Chinese Grand Prix – Race

Tyres for this race weekend: prime=hard, option=soft

Provisional grid: HAM, RAI, ALO, ROS, MAS, GRO, RIC, BUT, VET, HUL; DIR, PER, SUT, WEB, MAL, VER, BOT, GUT, BIA, CHI, PIC, VDG.

VET and HUL will be able to pick the tyres on which they’ll start the race; BUT will start on primes (hard compound) and the top 7 on options (soft).

After Qualifying, WEB was penalised for not having enough fuel for inspection and sent to the back of the grid.

As the cars sit on the grid it looks like VET and HUL are both starting on primes

Air temperature 25°C, track 35°C, wind 11m/s

WEB is starting from the pit lane after be penalised and moved to P22; he’ll be starting on options

HAM leads the pack away on the formation lap
SUT and MAL are on options; the rest of the midfield are on primes; the guys right at the back (BIA, CHI, PIC & VDG) are on options too.

01/56: Good start by HAM but both Ferraris pass RAI before Turn 1
BUT trying to get past RIC
Radio for WEB telling him to pit already

02: Contact between the two Force Indias
WEB pits

03: HAM, ALO, MAS, RAI, ROS, GRO, RIC, BUT, VET, HUL
GRO fastest lap 1:44.020
Race control: DRS enabled

04: ALO using DRS to catch right up to HAM
GRO takes P5 from ROS
WEB f/lap 1:43.511
ALO attacking HAM

05/56: ALO takes P1; MAS all over HAM too
MAS takes P2
RAI now looking at HAM but no way past
RIC in the pits
HUL past ROS
VET makes a move on ROS

06: HAM pits, with ROS right behind him
SUT pits – rear wing damage – replay shows GUT slammed into the rear of SUT under braking
GUT wrecked his car too – ripped off the front right

07: ALO and RAI pit
Radio for MAS – “box at the end of this lap”
JEV splits the two Williams

08: MAS pits
HAM f/lap 1:42.612
Everyone except MAL currently on primes
Incident involving cars 12 and 15 (GUT and SUT) will be investigated after the race

10/56: HUL, VET, BUT, PER, DIR, ALO, HAM, RAI, VER, MAS; retirements: SUT, GUT
(WEB P11)

11: Incident involving cars 17 and 18 (BOT and VER) under investigation – overtaking under yellow flags

12: HUL has 1.8sec lead over VET
BBC report Red Bull have just replaced the traffic lights they use in pit stops

14: PER weaving? You’re allowed one move to defend and it looked like 2 as ALO attacks
ALO takes P4
On-board with HAM – very close to DIR under braking
Radio for VET – “box, box, box”

15/56: HUL and VET pit together; slow stop by Sauber; VET exits well ahead of HUL
WEB down the inside of VER – contact – VER spins; WEB broke front wing
Radio for WEB: “how does the car feel?” – “no too bad” – “pit this lap”

16: WEB pits
RAI hits the rear of PER – broken front wing on the Lotus
Radio from RAI – “what the hell is he doing?”
WEB coasting round – his race is over

17: Radio from WEB – “right rear is broken”
Replay of RAI/PER incident – looks like RAI ran a bit wide and couldn’t brake hard enough
Incident involving cars 2 and 18 (WEB and VER) under investigation
Incident involving cars 6 and 7 (PER and RAI) under investigation – causing collision
WEB coasting through the hairpin – wheel comes off, just in front of VET

20/56: BUT, HAM, ALO, RAI, PER, VET, HUL, GRO, RIC, DIR; retirements: WEB, SUT, GUT
MAS pits, as does ROS
VET passes PER for P5
DRS enabled

21: ALO takes P2 from HAM
ROS pits again
RAI all over the rear of HAM

22: HAM and RAI pit; HAM stays ahead
Incident involving cars 6 and 7 (PER and RAI) – no further action
ROS pits; parks in the garage and he’s out of the car

23: Radio for ALO – “pit at end of lap”
HAM passes RIC for P7 … but RIC tries to fight back

24: ALO and BUT pit
Use of DRS under yellow flags under investigation for cars 5 and 8 (BUT and GRO)

25/56: VET, HUL, ALO, BUT, HAM, RAI, DIR, MAS, GRO, PER
HAM f/lap 1:41.483

26: MAS closing on DIR
ALO f/lap 1:41.090
Use of DRS under yellow flags for cars 5 and 8 (BUT and GRO) will be investigated after the race
ALO slips down the inside of HUL for P2

27: DIR holding off MAS
Radio from BUT asking about the age of HAM’s tyres (2 laps older than BUT’s); BUT asks “do we want to fight?” (or conserve tyres); told “yes, fight”

28 = half-distance: Radio for VET – “don’t lose time defending from ALO”
HAM still harrying BUT

29: HAM uses DRS to make an easy pass and take P4 from BUT
ALO runs up behind VET, easily past to take P1
RAI closing on BUT

30/56: ALO, VET, HUL, HAM, BUT, RAI, DIR, MAS, PER, GRO
HUL pits; options; rejoins P8

31: Radio for VET – “box”
RAI down the inside of BUT to take P4

32: VET pits; primes; rejoins P8
HUL f/lap 1:40.630
VET closes on MAS; immediately dives inside and steals P7
VET easily past DIR to take P6

33: DIR pits
Everyone currently on primes except HUL

34: VET rushes up behind HUL and eases past for P5
VET f/lap 1:40.391

35/56: ALO, HAM, RAI, BUT, VET, HUL, MAS, RIC, GRO, VER; retirements: ROS, WEB, SUT, GUT
RAI pits; rejoins P8

36: Radio from BUT – “traffic is destroying my tyres” – he’s behind CHI
Radio for VET – “we have to pass BUT”
And with that, VET takes P3 from BUT

37: HUL and MAS pit – HUL released alongside MAS – side by side to pit exit
Did HUL have a problem disengaging the pit limiter?

38: HAM pits – rejoins P6 behind RIC
GRO and VER both pit

39: HAM lines up RIC; uses DRS to pass for P5
RIC pits

40/56: VET, ALO, BUT, RAI, HAM, DIR, MAS, HUL, PER, RIC

41: Radio for ALO – “box now”

42 (75% distance): ALO pits – rejoins behind VET
HAM f/lap 1:40.058

43: ALO pretty easy move past VET for P1

44: RAI passes BUT under braking for the hairpin – takes P3

45/56: ALO, VET, RAI, BUT, HAM, DIR, MAS, HUL, RIC, GRO
HAM attacking through Turns 2 and 3 – that’s unusual – takes P4
ALO still pushing – fastest Sector 2 time

46: ALO f/lap 1:39.692

47: ALO f/lap 1:39.506
Radio for ALO – “no need to push”

48: ALO has 6.67sec lead over VET, who in turn has 4.4sec gap to RAI
RIC takes P8 from HUL

49: Radio for HAM – “expecting VET to pit in next 3 laps”

50/56: ALO, VET, RAI, HAM, BUT, DIR, MAS, RIC, HUL, GRO; retirements: ROS, WEB, SUT, GUT
BUT pits from P5; rejoins P7

51: BUT closing on MAS and nicely past to take P6
Radio for VET – “box, box, box”

52: VET pits from P2; rejoins P4
Radio for VET – “race to the finish”

53: RAI 10.2sec behind ALO, but HAM is under 1sec behind RAI

54: VET f/lap 1:36.808
DIR pits from P5; rejoins P8

55/56: ALO, RAI, HAM, VET, BUT, MAS, RIC, DIR, GRO, HUL
VET is storming up to HAM – he might catch him

56 = final lap: HAM catching traffic as VET closes in
Radio from HAM desperately asking for blue flags
HAM clears the traffic
VET brakes late – runs deep
HAM locks up

ALO takes the chequered flag
RAI P2 despite damage to the nose
HAM stays just ahead of VET
Radio for HAM – “very close” “very good drive”

Provisional result: ALO, RAI, HAM, VET, BUT, MAS, RIC, DIR, GRO, HUL; PER, VER, BOT, MAL, BIA, PIC, CHI, VDG; DNF: ROS, WEB, SUT, GUT.