After a dry Qualifying session, and no penalties, the grid looks like this: LH, RG, SV, JB, KR, FA, FM, PM, BS, NH, MW, PRe, NR, SP, KK, JV, MS, DR, HK, VP, CP, TG, PRo, NK.
There is heavy rain forecast for the race, which will make the twisty Hungaroring circuit quite a challenge. However, a few minutes before the start, it’s quite hot – air 30°C, track 46°C, humidity 41%, wind 2.7m/s. Tail wind on the main straight.
Tyre compounds: medium (prime; white band), soft (option; yellow band); will we see the intermediate or full wet tyres today?
Everyone starting on options except MW, P, TG & PRo.
My GridBids picks for this weekend: SV, MW, JB, LH, FM, NH & PRe.
LH leads everyone away on the formation lap
Grid forms up
RG has stopped a couple of feet short of his marker
Aborted start!
Lots of waved yellow flags – MS has stalled on the grid
Everyone is sent around for another formation lap as the Mercedes is pushed into the pit lane
MS is restarted by his mechanics; drives down to the end of the pit lane; he has to wait for everyone to pass before he can join the track
LH brings everyone else round onto the grid
(That counts as a lap, so now it’s a 69 lap race)
01/69: JB attacking SV … and steals P3
PM pushing NR for P11
Great start for MW
02: LH, RG, JB, SV, FA, KR, MW, BS, FM, NH
Radio for KR asking why KERS isn’t working
MS pits – swaps to primes and he’s off again
Car 7 (MS) under investigation for speeding in the pit lane – it’s not his day
03: DRS enabled
LH fastest lap 1:29.504
Drive-through penalty for MS
04: LH fastest lap 1:29.096
05/69: RG 1:28.460
TG has spun at Turn 12; recovered
06: LH has a 2.2sec lead over RG, who in turn has a 1.7 gap to JB
MS has served his penalty
07: RG 1:28.301
08: LH 1:27.874
09: Radio from JB asking about SV
KK pits
10/69: LH, RG, JB, SV, FA, KR, MW, BS, FM, NH; no retirements
11: LH 1:27.705
12: KK uses KERS and DRS to take P20 from PRo
Radio for LH checking on his tyres
13: SV sitting just inside DRS activation range, ready to attack JB
JV pits – 3-stopping?
14: LH 1:27.667
RG 1:27.386
LH’s lead 2.4sec; RG has 6.0sec gap to JB
15/69: LH, RG, JB, SV, FA, KR, MW, BS, FM, NH; no retirements
MS passes NK, moves up to P22
DR pits
JB fighting oversteer into Turn 4
16: JB pits from P3 – 19.4sec in pit lane – rejoins ahead of SP
NH & PM pit too
SV pushing hard now he has clean air
17: BS pits, as does NR and PRe
RG a fraction quicker than LH
18: SV pits from P3 – 19.3sec – rejoins behind JB
FA pits too – 19.6sec
HK pits
KR very quick in Sector 2
Radio for JB: “plan A”
19: LH pits from P1 – 20.4sec – slow release
FM pits – 19.9sec
FA tucked up behind SP
20/69: RG pits, giving up P1 – slow stop – 22.1sec – rejoins
SV 1:27.327
FA makes a strong pass on SP
Radio for MW – “KERS 4”; most people gone primes; “same flap adjustment?” – “yes”
21: KR and MW pit – that’s all the front-runners stopped now
SV has closed up to JB – SV on options but JB on primes, so SV has an advantage
22: RG 1:26.725
SP pits; only PRo yet to stop
23: LH, RG, JB, SV, KR, FA, MW, BS, FM, NR; no retirements
Top 10 on primes (medium compound) except RG, SV & KR on options (soft)
24: RG 1:26.535 – gap to LH down to 1.3secs
Leaders lap PRo (P22)
25/69: LH, RG, JB, SV, KR, FA, MW, BS, FM, NR; no retirements
LH’s lead down to 0.9sec, which means RG can use DRS
26: Mistake from RG? Gap now 1.7sec
RG 0.7sec slower than LH in Sector 2 – have his option tyres hit the cliff?
27: SV still sitting on JB’s tail
28: Radio for KR suggesting he think about “multi-map 4” to converse his tyres – “we need to make this stint long”
29: SV in the dirty air behind JB – surprised he’s not attacking or dropping back a little
30/69: LH, RG, JB, SV, KR, FA, MW, BS, FM, NR, NH, PM, PRe, DR, SP, KK, JV, HK, MS, VP, CP, PRo*, NK*, TG*. (*+1 lap)
3-stoppers should be making their 2nd stop soon
31: SV looking to his team to do something to help him pass JB, e.g. changing pit strategy
Radio for SV – “we’re working on it”; “try something”
JV pits
32: Radio for JB – “we have to switch to Plan B”
33: MS pits – rejoins just ahead of (but a lap behind) JB+SV
34: LH’s lead 1.1sec over RG; 5.6sec gap to JB; SV 0.5sec behind the McLaren
Half distance
35/69: JB pits from P3; options; 19.0sec; rejoins behind BS
Radio for LH – “we may need to go to Plan B”
DR pits
36: SV 1:26.512 – making the most of clean air once JB pitted
JB needs to pass BS quickly to make the most of his new soft tyres
37: LH maintaining his lead but SV is 0.5sec faster than RG
KR 1:26.365
Radio for MW asking if FA is struggling with his tyres
JB losing time behind BS but it’s for position so the Williams driver is right to fight to keep P7
38: Radio from LH complaining about back markers in his way
KR 1:26.128 – he’s more than 0.5sec quicker than SV; they’re both closing on RG
39: SV pits from P3; primes; 19.3sec; rejoins ahead of the pack which includes JB
PRe pits
40/69: RG pits from P2; quick stop; 20.2sec
MW pits too; options; 19.1sec
JB still looking for a way past BS
41: LH pits; 19.0sec; rejoins P2
NR pits
Radio for LH – “we’re ahead of all the cars we need to be ahead of”
42: KR 1:25.728
MW 1:25.402
McLaren in the pits
43: BS pits; releasing JB
McLaren crew return to the garage – was that to push Williams into pitting BS?
RG stuck behind FA – same problem JB had
44: FA pits, as does PRo; FA rejoins behind MW so he’s lost a place
FM pits too; FA had just left box
45/69: KR*, LH, RG, SV, JB, MW, FA, BS, FM, NR; still no retirements
Radio for KR – “really need to push; last lap for us”
46: KR pits, followed JB
KR rejoins alongside teammate RG; wheel to wheel in to Turn 1; KR pushes RG wide and takes P2
JB’s stop – problem seating the front left
47: SV harrying RG for P3
PM dives down the inside of PRe – pushes the Force India off track
48: SP & DR pit
49: Radio for LH – “all cars have made their final stops”
50/69: LH, KR, RG, SV, MW, FA, JB, BS, FM, NR; NH, PM, PRe, SP, KK, DR, JV, MS, HK, VP, CP, TG, PRo, NK
Incident involving cars 11 & 18 (PRe & PM) under investigation
51: KR has closed LH’s lead to 1.9sec; he’s 0.8sec faster than LH
52: Drive-through penalty for PM
LH’s rear red light is flashing – why? (Usually indicates wet weather tyres or pit lane limiter)
53: Radio for KR suggests they’ll wind up the power when he’s close enough to attack LH
PM serves his penalty
VP pits
54: LH’s lead down to 0.9sec, which means KR will be able to use DRS
RG cut across the chicane
Radio for SV telling him to keep pushing
55/69: LH, KR, RG, SV, MW, FA, JB, BS, FM, NR
Only MW on options – everyone else on the harder prime tyres
56: MW pits – another set of options – 19.3secs – rejoins between BS & FM
57: LH personal fastest lap; lead back to 1.0sec
58: KR using DRS on the main straight but still not close enough to attack LH
KR sitting in the dirty air behind the McLaren – that’ll be punishing the Lotus’ tyres
HK pits
59: SV pits – team rush to their positions – options – 18.9sec – rejoins just in front of FA
FA looks around the outside of SV but can’t make it work
Radio from KR – only hope of passing LH is if he has problems with his tyres
60/69: LH, KR, RG, SV, FA, JB, BS, MW, FM, NR
MS pits – pushed into the garage – is there a problem or is that just because they’re so far out of the points? (That means they could make a “free” gearbox change)
61: SV 1:25.137
KR still 1.0sec behind LH
JB 0.7sec off FA
Radio for LH reminding him to keep looking after his tyres
62: SV 1:24.864 – that’s almost 2sec faster than LH
63: SV 1:24.584 – he’s 13.4sec behind RG but 2sec/lap quicker – can he catch him?
SV pushing hard; runs a little wide
64: JB has dropped back a little from FA
MW closing on BS
NK has pulled onto the grass – looks like he’s damaged the front left
65/69: LH, KR, RG, SV, FA, JB, BS, MW, FM, NR; retirements: NK, MS
Yellow flags at NK’s parked car
66: JV pits – that’s a very late stop
67: Race control say NK’s car will stay at Turn 4 until the end of the race
68: KR 1.2sec behind LH – he’s a fraction faster but he can’t get close enough to challenge for P1
69/69: LH starts the final lap
SV 1:24.136 – 3.4sec behind RG
KK pits!
LH takes the chequered flag – 2nd win of this season
KR 2nd, followed by Lotus teammate RG with SV just 1.0sec behind
Provisional result: LH, KR, RG, SV, FA, JB, BS, MW, FM, NR; NH, PRe, PM, SP, DR, JV, HK, VP, CP, TG, PRo
DNF: KK, NK, MS
So where was the torrential downpour? (I’m glad it didn’t rain – there was enough happening as it was!)
Not sure I like the interviews on the podium, especially with celebrity interviewers – it’s better when it’s someone who knows the sport!
So how did my GridBids picks fare? SV=P4, MW=P8, JB=P6, LH=P1, FM=P9, NH=P11 & PRe=P12.
Official update: “You scored 51 points for this race and have a total of 438 points this season. You ranked 119 for this race and 149 overall.”
Points update: [previous]
2012 Drivers’ Championship
2012 Constructors’ Championship
The teams now have an enforced 1 month vacation, so the next race weekend will be Belgium, August 31st to September 2nd.
Spa-Francorchamps is one of my favourite F1 circuits, so I’m expecting another exciting race!