There has been one penalty added since Qualifying: KVY was handed a three-place grid drop for impeding STR, as well as one penalty point on his licence for the misdemeanour, bringing his total for the 12 month period to 10 points – two points short of the tally which triggers an automatic one-race ban.
This means the updated grid is: VET, RAI, BOT, HAM, VER, RIC, ALO, VAN, SAI, PAL, OCO, HUL*, PER, GRO, MAG, KVY*, STR, WEH, DIR, ERI
*reflecting HUL’s 5 place grid penalty for a gearbox change as well as KVY’s 3 place penalty for impeding in Quali.
Air temperature 31°C; track 48°C; a few light clouds but no threat of rain
Looks like Mercedes mechanics are battling with the heat as HAM’s car sits on the dummy grid
Drivers are strapping in
I wonder if they’ll need to allow more time next season with the addition of the “halo” head protection?
Pirelli forecast that 1-stop and 2-stop strategies are about equal, so that could make for some interesting options
Radio from HAM already complaining about the tyres – “the rears are going to die”
Looks like everyone will start on super-soft compound tyres except KVY and DIR who are on softs
VET leads everyone away on the formation lap
Long wait for the grid to form up
01/70: Clean start, with RAI slotting in behind VET
Looked like contact between the two Red Bulls
RIC has a puncture, and now he’s spun
RIC has come to a stop at the side of the track
Safety Car deployed
02[SC]: VET, RAI, BOT, VER, HAM, SAI, ALO, PER, VAN, OCO, PAL, HUL, MAG, KVY, STR, GRO, WEH, DIR, ERI; retirements: RIC
ERI pits
Radio from RIC – “Someone hit me – if that’s who I think it was”
Replay shows VER locked up and understeered into the side of RIC
03[SC]: Incident involving RIC and VER under investigation
Marshals are trying to clear up oil dropped by RIC’s damaged Red Bull
04[SC]: WEH pits – are they now hoping to go to the end on softs?
Replay of the start shows GRO bump HUL off the track
Replay of RIC spinning shows PAL’s lightning reaction to avoid hitting him
Incident involving GRO and HUL under investigation
05/70[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
06: HAM looks around the outside of VER into Turn 1 but VER manages to hold on to P4
07: VET fastest lap 1:23.137
10 second penalty for VER for causing a collision
RIC is in the Red Bull garage, looking furious
08: VET f/lap 1:22.661
DRS enabled
09: VET f/lap 1:22.512
10/70: VET, RAI, BOT, VER, HAM, SAI, ALO, PER, VAN, OCO, PAL, HUL, MAG, KVY, STR, GRO, DIR, WEH, ERI; retirement: RIC
VET f/lap 1:22.457
Radio for HAM – radio check, “having IT issues in the garage”!
Incident involving ALO and SAI at the restart under investigation
11: VET f/lap 1:22.255
Looks like HAM’s rear right tyre already has some blistering
12: Radio for HAM – another radio check; HAM says “good to have you back”
13: No further action in GRO/HUL incident
Yellow flag in Sector 1; cleared quickly
Radio from HUL – needs to drop back from PAL, presumably suffering with the heat
15/70: VET, RAI, BOT, VER, HAM, SAI, ALO, PER, VAN, OCO
18: No further action in ALO/SAI incident
19: HUL easily past teammte PAL for P11 – that looks like a team facilitated move
20/70: VET, RAI, BOT, VER, HAM, SAI, ALO, PER, VAN, OCO, HUL, PAL, MAG, KVY, STR, GRO, DIR, WEH, ERI
21: Radio for GRO – slow puncture
GRO pits
22: GRO seems to be coasting
Radio for GRO – “we believe we have a crossed wheel nut – go very slowly please”
GRO pits and retires
25: Radio from VET asking the team to check his steering – “it’s hanging to the left when I’m on the straight; I think it’s getting worse”
On-board camera confirms it looks like VET’s wheel is turning left when he’s going straight – very NASCAR 🙂
26: Mercedes still having radio issues with both HAM and BOT; looks like it might be one-way, garage to driver only
27: Haas under investigation for unsafe release of GRO
29: WEH pits
30/70: VET, RAI, BOT, VER, HAM, SAI, ALO, PER, VAN, OCO, HUL, PAL, MAG, KVY, STR, DIR, ERI, WEH; retirements: GRO, RIC
STR pits
31: BOT pits from P3; bit of a slow stop – 3.5sec; softs; rejoins P5, behind HAM
32: HAM pits from P4; clean stop – 2.5sec; softs; rejoins P5, right on the tail of BOT
MAG pits too
Radio from VET – “fronts are not in a healthy shape – don’t extend it”
33: VET pits from P1; 3.0sec stop; softs; rejoins P3 ahead of BOT
BOT f/lap 1:21.656
Radio from RAI complaining about DIR not letting him past as quickly as he’d like – “He should stick to reporting”
34: RAI pits from P1; 2.7sec stop; softs; rejoins P3 behind VET
BOT f/lap 1:21.264
35/70: Radio from RAI – “I had the speed to stay out” – well why not have that conversation before your stop?
36: SAI, ALO and OCO all pit
37: VER laps ERI, P16
VER has yet to pit, and has a 10-sec penalty when he does
38: ALO dives inside SAI into Turn 1; steals P9
SAI fights back but ALO holds on to P9
39: Radio from RAI asking if VET is going full speed because the Mercedes are closing; told VET has handling issues
40/70: VER, VET, RAI, BOT, HAM, VAN, HUL, PAL, ALO, SAI, PER, KVY, OCO, MAG, STR, ERI, WEH, DIR; retirements: GRO, RIC
41: HAM has eased off a little behind BOT, presumably to help with cooling
Radio from RAI – “you’ve put me under massive pressure from Mercedes for no reason”
42: VER pits from P1; serves his 10-second penalty; softs go on; rejoins P5
VAN pits too; seems like a slow stop; rejoins P12
Replay shows VAN smacked into the front jack man and missed his mark
44: Radio for HAM is working now; catching up on Ferrari’s problems; he also thinks he could have stopped later
VER f/lap 1:20.490
45/70: VET, RAI, BOT, HAM, VER, HUL, ALO, SAI, PAL, PER
PER inside PAL to take P9
46: BOT slows into Turn 1, lets HAM take P3
HUL pits
47: Radio for VET reminding him to avoid the kerbs
HAM is almost a second faster than VET and RAI on that previous lap
PAL pits
48: Replay of HUL’s pit stop – problems getting the front right wheel off
49: VET is 1.3sec ahead of RAI, who in turn has HAM 1.2sec behind
Incidentally, HAM is almost 4 seconds ahead of BOT
Radio from RAI – “I’m not in the most comfortable position”
50/70: VET, RAI, HAM, BOT, VER, ALO, SAI, PER, OCO, VAN, MAG, HUL, KVY, PAL, STR, ERI, WEH, DIR
51: Radio for HAM telling him he has 5 laps to make a pass on RAI or he’ll need to let BOT reclaim P3; “no pressure then” says HAM
52: RAI now under 1sec from VET, which means he has DRS to help attack his teammate
54: VET closing on KVY (P13) to lap him
55/70: VET, RAI, HAM, BOT, VER, ALO, SAI, PER, OCO, VAN, MAG, HUL, KVY, PAL, STR, ERI, WEH, DIR; retirements: GRO, RIC
Radio from RAI – “I’m ruining my tyres”
57: VET laps MAG (P11) – RAI and HAM follow him past the Renault
VER runs wide in Turn 11 but recovers
Radio for HAM telling him he’s got another 5 laps to pass RAI; HAM doesn’t think he can do it, asks if they want him to let BOT past? Told no, keep pressure on Ferrari
58: HAM is 1.1sec behind RAI, not quite close enough for DRS
Radio from HAM – “my tyres are holding – just waiting for a mistake ahead”
59: HAM gets within DRS of RAI but then runs a little wide in Turn 5
60/70: VET, RAI, HAM, BOT, VER, ALO, SAI, PER, OCO, VAN
61: HUL attacks around the outside of MAG for P11 but MAG runs HUL wide
62: Radio for DIR – “problem with the car; need to retire the car”
63: Incident involving HUL and MAG under investigation
DIR pits; retires the Williams
64: Radio for VER encouraging him to close up on BOT
Will Mercedes swap HAM and BOT ask per the original plan, or is it too risky with VER closing on them?
65/70: VET, RAI, HAM, BOT, VER, ALO, SAI, PER, OCO, VAN, MAG, KVY, HUL, PAL, STR, WEH, ERI; retirements: DIR, GRO, RIC
Feels like VER too close to BOT for Mercedes to make the switch
66: ERI pits – that’s a late stop!
Radio for HAM telling him VER is on fresher tyres and is a threat
VET has lapped PER (P8)
67: VER right on the tail of BOT
HAM picks up his pace again – 0.5sec faster than either Ferrari
Radio for RAI telling him not to take anything for granted, “we don’t know what HAM will do”
68 = 3 laps left: HAM now ~1.8sec behind RAI, with BOT almost 8sec behind
HUL pits; retires
69: 5-sec penalty for MAG – forcing another driver off the track; I think that’ll drop him from P11 to P13
70/70 = final lap: ALO f/lap 1:20.182 – wow, I didn’t predict McLaren would get fastest lap
VET takes the chequered flag
RAI over the line for P2
BOT passes HAM, as per their plan – will HAM regret that if he’s just a few points short in the Drivers’ Championship?
Provisional result: VET, RAI, BOT, HAM, VER, ALO, SAI, PER, OCO, VAN; MAG*, KVY, PAL, STR, WEH, ERI
DNF: HUL, DIR, GRO, RIC
*5-sec penalty to be added to MAG’s time
I expected VET and RAI to be more surprised to see BOT with them preparing for the podium
RAI was probably more focused on not being able (allowed?) to take P1
Even on the podium, RAI fails to crack a smile – not that unusual, I know
ALO has found a deckchair 🙂
F1 now takes a summer break; next race is the Grand Prix of Belgium, August 25-27th.
“Verstappen apologises for Ricciardo clash but collects penalty points” [f1fanatic]
“Verstappen was given two penalty points on his licence and received a ten-second time penalty after hitting Daniel Ricciardo at turn two. He now has three penalty points on his licence.”