the Renault lollipop man is completely at fault – that could have been really nasty!
Replay of NR leaving the Mercedes box – right rear wheel comes off the car almost immediately … then bounces (above head height!) down the pit lane! – That’s even more dangerous than the Renault incident!
Mechanics trying to manhandle the cars of RK & AS
17[SC]: Replay of a very late decision from SV – had to climb the kerbs to make it into the pit lane
Why didn’t MW pit?
SC in at the end of this lap
SV (P2) holding everyone up and letting his teammate build a big lead before the restart
SC pits; green flags
18: BBC report all the mechanics are OK; a Sauber mechanic fielded the wheel and stopped it apparently
20/70: MW, SV, FA, LH, FM, RB, VP, NH, PdlR, JB; retirements: AS, JA
21: MW f/lap 1:25.147 – he’s got a 4sec lead over his teammate – needs 13+ for a pit stop
23: MW continues to open his lead – now ~10sec to FA
“10 second stop/go penalty for car 11 (RK) for causing a collision in the pit lane” – really? That’s it? Renault deserve a massive penalty for something so dangerous!
24: RK enters the pits – he’s running dead last, so where’s the penalty?
LH has pulled the McLaren off the track and parked it
Replay shows he had problems in Turn 2 and took to the grass
25/70: SV under investigation for not staying within 10 car lengths of the Safety Car
26: SV f/lap – trying to open a gap before his penalty
RK pits and parks in the garage
29: SV still putting in quick laps when he’s not dealing with traffic
Race Control confirm a drive-through penalty for SV, as expected
30/70: MW, SV, FA, FM, RB, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK; retirements: LH, RK, NR, AS, JA
Car 4 (NR) will be investigated after the race … presumably for losing his wheel in the pit lane
31: SV passes the pits again – he’ll have to serve his penalty at the end of this lap
32: SV serves his drive-through penalty, gesticulating as he goes – rejoins in P3 ahead of FM
33: MW posts another fastest lap – he’s building a comfortable gap for his pit stop
35/70: MW, FA, SV, FM, RB, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK
36: MW f/lap 1:23.847 – his lead now just over 13sec
38: Pit-car for MW – got a good lap for the stop (20secs)
39: MW posts another f/lap – the option (super soft) tyres clearly still working well
40/70: SV closing on FA
42: SV sitting on FA’s gearbox – he needs to strike quickly
RB still needs to pit too
43: MW should pit at the end of this lap – he’s closing on backmarkers
Red Bull mechanics dash to the pit box – why didn’t they head out there earlier instead of rushing? It’s not like it’s a surprise to anyone
44: MW pits – rejoins comfortably still in P1
45/70: MW, FA, SV, FM, RB*, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK; retirements: LH, RK, NR, AS, JA
48: SB runs a little wide and VL closes up but can’t take P12
50/70: SV still harrying FA but can’t get close enough to attack
53: MW has a comfortable 16sec lead over FA
54: SV gets closer to FA but the Red Bull isn’t as stable in the turbulent air
SV runs quite wide but rejoins the track
56: RB finally pits for the option tyres – drops from P5 to P11, just ahead of SB
59: MW closing in to lap MS
Pit-car radio from MW: “that feels good” 🙂
60/70: MW, FA, SV, FM, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK, MS; retirements: LH, RK, NR, AS, JA
61: RB has caught ex-Ferrari team-“mate” MS
62: RB makes a late charge into Turn 1 but MS holds on to P10
63: RB is all over the rear of MS now
64: The Williams just doesn’t have the straight-line speed to pass the Mercedes but RB is 2sec/lap faster
than MS thanks to chassis and tyres
65/70: MW, FA, SV, FM, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK, MS; retirements: LH, RK, NR, AS, JA
66: RB has a great run at MS on the main straight
Despicable move from MS trying to push RB into the pit wall – that was dangerously aggressive – unnecessary too, because RB was already alongside
67: Pit-car from RB says that was terrible – that’s an understatement!
68: Incident involving MS & RB will be investigated after the race – I’m shocked!
69/70: MW, FA, SV, FM, VP, NH, PdlR, JB, KK, RB
70 = final lap: MW closing on more back markers but he has enough of a lead that he doesn’t need to take any risks
MW takes the chequered flag – 4th win this season
FA over the line for P2, closely followed by SV
FM home for P4
P5=VP, 6=NH, 7=PdlR (+1 lap), 8=JB(+1), 9=KK(+1), 10=RB(+1)
P11=MS (+1 lap), 12=SB(+1), 13=VL(+1), 14=HK (+3 laps), 15=JT(+3), 16=TG(+3), 17=BS(+3), 18=LdG (+4 laps), 19=SY(+4)
DNF: LH, RK, NR, AS, JA.
Pit-car radio for SV trying to calm him down and keep his mouth shut (about his penalty)
MW calls an official over – there’s something he’s concerned about inside the car
As the drivers get ready for the podium, SV’s saying “it wasn’t intentional” – so much for keeping his mouth shut 🙂
MW clearly very happy about his win
SV not so much
Drivers’ interviews:
MW: “asking a lot of the option tyres”; “front left was completely finished” when he finally changed them; “bit of a gift today”; “to lap someone of Michael’s quality is a good day out”
FA: “start was superb”; “stressful moments when the safety car came in”
SV: “I didn’t understand why I was penalised”; “very late call” (to pit after the SC was deployed); “at the restart I was sleeping”; “I was caught out”; “pretty unlikely – quite disappointed”; “in the end, I should have won”;
MW: “looking forward to the break”; “we all love driving Spa”
No word on the Schumacher investigation yet…
“Michael Schumacher will be penalised 10 grid places at the next Grand Prix after a move Rubens Barrichello called the most dangerous in his long career.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8875370.stm
But of course Schumacher doesn’t believe it could possibly be his fault!
“I was moving over to the inside to make it very obvious and clear to him to go on the other side, there was more space, but he chose not to so it got a bit tight.”
“We know certain drivers have certain views, and there’s Rubens.”
“To pass me you have to earn it.”
Wow. Just wow.
Barrichello responded: “It’s been always my fault for six years. Unbelievable. We’ll let the stewards say whatever they have to say. His view is always that I’m a big cryer and so on.”
BBC’s F1 podcast team interviewed Nigel Hope mechanic at Williams – he was hit by Rosberg’s wheel and knocked him unconscious!