Grand Prix of Brazil – Race

Somehow VET escaped any significant penalty for his stupidity at the weighbridge in Qualifying session 2 yesterday. (He was fined €25,000 but no grid penalty.) Mind you, HAM also escaped penalty for his Q2 incident when SIR had to take to the grass to avoid him.

Grid: HAM, VET, BOT, RAI, VER, ERI, LEC, GRO, GAS, MAG, RIC*, PER, HUL, SIR, SAI, HAR, ALO, OCO*, STR, VAN
*RIC & OCO each dropped 5 places for engine changes

Tyre choices are medium (white), soft (yellow) and supersoft (red)
The forecast says 60% chance of showers by the start of the race but it looks less overcast than yesterday
Air temperature 24°C; track 42°C; humidity 70%

ERI’s Sauber lost a piece of bodywork as he came out of the pit lane!
His mechanics are working on the car on the dummy grid; apparently it’s part of the diffuser that came off

HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
VET slow to get going; only drops a couple of places so he can retake his P2 spot
Replay shows VET had issues getting into 1st gear
The Ferrari pair are on soft tyres; rest of the top 10 on supersofts. Further down the grid, most are on softs, except PER on supersofts and HAR on mediums

There are still some dark clouds over the track but no rain just yet

01/71: VET gets off the line ok but HAM still P1
BOT takes P2
RIC past MAG for P12

02: HAM, BOT, VET, RAI, VER, LEC, GRO, GAS, RIC, ERI, MAG, PER, SAI, HUL, ALO, HAR, SIR, STR, OCO, VAN
RIC steals P9 from ERI
HUL around the outside of his teammate; contact with SAI but both continue
VER lines up RAI and takes P4

03: VER fastest lap 1:1:14.517
DRS now available
VER closing on VET

04: HAM f/lap 1:13.987
RIC f/lap 1:13.784
VER makes a great move on VET to take P3 into Turn 1
VET locks up; RAI past his teammate for P4

05/71: HAM, BOT, VER, RAI, VET, RIC, LEC, GRO, GAS, ERI, MAG, PER, SAI, HUL, ALO, HAR, OCO, SIR, STR, VAN
Replay of lap 1; contact between ERI and GRO

06: VER closing on BOT

07: BOT defending from VER; hanging on to P2

08: VER looks for a gap into Turn 1 but BOT keeps the door closed
More bodywork coming off ERI’s car

09: ERI dropping down the field – down to P14
RAI seems to be picking up his pace

10/71: HAM, BOT, VER, RAI, VET, RIC, LEC, GRO, GAS, MAG, PER, SAI, HUL, ERI, ALO, OCO, HAR, SIR, STR, VAN
VER finds room on the inside of BOT into T1; takes P2

11: RAI closing on BOT
RAI goes around the outside but BOT defends well
Radio from GRO complaining about the balance

12: Radio for RIC – “Mercedes are not particularly quick at this stage”

14: OCO takes P15 from ALO

15/71: HAM, VER, BOT, RAI, VET, RIC, LEC, GRO, MAG, GAS, PER, SAI, HUL, ERI, OCO, ALO, HAR, SIR, STR, VAN
Radio from VER saying HAM is sliding more than the Red Bull is
Blisters on both HAM and BOT’s rear tyres

16: RAI right on the tail of BOT
ALO pits; sounds like a clutch problem as he struggles to leave the box

17: Ferrari prepare for a pit stop

18: RAI and VET stay out; mechanics return to their seats

19: VER f/lap 1:13.599
BOT pits from P3; mediums go on; rejoins P9

20/71: HAM pits from P1; mediums; rejoins P7, behind GRO
Radio for VER – “don’t overdrive it, keep it clean”

21: VER f/lap 1:13.429
ERI spins; recovers; heads for the pits

22: HAM f/lap 1:13.025
HAM past GRO for P6

24: HAM easily past LEC for P5

25/71: VER, RAI, VET, RIC, HAM, LEC, GRO, BOT, MAG, PER, SAI, HUL, OCO, HAR, VAN, GAS, SIR, STR, ALO; retirements: ERI
BBC report ERI’s problem was damage to the floor

27: There’s rain falling in the distance, coming from the same direction as it did in Quali

28: VET pits from P3; mediums go on; rejoins P9

29: RIC f/lap 1:12.919

31: HAM sounds pretty frustrated about the strategy calls

32: RAI pits; mediums; rejoins P7, right behind VET

34: HUL pits; pushed into the garage

35/71: VER, RIC, HAM, LEC, BOT, VET, RAI, MAG, PER, GRO, OCO, HAR, GAS, SAI, SIR, STR, VAN, ALO; retirements: HUL, ERI
RAI closing on VET
VET lets RAI past for P6

Half distance

36: VER pits from P1 (so RIC now leads); softs go on; rejoins P3
RAI f/lap 1:12.532

37: RAI closing on BOT
Radio from HAM asking them to check his engine; “power is dropping out”

38: BOT laps ALO; RAI has to wait for his turn to pass the McLaren

39: VER f/lap 1:12.143

40/71: RIC pits (HAM now P1); softs go on; rejoins P6
VER lines up HAM; takes P1

42: RIC f/lap 1:11.608

43: RIC takes a look at VET; VET defends quite hard, retains P5

44: VER and OCO spin! VER was lapping OCO; OCO fights back, tags VER and spins them both around; idiot!
HAM steals P1 while VER recovers

45/71: HAM, VER, RAI, BOT, VET, RIC, LEC, GRO, MAG, PER, HAR, GAS, SAI, SIR, STR, OCO, VAN, ALO

46: Incident involving VER and OCO under investigation
RIC squeaks past VET for P5; VET fights back; was there contact?

47: HAM’s tyres seem to be graining again

48: HAM has a 5-sec lead but VER is closing steadily

49: Replay of VER/OCO incident – damage to VER’s floor; OCO on the radio to complain VER didn’t leave him space
Radio from BOT – “nasty blister on rear left”

50/71: HAM, VER, RAI, BOT, RIC, VET, LEC, GRO, MAG, PER, HAR, GAS, OCO, SAI, SIR, STR, VAN, ALO; retirements: HUL, ERI

51: Radio from VER asking for information about floor damage caused by collision with OCO
Radio for HAM; he’s been told to turn down the engine

52: Radio for VET – “Can you go quicker?”; “I’m trying to go as fast as I can”

53: RIC closing on BOT
Radio for BOT telling him “no more overtake mode for the moment”
Radio for RIC telling him BOT is vulnerable

54: VET pits from P6; supersofts go on; rejoins P7

55/71: HAM, VER, RAI, BOT, RIC, LEC, VET, GRO, MAG, PER

56: Radio from HAM asking “is everyone else struggling for tyres?”; “VET just stopped again but we’re not sure why”

57: VET f/lap 1:11.402
10-sec stop-go penalty for OCO for the collision with VER

58: VET lining up LEC
Radio for HAM – “All things considered, pace is good”

59: OCO serves his penalty

60/71: BOT pits from P4; rejoins P5

61: VET f/lap 1:11.362

62: VAN takes P14 from SIR

63: RIC f/lap 1:11.343
ALO under investigation for ignoring blue flags (ironically!)

64: VAN also under investigation for ignoring blue flags

65/71: HAM, VER, RAI, RIC, BOT, VET, LEC, GRO, MAG, PER, GAS, HAR, SAI, VAN, OCO, SIR, STR, ALO
BOT f/lap 1:10.845

66: VER only 2sec behind HAM and lapping quicker
BOT f/lap 1:10.540

67: HAM stuck behind SIR

68: RIC now on RAI’s tail
ALO let RAI through but made RIC go the long way round

69: Radio from HAM complaining he has no front grip
5-sec penalty for ALO for ignoring blue flags

70/71: HAM just 1.6s ahead of VER
RIC 0.6s behind RAI, so he has DRS

71 = final lap: RIC still pushing hard

HAM takes the chequered flag – his 50th win

Provisional result: HAM, VER, RAI, RIC, BOT, VET, LEC, GRO, MAG, PER; HAR, SAI, GAS, VAN, OCO, ALO, SIR, STR
DNF: HUL, ERI

Mercedes win their 5th consecutive Constructors’ Championship

Radio for VER – “I don’t know what to say”; most of VER’s reply is bleeped out

Apparently VER confronted OCO when the drivers were being weighed, and they’ve both been summoned to see the stewards
https://twitter.com/MaximeB123/status/1061692213288189952
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-and-ocon-in-war-of-words-over-race-defining-interlagos-clash.5wMwoPg2XKysWwEsQiEwsu.html
“Max Verstappen will be required to take part in two days of ‘public service’ at the direction of the FIA following his angry post-race confrontation with Force India’s Esteban Ocon in Brazil.” [FIA]