Canadian Grand Prix – Race

Provisional grid: ROS, HAM, VET, BOT, MAS, RIC, ALO, VER, BUT, RAI, HUL, MAG, PER, GRO, KVY, SUT, MAL, CHI, BIA, KOB, ERI, GUT*
*GUT couldn’t take part in Qualifying after damaging his car in Free Practice 3; the stewards have allowed him to race but he’ll start from the pit lane.

KOB is penalised for a gearbox change but he’ll only drop from P20 to P21.

Weather: air 27°C; track 50°C; wind 3m/s; forecast says no chance of showers

Tyre choices: prime = soft compound (yellow lettering), option = supersoft (red)

My GridBids picks for the race are: ROS, HAM, MAG & VER (because I couldn’t afford BUT)

All the top 10 qualifiers have to start on the supersoft tyres that they used to set their fastest times

ROS leads everyone (except GUT) away on the formation lap
HAM a bit slow off the dummy grid – VET passed him but will have to let HAM retake his position

01/70: Good start from HAM but ROS holds P1
VET squeezes HAM to take P2
Marussia into the wall
Safety Car deployed
Replay shows the two Marussia cars made contact going into Turn 4
BIA and CHI both out

02[SC]: GUT pits
There’s oil spilled on the racing line where BIA hit the wall

03[SC]: order is ROS, VET, HAM, BOT, MAS, RIC, VER, ALO, RAI, BUT, PER, HUL, MAG, SUT, GRO, KVY, MAL, KOB, ERI, GUT; retirements: CHI, BIA
Replay of the start shows ROS defending from HAM; ROS pushes HAM wide, which allows VET to take P2

04[SC]: HAM asking for lots of power at the restart
Radio from VET pointing out a piece of debris still on the track

05/70[SC]: a long SC period is helping the Renault engine cars
GUT has made a 2nd pit stop; he switched from soft to supersoft in his first stop, and now he’s back on primes

06[SC]: Radio from HAM asking the team to watch Turn 4 on the restart, to let him know if it cleans up enough that he can attack there on the following lap

07[SC]: Safety Car in at the end of this lap
ROS drops back from the SC, starts bunching everyone up
VET a bit slow when ROS sprints away

08: clean restart
PER out-brakes BUT and takes P10

09: ROS fastest lap 1:20.126
Radio for ROS – “fuel is good to the end”
ERI pits – looks like he’s going to retire

10/70: ROS, VET, HAM, BOT, MAS, RIC, VER, ALO, RAI, BUT
KVY touches the grass on Turn 1, spins, recovers
DRS enabled
HAM reclaims P2 from VET

11: HAM f/lap 1:19.927
Incident involving cars 4 (CHI) and 17 (BIA) will be investigated after the race – causing a collision

12: ROS f/lap 1:19.840
GRO pits

14: RIC pits – that’s an early stop for Red Bull – rejoins P15

15/70: ROS, HAM, VET, MAS, VER
BOT pits, as does BUT

16: VET pits, as do VER, MAS, MAG, SUT

17: BUT trying to pass GUT – looks harder than you’d think it should be
ALO pits – rejoins inches ahead of VER
ALO locks up, under pressure from VER

18: RAI pits – he was P3 (because of all the pit stops), rejoins in front of BUT
Replay of MAS’ stop shows problem from front left

19: ROS pits from P1, clean stop; rejoins
ROS clips the grass through the chicane – almost hits the wall

20/70: HAM pits from P1 – felt slower than ROS
PER and HUL yet to pit – currently P3 and P4 respectively

21: KVY cuts the final turn; stays ahead of RAI but may have to give up the position

23: HAM f/lap … but all times are wiped on FIA timing chart!
MAL’s left side pod damaged; pits

24: VET dives inside HUL at the hairpin; out-brakes himself; HUL reclaims P4

25/70: ROS, HAM, PER, HUL, VET, BOT, RIC, ALO, MAS, VER
HAM f/lap 1:
KOB spins in Turn 1 – rear left broken?
KOB pulls off – he’s out
ROS cuts the final turn – will he have to let HAM pass? HAM wasn’t close enough to pass so ROS may be OK

26: MAS passes ALO – takes P8

27: Both ROS and HAM having small lock-ups as they push really hard
Incident involving car 6 (ROS) under investigation – track limits

28: Radio for PER – keep doing what you’re doing
GRO past GUT for P15
Looks like FIA timing fixed now

29: Radio for HAM – ROS under investigation so don’t take any risks
HAM still under 1sec behind his teammate

30/70: ROS, HAM, PER, HUL, VET, BOT, RIC, MAS, ALO, VER; retirements: KOB, MAL, ERI, CHI, BIA

31: Radio for PER – looking to extend this stint

32: Radio for ROS – need to save fuel
HAM right on ROS’ rear wing

33: Radio for HAM – no penalty for ROS but he’s on his final warning
GUT pits again – 3rd stop

34: Radio from ROS – asking where HAM is on brake balance? Told ROS is more forward

35/70 = half distance: PER pits from P3, rejoins P11

36: BOT pits; 2nd stop for the Williams; rejoins behind BUT

37: VET pits from P4
Radio from HAM – “lost power”; engineer says “we’re looking into it”

38: Radio from ROS – sounds like a loss of power problem too!
RIC pits; rejoins ahead of VET
Both Mercedes cars running albeit a fraction off the pace; on-board they sound OK

39: Incident involving car 6 (ROS) – no further action
BUT pits
Both Mercedes ~2sec off the pace
VER pits

40/70: ROS, HAM, HUL, MAS, ALO, PER, RIC, VET, BOT, MAG
HAM closing on ROS but they’re both still off their normal times

41: RAI spins in the hairpin; rejoins
Replay shows no-one close to RAI when he spun

42: ROS and HAM times picking up at last
HUL pits – his first (only?) stop
Radio for RIC – do not lift early, it’s bad for energy recovery; no need to save fuel

43: MAS is closing on HAM at about 1.5sec/lap but he’s 19sec behind

44: Radio for MAS – try to make these tyres last to the end
Radio for ROS – both cars have same problem, don’t think we can solve it, pick up pace as P3 (MAS) is closing on you

45/70: ROS dives into the pit lane – will the car be OK leaving the box? Clean but not fast stop; ROS rejoins P3 behind MAS
ALO pits

46: HAM pits – front wing adjustment – quicker stop than ROS – rejoins behind MAS, ahead of ROS
MAG pits too
HAM wide in the hairpin; ROS takes P2

47: HAM attacking into the final turn – contact with ROS? – takes P2
HAM cuts the corner – lifts to let ROS retake P2
HAM slowing – puncture?
Radio from HAM – brake problem!

48: HAM pits – turns it off and is pushed into the garage
ROS runs wide in Turn 6
Radio for ROS – urgently telling him to look after his brakes

49: MAS pits from P1; rejoins P7, behind his teammate
PER is 2.5sec behind ROS but a lot quicker
KVY pulls off in the hairpin – sounds like a gearbox problem

50/70: ROS, PER, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, MAS, ALO, BUT, VER; retirements: KVY, HAM, KOB, MAL, ERI, CHI, BIA
PER is just 1.2sec behind ROS – how long can ROS fend him off?
Radio for ROS saying brake temps ok, push where you can

51: Radio for RIC giving him the gap to ROS

52: PER under 1sec behind ROS; RIC only 1.2sec behind PER
Radio for VET telling him to conserve tyres – his teammate (RIC) will destroy his

53: PER no longer closing on ROS; instead PER now holding up RIC and VET

54: Radio for RIC asking where he thinks he can try for a pass (on PER) and they’ll work out energy strategy

55/70: ROS, PER, RIC, VET, HUL, BOT, MAS, ALO, BUT, VER
ROS goes purple (fastest time) in Sector 1 – he’s pushing again

56: Radio for MAS – keep up the pressure (on BOT)

57: Radio for BOT – swap positions as soon as possible
BOT lets MAS take P6 in the chicane, and then inside HUL into the final turn for P5

58: Lots of vibration from BOT’s front right

59: MAS f/lap 1:18.504
VET gets very close to RIC’s rear wing in the hairpin

60/70: ROS, PER, RIC, VET, MAS, HUL, BOT, ALO, BUT, VER
ALO round BOT to take P7

61: four cars within 1.5sec of ROS
GRO in the pits again; pushed into the garage – looks like rear wing damage

62: MAS now on the gearbox of VET

63: Radio for MAS reminding him he’s on fresher tyres than the guys ahead

64: MAS looks close as they come out of the hairpin

65/70: Radio for RIC – manage temps, pull out for the pack
VET a little wide in the hairpin
Radio from PER – brake problem?

66 = 5 laps left: RIC dives past PER into Turn 1 – steals P2

-4: Radio for PER telling him to close on RIC; PER says brake problem means he can’t
GUT pits; retires

-3: Radio for PER – stick with it, we’re looking at issue
RIC is ~0.5sec/lap quicker than ROS

-2: RIC takes P1 from ROS before Turn 1
PER falling back from ROS as he fends off VET
PER wide in the hairpin
VET takes P3 into the final turn

Final lap: MAS hits the rear of PER – they’re both off into the tyres
Looks like a big impact for both drivers!
Safety Car deployed
Medical cars already attending the scene of the accident
Both drivers moving in their cars

RIC takes the chequered flag
ROS holds on to P2

Replay of the incident shows MAS cut out, looking to dive inside PER but instead hits his rear left

Provisional result: RIC, ROS, VET, BUT, HUL, ALO, BOT, VER, MAG, RAI; PER, MAS, SUT
DNF: GUT, GRO, KVY, HAM, KOB, MAL, ERI, CHI, BIA

Great reception for RIC on the podium
Jean Alesi lets everyone know MAS and PER are OK after that last lap collision