Ferrari took full advantage of their new engines and locked out the front row of the grid, just pipping HAM in Qualifying yesterday.
Grid: RAI, VET, HAM, BOT, VER, GRO, SAI, OCO, GAS, STR, MAG, SIR, ALO, PER, LEC, HAR, VAN, ERI*, RIC*, HUL*
*engine change penalties (plus HUL’s penalty from Spa) applied
The rain that was forecast for Quali didn’t materialise; there’s light drizzle popping up around the circuit with less than an hour before the start of the race.
Air temperature 21°C; track 28°C; humidity 69&; probability of rain 60%
RAI leads everyone away on the formation lap
Top 10 are all on the supersoft tyres that they used in Q2; most of the rest on supersofts too, except LEC, MAG, ERI & RIC on softs
Radio for HAM – no rain on the weather radar but there might be a few spots in the air
01/53: RAI leads VET into Turn 1
HAR has stopped before Turn 1
VET turns in on HAM but it’s VET that breaks his front wing and spins
Safety Car deployed
02[SC]: ERI, VET, RIC, HUL all pit
Sky Sports report VET released right into ? – that’s an unsafe release
Incident involving VET & HAM under investigation
03[SC]: Replay shows VAN move across in front of HAR, then ERI hits his front right, breaking the suspension
SC in at the end of this lap
04: HAM steals P1 before Turn 1 … but RAI reclaims it before Turn 2
05/53: RAI, HAM, VER, BOT, GRO, SAI, OCO, STR, SIR, ALO, GAS, PER, LEC, HUL, VAN, RIC, VET, ERI, MAG
RAI fastest lap 1:25.439
MAG pits
Race control: no further action in VET/HAM incident
Replay of MAG & PER making contact, bodywork flying
07: HAM f/lap 1:24.827
PER all over the rear of ALO
08: RAI f/lap 1:24.538
09: VET takes a look inside RIC; VET takes P14
LEC locks up; VET steals P13
10/53: RAI, HAM, VER, BOT, GRO, SAI, OCO, STR, SIR, PER, GAS, VET, RIC, LEC, HUL, VAN
RAI f/lap 1:24.500
HAM f/lap 1:24.349
ALO pits; he’s rolling down the pit lane with no engine power
11: HUL lining up LEC; gets a tow and blasts past for P14
RIC brakes late, tags GAS’ rear right wheel but both continue
12: PER attacking SIR but SIR holds on to P9
RIC closes again but this time GAS pretty much holds the door open for RIC to take P12
13: PER makes his pass stick and takes P9 from SIR
14: OCO closing on SAI; gets a tow as well as DRS; takes P6
15/53: RAI, HAM, VER, BOT, GRO, OCO, SAI, STR, PER, SIR, VET, RIC, GAS, HUL, LEC, VAN, ERI, MAG; retirements: ALO, HAR
VET easily past SIR for P10
16: VET closing on STR; inside STR into Turn 1 to take P9
17: VET tries to make the same move on PER but went too deep into Turn 1; PER reclaims P8
VET switched to soft tyres when he pitted at the end of lap 1; can he make them last to the end?
18: VET makes the move stick this time; up to P8
Radio from HAM – “tyres still good”
19: BOT looked at attacking VER into Turn 1; BOT locks up; VER locks up too and cuts across the kerbs
20/53: RAI, HAM, VER, BOT, GRO, OCO, SAI, VET, PER, STR, SIR, RIC, HUL, GAS, LEC, VAN, ERI, MAG
VET steals P7 from SAI
Mechanics get ready in both Ferrari and Mercedes pits
21: RAI pits from P1; takes on soft tyres; rejoins P4
22: HAM f/lap 1:23.611
HAM pushing hard but RAI setting fastest sector times
23: BOT gets very close to VER’s rear wing
Radio for HAM – “just one more lap”
24: Radio from VET – “it’s raining a little bit on the back of the circuit”
RAI f/lap 1:23.535
VET catches OCO and breezes past him for P5
25/53: Smoke from RIC’s new engine; he’s pulled off track and parked the Red Bull
Double yellow flags as the marshals make a mess of moving RIC’s car
26: Couple of spots of rain on the camera lens
27: VER pits from P2; soft tyres go on; rejoins P6
Both Mercedes yet to pit; are they waiting to see if the rain develops?
28: Radio for BOT – “keep Kimi behind you”
29: HAM pushing hard into the pit lane; locks up at the speed check line; softs; rejoins P3
RAI f/lap 1:23.515
VER easily past OCO for P5
30/53: BOT, RAI, HAM, VET, VER, OCO, PER, SAI, STR, SIR, GRO, HUL, GAS, LEC, ERI, VAN, MAS
VET pits from P4; switches to supersofts; rejoins P10
31: RAI closing up on BOT
HAM f/lap 1:22.497
32: BOT doing exactly what Mercedes need, holding RAI up
33: Radio for BOT – “Kimi has blistered his right rear”
34: HAM closing right up on RAI; there’s only 1 second covering BOT, RAI and HAM
VET past SAI for P7
35/53: BOT, RAI, HAM, VER, OCO, PER, VET, SAI, STR, SIR, GRO, HUL, GAS, LEC, ERI, VAN, MAG
Radio for HAM warning him his rear left is “at the limit”
Top 3 lap VAN
GAS pits, followed by LEC
36: RAI dips a wheel into a gravel trap
37: BOT pits from P1; softs; rejoins P4
39: Radio for RAI – “we see some vibration from your rear tyres – try to keep them alive”
40/53: RAI, HAM, VER, BOT, VET, PER, SAI, GRO, OCO, HUL, STR, ERI, SIR, LEC, VAN, GAS, MAG; retirements: RIC, ALO, HAR
PER pits, as does SAI
41: HAM 0.7sec behind RAI; keeping the pressure on means RAI can’t rest his tyres
42: BOT attacks VER into Turn 1; VER defends well, keeps P3
43: RAI laps SIR as they approach Turn 1; SIR stays out the way and lets HAM through too
BOT attacks again; VER closes the door – doesn’t leave enough room and makes contact with BOT; BOT has to use the escape road
44: Incident involving VER & BOT under investigation
45/53: HAM makes a strong move into Turn 1; clean pass to take P1
Race control: 5sec penalty for VER for the incident with BOT
46: VER is 1.4sec ahead of BOT on track but his 5sec penalty means VER is effectively P4
47: BOT all over the rear of VER
49: BOT alongside but VER hangs on to P3
Radio from VER – “I know I’m losing time to VET but I really don’t care”
50/53: HAM, RAI, VER, BOT, VET, GRO
How about this for strategy: Mercedes should get BOT to back off a bit, let VER concentrate on his speed; then BOT jumps ahead of VER because of his penalty, but VER stays ahead of VET, denying Ferrari the extra points
52: SIR unlaps himself thanks to RAI’s tyres being so damaged
53: VET is now ~4sec behind VER, so VET is effectively P4
HAM takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: HAM, RAI, BOT, VET, VER*, GRO, OCO, PER, SAI, STR; SIR, LEC, VAN, HUL, GAS, ERI, MAG
(*after 5sec penalty)
DNF: RIC, ALO, HAR
RAI gets his 100th podium
More booing from the Italian crowd – without wanting to sound like Trump, it’s pathetic
Nice to see Felipe Massa again
Renault have lodged a protest with race stewards in Italy over the legality of Romain Grosjean’s Haas. The Frenchman finished Sunday’s Grand Prix at Monza in sixth place, moving Haas ahead of rivals Renault in the race for the coveted fourth place in the constructors’ standings.
“We confirm that Renault Sport Formula One Team has submitted a request to the Stewards of the Event for clarification on the legality of the Haas F1 Team VF-18,” read a statement from Renault, who picked up two points to Haas’s eight with Carlos Sainz finishing ninth and Nico Hulkenberg 14th.
“We have no further comment on this matter until the Stewards have arrived at a decision.”
According to the FIA’s Race Director Charlie Whiting, the protest concerns “a small detail on the leading edge of the floor” of the Ferrari-powered Haas.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2018/9/breaking–renault-protest-grosjeans-sixth-placed-haas.html
“Romain Grosjean has been disqualified from the Italian Grand Prix after the floor of his Haas Formula 1 car was deemed to not be in compliance with the rules”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2018/9/grosjean-disqualified-from-italian-gp.html
This means the revised result is: HAM, RAI, BOT, VET, VER, OCO, PER, SAI, STR, SIR
Vandoorne to leave McLaren at the end of 2018
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2018/9/vandoorne-to-leave-mclaren-at-the-end-of-2018.html
“British teenager Lando Norris is to replace Stoffel Vandoorne at McLaren after the Belgian driver announced he is to leave at the end of the season.”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/45397134
Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says he was “disgusted” by fans who booed Lewis Hamilton after Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
“What happened was very, very bad and I am really upset.”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/45403007