Paul Henman formula1 Grand Prix of Singapore – Race

Grand Prix of Singapore – Race

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As the only night race on the F1 calendar, Singapore usually brings some extra sparkle to the race weekend. However, with about 30 minutes before the start of the race, it’s raining – that is a first in the 10 times of running the Grand Prix here. The track doesn’t seem to be damp yet, but that’s probably just a matter of time.

Red Bull led the three Free Practice sessions, but Vettel pipped them in Qualifying.
Grid: VET, VER, RIC, RAI, HAM, BOT, HUL, ALO, VAN, SAI, PAL, PER, KVY, OCO, GRO, MAG, MAS, STR, WEH, ERI

10mins before the start; the rain seems to be getting harder, and there’s steam coming off the tents that some teams have put over their cars as they wait on the grid.
Haas report that the weather forecast they have called for another 35 minutes of rain.

Looks like the front of the grid have intermediate tyres but further down it’s a mix of inters and full wets.
Mechanics clear the grid

VET leads everyone away on the formation lap
There are some wet patches and even some leaves, but on the whole the track seems dry
Everyone forms up

01/61: There’s contact even before the first corner – looks like VET moved across and squeezed VER into RAI
All three make contact; RAI and VER are off
VET continues but he’s got damage
VET spins and it looks like he’s reversing down the track!
Safety Car deployed
VET spins back the right way round and is making his way back to the pits – looks like he’s dropping fluid all over the track

02[SC]: SC is leading everyone through the pit lane to avoid the mess at Turn 1
Radio from VET – “I think I have damage”; “Sorry guys, sorry. I’m really sorry”

03[SC]: HAM, RIC, HUL, PER, BOT, PAL, VAN, OCO, SAI, MAG, KVY, ALO, STR, MAS, GRO, ERI, WEH; retirements: VET, VER, RAI
Turn 1 incident involving cars 5 (VET), 7 (RAI) and 33 (VER) under investigation

04[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
Radio for HAM reminding him it’s critical to bring the car home in one piece; “I realise that Bono – I’ll do my best”

05/61: PAL dives inside BOT into Turn 1 to steal P5
VAN now closing on BOT

06: HAM fastest lap 2:05.121 (for comparison, the pole time was 1:39.491)
SAI runs wide
Radio for RIC asking for feedback; “tyres are improving”; “inters are the right tyre”

07: HAM f/lap 2:04.687
STR and MAS pass ALO in one move
Radio from ALO – “what do you think?”; reply is “we’ve lost data from the car” (because of the damage when he was hit in the lap 1 crash)

08: HAM f/lap 2:04.425

09: ALO pits and retires the McLaren; there’s a lot of damage to the side pod and tray

10/61: HAM, RIC, HUL, PER, PAL, BOT, VAN, SAI, OCO, MAG, KVY, STR, MAS, GRO, ERI, WEH; retirements: ALO, VET, VER, RAI
HAM f/lap 2:03.954

11: KVY passed MAG abut then puts his Toro Rosso into the tyre wall
Safety Car deployed again

12[SC]: RIC pits; more inters
PER pits too, followed by OCO and MAG

13[SC]: HUL, PAL, VAN all pit
VAN exits the pit lane alongside MAS
Radio from HAM asking if everyone else has changed tyres
MAS and VAN touch wheels
Everyone now on inters except MAS, WEH, ERI on full wets

14[SC]: Order now is HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, HUL, PER, PAL, STR, VAN, MAS, GRO, OCO, WEH, MAG, ERI
ERI pits for inters
SC in at the end of this lap
RIC almost passes HAM as they hang back before the restart

15/61: Green flags for the restart
PER looking for a way round HUL

16: HAM f/lap 2:02.612
VAN putting STR under pressure
GRO takes P10 from MAS
MAG makes a strong move on OCO for P11

17: HAM f/lap 2:01.989
MAG inside MAS; contact as MAS fights back; MAG finishes the move

18: HAM f/lap 2:01.715
MAS pits; finally swaps from wets to inters; rejoins P15 and last
Only WEH still on wets

19: HAM f/lap 2:01.352
Radio for RIC asking about conditions; “some parts are dry”

20/61: HAM f/lap 2:01.100 – he has a 3.5sec lead
HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, HUL, PER, PAL, STR, VAN, GRO, MAG, OCO, ERI, WEH, MAS
STR locks up; VAN takes P8

21: HAM f/lap 2:00.985
MAS takes P14 from WEH

22: HAM f/lap 2:00.797
WEH pits, finally; are they going to be the first to go to dry (slick) tyres? Nope, inters

24: HAM’s times seem to be steady; when will he switch to slicks?

25/61: HAM f/lap 2:00.372
HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, HUL, PER, PAL, VAN, STR, GRO, MAG, OCO, ERI, MAS, WEH
Radio for HUL – “if there’s a safety car, we’re thinking dry tyres; what do you think?”; HUL says he’d lose all temp behind the SC, so stick with inters

26: HAM f/lap 1:59.952
MAG and MAS pit; both go to ultrasofts

27: Radio for MAS – “is it dry enough for these tyres?”; “yes, it’s ok”
STR pits; ultrasofts

28: HAM f/lap 1:59.350
Radio from HAM – “track is still greasy”
SAI pits, as do VAN, GRO, OCO, ERI
MAG f/lap 1:58.659
GRO exits the pits alongside teammate MAG – very nearly contact

29: HAM f/lap 1:58.469
RIC pits from P2
BOT pits, followed by HUL, PER – that means PAL is P2
MAG f/lap 1:57.671
MAS f/lap 1:57.446

30/61: HAM pits; ultras; clean stop; exits still P1
PAL pits, as does WEH

31: VAN f/lap 1:54.376
VAN dives inside PAL but PAL regains P7
HUL f/lap 1:53.649
MAS f/lap 1:53.139
Everyone on ultrasofts now except SAI (supersoft) and ERI (softs)

32: HAM f/lap 1:52.323
RIC f/lap 1:52.285
GRO f/lap 1:51.945
MAS f/lap 1:51.834
PER trying to find a way round SAI

33: HAM f/lap 1:51.128
RIC f/lap 1:50.994
ERI pits again

34: HAM f/lap 1:49.453; he’s now 9.5sec clear of RIC
OCO around the outside of MAG to take P11

35/61: HAM, RIC, BOT, HUL, SAI, PER, PAL, VAN, STR, GRO, OCO, MAG, MAS, ERI, WEH; retirements: KVY, ALO, VET, VER, RAI
BOT f/lap 1:49.018

36: HAM f/lap 1:48.761
RIC f/lap 1:48.243
BOT f/lap 1:48.238

37: HAM f/lap 1:47.849
RIC f/lap 1:47.825

38: HAM f/lap 1:47.249
Yellow flags – ERI is facing the wrong way on the Anderson bridge
Safety Car deployed
MAS pits

39[SC]: Radio from HAM complaining about the SC as usual
HUL pits – looks like a problem with the pneumatics; he’s dropped from P4 to P10
OCO, MAG pit too

40/61[SC]: Marshals are still standing around – no-one trying to move ERI’s car
If they can’t/won’t remove that car, they’ll have to red flag the race

41[SC]: OK, now they’re starting to move the Sauber
SC in at the end of this lap

42: HAM makes a clean restart, opening a gap to RIC

25 minutes remaining – there’s no way they’ll finish the remaining 18 laps

43: HAM already 2.5sec clear of RIC
MAG runs wide, just avoids the tyre wall

44: HAM f/lap 1:47.133 – still about 8secs off Quali pace
DRS enabled again
BOT closing on RIC

45/61: RIC f/lap 1:46.999
HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, PAL, VAN, STR, GRO, HUL, OCO, MAS, MAG, WEH
That was a slow lap (44) from HAM – RIC gained 2.6sec – does HAM have a problem?

46: HAM f/lap 1:46.389
Radio for HAM talking about compressing the field to keep RIC under pressure; HAM says he’s not comfortable driving slower; HAM told to choose his pace
(I think they mean back RIC into BOT)

48: HAM f/lap 1:45.656

49: HUL in the pits again; retires the Renault

50/61: HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, PAL, VAN, STR, GRO, OCO, MAS, MAG, WEH

51: HAM f/lap 1:45.426
WEH is so far behind that HUL is still ahead of him on the timing chart
Radio for MAG – “slow down, we’ve lost MGUK”
MAG pits; retires

54: 5mins left of the 2-hour time limit

55/61: HAM, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, PAL, VAN, STR, GRO, OCO, MAS, WEH
BOT f/lap 1:45.405

56: HAM f/lap 1:45.008

57: HAM crosses the chequered flag with 4secs left on the clock, so this will be the penultimate lap
You can hear the crowd cheer as HAM goes past

58 = final lap: no last minute challenges

HAM takes the chequered flag, triggering fireworks
That’s HAM’s 60th victory

PAL’s defective transponder has him listed as P1 on the final lap! 🙂

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

In the cooldown / pre-podium room, BOT tells HAM that his drink bottle failed


2 thoughts on “Grand Prix of Singapore – Race”

  1. The stewards investigated the incident but decided to take no further action, ruling that: “No driver was wholly or predominantly to blame.” [BBC]

    What a joke!
    FIA = Ferrari Innocent Always

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