With 3 penalties to be applied after Qualifying, it was hard to calculate the grid positions … and then 2 more penalties were added: NK for impeding MS in Q1 (5 grid spots) and DR
So, the grid is: SV, MW, FA, JB, LH*, FM, NR, AS, SB, JA, MS, PD, PM, BS, RB, VP*, KK, HK, JT, SP*, JD, TG, DR*, NK*. (*indicates penalty applied)
SV leads everyone away off the dusty grid
Pit-car radio telling PD that the 3 cars in front of him are starting on soft tyres; he’s on the hard compound
Long wait as the grid forms up
01/60: Contact in Turn 1 – RB, KK, TG involved
More contact in Turn 2 – JT spins around
JB past MW for P2
02: SV, JB, MW, FA, FM, LH, NR, MS
Replay shows KK take out TG as he (KK) rejoined in Turn 1
04: SV already has a 2.6sec lead over JB
TG has parked his car in the garage and retired
DRS enabled
05/60: SV, JB, MW, FA, FM, LH, NR, MS; retirements: TG, KK
MW attacking JB but JB pushes the Red Bull wide and keeps P2 for now
06: SV’s lead now 4.2secs
07: SV fastest lap 1:31.834
09: SV f/lap 1:31.308
JA makes a nice move on BS to take P10
10/60: SV, JB, MW, FA, FM, LH, NR, MS, AS, JA
12: JB f/lap 1:31.070
JB slowly dropping MW and closing on SV
13: JB f/lap 1:31.033
14: PM has stopped off track – gearbox failure?
JA takes P9 from AS
15/60:
17: MW, FA and LH pit
That’s one really dusty pit lane!
19: JB pits – rejoins still in P2
MS pits too
20/60: SV pits – clean but not super quick stop – rejoins still with a healthy lead
FM f/lap 1:30.243
21: MS down the inside of BS for P8 (BS has yet to pit)
22: SV f/lap 1:30.058
23: FM runs wide in Turn 1
LH gets right up onto the gearbox of FM’s Ferrari
24: LH still all over FM
LH down the inside – FM turns in and makes contact – both wave their hands
25/60: SV, JB, MW, FA, FM, LH, NR, MS, JA, SB; retirements: PM, TG, KK
LH pits for new front wing – he’s down to P9
26: SB off track – engine failure?
Incident involving cars 3 (LH) and 6 (FM) under investigation
Pit-car radio from LH claiming FM didn’t give him any space [radio comms are usually delayed]
27: Marshals pretty efficiently clearing SB’s Toro Rosso under yellow flags
29: FA f/lap 1:29.568
30/60: SV f/lap 1:29.510
SV, JB, MW, FA, FM, NR
Drive-through penalty for car 6 (FM) for causing the accident
31: Pit-car radio telling LH that FM has been given a penalty; wish we could have heard the reply
FM serves his drive-through penalty – rejoins in P7, just ahead of LH
32: FA f/lap 1:29.036
FM pits – changing the nose as well as tyres
VP runs wide, kicks up lots of dust, but catches it and brings the Renault back under control
34: FM runs a fraction wide, clouts an orange kerb and breaks his front-left suspension
35/60: SV, JB, MW, FA, NR, MS, LH, JA, BS, AS; retirements: FM, SB, PM, TG, KK
38: MW pits from P3 – hard tyres – rejoins P4
40/60: SV, JB, FA, MW, NR, MS, LH
FA pits from P3 – hard tyres – rejoins just ahead of MW
41: MW pushing FA hard for P3
MW over-drives it and lets FA pull away a little
42: JB lapping faster than SV and closing slowly on the Red Bull
43: RB takes P15 from NK
44: SV’s lead over JB is ~5secs
45/60: SV breaks the record for the number of laps led in a season!
46: LH pits
JB pits too – forcefully claims the apex from the HRT
47: SV pits – clean stop – still clearly ahead of JB
49: MW runs wide but returns to the track
50/60: SV, JB, FA, MW, MS, NR, LH, JA, BS, AS; retirements: FM, SB, PM, TG, KK
51: MS pits from P5 – rejoins still in P5, ahead of his teammate
53: Pit-car radio for MS telling him he’s 1.5sec ahead of NR; “you’re free to race but keep it clean”!
54: SV f/lap 1:27.922
55/60: SV, JB, FA, MW, MS, NR, LH, JA, BS, AS; retirements: FM, SB, PM, TG, KK
56: SV f/lap 1:27.782
57: VP harrying SP for P11
58: BS finally pits for his remaining set of tyres; drops from P9 to P12
59: VP still not quite close enough to attack SP
MW has closed right up on FA but it’s too late
60/60 = final lap: SV f/lap 1:27.457
Pit-car radio for SV, trying to get him to bring it home safely
SV takes the chequered flag
JB over the line for P2
FA holds off MW for P3
P5=MS, 6=NR, 7=LH, 8=JA, 9=AS, 10=SP
P11=VP, 12=BS, 13=PD, 14=HK, 15=RB, 16=JD, 17=NK, 18=DR, 19=JT
DNF: FM, SB, PM, TG, KK.
Provisional result: SV, JB, FA, MW, MS, NR, LH, 8A, AS, SP, VP, BS, PD, HK, RB, JD, NK, DR, JT.
[source: FIA]
2011 Drivers’ Championship
2011 Constructors’ Championship