Paul Henman formula1 Spanish Grand Prix – Race

Spanish Grand Prix – Race

The first of the European races could be interesting thanks to Alonso’s comments (see Practice notes) and a strange grid (Qualifying notes)

Provisional grid: LH, PM, FA, RG, KR, SP, NR, SV, MS, KK, JB, MW, PRe, NH, JV, DR, FM, BS, VP, HK, CP, TG, PRo, NK* (*outside of 107% time)

My GridBids picks for this weekend: JB, LH, FM, FA, NR & NH

Air temperature 22°C, track 33°C; windy again but not as strong as it was in Qualifying.

LH stopped his car on track after his qualifying lap; he was excluded from qualifying because “the F1 rules require the car to return to the pits with one litre of fuel on board – running less fuel gives a performance advantage.” [source: BBC]

Revised grid: PM, FA, RG, KR, SP, NR, SV, MS, KK, JB, MW, PRe, NH, JV, DR, FM, BS, VP, HK, CP, TG, PRo, NK, LH

Expectation is 3 stops, with the options only lasting 12-15 laps

PM leads everyone away on the formation lap … once he passes FA who jumped off the grid very quickly
Radio for JB – everyone is starting on options

01/66: FA takes P1 in to Turn 1
Contact – SP has a puncture
SV down the inside of KK

02: FA, PM, KR, NR, RG, MS, SV, JB, KK, JV (LH P20)
MS takes a look as RG locks up into Turn 1
SP has made it back to the pits
CP spins – fortunately everyone misses him

03: FA not opening much of a lead over PM
PM fastest lap 1:30.597
LH attacking BS – passes him for P17
Replay from lap 1 shows SP cutting back onto the track right in front of LH, who has to dive off track to avoid hitting him

04: FA f/lap 1:30.202
SP f/lap 1:29.533 on primes

05/66: FA, PM, KR, NR, RG, MS, SV, JB, KK, JV (LH P17)
Radio for FM encouraging him to pass JV to get in the points
LH takes P16 from HK

06: Radio from FA says left front tyre is graining

07: MS pits – early stop for primes

08: SV pits – primes – rejoins just ahead of TG
MW locks up as the HRT of PRo in front of him brakes early for a turn

09: KK pits; rejoins ahead of MW
LH attacking NH for P12
NH runs a little wide and the McLaren steals the spot

10/66: Pit stops for NR, JB, PRe

11: FA pits from P1 – clean stop
RG & MS stop too, as do JV, FM, NH, VP, PRo

12: PM pits from P1 – slow into his box
KR pits from P2
RG shoulders his way past BS – contact

13: FA f/lap 1:29.149
MS runs into the rear of BS – MS off into the gravel – BS’s Williams badly damaged, trying to limp back to pits

15/66: LH pits from P4 – runs over rear wheel gun!
McLaren still have problems with the pit crew 🙁
Replay shows it was the old rear wheel which hadn’t been moved out the way!

16: RG uses DRS to take P4 from NR
Radio from LH asking what he hit in pit lane – told it was a tyre, don’t worry

17: Replay of MS ploughing through the back of BS – definitely MS’s fault, but will the stewards investigate/penalise him?
PRe passes MW for P9 – looks like the Red Bull has a problem
JV, FM & LH all pass MW
Red Bull pit crew getting a new nose cone ready

18: MW pits – rejoins P17

19: Radio for JB – moving to “Plan B”

20/66: FA, PM, KR, RG, NR, SV, JB, KK, PRe, JV (LH P12); retirements BS, MS
FA laps NK (22)
MW f/lap 1:29.140

21: SP f/lap 1:28.605

22: FA has a 1.5sec lead over PM
LH closing on FM
Incident involving cars 1 and 6 (SV & FM) under investigation

23: NR pits
Incident involving MS and BS will be investigated after the race

24: LH right on the gearbox of FM, taking a look in to Turn 1 but has to go round the outside, can’t make the pass

25/66: BBC interview MS – the liar claims BS was weaving under braking and MS (the hero in his tale) tried to avoid him; yeah, sure

26: NK parked at end of pit lane
Radio from JB – big flat spot on front left
JB pits from P6 – options – rejoins P10
FA shakes his hand as he laps

27: FA pits from P1 – rejoins P2
PM f/lap 1:27.906
RG pits, as does KK
Replay shows JV trying to pass round the outside of PRe; Force India uses whole track and JV has to run wide

28: KR and SV pit
LH still trying to pass FM
Drive through penalties for SV & FM – failing to slow for yellow flags

29: FM serves drive through penalty, releasing LH

30/66: PM, FA, KR, RG, LH, SV, NR, JB, KK, NH; retirements NK, BS, MS
PM has 7.0sec lead
JB right up under the wing of NR’s Mercedes
FM pits

31: SV serves his drive through penalty

33/66 = half distance

34: KK dives down the inside and steals P7 from JB
Radio from LH – tyres are going off badly now … but then he’s the only one to have only stopped once so far

35/66: PM, FA, KR, RG, LH, NR, KK, JB, SV, NH
KK closing on NR

36: LH pits – primes – with 30 laps left, surely he has to stop again
Drive through penalty for car 25 (CP) – ignoring blue flags

37: Radio for PM, reminding him to look after his tyres
Radio for LH says they’re not stopping again (or is that a bluff?)

38: CP serves his drive through penalty … except he parks it in the garage

39: SV attacks around the outside and takes P7 from JB
KK still hounding NR for P5
JB pits – primes – rejoins P15

40/66: LH fights his way past DR and JV
Replay of SP pit stop – shows rear right mechanic slips, pulled clear of car by teammate; they wave SP away … but then he parks the car part way round the lap

41: JB pushing FM hard for P13
FM dives past PRe and JB follows him through
JB outbrakes FM and takes the position

42: PM pits from P1 – slow stop – rejoins P3, but that should be his last stop
KK pits

43: SV pits – new nose cone = slow stop – drops from P6 to P10

45/66: FA, KR, PM, RG, NR, KK, LH, JB, FM, SV; retirements SP, CP, NK, BS, MS
FA pits from P1 – rejoins behind PM
MW f/lap 1:27.857

46: PM is stuck behind KR, which is helping FA catch up – the Lotus should pit soon, surely?
FM pits

47: PM uses DRS to reclaim P1
FA f/lap 1:27.390 – he’s about 1.5sec behind PM
Now FA is looking to pass KR, so in the meantime PM is re-opening his lead

48: FA uses DRS to pass KR and take P2

49: KR pits

50/66: PM, FA, RG, KR, NR, KK, LH, JB, SV, NH

52: FA is under 1sec behind PM
KR f/lap 1:26.938
RG pits from P4 – rejoins still P4

53: FM jumps out the way and let the leaders lap him

54: RG f/lap 1:26.250

55/60: PM’s lead is 1.3sec

56: FA closes to 0.9sec, which means he can use DRS if he can maintain that gap to PM

57: KR is closing on FA by about 1.5sec/lap so he should just about catch FA on the last lap

58: Radio for FA – use “press to pass”; “keep it on until I tell you” – which (I think) means he’ll have full power to attack PM

59: SV makes a fairly easy pass on JB to take P8

60/66: PM, FA, KR, RG, NR, KK, LH, SV, JB, NH; retirements SP, CP, NK, BS, MS
PM’s lead has opened to 1.4sec; KR still closing on FA but the gap is 11.4sec

61: KK takes a look down the inside of NR – tap wheels
KK has another look – this time he takes P5 from the Mercedes
MW attacking NH but can’t make it stick

62: SV closing right up to LH
Radio for LH telling him to look after his tyres
SV pushing hard

63: LH looking tidy, holding off SV but the Red Bull can use DRS and that’s an easy pass for P7

64: FA falling away from PM – 2.4sec gap now
Looks like FA is struggling with his tyres

65: KR has closed to 4.4sec behind FA
SV storms past NR to steal P6
Radio for KR encouraging him to push … in case that hadn’t occurred to him!

66=final lap: PM has 3.3sec lead over FA, who has KR just 2.3sec behind him
PM takes the chequered flag – first Venezuelan to win a Grand Prix – 5th winner in 5 races this season – first Williams victory since Brazil 2004
FA stays ahead of KR to take P2
P4=RG, 5=K, 6=SV
NR only just fends off a late attack from LH

Provisional result: PM, FA, KR, RG, KK, SV, NR, LH, JB, NH; MW, JV, DR, PRe, FM, HK, VP, TG, PRo.
DNF: SP, CP, NK, BS, MS.

5 thoughts on “Spanish Grand Prix – Race”

  1. My GridBids picks for this weekend: JB (P9), LH (P8), FM (P15), FA (P2), NR (P7) & NH (P10), so I think I did fairly well 🙂

  2. Schumacher handed five-place grid penalty for Monaco

    Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher has been punished by the Spanish stewards for his collision with Williams’ Bruno Senna during Sunday’s Barcelona race. Schumacher receives a five-place grid penalty for the next round in Monaco.

    [source: FIA]

  3. Williams crew injured in pit fire

    Williams’s celebrations of first Grand Prix victory in eight years have been marred by injuries to four team members in a fire in the team’s garage.

    Three members of the Williams team were taken to hospital, while four Caterham mechanics were treated at the track’s medical unit.

    A Force India team member was also treated on the site after suffering smoke inhalation.

    The incident is believed to involve a Kers unit, which sparked a fuel fire.

    [source: BBC]

    The FIA later confirmed that a total of 31 people had been seen by the circuit medical centre. All were released bar seven, who have been transferred to local hospitals where they are receiving treatment.

    Williams test driver Valtteri Bottas told UK F1 broadcasters Sky that there had been some kind of explosion in what is believed to have been the fuel area the garage while Sir Frank Williams was giving a victory speech to the team.

    [source: FIA]

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