There are so many penalties to apply it could make one question the value of Qualifying!
- Qualified P2: Max Verstappen, Red Bull – 20 places (additional power unit elements)
- P3: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull – 25 places (additional power unit elements, gearbox change)
- P10: Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren – 25 places (additional power unit elements)
- P11: Sergio Perez, Force India – 5 places (gearbox change)
- P12: Nico Hulkenberg, Renault – 10 places (additional power unit elements)
- P13: Fernando Alonso, McLaren – 35 places (additional power unit elements)
- P15: Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso – 10 places (additional power unit elements)
- P17: Jolyon Palmer, Renault – 15 places (additional power unit elements)
- DNQ: Romain Grosjean, Haas – 5 places (gearbox change)
Source: FIA
So now the grid is: HAM, STR, OCO, BOT, RAI, VET, MAS, KVY, MAG, PER, ERI, WEH, VER, HUL, SAI, RIC, PAL, VAN, ALO, GRO.
As someone tweeted: PER qualified 11th, has a 5 grid place penalty, and starts P10!
Air temperature 25°C; track 35°C; it’s dry and virtually cloudless; no forecast of rain
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
Looks like most are starting on super-soft tyres; just VER, RIC, PAL & ALO on softs
01/53: Good start from HAM
PER already involved in contact – front wing damaged
RAI passes BOT for P4
OCO takes P2 from STR
BOT fights back and reclaims P4 from RAI
02: HAM, OCO, STR, BOT, RAI, VET, MAS, VER, PER, MAG, KVY, HUL, SAI, RIC, ERI, VAN, ALO, GRO, WEH, PAL
BOT lining up STR
Radio from GRO – “it’s gone – front wing”
03: HAM fastest lap 1:27.248
DRS enabled
BOT inside STR into Turn 1, taking P2
VER has a front right puncture
Replay shows MAS trying to get inside VER; looks like VER might have broken his suspension
04: HAM f/lap 1:26.217
GRO and VER in the pits; VER gets a new front wing and rejoins the race in P20
Incident involving VER and MAS under investigation
BOT past OCO for P2
VET passes teammate RAI
05/53: BOT f/lap 1:26.205
VET takes P4 from STR
06: HAM f/lap 1:26.056
VET now closing on OCO
Radio for GRO confirms his front end plate was broken
VER f/lap 1:25.820
07: RAI outbrakes himself into Turn 1; takes to the escape road
RIC takes P9 from MAG
08: BOT f/lap 1:25.379
VET past OCO for P3
09: HUL pits
10/53: HAM, BOT, VET, OCO, STR, RAI, MAS, PER, RIC, MAG, KVY, VAN, SAI, ALO, PAL, ERI, WEH, HUL, GRO, VER
HAM f/lap 1:25.262
11: HAM f/lap 1:25.258
13: STR closing on OCO, as RAI closes on STR
14: PAL cut the chicane as ALO slams the door on him
15/53: HAM, BOT, VET, OCO, STR, RAI, MAS, PER, RIC, KVY, VAN, PAL, ALO, ERI, WEH, MAG, HUL, SAI, GRO, VER
HAM f/lap 1:25.223
Radio from ALO – “upshifts are killing our race”
16: HAM f/lap 1:24.928
RAI pits from P6; 3.7sec stopped; rejoins P11
17: Contact between the two Saubers but both ERI and WEH continue
18: STR pits; slow stop; rejoins P11
5-sec penalty for PAL
19: HAM runs a little wide and touches the gravel
20/53: HAM, BOT, VET, MAS, RIC, PER, VAN, OCO, RAI, STR
21: HAM f/lap 1:24.770 – his lead now ~4.5sec over his teammate
OCO takes a while to pass VAN, but RAI makes short work of the McLaren
22: MAS pits from P4; rejoins P10
23: RAI still sitting on OCO’s tail
24: MAS inside VAN to steal P9
25/53: Top 5 will probably be pitting soon
HAM laps VER (P17)
26: RAI lines up OCO into Turn 1 and the Ferrari takes P6
PAL pits, serves his 5-sec penalty; rejoins P17
Half distance
29: VER pits; rejoins P17
STR closing on OCO
30/53: HAM, BOT, VET, RIC, PER, RAI, OCO, STR, MAS, VAN, ALO, MAG, HUL, KVY, SAI, PAL, GRO, VER, ERI, WEH
31: STR attacks OCO but the Force India holds on to P7
Radio for PAL telling him to pit and retire the car
VER f/lap 1:24.743
32: VET pits
33: HAM pits; 2.5sec stop; rejoins P2
PER pits too; slow stop; rejoins P9 just ahead of VAN
34: BOT pits from P1; 2.2sec stop; rejoins P2
35/53: HAM, BOT, RIC, VET, RAI, OCO, STR, MAS, PER, MAG, HUL, KVY, SAI, VER, ALO, GRO, VAN, ERI; retirements: PAL
VAN pits; retires
36: HAM f/lap 1:24.612
BOT f/lap 1:24.234
37: HAM f/lap 1:24.034
KVY inside HUL into Turn 1 to steal P11
38: HAM f/lap 1:23.975
RIC pits from P3; 2.2sec stop; rejoins P5
39: RIC closing on RAI
40/53; HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, RIC, OCO, STR, MAS, PER, MAG
RIC darts past RAI for P4
44: Radio from HAM – “lost a bit of power on that lap”
RIC f/lap 1:23.915
45: RIC f/lap 1:23.748
46: VER picks off KVY into Turn 1
47: VER repeats his move in T1 and takes P10 from MAG
MAG complains that VER pushed him off the track but replay shows MAG was behind (not alongside) VER
48: RIC f/lap 1:23.675
49 = 5 laps left: Radio from MAG continuing to moan about VER
Incident involving VER and MAG under investigation
50/53: HAM f/lap 1:23.542
RIC f/lap 1:23.361
51: No further accident in VER/MAG incident
ALO makes room to let RIC lap him
Radio for ERI telling him to retire the car
52: ALO pits; retires
53 = final lap: RIC still quicker than VET but not close enough to fight for P3
HAM takes the chequered flag and goes into the lead in the Drivers’ Championship
MAS attacking teammate STR over P7
Provisional result: HAM, BOT, VET, RIC, RAI, OCO, STR, MAS, PER, VER; MAG, KVY, HUL, SAI, GRO, WEH
DNF: ALO, ERI, VAN, PAL
Very sporting of the Italian fans to boo HAM on the podium – classy 🙁
The boos got louder as they tried to do interviews – maybe HAM should point out he beat their beloved Ferrari
Oh, HAM just said Mercedes power beat Ferrari 🙂
Well, if they’re going to boo, give them something to boo about :p
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