Grand Prix of Spain – Race

Yesterday was the annual badminton competition so I’m catching up on the race weekend a little late.

Following Qualifying, the provisional grid was: BOT, HAM, VET, VER, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, RIC*, NOR, ALB, SAI, RAI, PER, HUL, STR, GIO, RUS*, KUB
*RIC has 3-place penalty; *RUS has 5-place penalty

However, since then there have been a couple of updates:

• GIO also has a 5-place penalty for a gearbox change
• HUL will start from the pit lane after needing a new front wing after his Q1 trip into the gravel

So the revised grid is: BOT, HAM, VET, VER, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, NOR, ALB, SAI, RIC*, RAI, PER, STR, KUB, GIO*, RUS*; HUL* in the pit lane

On the way to the grid, HAM entered the pit lane at speed and was surprised to catch VET dawdling in the narrow pit entry.

BOT leads almost everyone away on the formation lap (because HUL has to wait in the pit lane)
Looks like the front runners are all on soft tyres
HAM seems to be quite forward in his grid spot

01/66: BOT squeezed between HAM and VET
VET runs wide
LEC looking for a way past VET
Radio from VET complaining about a flat spot
RAI off at Turn 4; rejoins P20

02: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, GIO, NOR, HUL, KUB, RUS, RAI

03: BOT fastest lap 1:23.495 but he’s over 1.5sec behind HAM
DRS now enabled

04: BOT f/lap 1:23.021

05/66: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, GIO, NOR, HUL, RAI, KUB, RUS
HAM f/lap 1:22:

6: BOT f/lap 1:22.676
NOR takes P15 from GIO

7: HAM f/lap 1:22.310
RIC closing on SAI
GIO pits; hard tyres go on

8: HAM f/lap 1:22.254
LEC all over VET’s rear wing

9: LEC still inside DRS range

10/66: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, NOR, HUL, RAI, KUB, RUS, GIO
HAM f/lap 1:21.972

12: VET lets LEC through for P4
Radio from VET wanting to change his flat-spotted tyres

14: RIC harrying SAI again

15/66: HAM, BOT, VER, LEC, VET, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, ALB
HAM 3.3sec ahead of BOT, who in turn is about 6sec clear of VER

16: HAM f/lap 1:21.766
Radio from VET again looking to switch tyres

18: VET falling back into the clutches of GAS

19: HAM closing up to lap the backmarkers

20/66: HAM, BOT, VER, LEC, VET, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, HUL, NOR, RAI, RUS, KUB, GIO
VET pits from P4; mediums go on; left rear slow; rejoins 10

21: HAM f/lap 1:21.527
VER pits from P3; new softs, so he’s 2-stopping; rejoins P5
VET takes P9 from ALB

22: KVY pits from P9; rejoins P17

23: GAS pits from P4; mediums; rejoins P9

24: VET tucked up behind MAG
MAG pits from P6; mediums; rejoins P14

25/66: HAM, BOT, LEC, VER, GRO, VET, ALB, GAS, RIC, SAI
KVY around the outside of RAI

26: VET f/lap 1:21.333
LEC pits from P3; hard tyres go on; rear left slow again; rejoins P5, ahead of VET

27: BOT pits from P2; mediums; rejoins still P2
GRO pits; rejoins P7 but almost immediately is passed by HUL

28: HAM pits from P1; mediums; rejoins still P1

29: Yet to pit are HUL, RAI, RUS and KUB
Radio from VER asking if the wind is increasing; confirmed there’s more tail wind into Turn 7

30/66: HAM, BOT, VER, LEC, VET, GAS, GRO, HUL, MAG, KVY, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, NOR, RAI, GIO, RUS, KUB
BOT f/lap 1:20.857
VET (on mediums) closing on teammate LEC (on hard tyres)

31: HAM is ~8sec ahead of BOT, who in turn is almost 5sec ahead of VER

32: LEC is over 10sec behind VER
VET has DRS behind LEC; how long before they’re told to switch position?

35/66: HAM, BOT, VER, LEC, VET, GAS, GRO, MAG, KVY, HUL
Surprised Ferrari still haven’t told LEC to let VET take P4

36: Finally VET passes LEC
HUL makes his first pit stop; rejoins P16

38: HAM laps STR (P14)
KVY dives past MAG for P8

40/66: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, GRO, KVY, MAG, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, NOR, HUL, RAI, GIO, RUS, KUB

41: VET pits again; more mediums; rejoins P6, just behind GAS

42: VET dives inside GAS to steal P5

43: VET f/lap 1:20.065
Radio for VER telling him LEC’s last lap time; VER convinced LEC will pit again

44: VER pits from P3; mediums; rejoins P4 between the two Ferraris
HAM’s rear right tyre is looking ugly

45/66: HAM, BOT, LEC, VER, VET, GAS, GRO, KVY, MAG, ALB, SAI, RIC, PER, STR, NOR, HUL, RAI, GIO, RUS, KUB

46: BOT pits from P2; softs go on; rejoins P
STR just ahead of NOR but cuts across; contact; both into the gravel
Safety Car deployed

47[SC]: HAM pits; rejoins still P1
LEC pits; mediums go on; released very close to RAI; rejoins P5
GAS and GRO pit too
Radio from HAM reporting lots of gravel on the track

48[SC]: Replay of Toro Rosso making a mess of KVY’s pit stop – not ready with the new tyres
Oh, and ALB was stacked, waiting behind KVY, so his stop was even worse

49[SC]: Marshals are trying to clear the gravel off the racing line

50/66[SC]: Lapped cars may now pass the SC

52[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
HAM backing everyone up
No overtaking until they cross the start line

53: GAS all over the rear of VET
MAG and GRO touch but both continue

54: HAM f/lap 1:19.850
Incident involving NOR and STR will be investigated after the race

55/66: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, MAG, GRO, SAI, KVY, ALB, HUL, RIC, PER, RAI, GIO, RUS, KUB; retirements: STR, NOR
HAM f/lap 1:18.492

56: RIC takes P12 from HUL

57 = 10 laps left: GRO attacks into Turn 1 but teammate MAG defends; GRO runs wide but holds on to P8

58: RIC closing on ALB
SAI attacks GRO into T1; front tyres touch; GRO runs wide again but hangs on to P8

59: SAI takes P8 from GRO

60/66: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, MAG, SAI, GRO, KVY, ALB, RIC, HUL, RAI, PER, GIO, RUS, KUB

61: Incident involving GRO and SAI noted (but no mention of investigating)
KVY steals P9 from GRO

62: KVY, GRO, ALB and RIC in a battle for P9 to P12

64: ALB attacking GRO for P10 but the Haas stays ahead

65/66: HAM 3sec ahead of BOT, then another 3sec gap to VER

66 = final lap: ALB looks at a gap but doesn’t attack

HAM takes the chequered flag

Provisional result: HAM*, BOT, VER, VET, LEC, GAS, MAG, SAI, KVY, GRO; ALB, RIC, HUL, RAI, PER, GIO, RUS, KUB
DNF: STR, NOR
*Fastest lap: HAM