Following yesterday’s damp Qualifying session, the provisional grid is: NHu, SV, MW, LH, FA, RB, RK, MS, FM, VP, JB, KK, NR, JA, [SB*] NHe, VL, [AS*] TG, JT, HK, SB, LDG, CK, AS, BS
*AS & SB each have a 5 grid-spot penalty to be applied
Hopefully last night’s drama with an attempted car-jacking hasn’t rattled Jenson Button too much! [BBC news report]
Air temperature 24°C, track 50°C, wind 4.1m/s, humidity 59%
The only person who can win the Drivers’ Championship today is Alonso; hopefully it’ll go down to the final race.
CK is still in the pits with an electronics problem.
NHu leads the field away on the formation lap
Did he have a problem in Turn 2? He’s just passed LH to get back to the front of the procession
01/71: SV passes NHu into Turn 1
MW takes P2 from NHu
CK still in the pits
VP has dropped to P23
02: SV, MW, NHu, LH, FA, RK, RB, FM
FA attacks LH but LH holds P4
LH runs wide and FA steals P4
MS taking a look at JB for P9
03: SV fastest lap 1:17.477
SV, MW, NHu, FA, LH, RK, RB, FM, JB, MS
CK is shown as retired
MS takes P9 from JB
04: SV f/lap 1:17.178
FA having a look at NHu but can’t make a move
05/71: SV f/lap 1:17.141
FA has another look at NHu into Turn 1
LH is right on FA’s tail
06: SV f/lap 1:16.876
SV now has a 2.6sec lead over his team-mate; MW is 8secs ahead of NHu
FIA lap chart now shows CK as on track, even though he’s 3 laps down
07: NHu a bit slow out of a turn and FA pounces – takes P4
08: LH takes a look inside NHu in Turn 1
09: FA pulling away from NHu, leaving LH well behind
Pit-car radio from LH complaining he has no grip
10/71: SV, MW, FA, NHu, LH, RK, RB, FM, MS, JB
FA personal f/lap is 0.5sec off the Red Bulls’ times
11: NHu still holding off LH for P4
12: MW f/lap 1:16.799
JB pits from P10 – prime tyres – rejoins in P18
13: MW f/lap 1:16.719
FM pits from P8 – prime tyres – rejoins alongside JB
JB takes P17 from FM
14: RB pits from P7 – problem with the right rear
FM in the pits again – another set of primes
15/71: NHu pits – LH was going to but ducked out the pit lane at the last moment
RK pits too, as does NHe
16: Replay of FM’s 2nd stop – he’s pointing at his front right wheel
17: Pit-car from LH still saying he’s got no grip; team tell him to push while he’s in clear air
18: JB battles past VP to take P10
19: SB pits from P7
20/71: SV, MW, FA, LH, MS, NR, KK, JB
FM f/lap (in P19) 1:16.704
21: LH pits from P4 – rejoins just ahead of JB
MS pits from P6 – rejoins behind JB
22: Pit-car for SV asking how his tyres are – “fantastic”
23: SV, MW, FA, NR, KK, LH, JB, AS, MS, NHu; no retirements so far
24: LH f/lap 1:16.658
25/71: LH f/lap 1:16.274
FA pits from P3 – rejoins still in P3
26: SV pits from P1
LH dives down the inside of KK into Turn 1 – KK locks up and hands over P5
27: MW pits from P1 – returns to P2
NR pits from P4 – rejoins ahead of MS
28: SV f/lap 1:15.969
29: SV f/lap 1:15.893
MW f/lap 1:15.839
Yet to pit are KK, AS & LdG
30/71: SV f/lap 1:15.797
SV, MW, FA, LH, KK, JB, NR, AS, MS, NHu
31: JB down the inside of KK in T1 – a repeat of LH’s move
33: MW f/lap 1:15.647
FM passes VL for P16
34: BBC say the Red Bull camp are discussing how/if they should arrange for MW to take P1 from SV
35/71: Replay of RB trying to pass JA for P13 – punctured RB’s front left tyre
Half-distance
36: RB makes it back to the pits – option (super-soft) tyres
37: MW f/lap 1:15.431
Pit-car from LH asking if the F-duct was working; his engineer point out he’s the fastest in Sector 3
39: BS slowing up both SV and MW
NR takes P6 from KK into Turn 1
40/71: SV, MW, FA, LH, JB, NR, KK, AS, MS, NHu
41: MW continues trying to catch his team-mate; there’s a 15sec gap to FA
Pit-car for MW telling him to adjust his front wing to reduce some overheating
42: KK & AS still yet to pit
43: LdG pits – 2nd stop – he’s pushed into the garage
45: LdG is out of the car – his home race is over
47: LdG is getting back into the car!?
48: SV closing on FM to lap him (FM P15)
LdG leaves the garage – he’s 7 laps down
49: SB isn’t yielding to let MW past
KK pits from P7
50/71: SV, MW, FA, LH, JB, NR, AS, MS, NHu, RK
51: VL has stuffed the Force India in the barrier in Turn 2
VL is out of the car but there’s a lot of debris
Safety Car deployed
52[SC]: AS pits, as does NHe, VP, FM
LH pits from P4
RB pits too, as does CK
53[SC]: JB pits – switches back to the option tyre
Pit-car for SV telling him he’s losing front tyre temperature
54[SC]: SV, MW, FA, LH, JB, MS, NR, NHu, RK, JA
Replay of a very uncoordinated pit stop for NR – no new tyres ready
55[SC]: NR pits again – this time for super-soft (option) tyres
Safety Car in at the end of this lap
56: Green flags
57: SV f/lap 1:14.901
58: FM takes P13 from AS
59: SV f/lap 1:14.503
60/71: FM passes SB but SB tags the rear of the Ferrari – FM runs wide but recovers
61: SV f/lap 1:14.396
62: MW f/lap 1:14.306
FA f/lap 1:14.229
Replay of SB making contact with AS – surely SB should be penalised for all these incidents
64: SV has a 4.2sec lead over MW, who has a 8.3sec gap to FA
Drive-through penalty for NHe for ignoring blue flags
65/71: FA f/lap 1:14.096
LH f/lap 1:14.082
66: LH f/lap 1:13.956
NHe serves his drive-through penalty
67: LH f/lap 1:13.851 – he’s 8.2sec behind FA so he won’t catch him
69: Pit-car for MW telling him he’s OK to attack SV – presumably they were a bit concerned about fuel
Replay of VP passing FM into Turn 1 – FM determined not to yield – makes contact with VP – FM loses part of his front wing
70/71: SV, MW, FA, LH, JB, NR, MS, NHu, RK, KK
71 = final lap: SV takes the chequered flag
MW over the line for P2, which means Red Bull take the Constructors’ Championship
P3=FA, 4=LH, 5=JB, 6=NR, 7=MS, 8=NHu (+1 lap), 9=RK, 10=KK
P11=JA, 12=AS, 13=SB, 14=RB, 15=FM, 16=VP, 17=NHe, 18=HK (+2 laps), 19=JT, 20=TG, 21=BS, 22=CK
DNF: LdG, VL
Wow, ugly trophies!
