There were a few penalties to apply after Qualifying ended – details are at the end of yesterday’s notes. But, unless there are further penalties, the grid will be: HAM, RAI, VET, ROS, MAS, BOT, PER, GRO, HUL, MAL, NAS, ERI, STE, MER, BUT, ALO, SAI, KVY, RIC, VES. In addition, VES will have to serve a drive-through penalty in the first three laps of the race.
Air 21°C; track 38°C; sunny with little cloud
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap, with both Ferraris between him and teammate ROS
As per the new rules, teams can’t help their drivers with preparations once they start the formation lap
01/53: Atrocious start from RAI – almost everyone passed him before he got off the grid
Slow start from ROS as he has to avoid RAI
Contact in the first chicane, as usual
02: HAM, VET, MAS, BOT, PER, ROS, GRO, HUL
NAS pits
VES serves his drive-through penalty
GRO off the track – smoke from his Lotus
Lotus teammate MAL still in the pits
03: HAM fastest lap 1:28.033
RAI up to P12
MAL has been pushed into the garage – looks like both Lotus cars are out
04: RAI slipstreams past RIC for P11
05/53: HAM, VET, MAS, BOT, ROS, PER, HUL, ERI, BUT, SAI
06: RAI takes P10 from SAI; next target is BUT
07: HAM f/lap 1:27.804; he’s 3.8sec ahead of VET
SAI and RIC swarm past BUT
08: HAM f/lap 1:27.780
Radio from ROS asking why overtake (boost) doesn’t work; team says it seems to be OK
09: Official FIA app has lost GRO from the leaderboard – there’s no P19
Radio for BOT telling him ROS has high front brake wear; looking good
10/53: HAM, VET, MAS, BOT, ROS, PER, HUL, ERI, RAI, SAI; retirements: GRO, MAL
11: 5-second penalty for SAI – leaving track and gaining an advantage
SAI pits; big lockup at the pit speed limit line; serves penalty before team can work on the car
12: Radio for ROS – brakes are improving
VES takes P13 from ALO
ROS closing on BOT
13: Radio from HUL – strange noise; from the exhaust?
14: ROS takes a look at BOT into the first chicane
BOT still tucked up under BOT’s rear wing
15/53: HAM, VET, MAS, BOT, ROS, PER, HUL, ERI, RAI, RIC
16: VES challenging BUT for P12
VES takes the place; BUT tries to fight back but the McLaren doesn’t have the power
19: NAS takes P14 from ALO
ROS pits; switch to primes; in theory he could go to the end now
20/53: MAS pits; rejoins well behind ROS, so the undercut worked well for Mercedes
VES pits too
21: ERI pits
I’m surprised that BOT didn’t pit to respond to ROS
22: Radio from HAM – deg (degradation = wear) on front left (tyre)
23: BOT pits; will they find 4 tyres of the same set? 🙂
SAI takes P13 from NAS
24: PER pits; rejoins between RIC and KVY
25: HAM, VET, RAI, ROS, MAS, BOT, RIC, PER, KVY, HUL, ERI, SAI, BUT, NAS, ALO, VES, STE, MER; retirements: GRO, MAL
Official FIA app continues to show incorrect info 🙁
26: VET pits from P2; rejoins just ahead of teammate RAI
ROS f/lap 1:27.771
BUT pits too
Half distance
27: HAM pits; rejoins just behind NAS
NAS panics, cuts the chicane and gets out of HAM’s way
28: PER harrying RIC for P7
29: VET f/lap 1:27.548
RAI pits
MER nearly slams into the rear of RAI at pit entrance!
PER past RIC
30/53: HAM, VET, ROS, MAS, BOT, PER, RIC, HUL, ERI, RAI
31: RIC pits
32: HAM f/lap 1:27.544
FIA app apologises for “momentary fault” but it was wrong for 10+ laps
RAI passes ERI for P8
33: HAM is 19sec ahead of VET
RAI inside HUL into the first chicane – takes P7
34: VES pits; takes options
35/53: HAM f/lap 1:27.349
37: HAM f/lap 1:26.890
38: VES outbrakes NAS into the first chicane; takes P13
40/53: HAM, VET, ROS, MAS, BOT, PER, RAI, HUL, ERI, RIC; retirements: GRO, MAL
41: ERI all over the rear of HUL
42: Radio for HAM asking if the brakes are ok; HAM says no sign of oxidation
44: Radio for ROS about a strange diff setting
RAI closing on PER
45/53: ROS closing on VET
46: HAM is over 22sec ahead of VET but there are a few close battles further down
ALO closing on BUT
47: Toto Wolf quite animated in the Mercedes garage
48: Radio for HAM – told to open a gap and not ask questions
Looks like there’ll be an additional pit stop for HAM!
49: HAM f/lap 1:26.672
ALO pits; parks the McLaren in the garage
50/53: HAM, VET, ROS, MAS, BOT, PER, RAI, HUL, ERI, RIC
Radio from HAM asking what more he needs to do; told time is good
51: RAI takes P6 from PER
PER fights back but RAI makes it stick
BOT closing on teammate MAS
52: Smoke from ROS’ engine
ROS off track; marshal quick to put out the fire
Radio for HAM – no need to take risks; HAM says pace is a risk
53/53 = final lap: BOT right on MAS’ rear wing
HAM takes the chequered flag
BOT looking for a way past MAS
Italian director follows VET, lots of crowd shots, instead of showing the Williams battle
MAS hangs on to P3
Radio from HAM – “I have to say, those last few laps were not cool”; told to stop talking!
Radio from MAS – “I’m too old for that” (the pressure from BOT); engineer says “We’re just starting out mate!” 🙂
Provisional grid: HAM, VET, MAS, BOT, RAI, PER, HUL, RIC, ERI, KVY; SAI, VES, NAS, BUT, STE, MER
DNF: ROS, ALO, GRO, MAL
Mercedes under investigation over starting tyre pressures:
Update: “after hearing from the relevant parties, the FIA confirmed that the team had no case to answer.”