Paul Henman formula1 Japanese Grand Prix – Race

Japanese Grand Prix – Race

Fortunately typhoon Phanfone didn’t impact Qualifying but the forecast is that it will hit during the race. It’s been raining all day and it’s foggy before the race starts.

Looks like the race will start behind the safety car. BBC report the rain is getting heavier. It was dry in practice and quali, so the teams only have historic data for wet setup.

Provisional grid: ROS, HAM, BOT, MAS, ALO, RIC, MAG, BUT, VET, RAI, [VER*] PER, KVY, HUL, SUT, GUT, [MAL*] GRO, ERI, BIA, KOB, VER*, CHI, MAL*.
*VER and MAL both have engine penalties for exceeding the maximum number of power units available for the season; the remaining 5 grid spot penalty for MAL will be waiting for him at the next race.

Safety Car leads everyone away on the formation lap.
Oh, looks like they’re counting this as lap 1
Radio for HAM telling him it’s much wetter than before; HAM says SC needs to go faster
Radio from VET saying he’s aquaplaning

2/53[SC]: ERI has spun off, into the gravel
Replay shows he lost the tail as he accelerated out of the chicane
Marshals push him back onto the track; ERI spins around and sets off again
Radio from HAM saying he can’t see ROS ahead of him because of the spray
Red flag; race stopped
SC leads everyone into the pit lane

FIA data shows they’ve completed lap 2, so that means half-points can be awarded

Rain is easing up; forecast is for lighter rain for about 30 minutes before another downpour.
Teams prepare for the restart; looks like it’s almost stopped raining in the pit lane at least

03[SC]: Safety Car leads everyone out of the pit lane, all on full wet tyres of course
ALO has stopped at the side of the track; he’s out of the car
Replay shows he lost power

04[SC]: Radio from HAM – can’t get brake temps up

05/53[SC]: Radio from RIC – think we’ll be good to go soon

06[SC]: Radio for BOT – next band of rain arriving later; expect to race to about lap 40
Radio from HAM – track is as good as it’s going to get
Radio from VER – conditions are perfect (!)

07[SC]: Radio from VET – visibility not good as speeds pick up
Radio from HAM – keen to get racing; almost time to go to inters
BUT has also said it’s almost time for inters

08[SC]: SC lights are still on so it’s not coming in just yet

09[SC]: Radio for BUT – when SC comes in, some people might pit for inters
SC in at the end of this lap
SC lights go off; ROS slows to back everyone up into the chicane

10/53: ROS, HAM, BOT, MAS, RIC, MAG, VET, RAI, PER, KVY
HAM pressuring ROS immediately
BUT and MAL pit for inters
VET inside MAG into the hairpin

11: ROS fastest lap 1:54.110
PER tells his engineer not to talk to him
BUT’s lap times on inters a little off the full wets pace

13: HAM f/lap 1:52.563
MAS and VET pit, as do HUL and SUT
Radio for ROS – box for inters

14: ROS pits; HAM has to put in a flying lap on his full wets
HAM fastest sector 1 time
HAM runs wide in the hairpin

15/53: HAM pits; good stop; rejoins just behind ROS
Radio from ROS – lots of oversteer

16: ROS, HAM, BUT, BOT, MAS, VET, RIC, MAG, HUL, RAI, KVY
MAG pits – 2nd stop
VET squeezes inside MAS and takes P5

17: RIC passes MAS but MAS takes it back
RIC finds another gap and this time makes the move stick

18: Radio for ROS – expecting light rain in a few minutes

20/53: ROS, HAM, BUT, VET, RIC, BOT, MAS, HUL, RAI, KVY; retirements: ALO
Radio for HAM – no rain until the end of the race

21: HAM 1.2sec behind ROS
BUT ~17sec behind HAM but ~14sec ahead of VET

22: GRO pits; more inters
HAM closing on ROS

23: Radio for ROS asking how much he’s pushing; ROS says “I’m flat out”
SUT and MAL pit

24: VET and RIC are ~1sec/lap quicker than ROS
RAI pits; slow stop; problem with the front right
DRS enabled
HAM inside 1 sec behind ROS so he can now use DRS to attack

25/53: HAM all over the rear of ROS’ Mercedes

26: HAM looking for a way around ROS
Radio from ROS complaining “so much oversteer”
HAM only 0.6sec behind his teammate

27: HAM runs a little wide – he’s got less downforce as he sits in ROS’ wash

28: HAM still harrying ROS

29: HAM lines up ROS down the main straight; goes around the outside in turn 1; takes P1

30/53: VET pits from P4; rejoins still ahead of BOT
HAM, ROS, BUT, RIC, VET, BOT, MAS, HUL, KVY, GUT
PER attacks GUT – takes P10

31: HAM has a 4sec lead over ROS

32: BUT pits from P3; more inters; steering wheel change; rejoins behind both Red Bulls
VET f/lap 1:52.191

34: ROS pits
BUT f/lap 1:51.721

35/53: HAM, RIC, ROS, VET, BUT, BOT, MAS, HUL, KVY, PER; retirements: ALO
GUT, RAI, GRO all pit

36: HAM pits from P1; rejoins P2, ~3sec behind RIC
Radio for RIC – heavy rain in the pit lane

37: RIC pits from P1 – rejoins P5, behind BUT

38: Radio for PER – 15 minutes of rain

39: BOT pits; bit of a slither as he exits the box
Radio for HAM warning him people as struggling for grip in turn 1; HAM says rain is getting harder

40/53: HAM, ROS, VET, BUT, RIC, HUL, BOT,AS, KVY, PER
RIC closing right up on BUT
RIC dives inside BUT but overcommits – BUT reclaims P4

41: It’s getting dark out there – a combination of cloud and approaching sunset
DRS disabled
Radio from HAM – rain’s getting heavier
RIC looking inside at the hairpin; BUT stays ahead
Both Caterhams are now on full wets

42: MAG pits – full wets
RIC dives inside BUT again; blocks the cut back; takes P4

43: SUT off – backwards across the gravel and into the tyre wall
BUT pits; full wets; rejoins still P5

44: Safety Car deployed
Medical Car deployed too – passes SC and heads for SUT’s accident
HUL pits; takes on inters

45[SC]: Why didn’t Mercedes pit?
RAI pits – full wets
VET pits – inters

46[SC]: Medical Car still at the scene of SUT’s off; SUT receiving attention; his car not being moved yet
Ambulance on track
HUL has stopped at the end of the pit lane
Red flag – race stopped
SC leads everyone into pit lane

47[SC]: HAM, ROS, RIC, VET, BUT, BOT, MAS, VER, HUL, PER, KVY, RAI, GUT, MAG, MAL, GRO, ERI, CHI,KOB, BIA; retirements: SUT, ALO

Race control: Race will not be resumed.

It sounds like BIA went off too but I didn’t see it.
One benefit of watching the race after it’s finished, I can jump straight to the news sites.

“Marussia driver Jules Bianchi has suffered a severe head injury after crashing into a recovery vehicle at the Japanese Grand Prix. The FIA said he would undergo surgery and then be moved to intensive care.” [BBC]

“Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has said that Marussia’s Jules Bianchi has suffered a severe head injury and is undergoing surgery following his serious accident in Sunday’s 2014 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. Bianchi collided with a recovery vehicle which was removing the damaged Sauber car of Adrian Sutil in the latter stages of the race, which was then red-flagged and not re-started. The Frenchman was quickly taken to hospital.” [FIA]

FIA report: “On lap 42, Adrian Sutil lost control of his car, spun and hit the tyre barrier on the outside of Turn 7. The marshals displayed double waved yellow flags before the corner to warn drivers of the incident. A recovery vehicle was dispatched in order to lift the car and take it to a place of safety behind the guard rail. While this was being done the driver of car 17, Jules Bianchi, lost control of his car, travelled across the run-off area and hit the back of the tractor. […] The CT scan shows that he has suffered a severe head injury and he is currently undergoing surgery. Following this he will be moved to intensive care where he will be monitored.”

4 thoughts on “Japanese Grand Prix – Race”

  1. My GridBids picks for the race are: ROS (P2), HAM (P1), ALO (DNF), BUT (P5) & HUL (P9).

    “You scored 57 points for this race and have a total of 690 points this season. You ranked 25 for this race and 106 overall.”

  2. http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/29521187

    The family of Marussia driver Jules Bianchi have issued an update on his condition after he suffered severe head injuries at the Japanese Grand Prix.

    The 25-year-old from France had surgery on Sunday after his car hit a recovery vehicle that was removing another car.

    The family revealed he suffered a diffuse axonal injury and is regarded as “critical but stable”.

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