After a damp Qualifying and some quick laps in the dying seconds of Q3, the grid wasn’t what some people expected. Since then there have been some more changes due to penalties:
- Gutierrez qualified 14th, dropped 10, unsafe release
- Chilton qualified 13th, dropped 5, gearbox change
- Maldonado excluded from qualifying, fuel infringement
- Ericsson, Kobayashi failed to meet Q1 107% requirement, race at stewards’ discretion.
So the grid now looks like: ROS, VET, BUT, HUL, MAG, HAM, PER, RIC, KVY, VER, GRO, BIA, SUT, BOT, MAS, ALO, CHI, RAI, GUT, MAL, ERI, KOB.
Air temperature 17°C; track 33°C; wind 4.7m/s; humidity 54%; 30% risk of rain
Tyre compounds: prime = hard (orange lettering), options = medium (white)
As the cars sit on the dummy grid we can see only ALO and RAI are starting on primes
ROS leads everyone away on the formation lap
Radio from ROS – clutch slipped on the practice start
01/52: Good start from BUT – up to P2
HUL dropped back to P6!
Contact! RAI and MAS at least involved
Safety Car deployed immediately
MAS is struggling to get his Williams back to the pits – rear left puncture
RAI is out of his car but hobbling!
Red flags – race stopped
Replay shows RAI run wide coming out of Aintree; well off track; bounced off the kerb as he rejoined the track; spun around and everyone tried to avoid him
Cars have reformed on the grid, except CHI in pits
Williams mechanics taking a good look at MAS’ car – looks like a lot of damage
MAS is out of the car and they’re pushing it into the pit lane
Marshals still busy cleaning up the debris
Replay shows PER involved in an incident, which is why he dropped from P7 to P19 on that first lap
No restart time as yet
Race control: guard rail repair necessary; next update in 15 minutes (13:30 local time)
Some tyres changes while they sit on the grid – PER and GRO switched to primes, ALO to options
Replay of MAS’ start shows he had problems getting off the grid – he was dead last going in to the first turn
Incident involving car 4 (CHI) under investigation – entering pit lane after race was suspended
Mechanics still working on CHI’s car; lots of duck tape being used on the front wing!
Race control: guard rail repair in progress; next update in 15mins (1345 BST)
Delayed restart
BBC report update from the medical centre: RAI has no broken bones but they are going to x-ray his ankle
FIA report Ferrari say RAI asked “Is Felipe OK?” after his accident
Turn 1 incident involving cars 25 (VER) and 11 (PER) under investigation – causing a collision
Restart order behind the Safety Car will be: ROS, BUT, MAG, HAM, VET, HUL, RIC, KVY, BOT, CHI*, BIA, SUT, GUT, ALO, MAL, ERI, GRO, VER, PER, KOB
*CHI is still in the pit lane and will probably pick up a penalty
Incident involving cars 25 (VER) and 11 (PER) under investigation – no further action warranted
Drive through penalty for car 4 (CHI) – entering pit lane after race was suspended
Race control: race will be resumed at 1405 local time
Clearing the grid
02[SC]/52: ROS leads away, behind the Safety Car
Order is [SC] ROS, BUT, MAG, HAM, VET, HUL, RIC, KVY, BOT, BIA, SUT, GUT, ALO, MAL, ERI, GRO, VER, KOB, PER, CHI
Lights off on the SC
SC enters the pit lane
ROS pulls away from BUT
03: BOT takes P8 from KVY
HAM lining up MAG
MAG runs wide; HAM takes P3
BOT past RIC for P7
04: ROS fastest lap 1:38.609
HAM closing on BUT
Easily down the inside of BUT for P2
CHI serves his drive-through penalty
ALO past GUT
05/52: ROS, HAM, BUT, MAG, VET, BOT, HUL, RIC, KVY, ALO; retirements: MAS, RAI
Ferrari say RAI’s impact was 47G!
06: DRS enabled
ALO lining up KVY
It takes 3 corners but ALO takes P9
07: ALO round RIC for P8
08: Radio from RIC – trouble with overall grip
Incident involving car 14 (ALO) under investigation – out of grid position on original start
Why has it taken over an hour to discover this?
09: ROS still ~5.5sec ahead of HAM, who in turn has ~10sec gap to BUT
10/52: ROS, HAM, BUT, MAG, VET, BOT, ALO, HUL, RIC, KVY
RIC around HUL for P8
GUT inside MAL but there’s no room – GUT hits MAL, throws MAL into the air
Damage to both cars; GUT off into the gravel
11: VET pits – anticipating SC?
Marshals extracting GUT’s car under yellow flags
12: Incident involving cars 13 (MAL) and 21 (GUT) under investigation – causing a collision
Sparks from ERI’s car – suspension failure? – limping back to the pits
ERI pits; pushed into the garage
13: Radio for ROS – fuel is on target but no excess
Race control: 5 second stop/go penalty for car 14 (ALO) – out of grid position
14: BOT nicely around MAG to take P4
15/52: ROS, HAM, BUT, BOT, MAG, ALO, RIC, HUL, KVY, VET; retirements: ERI, GUT, MAS, RAI
KVY pits; rejoins P14
16: ALO dives inside MAG to take P5
RIC pits
Incident involving cars 13 (MAL) and 21 (GUT) will be investigated after the race
17: HAM f/lap 1:38.554 – he’s closed the gap to ROS to 3.1sec
BOT steals P3 from BUT
Radio for ROS – “push hard”
RIC takes P8 from SUT
18: ROS pits; clean stop – 2.7sec; rejoins in clean air, P2
19: Radio for BOT – run this tyre to the end of its life; BOT says may be 10 laps left in them
20/52: HAM, ROS, BOT, BUT, ALO, MAG, VET, HUL, RIC, SUT
ALO looking for a way round BUT
Radio from ROS – gearbox problem on the down shift
21: BUT holding off ALO
Radio for ROS – continuing to look at (gearbox) problem
RIC all over the rear of HUL; uses DRS to take P8
22: HAM still not pitting
ROS f/lap 1:38.309
23: BUT still ahead of ALO
Radio for ROS – instructions to change gearbox settings
Radio from HAM – tyres starting to drop off
24: ALO lining up BUT but not close enough to attack
SUT pits from P10
25/52: HAM pits from P1; slow stop – 4.1sec; left rear was a bit slow
Radio from BUT pointing out ALO running off track at Copse
MAG tries to defend but VET cuts inside to take P6
26: Radio from HAM – let’s have a good one (pit stop) next time
ALO pits and serves 5sec stop/go penalty
Black and white flag for car 14 (ALO), presumably for repeatedly going off track
27: HAM f/lap 1:37.176
28: MAG pits
ALO past HUL
VER pits
29: ROS having gearbox problems – stuck in 5th gear
HAM blasts past to take P1 and lead his home grand prix
BUT pits
ROS slowing; trying to reset things and get back to the pits
ROS pulls off track
30/52: HAM, BOT, VET, RIC, BUT, ALO, MAG, HUL, KVY, GRO; retirements: ROS, ERI, GUT, MAS, RAI
ROS still trying to reset the gearbox but marshals telling him to turn off
31: Radio for HAM telling him to look after his car
BOT 23sec behind HAM and yet to pit
32: Radio from RIC asking about alternate strategies
BOT pits from P2; 2.9sec stop; rejoins P3 between VET and RIC
33: Radio for BOT telling him VET is on 21 lap old tyres and will need to stop again
34: BOT passes VET for P2 – Williams garage very excited to pass the Red Bull
VET pits; rejoins just in front of ALO
MAG looking for a gap as ALO harries VET
35/52: HAM, BOT, RIC, BUT, VET, ALO, MAG, KVY, HUL, VER
ALO takes P5 from VET
36: KVY pits
VET hanging on to the tail of ALO
37: VET alongside ALO – clean battle but ALO stays ahead
38: Radio from VET whining that ALO nearly hit him
39: Radio from SUT – “what’s going on with the brakes again? How can I race like this?
ALO runs off track again; got to get a penalty soon
40/52: HAM, BOT, RIC, BUT, ALO, VET, MAG, HUL, KVY, VER
Radio from ALO complaining about VET going off track (seriously!? pot, kettle)
Radio from HAM – tyres are good, lots of life left in them
41: PER takes P11 from SUT
42: HAM pits from P1; he had a 40sec lead over BOT; 3.4sec stop; rejoins still P1
VET runs wide in the final turn
43: VET attacking again
GRO takes P12 from SUT
44: Radio for MAG urging him to close up on the ALO-VET battle
45/52: HAM, BOT, RIC, BUT, ALO, VET, MAG, HUL, KVY, VER; retirements: ROS, ERI, GUT, MAS, RAI
Even though he has a 21sec lead over BOT, HAM sets fastest Sector 1 time
46: Radio from VET – “and another one” (ALO running off track)
47: ALO and VET both run wide
VET looks around the outside
48: Side by side, inches apart; VET finally makes the pass on ALO to take P5 but then runs wide
49: Radio from ALO complaining VET using DRS in an area where he’s not allowed to do so
50/52 = 3laps left: HAM, BOT, RIC, BUT, VET, ALO, MAG, HUL, KVY, VER
Radio for BUT – currently 1sec/lap faster than RIC (but gap is 4secs so BUT won’t catch RIC)
51: Radio from VET – asks about his brakes; “I can smell something”
MAL pulls off track with smoke from his engine
52 = final lap: Radio for HAM – exercise caution as they may be oil on track (due to MAL)
HAM takes the chequered flag, 6 years to the day since his first British GP win
HAM is driving off track, seat belt undone, waving to the crowd
BOT over the line in P2
RIC just 0.8sec ahead of BUT
Provisional result: HAM, BOT, RIC, BUT, VET, ALO, MAG, HUL, KVY, VER; PER, GRO, SUT, BIA, KOB, CHI, MAL (classified P17, despite retiring on the penultimate lap)
DNF: ROS, ERI, GUT, MAS, RAI
On the podium, Lewis pointing up at the British flag as the national anthem plays 🙂
Bit of a pathetic trophy though
Good to see John Surtees presenting a trophy
David Coulthard interviewing the top 3 drivers
Lewis points out his trophy is already falling apart!
My GridBids picks were ROS (DNF), HAM (P1), BUT (P4), MAG (P7) and CHI (P16).
“You scored 43 points for this race and have a total of 431 points this season. You ranked 107 for this race and 105 overall.”
“Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez will drop three places on the grid at the next round in Germany after Silverstone stewards decided he was ‘predominantly at fault’ for a coming-together with Lotus’s Pastor Maldonado during Sunday’s 2014 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix.” [source: FIA]