With HAM starting P4, it’s a good thing the Montreal circuit is one where drivers can overtake… and the addition of a third DRS zone should help with that.
Provisional grid: VET, BOT, VER, HAM, RAI, RIC, HUL, OCO, SAI, PER, MAG, HAR, LEC, ALO, VAN, GAS, STR, SIR, ERI, GRO*
*GRO failed to set a time in Qualifying as his Haas left a trail of smoke the moment he pulled out of his garage in Q1.
GAS has dropped to P19 following a penalty for an engine change [FIA]
Air temperature 20°C; track 41°C; humidity 27%
Grid: VET, BOT, VER, HAM, RAI, RIC, HUL, OCO, SAI, PER, MAG, HAR, LEC, ALO, VAN, STR, SIR, ERI, GAS, GRO
Radio for HAM pointing out some debris in front of BOT’s car (which is immediately ahead of HAM on the grid)
VET leads everyone away on the formation lap
The Toro Rosso pair are starting on hypersofts (like Red Bull); everyone else on ultrasofts
VET has a long wait on the grid
VER looks a long way forward in his grid box
01/70: VER attacks BOT into Turn 1 but BOT stays P2
STR squeezes HAR against the wall; HAR wipes out against the wall, pushes STR into the run-off area
Safety Car deployed
02[SC]: ERI and VAN pit – long stop for VAN
Replay of the start – was VAN involved in an incident before Turn 1?
03[SC]: Marshals have cleared GAS’ car; now they’re moving STR’s
04[SC]: Replay shows RIC had a good start; passed RAI before Turn 1
SC in at the end of this lap
05/70: VET, BOT, VER, HAM, RIC, RAI, OCO, HUL, SAI, LEC
PER touches wheels with SAI; PER off across Turn 1
06: VET fastest lap 1:16.945
Stewards investigating STR/HAR incident and PER/SAI incident
07: VET f/lap 1:16.315
Radio from PER whining that SAI should be black-flagged (disqualified)
No further action for STR/HAR incident
08: VET f/lap 1:15.816
10/70: VET, BOT, VER, HAM, RIC, RAI, OCO, HUL, SAI, LEC, ALO, GAS, MAG, PER, GRO, SIR, ERI, VAN
PER pits; rejoins P18
11: VET f/lap 1:15.475
Radio from HUL – “really being held up here” (by OCO)
12: OCO pits; early stop; rear jack issue; rejoins P15
No further action for PER/SAI incident
13: VET f/lap 1:15.349
BOT now 4sec behind VET
14: HUL pits; front left tyre was a bit slow going on; rejoins P13, ahead of OCO
15/70: SAI pits; rejoins ahead of OCO too
16: RIC closing on HAM
17: VER and HAM pit; both switch to supersoft tyres; rejoin P5 and P6, ahead of LEC
18: VET f/lap 1:15.210
RIC pits; supersofts; rejoins between VER and HAM
19: ALO pits
Radio for VET – “we are on Plan B”
20/70: VET, BOT, RAI, VER, RIC, HAM, LEC, GAS, MAG, GRO, HUL, SAI, OCO, ALO, SIR, ERI, PER, VAN; retirements: STR, HAR
24: Radio for HAM – “Still unsafe to RAI” (i.e. when RAI pits, he might rejoin ahead of HAM) – replied “Nothing I can do right now”
25/70: HUL blasts past GRO thanks to DRS; takes P7
26: SAI replicates his teammate’s move to pass GRO for P8
29: Apparently HAM’s mechanics opened some additional cooling vents in his pit stop
30/70: VET f/lap 1:15.059
VET, BOT, RAI, VER, RIC, HAM, HUL, SAI, GRO, OCO, ALO, LEC, GAS, PER, MAG, VAN, ERI, SIR
OCO attacking GRO for P9
31: Radio from HAM asking why he pitted so early; told it was to address the cooling issue
32: VET, BOT, RAI and GRO yet to pit
33: RAI pits; rejoins just behind HAM who was slowed by SIR
35/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, GRO, OCO
RAI f/lap 1:15.026
37: BOT pits; new supersofts; rejoins still P2
Radio for VET telling him to box now
38: VET pits; rejoins still P1
39: BOT f/lap 1:14.512
40/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, GRO, OCO, ALO, LEC, GAS, PER, MAG, VAN, ERI, SIR
41: VET f/lap 1:14.163
Radio for RAI telling him to ignore the warnings about his brakes
42: Radio for ALO telling him they need to retire the car
43: ALO pits, pushed into the garage
45/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, GRO, OCO, LEC, GAS, PER, MAG, VAN, ERI, SIR; retirements: ALO, STR, HAR
49: SAI locks up into the final chicane but avoids the wall
50: OCO passed GRO as they approached the final chicane but GRO was pitting, which means OCO braked for the corner but GRO almost ran into the back of him as the braking point for the pits is further down the road
52: BOT f/lap 1:13.992
53: Stewards say OCO/GRO won’t be investigated
55/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, OCO, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, PER, ERI, VAN, SIR
HAM closing on RIC
56: BOT locks up and cuts across Turn 1
58: VET f/lap 1:13.964
60/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, OCO, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, PER, ERI, VAN, SIR; retirements: ALO, STR, HAR
61: GRO within striking distance of GAS
63: HAM close enough to RIC to get DRS
65/70: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, OCO, LEC
66: VER f/lap 1:13.864
Radio for HAM telling him “HPP1 to setting 1 will give you everything”
67: RIC slowed up briefly by a backmarker
70: Chequered flag waved too soon!
RIC f/lap 1:13.839
VET takes the “proper” chequered flag – his 50th victory
Provisional result: VET, BOT, VER, RIC, HAM, RAI, HUL, SAI, OCO, LEC; GAS, GRO, PER, MAG, ERI, VAN, SIR
DNF: ALO, STR, HAR
There’s no mention (that I can find) of the fiasco at the finish, just “68 laps” noted as the completed distance 🙁
https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2018/races/985/canada/race-result.html
“The FIA’s race director, Charlie Whiting, has explained the cause of the chequered flag being inadvertently waved before the end of the Canadian Grand Prix.” … “The chequered flag was shown a lap early because there was a miscommunication between the start platform and the guy that they call the starter, the guy that starts and finishes the races,” FIA race director Charlie Whiting told reporters. “He thought it was the last lap, he asked race control to confirm it and they confirmed it.”
https://www.pitpass.com/62018/FIAs-Charlie-Whiting-clarifies-chequered-flag-error
“Ross Brawn has issued an apology on behalf of Formula 1 to Winnie Harlow for the error which led to the model waving the chequered flag a lap too soon at the end of the Canadian Grand Prix.”
https://www.racefans.net/2018/06/12/harlow-receives-apology-for-chequered-flag-error-f1/
https://www.racefans.net/2018/06/14/the-three-other-times-the-chequered-flag-was-waved-too-soon/