Yesterday’s Qualifying was the first real chance to see the relative performance of the new cars.
Provisional grid: HAM, BOT, VET, VER, LEC, GRO, MAG, NOR, RAI, PER, HUL, RIC, ALB, GIO, KVY, STR, GAS, SAI, RUS, KUB
The only penalties so far have been financial penalties for unsafe releases by Haas in Q1 and before that McLaren in FP3.
Cars arriving on the grid
Apparently GRO has a radio problem
Aha! This is the 998th F1 race, so that means China will be the 1,000th.
Minute’s silence for Charlie Whiting and the Christchurch massacre
Drivers getting into their cars
Rear of the grid are mostly starting on medium tyres; KUB on hard compound; of course the front of the grid are all on the soft tyres they used in Q2
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
Interesting stat: the pole sitter has only won once in the past 7 Australian GP
01/58: Everyone off the grid
BOT makes a good start
RIC has lost his front wing
02: BOT, HAM, VET, VER, LEC, MAG, GRO, HUL, RAI, NOR, ALB, PER, STR, SAI, KVY, GIO, GAS, RUS, KUB, RIC
KUB and RIC into the pits
Replay of the start shows RIC alongside PER, then using some of the grass; looks like he hit a bump in the grass and lost his front wing
03: BOT fastest lap 1:29.662
DRS now enabled
Radio for RIC reporting some damage to the barge boards too
04: BOT 1:29.246
Remember there’s the new rule whereby the fastest lap setter gets an extra point, provided they finish in the top 10
05/58: Replay of the start shows LEC getting a good start and going around the outside of teammate VET into Turn 1; VET squeezed LEC and the newbie had to back off, dropping back to P5
07: BOT has opened ~2.5sec lead over HAM, who in turn is ~2.3s ahead of VET
09: LEC takes a trip across the grass
10/58: BOT, HAM, VET, VER, LEC, MAG, GRO, HUL, RAI, NOR
11: Smoke from SAI’s McLaren
SAI enters the pit lane but stops his car just before the pit lane gets narrow
13: BOT 1:28.633
RAI pits; mediums go on
14: BOT f/lap but is immediately beaten by HAM 1:28:616
HUL pits, followed by PER
15/58: BOT 1:28.300
VET pits from P3; mediums; rejoins P6
MAG pits, as does ALB
MAG rejoins just ahead of GRO; GRO attacks but MAG defends quite forcefully
16: BOT 1:28.217
HAM pits; rejoins P4
GRO and NOR pit
Slow stop for GRO – problem with the front left wheel
17: VET 1:27.954
19: HUL takes P10 from GIO
GIO lets teammate RAI take P11
20/58: BOT, VER, LEC, HAM, VET, STR, KVY, GAS, MAG, HUL, RAI, GIO, NOR, GRO, ALB, PER, RUS, RIC, KUB; retirement: SAI
BOT f/lap
21: BOT 1:27.832
GIO puts pressure on NOR and takes P12
Radio for NOR telling him he needs to pass GIO
22: BOT 1:27.815
23: Radio from HAM asking why he pitted early but BOT is still going; told it was to cover off VET
24: BOT pits; rejoins P2 behind VER who has yet to stop
NOR still looking for a way round GIO
25/58: VER, BOT, LEC, HAM, VET, STR, KVY, GAS, MAG, HUL
GIO has a train behind him – NOR, GRO, ALB, PER
26: VER pits; mediums ogo on; rejoins P5
BOT 1:27.338
NOR finally finds a gap and takes P12 from GIO
27: GRO and PER pass GIO
28: GIO pits; slow stop – problem with the front left
29 = half distance: LEC pits; hard tyre goes on; rejoins P5
31: VER attacking VET; steals P3
RIC pushed into the Renault garage and retires from his home race
32: GRO has pulled off track and parked his Haas; looks like the front left wheel is loose
BOT 1:27.235
33: VER under 1sec behind HAM
34: Radio from HAM – “I’ve got no rear end (grip)”
35/58: BOT, HAM, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, MAG, HUL, RAI, STR, KVY, NOR, PER, ALB, GRO, RUB, KUB; retirements: GRO, RIC, SAI
37: KVY off, across the gravel at T3
38: BOT 1:27.108
GAS pits; last of the scheduled stoppers
39: LEC has a 25sec lead over MAG, so will Ferrari pit him, throw on some new softs, and try to steal the 1 point for fastest lap?
40/58: BOT 21secs clear of HAM
42: BOT 1:27.043
Radio for GAS discussing the overtake button; sounds like GAS isn’t feeling any difference
43: BOT 1:26.739
Radio from VET – “Why are we so slow?”; “We don’t know at the moment”
LEC now 6sec behind his teammate and closing on him
45: BOT, HAM, VER, VET, LEC, MAG, HUL, RAI, STR, KVY, GAS, NOR, PER, ALB, GIO, RUS, KUB
Radio for VER – “Aim for 10 laps of fun at the end”
47: LEC under 4sec behind VER; presumably Ferrari won’t let him pass VER
48: Another train developing – HUL (P7), RAI, STR, KVY, GAS
49: VER runs wide in T1, across the grass
50/58: BOT, HAM, VER, VET, LEC, MAG, HUL, RAI, STR, KVY, GAS, NOR, PER, ALB, GIO, RUS, KUB; retirements: GRO, RIC, SAI
51: BOT closing on the tail of the HUL-GAS train
LEC is under 0.5sec behind VET; will he take P4?
BOT laps GAS
52: Radio for BOT telling him he still has fastest lap; BOT asks if he should pit (for new tyres) to ensure f/lap; told they don’t want to take that risk; BOT says he really wants 26 points
53: BOT continues making his way through the midfield
55/58: VER 1:26.540
Radio for VER – “focus on getting HAM”
56: Radio from HAM – “I need that point Bono!”
57: The top 3 (at least) are pushing for the fastest lap point
58 = final lap: BOT 1:25.580
Chequered flag
BOT P1
HAM P2
VER P3
Provisional result: BOT, HAM, VER, VET, LEC, MAG, HUL, RAI, STR, KVY; GAS, NOR, PER, ALB, GIO, RUS, KUB
DNF: GRO, RIC, SAI
Fastest lap = BOT
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