Grand Prix of Germany – Race

There are 3 penalties to be applied after Qualifying. The post-quali provisional grid was: ROS, HAM, RIC, VES, RAI, VET, HUL*, BOT, PER, MAS, GUT, BUT, SAI*, ALO, GRO*, PAL, MAG, WEH, KVY, HAR, NAS, ERI.
As expected, GRO had his gearbox replaced after issue in FP3, which means a 5-spot grid drop.
SAI received a 3 grid spot penalty (and 2 points on his superlicence) “after being deemed to have unfairly impeded Williams’ Felipe Massa in Turn 2 during the second phase of qualifying on Saturday afternoon.” [FIA]
HUL has been docked 1 place for a technical breach: “Current regulations state that teams must hand back two sets of tyres before qualifying, which cannot then be used during the pole fight – but Force India mistakenly tagged one set of tyres to be handed back, and them used them during Q1.” [same FIA article]
So the revised grid is: ROS, HAM, RIC, VES, RAI, VET, BOT, HUL, PER, MAS, GUT, BUT, ALO, PAL, SAI, MAG, WEH, KVY, HAR, GRO, NAS, ERI.

It’s RIC’s 100th Grand Prix start.
Only 4 of the current grid have won here: VET, ROS, HAM and ALO

Air temperature 23°C; track 38°C; partly cloudy; no rain expected for at least an hour

Why do singers try to make national anthems warbly? It doesn’t work, especially the German anthem!
Drivers heading to their cars

ROS leads off on the formation lap
GUT starting on soft tyres; everyone else on supersoft

01/67: Poor start for ROS – both Red Bulls ahead of him in to Turn 1
VES ahead of RIC
VET all over the rear of ROS

02: HAM, VES, RIC, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, MAS, ALO, MAG, SAI, MAG, KVY, PER, NAS, PAL, GRO, GUT, WEH, HAR, ERI
ROS tries to make a move on RIC; side by side for a while but RIC stays ahead

03: HAM fastest lap 1:20.721
PAL pits; soft tyres

05/67: HAM, VES, RIC, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, MAS

06: ALO inside MAS into the hairpin; takes P10
Part of HAR’s front wing left in the hairpin

07: ROS f/lap 1:20.714
SAI on MAS’s tail now

08: Radio from KVY – “I’m really struggling with traction”
KVY and NAS pit
MAS slow in the hairpin – almost has SAI in his rear

09: Radio from VES – struggling with the rear tyres
PER pits
SAI makes the pass into the hairpin; takes P11
MAG follows SAI past MAS for P12

10/67: HAM, VES, RIC, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, ALO
HAM f/lap 1:20.518
SAI and MAS pit
Slow front right change for SAI; MAS exits ahead

12: VES pits, followed by ROS
Slow stop for ROS – 3.5sec stationary

13: HAM f/lap 1:20.465
RIC pits; rejoins P5
BOT and HUL pit
ROS passes ALO for P7
Radio from RAI – struggling with rear tyres

14: VET pits, as does BUT, then HAR

15/67: HAM pits; soft tyres; clean stop; 2.5sec
RAI and ALO pit
ROS f/lap 1:20.215
Radio for ROS – on plan B

16: Only GRO, GUT and ERI yet to pit

17: ROS f/lap 1:20.197

18: GRO pits
BUT inside GUT in the hairpin; takes P9
Radio from RAI asking if team made front wing adjustment “because it feels like you didn’t”; team are sure they did

19: MAG dives inside MAS for P13

20/67: HAM, VES, RIC, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, GUT, ALO, PER, MAG, MAS, SAI, GRO

21: SAI all over MAS again
Radio from VES – “this is definitely not the race tyre”

22: SAI takes P14 from MAS, and GRO follows through for P15
ALO attacking GUT

23: ALO finds a gap entering the stadium section; takes P10

24: PER past GUT for P11
GUT still on the soft tyres that he started the race with; time to pit?

25/67: HAM, VES, RIC, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, ALO
HAM has 6.8sec lead over VES, who in turn is ~2sec ahead of RIC
MAG makes an easy pass on GUT to take P12

26: GUT finally in the pits

27: PAL pits – new front nose section, presumably from hitting MAS on lap 1
MAS pits, as does WEH
Long stop for MAS as they check out his rear suspension

28: ROS pits from P4; soft tyres
Radio from VET complaining about the lack of blue flags, as usual

29: VES pits; rejoins just ahead of ROS
ROS attacks; VES defends; ROS runs right to the edge of the track, pushing VES wide
ROS takes P5
Radio from VES – “he pushed me off the track”

30/67: Incident involving cars 6 and 33 (ROS & VES) under investigation – forcing a driver off track

31: HAM, RIC, VET, RAI, ROS, VES, BOT, HUL, BUT, MAG

32: VET pits; rejoins behind BOT
Radio for HAM – “things are kicking off now”
VET makes a strong move on BOT; takes P6

33: Incident involving cars 8 & 20 (GRO & MAG) under investigation – forcing a driver off track
RAI pits

Half distance

34: RIC pits, as does BOT
ROS given a 5-sec penalty for pushing VES wide

35/67: HAM pits; clean stop; rejoins still P1
ROS f/lap 1:20.190
RAI f/lap 1:20.066

36: ROS f/lap 1:19.911
RIC f/lap 1:19.684
No further action for GRO/MAG investigation
Radio for HAM – now on plan B, “most of field are”
GUT easily passes teammate GRO for P12; they’re on different strategies

37: Radio for ROS – everyone on 3-stop
RAI f/lap 1:19.572

38: HAM f/lap 1:19.452
MAS pits and retires the Williams
RIC is closing on VES; will there be team orders to swap?

39: HAM 7.2sec ahead of ROS; VES just over 3sec behind ROS
Radio from GRO – “smoke coming from rear of the car”

40/67: HAM, ROS, VES, RIC, VET, RAI, HUL, BOT, BUT, ALO; PER, GUT, GRO, SAI, MAG, KVY, WEH, ERI, PAL, NAS, HAR; retirement: MAS
RIC easily past VES for P3

41: RIC f/lap 1:19.105
Radio for ROS telling him RIC’s time; push
(Remember ROS has a 5-sec penalty at his next stop)

42: Radio from VES – complaining of understeer

43: RIC almost 1sec/lap faster than ROS; closing on him

45: ROS pits; serves 5-sec penalty; rejoins P6
Radio for VET – pit; VET says tyres are still good; team want to undercut VES

46: VES pits
Radio for VET – stay out

47: RIC pits, as does VET

48: HAM pits; 2.1sec stationary
VES f/lap 1:18.910
RAI pits
Radio for RIC – push, open a gap over VES

49: RIC f/lap 1:18.442
VET closing on ROS

50/67: HAM, RIC, VES, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, ALO; PER, SAI, MAG, GUT, KVY, GRO, ERI, WEH, HAR, PAL, NAS; retirement: MAS
HAM’s lead 7.8sec; RIC is 2.6sec ahead of VES
KVY pits

51: GUT harrying MAG for P13
Radio from HAM asking about his pace

52: GUT cuts inside MAG as they exit the hairpin; takes P13

53: SAI pits

55/67: HAM, RIC, VES, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, ALO

56: GRO around outside of MAG for P13
WEH passes ERI for P17

57: Radio from BUT asking if ALO has same problem; confirmed

58: SAI closing on MAG; uses DRS to take P14

59: Radio for ALO – might be a few drops of rain in about 5 minutes
KVY attacking MAG now

60/67: HAM, RIC, VES, ROS, VET, RAI, BOT, HUL, BUT, ALO
Radio for RIC – rain might arrive at Turn 1 first
KVY inside MAG to steal P15

61: HAM laps ALO (P10)
NAS has parked his Sauber off to the side of the pit lane entrance

62: HUL on the tail of BOT, and easily past for P7
Radio from HAM – spots of rain on his visor

63: ALO locks up into the hairpin as PER closes on him
RIC laps ALO, and PER looks but the door closes

64: VES frustrated as he looks to lap PER

65/67: VES laps ALO but ALO gets a tow and almost unlaps himself
ALO locks up again; PER takes P10

66: BUT closing on BUT – the Williams is on old tyres
BOT struggling to turn in
BUT takes P8

67/67 = final lap: HAM has a comfortable lead
ALO loses P11 to GUT

HAM takes the chequered flag

Provisional result: HAM, RIC, VES, ROS, VET, RAI, HUL, BUT, BOT, PER; GUT, ALO, GRO, SAI, KVY, MAG, WEH, ERI, PAL, HAR
DNF: NAS, MAS

HAM goes into the summer break 19 points ahead of ROS

HAM drinks his champagne from his trophy
RIC drinks his from one of his shoes!?