Mercedes have the front row locked out again, although HAM is “only” P2. There are no penalties coming out of Qualifying, so the grid is unchanged.
Grid: BOT, HAM, LEC, VER, GAS, VET, RIC, NOR, ALB, HUL, GIO, RAI, SAI, GRO, PER, MAG, KVY, STR, RUS, KUB
It’s looking a little overcast, and there’s talk of rain just a few miles from the circuit.
LEC and VET are starting on soft compound tyres but everyone around them will be on mediums, so that could make for an interesting first few laps
Red Bull mechanics are changing VER’s rear wing on the grid!
Christian Horner confirms it was a problem with an endplate and they’ve got the ok to replace it without a penalty
They’re changing GAS’s endplate too
Radio for BOT telling him the temperature has risen a little and there’s now a headwind into Turn 1
Red Bull finished replacing the end plates for VER and GAS with just 60 seconds to go before the green light
BOT leads everyone away on the formation lap
Interesting – there’s about an even split between soft and medium tyres
Charlie Whiting’s son is on the flag stand – he’s going to start the race – very nice touch
01/52: BOT just stays ahead of HAM
NOR past RIC through Copse
02: BOT, HAM, LEC, VER, VET, GAS, NOR, RIC, HUL, ALB, SAI, RAI, GIO, PER, STR, KVY, RUS, KUB, GRO into the pits, MAG also pits
Replay – yes, the Haas pair touched on lap 1
03: BOT fastest lap 1:31.644
DRS enabled
BOT lapping MAG
04: HAM f/lap 1:3
BOT defends but HAM takes P1
HAM leaves the door open and BOT reclaims P1
05/52: BOT locks up but HAM is too far back to attack
06: BOT f/lap
07: HAM f/lap 1:30.967
MAG pits again
08: VER closing on LEC
09: HAM f/lap 1:30.850
10/52: BOT, HAM, LEC, VER, VET, GAS, NOR, RIC, HUL, ALB, SAI, PER, RAI, STR, KVY, GIO, RUS, KUB, GRO; retirements: MAG
VER just inches from LEC’s rear wing
11: BOT f/lap 1:30.725
VER takes P3 but LEC reclaims it
VER now under pressure from VET, with GAS just behind
GRO in the pits again
12: GAS steals P5 from VET
VET fights back but GAS holds on to P5
13: GAS pits from P5; swaps mediums for hard tyres; rejoins P10
RIC and KVY pit too
14: LEC and VER into the pits together
VER alongside LEC as they leave the box – was that an unsafe release?
Both are on mediums, so VER needs to stop at least once more
VER cuts ahead of LEC as they reach the single-width section at pit out
VER runs wide; LEC takes P4
16: BOT pits; rejoins P3
17: VER right up under LEC’s rear wing again
Pit lane incident involving NOR and ALB under investigation
I’m surprised VER and LEC under investigation too
18: HAM f/lap 1:30.236
19: VER spots a gap but LEC blocks … and then moves a 2nd time to slam the door shut
20/52: HAM, VET, BOT, LEC, VER, SAI, GAS, RIC, GIO, NOR, ALB, HUL, PER, RUS, KVY, RAI, STR, KUB; retirements: GRO, MAG
GIO has beached his Alfa
Safety Car deployed
21[SC]: HAM pits; hard tyres go on; rejoined still P1
VET pits from P2; hard too; rejoins P3
VER pits from P4; hard too; rejoins P6
SAI and RIC pit too
23[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
HAM, BOT, VET, GAS, VER, LEC, SAI, NOR, ALB, HUL, RIC, PER, RAI, STR, KVY, RUS, KUB; retirements: GIO, GRO, MAG
24: GAS locks up and VER almost hits his teammate
RIC takes P10 from teammate HUL
STR pushes HUL wide
25/52: HAM f/lap 1:29.973
VER defending but LEC finds a gap; pushes VER wide; LEC takes P5
Good thing that’s a tarmac run-off; if it had been gravel, VER would be out and LEC penalised
VER fights back; reclaims P5
26: Radio from LEC asking if something’s broken; told everything is fine
PER loses his front wing
27: BOT 1:29.958
GAS lets teammate VER take P4
28: HAM f/lap 1:29.601
29: HAM f/lap 1:2
30/52: HAM, BOT, VET, VER, GAS, LEC, SAI, NOR, RIC, ALB, RAI, HUL, STR, KVY, RUS, KUB, PER
HAM f/lap 1:29.190
31: RIC looking for a way around NOR
32: LEC tucked up behind GAS
35/52: HAM, BOT, VET, VER, GAS, LEC, SAI, NOR, RIC, ALB, RAI, HUL, STR, KVY, RUS, KUB, PER
HAM f/lap 1:29.160
GAS runs a little wide and LEC tries to squeeze inside but GAS keeps P5
36: Radio from VER – “I heard something strange coming out of (turn?)”
LEC finds a gap and takes P5
VER told there’s no problem
37: BOT f/lap 1:29.127
38: VER around VET to take P3 into Stowe
VET slams into VER and they’re both off!
VET is still running
VER drags himself out of the gravel trap
Replay – VET gets it wrong, locks up and ploughs into the Red Bull
Oh, surprise – VET’s on the radio blaming VER – idiot!
39: VER now P5, behind GAS
VET P14; pits; new nose section; mediums go on; rejoins P17
Incident involving VER and VET under investigation
40/52: HAM, BOT, LEC, GAS, VER, SAI, RIC, ALB, RAI, HUL
42: HAM f/lap 1:28.568
43 = 10 laps left: 10sec penalty for VET for causing a collision
44: HUL slowing but he doesn’t pit (or did he have an off?)
Radio for HAM – “box, box, box, box” … but why does he need to stop?
45/52: HAM doesn’t pit
KUB locks up just as HAM closes in to lap him
46: BOT pits from P2; hard tyres go on; rejoins still P2
RIC still harrying SAI for P6
47: RIC takes a look inside SAI but backs out
48: BOT f/lap 1:27.406
Radio from LEC asking how far HAM is ahead; told 26secs
RIC pushing up to the rear of SAI again
50/52: HAM, BOT, LEC, GAS, VER, SAI, RIC, RAI, KVY, ALB, HUL, NOR, STR, RUS, VET*, KUB, PER; retirements: GIO, GRO, MAG
*10secs to be added to VET’s time
52/52: HAM has a 21sec lead over BOT, who in turn is 6sec ahead of LEC
HUL takes P10 from ALB
HAM takes the chequered flag; that’s 6 GB GP wins, a new record
HAM f/lap 1:27.369
BOT P2
LEC P3
Provisional result: HAM, BOT, LEC, GAS, VER, SAI, RIC, RAI, KVY, HUL; ALB, NOR, STR, RUS, VET*, KUB, PER
DNF: GIO, GRO, MAG
*VET’s 10sec penalty
Fastest lap: HAM, on that final lap
Wow, VET admits the collision (when he rear-ended VER) was his fault
I’m still surprised there wasn’t a penalty for VER being released alongside LEC – I don’t think there was even an investigation