The last lap of Qualifying saw VET on pole, then his teammate LEC displaced him, and then HAM split the Ferrari pair.
But the biggest Quali surprise was hearing RIC was disqualified because his Renault’s MGU-K exceeded the power limit [FIA]
Grid: LEC, HAM, VET, VER, BOT, ALB, SAI, HUL, NOR, GIO, GAS, RAI, MAG, KVY, PER*, STR, GRO, RUS, KUB, RIC**
*PER has a 5-place penalty for a gearbox change
**RIC disqualified from qualifying for his car exceeding the MGU-K power limit – he races at the stewards’ discretion and takes 10-place penalty for use of additional power unit elements.
LEC leads everyone away on the formation lap
GAS is on hard tyres; the top 9 are on softs (as used in Q2) and everyone else is on mediums
(Because RIC was disqualified, he doesn’t have to start on his Q2 tyres)
LEC takes his grid spot fairly quickly but the rest of field take their time to get ready for the start
01/61: LEC streaks away; HAM has VET all over his tail
RIC scything his way through the tail-enders
RUS has a damaged front wing
02: LEC, HAM, VET, VER, BOT, ALB, NOR, GIO, MAG, GAS, RAI, KVY, STR, PER, RIC, KUB, GRO
HUL, RUS, SAI all pit
SAI seems to have a problem at the rear – the mechanics can’t lift the car
03: HAM fastest lap 1:48.666
GRO past KUB for P16
Replay of lap 1 of SAI taking the racing line and HUL hitting his rear right
05/61: HUL f/lap 1:47.992
Radio for SAI “We believe the suspension is ok”
06: LEC, HAM, VET, VER, BOT, ALB, NOR, GIO, MAG, GAS, RAI, KVY, STR, RIC, PER, GRO, KUB, HUL, RUS, SAI
HAM has been on the radio complaining the pace is too slow, but LEC’s engineer has told him the pace is fine
07: RIC takes P13 from STR
10/61: Radio from HAM “I can’t really go much slower”; “We’re reaching the pit window” (OK, so why not pass LEC?)
RIC inside KVY to steal P12, and STR passes the Toro Rosso on the exit of the corner
11: PER attacking KVY now
Radio for BOT telling him to cool his front-left
12: PER takes P14 from KVY
13: KVY pits; rejoins P19
14: PER pits from P14; rejoins P17
15/61: LEC, HAM, VET, VER, BOT, ALB, NOR, GIO, MAG, GAS, RAI, RIC, STR, GRO, HUL, KUB, PER, KVY, RUS, SAI
KVY f/lap 1:47.419
16: RAI pits; rejoins P16
PER f/lap 1:46.683
Radio for LEC giving him the ok to push
17: RAI inside KUB for P15
18: PER makes a forceful move on KUB, and then KVY passes the Williams too
19: MAG pits from P9; rejoins P14
20/61: VET pits, followed by VER; both move to hard tyres; VET rejoins P10, VER in P12 with HUL between them
Radio from HAM “Let’s undercut him” as he sits right on LEC’s rear wing
21: LEC pits; rejoins P8, just behind VET
ALB and NOR pit too
22: HAM stays out – that seems like a bad call because he’s ~2sec slower than VET
VET f/lap 1:45.453
23: BOT pits from P2; rejoins P9, just ahead of HUL
Radio from LEC complaining that VET undercut him
24: VET closing on STR but it’s for position so no blue flags
25/61: HAM, GIO, GAS, RIC, STR, VET, LEC, VER, BOT, ALB, HUL, NOR, MAG, RAI, PER, KVY, RUS, GRO, KUB, SAI
BOT f/lap 1:45.290
26: Radio for BOT from James
27: HAM pits; rejoins P8, behind VER – that’s a terrible strategy call by Mercedes
29: VET and LEC past STR
VET past RIC too
30/61: GIO, GAS, VET, RIC, LEC, STR, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, HUL, NOR, MAG, RAI, PER, KVY, RUS, GRO, KUB, SAI
Half distance
31: Incident involving VET and GAS “noted” and then “no investigation necessary”
VET takes P1 from GIO
32: STR pits
33: VER past GIO for P3; HAM now closing on the Alfa Romeo… and passes him
34: VET ~6sec clear of LEC
BOT and ALB pass GIO
RIC attacks too; GIO defends but contact then runs wide
RIC has a puncture
GIO pits
35/61: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, HUL, NOR, MAG, RAI, PER, KVY, GIO, STR, GAS, RIC, RUS, GRO, KUB, SAI
LEC 1:45.250
Incident involving RIC and GIO “noted”
36: RUS is in the wall – was there contact with GRO?
Safety Car deployed
37[SC]: Radio from LEC telling his team he’s not impressed with the pit strategy that put VET ahead of him
38[SC]: A crane is trying to move RUS’ car but it’s going to take a few laps for them to clean up
39[SC]: Lapped cars (just SAI) can pass the SC
40/61[SC]: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, NOR, MAG, RAI, PER, STR, GAS, HUL, KVY, GIO, RIC, KUB, GRO, SAI; retirements: RUS
SC in at the end of this lap
41: GAS tries to pass STR; wheel to wheel contact; GAS takes P11
Incident involving GRO and RIS “noted”
HUL past STR – looks like STR has a puncture – yes, he hit the wall
42: STR pits
Incident involving GRO and RIS under investigation
43: HUL gets a good run at GAS but GAS defends P11
PER pulls to the side of the track
44: LEC is within DRS range of VET
SC deployed
45/61[SC]: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, NOR, MAG, RAI, GAS, HUL, KVY, GIO, RIC, GRO, KUB, SAI, STR; retirements: PER, RUS
STR pits
46[SC]: Radio from LEC asking for an engine mode to let him attack VET; told they need to get both cars home
47[SC]: Only 27 minutes left of the 2-hour limit, so they might not finish all the laps
SC in at the end of this lap
VET crawling through the final turns
48: GAS harrying MAG
GAS and HUL pass MAG
RIC and GRO jockeying too
50/61: KVY attacks RAI; contact; RAI is off, front left broken
SC deployed
51[SC]: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, NOR, GAS, HUL, MAG, GIO, GRO, SAI, RIC, KVY, STR, KUB; retirements: RAI, PER, RUS
SC in at the end of this lap
52 = 10 laps left: Incident involving RAI and KVY will be investigated after the race
Radio from HUL “There’s something weird happening with the gearbox. I have a false neutral.”
MAG slipping down from P10 to P14
53: Radio from STR “I think something is wrong with the car, there’s a lot of damage and I feel like I’m going to crash!”
54: STR sneaks past KVY for P15
55/61: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, NOR, GAS, HUL, GIO
56: VET f/lap 1:44.943
58: KVY f/lap 1:33.371 but he’s P15 so he won’t get the point
59: BOT f/lap 1:43.534
MAG f/lap 1:42.301
5mins left
60/61: Radio from VER asking for more power; “negative, this is the best”
HAM is under 1sec behind VER, so he has DRS
61 = final lap: HAM all over VER’s wing but it’s too late
VET takes the chequered flag – his first win in over a year
Provisional result: VET, LEC, VER, HAM, BOT, ALB, NOR, GAS, HUL, GIO; GRO, SAI, STR, RIC, KVY, KUB, MAG
DNF: RAI, PER, RUS
Fastest lap: MAG set f/lap (1:42.301) but because he finished outside the top 10, the point for f/lap was not awarded
Incident involving RAI and KVY (lap 50) will be investigated after the race
“Giovinazzi receives post-race penalty, but keeps point”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.giovinazzi-receives-post-race-penalty-but-keeps-point.7fzj7L1pZDuQQOBKLOPllS.html
“After hearing from the Italian driver and Alfa representatives, Giovinazzi was found guilty of ignoring instructions to stay to the right of the incident while marshals worked to recover Russell’s car, and was given a 10-second post-race time penalty as a result.”