Grand Prix of Azerbaijan – Race

I was away camping so I didn’t see the race weekend live.

There were a few mistakes in Qualifying and there are a few penalties to be applied…
Provisional grid: HAM, BOT, RAI, VET, VER, PER, OCO, STR, MAS, RIC, KVY, SAI*, MAG, HUL, WEH, ALO*, GRO, ERI, VAN*, PAL.

PAL didn’t set a time in Quali but the stewards have allowed him to race.

After the penalties for SAI, ALO and VAN, here’s the updated grid…
Grid: HAM, BOT, RAI, VET, VER, PER, OCO, STR, MAS, RIC, KVY, MAG, HUL, WEH, SAI, GRO, ERI, VAN, ALO, PAL.

Looks like everyone’s starting on super-soft tyres except GRO, ERI and VAN.

HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
Quite slow along the main straight as HAM tries to bunch them up and not have to wait too long

01/51: Contact between the Toro Rosso pair – KVY ran wide in Turn 1, and SAI spun as KVY rejoins the track
BOT and RAI make contact; RAI lost some bodywork and BOT is falling back with a puncture

02: HAM, VET, PER, VER, RAI, MAS, OCO, STR, RIC, HUL
More bodywork flying – from RAI?
BOT finally in the pits; new nose

03: Radio from VER – damage from debris?
BOT has rejoined but he’s a lap down and getting blue flags
Radio from RAI – rear doesn’t feel good

04: VER fastest lap 1:47.580
VAN dives inside WEH
ALO attacking WEH too
Replay of lap 1 shows BOT took too much kerb and that pushed him across into RAI

05/51: HAM, VET, PER, VER, RAI, MAS, OCO, STR, RIC, HUL
HAM f/lap 1:46.942
Radio from ERI – no battery

06: HAM has opened a 3.2sec lead
RIC pits; rejoins P17
PAL takes P15 from WEH
No action necessary in incident between KVY and SAI

08: PAL is cruising back to the pits

09: HAM f/lap 1:46.294
Apparently RIC’s stop was because of debris in the brake ducts
ALO past ERI for P12

10/51: HAM, VET, PER, VER, RAI, MAS, OCO, STR, HUL, MAG, KVY, ALO, ERI, SAI, RIC, WEH, VAN, GRO, BOT; retirements: PAL
SAI passes ERI, just as RIC passes SAI
KVY has stopped – yellow flags

11: VER all over PER’s rear wing
Marshall on track for KVY’s car but no safety car or VSC
Radio from VER – issue with the engine

12: Radio from VER – “here we go again”
Safety Car deployed

13[SC]: HAM and VET pit
VER pits; retires
Radio from HAM – SC is so slow it’s dangerous

14[SC]: Crane on track, lifting KVY’s car; marshals let it slam the rear left wheel into the wall!

15/51[SC]: HAM, VET, PER, RAI, MAS, OCO, STR, HUL, MAG, RIC, ALO, SAI, VAN, ERI, GRO, WEH, BOT; retirements: VER, KVY, PAL
Lapped cars can pass the SC – that’s just BOT

16[SC]: Lights out on the SC; in at the end of this lap

17: PER attacks VET but VET keeps P2
MAS and OCO challenge RAI – both pass the Ferrari
SC deployed again
Replay shows some bodywork fly off RAI under braking but there was no contact
Cars will be sent through the pit lane while the debris is picked up

18[SC]: Radio for HAM warning him he was close to passing the SC before the line; HAM adamant he wasn’t
Marshalls picking up debris around the circuit

19[SC]: Radio from HAM – wants the SC to speed up
Lights out on the SC
Radio for PER telling him to increase front tyre temps
HAM slowing to give the SC more space
VET runs into the rear of HAM! Somehow VET thinks this is HAM’s fault!?
VET comes alongside HAM and side-swiped the Mercedes!!!!
That was dangerous driving! VET should be black flagged for that!
Debris flies off as HAM picks up speed

20/51: MAS attacks VET at the restart
OCO passes PER – contact – the Force India’s might have taken themselves out
RAI has a right rear puncture
SC deployed again!
OCO has a puncture; PER has front wing damage and suspension damage
Replay shows RAI ran over Force India debris

21[SC]: RAI pits; retires
Marshalls picking up debris again

22[SC]: Incident involving HAM and VET under investigation
Radio from ALO – need red flag – there’s debris everywhere
Red flag – race suspended

Replay clearly shows VET intentionally turn in and hit HAM – that’s ridiculous!
VET deserves to be disqualified from this race and maybe suspended from more
That was childish and dangerous – even if HAM did “brake test” VET, that was disgraceful

Incident involving HAM and VET under investigation
Ferrari have been allowed to replace VET’s front wing
PER is back in the car and at the tail of queue for the restart
Looks like RAI is also being pushed out of the garage to rejoin too
Apparently RAI didn’t have a steering wheel and they had to run one down to him!

Order for the restart: HAM, VET, MAS, STR, RIC, HUL, MAG, ALO, SAI, GRO, ERI, VAN, BOT, OCO, WEH, PER, RAI; retirements: VER, KVY, PAL

PER and RAI are sent out of the pit lane ahead of the restart
23/51[SC]: SC leads everyone away
Radio from MAS – car is shaking
SC in at the end of this lap
HAM slows to let the SC get away
VET pulls alongside HAM again

24: STR attacks teammate MAS; STR takes P3
RIC storms down the inside of both Williams – up to P3

25/51: HUL past MAS but MAG passes them both
MAS is falling back; now ALO passes him
Radio from MAS – told it’s a rear damper failure
HUL has broken his front right suspension

Wow, we’re only at half distance

26: BOT takes P10 from VAN
DRS now enabled
MAS pits; retires
RAI and PER under investigation for working on the cars outside of the fast lane during the red flag

27: HAM f/lap 1:45.577

28: RAI passes GRO as he unlaps himself – RAI is P15, GRO P10
HAM’s head restraint is lifting up as he accelerates – that’s a safety issue, so he could be black+orange flagged (told to pit & fix it)

29: Radio for HAM telling him the headrest is lose

30/51: HAM, VET, RIC, STR, MAG, ALO, SAI, OCO, BOT, GRO, VAN, ERI, WEH, PER, RAI; retirements: MAS, HUL, VER, KVY, PAL
OCO past SAI for P7
HAM is holding the head restraint with his right hand as he’s doing about 200mph!

31: BOT takes P8 from SAI
Radio for HAM telling him he must pit at the end of this lap
10 second stop-go penalty for VET — is that all? Disqualify him!

32: HAM pits; they secure his head restraint; rejoins P9
Radio for VET telling him about his penalty – “when did I do dangerous driving?” – SRSLY?!?!

33: Radio from VET – the moron still pretends not to know what he did 🙁

34: VET into the pit lane to serve his penalty; rejoins P7, ahead of HAM
Drive-through penalty for RAI for working on his car during the red flag
Ditto for PER
Radio from HAM – 10-sec penalty isn’t enough (I agree!)

35/51: RIC, STR, MAG, OCO, ALO, BOT, VET, HAM, SAI, GRO, ERI, WEH, VAN, PER, RAI; retirements: MAS, HUL, VER, KVY, PAL

36: VET attacking ALO; ALO defends; VET attacks again and takes P6
HAM passes ALO too
Radio from GRO – brakes are gone

37: HAM all over the rear of VET
GRO pits
Radio from ALO – we could have won this race

38: OCO and BOT both pass MAG; the Force India is now P3
The Sauber pair of ERI and WEH collide but both seem to be OK

39: VET past MAG for P5; HAM follows through

40/51: RIC, STR, OCO, BOT, VET, HAM, MAG, ALO, SAI, ERI, WEH, VAN, GRO, PER, RAI; retirements: MAS, HUL, VER, KVY, PAL
BOT storms past OCO for P3
BOT f/lap 1:44.933

41: BOT f/lap 1:44.398
Radio for PER – if your seat(?) is broken, box

42: VET past OCO to take P4
OCO defends from HAM
PER pits; retires

43: BOT f/lap 1:44.315
HAM goes around the outside of OCO into Turn 1 – brave or foolish?

44: BOT f/lap 1:44.036

45/51: RIC, STR, BOT, VET, HAM, OCO, MAG, SAI, ALO, WEH, ERI, VAN, GRO, RAI
HAM f/lap 1:43.840
Radio for VAN – points on offer if you can pass both Saubers

46: VET f/lap 1:43.630

47 = 5 laps left: HAM f/lap 1:43.469

48: VET f/lap 1:43.441
Radio for STR – stay focused, nice and relaxed
RAI pits from P14; retires

49: RIC laps GRO (P13)

50/51: RIC, STR, BOT, VET, HAM, OCO, MAG, SAI, ALO, WEH, ERI, VAN, GRO
BOT is closing on STR
GRO does a great job of staying out of the way of the race leaders

51: STR under pressure from BOT

RIC takes the chequered flag – first Red Bull win this season – in fact they hadn’t lead a lap this season until this race
BOT gets a tow, pulls out just before the line and steals P2
STR is P3 by 0.1sec – it’s just over a year since Williams last had a driver on the podium
He’s also the youngest rookie to take a podium position

Provisional result: RIC, BOT, STR, VET, HAM, OCO, MAG, SAI, ALO, WEH; ERI, VAN, GRO
DNF: RAI, PER, MAS, HUL, VER, KVY, PAL

Interviews
HAM really didn’t want to talk about VET’s dangerous driving
VET continued whining but failed to admit him deliberately hitting HAM