Yesterday’s Qualifying session was a good one, with Ferrari putting Mercedes under a lot of pressure and Hamilton equalling Ayrton Senna’s 65 pole positions – just 3 shy of Michael Schumacher’s record.
Provisional grid: HAM, VET, BOT, RAI, VER, RIC, MAS, PER, OCO, HUL, KVY, ALO, SAI, GRO, PAL, VAN, STR, MAG, ERI, WEH.
It’s the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Grand Prix, although it was initially run at Mosport (now Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). Michael Schumacher has the most Canadian GP wins (7) but HAM is just 2 behind him.
Pit lane opens 30 minutes before the start of the race.
Apparently a Renault practice pit stop resulted in a cross-threaded wheel nut on HUL’s car so his mechanics have been busy fixing that.
Looks like WEH will start from the pit lane; he’s had a gearbox change and a new rear wing following hitting the tyre wall in Q1.
Lots of concern about the gusting wind; given the grip problems over the past couple of days, it could be even more challenging today.
SAI said he couldn’t even use top gear due to the head wind!
Air temperature 28°C; track 43°C; the sky is virtually cloudless
Oh dear – another warbly singer! Can’t you just sing the national anthem with respect and save the pretentious performance for karaoke? 🙁
HAM leads everyone (except WEH) away on the formation lap … but KVY didn’t get away
Only MAG and WEH starting on super-soft tyres; everyone else on ultras
They’ve got KVY running so he can catch up to the rear of the pack but he’ll have to start right at the back
01/70: Clean start but VER somehow has made it to P2 by Turn 2!
SAI and MAS have made contact – both in the wall
Safety Car deployed
Replay shows SAI was spun around under braking for Turn 3 – looks like he was tagged by a Haas
MAS was
02[SC]: GRO and WEH in the pits
New front wing for GRO – was it him who hit SAI?
Incident involving MAS and SAI under investigation
03[SC]: HAM, VER, BOT, VET, RIC, RAI, PER, OCO, HUL, KVY, VAN, ALO, MAG, PAL, STR, ERI, GRO, WEH; retirements: MAS, SAI
SC in at the end of this lap
Radio from ALO – “What’s going on? That was a crazy start – they all need to calm down!”
HAM backing everyone up ready for the restart
Past the SC line, which means they can start racing before the final chicane
04: VER attacking HAM but he stays P2
Bodywork flying off the front wing of VET’s Ferrari
RAI runs wide – did he tap a wall?
05/70: HAM fastest lap 1:18.135
Ferrari mechanics in the pit lane but VET stayed out
06: HAM f/lap 1:17.752
VET pits; new front wing and super-soft tyres; that’s dropped him to last position (P18)
07: HAM f/lap 1:17.171
Replay of the start shows VER get a great start but he clipped VET’s front wing
Replay also shows SAI squeezing GRO onto the grass; as GRO comes back on track he and SAI make contact
08: HAM f/lap 1:16.969
Radio from HAM reporting debris on Turns 7 and 8
Incident involving KVY under investigation for reclaiming his grid spot after his slow getaway on the parade lap
09: Radio from VET asking the team to check for more damage to his front wing
10/70: HAM, VER, BOT, RIC, PER, RAI, OCO, HUL, KVY, ALO, VAN, MAG, STR, PAL, ERI, WEH, GRO, VET
11: HAM f/lap 1:16.296
VER slowing – he’s tried to pull off track to park his Red Bull
Virtual Safety Car deployed
12[VSC]: HUL pits, followed by PAL and ERI
Replay of VER – sounds like the engine cut out as he came out of Turn 2
13[VSC]: Radio from MAG reporting a Ferrari cap on the track under the bridge
The marshals have got to move VER’s car a long way to put it somewhere safe
Oh dear – another marshal has fallen over – stop trying to push on the tyres
14[VSC]: VSC removed
Drive-through penalty for KVY for starting out of position
VAN passes HUL for P10 in the hairpin
15/70: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, RAI, OCO, KVY, ALO, MAG, STR, HUL, VAN, VET, GRO, WEH, PAL, ERI; retirements: VER, MAS, SAI
16: KVY pits; serves his drive-through penalty; rejoins P11
17: MAG defends as both STR and HUL both attack for P8
18: RAI pits from P5; 2.6sec stop; super-soft tyres; rejoins P7
Incident involving MAG under investigation – overtaking under the VSC
19: RIC pits from P3; 2.7sec stop; soft tyres (not super-soft); rejoins P6
20/70: PER pits from P3; takes on softs too; rejoins P6, right behind RIC
21: VET past STR for P9
22: VET takes P8 from MAG
Radio for ALO telling him to avoid short-shifting from 3rd to 4th; asks “where am I doing that?”
23: STR thinks about attacking MAG into the final chicane but backs out
24: BOT pits from P2; 2.2sec stop; softs; rejoins P3
25/70: HAM f/lap 1:16.269 – he’s ~20secs ahead of OCO
HAM, OCO, BOT, RIC, PER, RAI, ALO, VET, MAG, STR, HUL, KVY, VAN, GRO, PAL, ERI, WEH
26: HAM f/lap 1:16.037
STR runs deep in the hairpin; HUL attacks; HUL has more speed up the back straight and takes P10
5-sec penalty for MAG for overtaking under VSC
27: STR pits; rejoins P16
Radio for ALO telling him about strategy; replies “you’re not giving me good information – I need the pace of MAG”
29: HUL pulls out late to pass MAG and take P9
VET easily past ALO for P7
30/70: HAM, OCO, BOT, RIC, PER, RAI, VET, ALO, HUL, MAG, KVY, VAN, GRO, PAL, ERI, STR, WEH; retirements: VER, MAS, SAI
OCO is doing well to keep BOT behind him
KVY dives inside MAG to steal P10
32: HAM pits; 2.5sec stop; super-soft tyres; rejoins still comfortably P1
33: OCO pits from P2; rejoins P6
Radio from KVY – mostly bleeped out – told by his engineer to watch his language
Radio from ALO – “embarrassing power in this mode”
35/70 = half distance: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, RAI, OCO, VET, ALO, HUL, KVY, MAG, VAN, GRO, PAL, STR, ERI, WEH; retirements: VER, MAS, SAI
37: Tweet from official Ferrari account saying VET’s has a damaged floor
39: STR takes P14 from PAL
40/70: KVY has been given an additional 10-second penalty because the original penalty was incorrect!
42: RAI pits; ultrasofts this time
HUL attacks ALO but the McLaren stays just ahead
43: ALO finally pits; super-softs; rejoins P11
Radio from VET asking if anyone around him has to pit; told no
44: RAI f/lap 1:15.725
STR looking for a way round VAN
Radio for VAN telling him to “hold up STR if you can”
45/70: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, OCO, VET, RAI, HUL, KVY, MAG, ALO, VAN, STR, GRO, PAL, ERI, WEH
STR passes VAN for P12
46: RAI closing on teammate VET – how will Ferrari handle this?
ALO defending P11 from STR
47: MAG pits from P10; rejoins P15
50: VET pits from P6; rejoins P7, now behind RAI
RAI f/lap 1:15.659
51: ALO will be the next to be lapped
VET f/lap 1:15.431
52: Radio for PER telling him his teammate OCO “is pushing and saying he can overtake RIC”
54: VET f/lap 1:15.114
Radio from KVY complaining about vibrations; told to pit
55/70: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, OCO, RAI, VET, HUL, STR, ALO, GRO, PAL, ERI, MAG, VAN, WEH, KVY
KVY serves his time penalty and then there’s a problem with the rear right wheel
Now they’re bringing out soft tyres for KVY, and he’s told to switch off the engine
56: Radio from PER saying “let us race man, please” but Force India ought to let OCO pass him
KVY finally goes out on softs
57: PER pleading with his team again – “I want a chance”… except he’s been behind RIC for how long?
KVY in the pits again
58: KVY pushed into the garage
59: PER still ahead of OCO
60/70: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, OCO, RAI, VET, HUL, STR, ALO, GRO, PAL, MAG, ERI, VAN, WEH
61: VET f/lap 1:14.964
RAI cuts the chicane, letting VET take P6
63: VET f/lap 1:14.962
64: Radio conversation with RAI suggests they’re trying a few setting changes to fix his braking problem
VET has caught up to the RIC-PER-OCO train
65/70: HAM, BOT, RIC, PER, OCO, VET, RAI, HUL, STR, ALO, GRO, PAL, MAG, ERI, VAN, WEH
HAM 1:14.551
Radio for RAI telling him rear brake temps are very high
66: PER defends, forcing OCO to back off … which lets VET attack
OCO cuts Turn 2, letting VET take P5
67: VET cuts the chicane but stays ahead of OCO
68: VET all over the rear of PER
69 = 2 laps left: Yellow flags – ALO has parked the McLaren
VET attacks into the final chicane – takes P4 from PER
ALO has walked into a grandstand – he’s surrounded by fans; looks like he’s throwing his gloves into the crowd!
70/70: VET pulling away from the Force India pair
HAM takes the chequered flag – his 6th win here
BOT, RIC and VET take P2, P3 and P4 respectively
OCO still attacking PER as the approach the finish line but PER stays ahead
Provisional result: HAM, BOT, RIC, VET, PER, OCO, RAI, HUL, STR, GRO; PAL, MAG, ERI, VAN, WEH
DNF: ALO, KVY, VER, MAS, SAI
It would be interesting to hear the Force India debrief – if OCO had passed PER then VET may not have taken P4
Radio from OCO – “That’s not fair – I mean he cannot do that – not fair racing at all”
STR is excited to get his first F1 points, especially as it’s his home race
Sir Patrick Stewart is doing the podium interviews
HAM calls back to his first pole and first victory which were both in Montreal
BOT “really improved how much we’ve improved” since Monaco
RIC does another “shoey” and convinces Patrick Stewart to do one too!
HAM tries to describe how he’s a small part of a bigger machine
“Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz has been handed a three-place grid drop for the next race in Azerbaijan for his part in the opening lap incident which eliminated both him and Williams’ Felipe Massa from the race, and left Romain Grosjean with front wing damage.” [FIA]
As well as receiving the grid drop, Sainz was also given two penalty points on his licence, bringing his total for the last 12 months to seven. The Spaniard, who was also reprimanded on Friday, will receive a one-race ban if he receives a further five penalty points within the same period.