It’s really fun to see the BBC’s pre-show programme with interesting discussions and the grid walk – it’s a real shame TSN doesn’t carry it.
I posted my notes on Qualifying earlier; the provisional grid was: SV, MW, NR, LH, FA, JB, VP, MS, NH, FM, RB, AS, PD, PM, SP, SB, JA, HK, JT, VL, TG, NK, JD, KK.
No penalty for MS for blocking LH in Q1, or for Red Bull for covering up SV’s car while they repaired it in the Practice sessions.
BBC report TG has a gearbox problem with the Virgin car; looks unlikely he’ll manage to start the race.
It’s dry but windy at track level.
Lots of talk of how the even-numbered grid spots side of the track is quite slippery.
SV leads everyone (except TG, who’s still in the garage) away on the formation lap
Smoke from JB’s McLaren – hopefully that’s just an oil over-fill
Long pause for the cars to line up at the back of the grid
01/58: NR attacking – takes P2
LH attacking MW but loses out … runs wide and JB takes P5
02: SV, NR, MW, FA, JB, LH, MS
SP in the pits – broken front wing / nose cone
LH takes a look up the inside of JB into Turn 8 but JB holds P5
VP dives down the inside of MS; MS turns in and brakes his front wing on the Renault
03: MS pits for new nose cone
DRS now permitted
04: No word of the stewards investigating the MS/VP incident
05/58: Replay of MS turning into VP and hitting VP’s rear wheel – clearly was VP’s corner, although he may have struggled to make the apex
MW uses DRS for an easy pass on NR
06: SV fastest lap 1:33.762
FA attacking NR for P3 and LH makes a move on JB for P5
07: JB gets the tow from his teammate then reclaims P5 into Turn 1
FA uses DRS to pass NR
08: LH was ahead of JB over the line but JB took P5 back into T1 again
09: VP pits from P9
FM closing on LH
FM uses DRS and eases past LH … but are they both pitting?
10/58: FM and LH pit line astern; LH released first; Ferrari release FM almost into the side of LH! That’s got to be a penalty for an unsafe release!
11: FA pits; clean stop
12: SV pits from P1; new soft tyres
BBC agree that it was an unsafe release, but no word of an investigation
Renault teammates VP & NH bash wheels at the pit entrance – both gesticulating – was NH trying to pit but VP was in the way?
13: McLaren getting for a stop
14: JB pits; used hard tyres
RB passing MS – nice
15/58: SV, MW, FA, LH, NR, FM, JB, VP, NH, SB
16: KK passes MS; AS does the same, but his teammate can’t make it
17: Pit-car for LH reminding him to look after his rear tyres in Turn 8
VL running well off track but finally finds his way back
19: FM continues to attack NR but can’t actually find a place to pass
20/58: SV, MW, FA, LH, NR, FM, JB, VP, NH, SB
FM finally takes NR … but NR fights back … wheel to wheel … and NR re
21: LH pit stop #2
FM attacks NR again; makes it stick
JB attacks NR too; NR fights back; JB goes round the outside in the final turn
22: Replay of JB’s pass on NR – great move!
23: JB all over the rear of FM
24: JB uses DRS to pass FM; FM locks up trying to defend
FM dives into the pits; FA is still in the box; barely time for the team to reset before FM stops
25/58: SV, MW, FA, JB, LH, RB, AS, VP, FM, NR
26: SV pits from P1; another clean stop; rejoins still ahead of MW
27: JB pits; problem with the left rear? rejoins just ahead of NR
FA sets another fastest lap; closing on MW
28: Pit-car radio for MW suggests he opens the gap over FA
Pit-car for FA tells him about MW’s message
29/58 = half distance; phew!
FA breezes past MW for P2
JB attacking FM
30: SV, FA, MW, LH, VP, FM, JB, NR, NH, MS
31: MS pits
33: A brief lull in the action
35: Horrendous pit stop for LH – problem with the wheel nut on the front right, then they had to hold him as a Ferrari was entering the box in front of them
36: FM runs wide over the marbles; KK dashes past but FM passes him back a couple of corners later
37: LH f/lap 1:31.586
38: MW f/lap 1:31.005
39: FA f/lap 1:30.953
40/58: SV, FA, MW, JB, SB, LH, NR, VP, RB, NH
JB pits – final stop? – rejoins ahead of VP
41: SV pits
42: SV ~7sec ahead of FA, who in turn is ~3sec ahead of MW
44: Incident involving car 12 (PM) for speeding in the pit lane
45: Drive-through penalty for car 12 (PM) for speeding in the pit lane
NR pits
SB steams past MS for P10
46: MW pits; slow stop
PD has pulled the Force India well off-track to stop
47: FA pits; rejoins still ahead of MW
LH pits
NR uses DRS to take P8 from FM
FM pits
48: SV pits; he had a safe gap so he’s playing it safe
49: JB seems quite steady through the final turn
50/58: SV, FA, MW, JB, LH, NR, SB, VP, NH, KK
LH has the DRS advantage and newer tyres so he easily passes JB for P4
51: NR catching JB at just over 1sec per lap
52: MW uses DRS and squeaks past FA for P2
FA fights back but MW makes the Red Bull very wide
53: MW opens a > 1 sec gap over FA so no DRS for the Ferrari
54: FM passes MS but MS fights back and re-takes the position
55/58: SV, MW, FA, LH, JB, NR, NH, SB, VP, KK
NR storms past JB for P5
56: JA pits!
57: AS and SP battle it out as SV tries to lap them
58/58 = final lap: SV takes the chequered flag
MW home for P2
FA gives Ferrari their first podium in … well, forever!
P4=LH, 5=NR, 6=JB, 7=NR, 8=VP, 9=SB, 10=KK
P11=FM, 12=MS, 13=AS (+1 lap), 14=SP, 15=RB, 16=JA, 17=PM, 18=JT, 19=HK, 20=JD, 21=NK, 22=VL
DNF: PD
DNS: TG
So based on this provisional result, the top of updated points tables look like this:
2011 Drivers’ Championship
1 | S Vettel | 93 |
2 | L Hamilton | 59 |
3 | M Webber | 55 |
4 | J Button | 46 |
5 | F Alonso | 41 |
6 | F Massa | 24 |
7= | N Heidfeld | 21 |
7= | V Petrov | 21 |
9 | N Rosberg | 20 |
10 | K Kobayashi | 8 |
2011 Constructors’ Championship
1 | Red Bull | 148 |
2 | McLaren | 105 |
3 | Ferrari | 65 |
4 | Renault | 42 |
5 | Mercedes | 26 |
6 | Sauber | 8 |
7 | Toro Rosso | 6 |
8 | Force India | 4 |
9= | Lotus | 0 |
9= | Williams | 0 |
9= | Virgin | 0 |
9= | Hispania | 0 |