Brazil is the penultimate race of the 2019 season; the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship titles are decided but there’s plenty to fight for in the midfield and further down.
Despite qualifying P4 (and then dropping 10 places because of engine changes), LEC has sewn up the challenge for most pole positions – he’s had 7 poles (Bahrain, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Singapore, Russia, Mexico) compared to BOT (5 poles), HAM (4), VET (2) and VER (2).
Grid: VER, VET, HAM, BOT, ALB, GAS, GRO, RAI, MAG, NOR, RIC, GIO, HUL, LEC*, PER, KVY, STR, RUS, KUB, SAI*
*LEC has dropped to P14 due to a 10-place grid penalty for engine changes
*SAI didn’t set a time in Q1 so had to get the stewards approval to race; he also took some engine changes but he was already P20
Air temperature 21°C; track 49°C; a few clouds but no rain expected
ALB mechanics have spotted a problem with the tyre blankets; they’re replacing a controller to keep the tyres at the right temp before the start
Radio from HAM, there’s more play in the steering wheel than he’d like
VER leads everyone away on the formation lap
The top 10 are all on soft tyres; RIC, HUL, LEC, KVY, RUS & KUB on mediums but the rest on softs
Radio from HAM, asking why there’s a difference in the front tyre temps
The drivers at the front have to hold their cars on the brake as it’s uphill to Turn 1
Long wait for SAI to take his spot
1/71: HAM around VET to steal P2
NOR trying to defend P10 from GIO
02: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, GAS, GRO, RAI, MAG, GIO, LEC, RIC
03: VER fastest lap 1:13.099
DRS enabled
04: VER f/lap 1:13.007
LEC takes P9 from MAG
SAI past PER for P15
05/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, GAS, RAI, GRO, LEC, GIO
LEC inside GRO for P8
06: LEC locks his front right as he closes on RAI
07: LEC inside RAI for P7
08: RIC locking for a way round MAG
RIC inside but there’s contact – MAG spins, RIC has front wing damage
09: RIC pits; new front wing; soft tyres go on, so he’ll need to stop again
10/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, GAS, LEC, RAI, GRO, GIO, NOR, STR, SAI, PER, HUL, KVY, KUB, MAG, RUS, RIC
LEC inside GAS for P6
MAG takes P17 from KUB
11: Incident involving MAG and RIC is under investigation
13: LEC closing on ALB
15/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, LEC, GAS, RAI, GRO, GIO, NOR, STR, SAI, PER, HUL, KVY, MAG, KUB, RUS, RIC
RIC given 5-sec penalty for causing the collision with MAG
16: RIC closing on RUS
RUS looking to pass teammate KUB
17: RUS leaves the door open and RIC takes P19
Radio for BOT proposing Plan B; BOT agrees
RIC past the other Williams for P18
18: PER pits from P15; mediums go on; rejoins P17
20/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, LEC, GAS, RAI, GRO, GIO, NOR, STR, SAI, HUL, KVY, MAG, PER, RIC, KUB, RUS
HAM pits from P2; used softs go on; rejoins P6
21: VER pits; new softs; but KUB is released in front of him; rejoins P6, behind HAM
Clearly an unsafe release by Williams
22: HAM looking for a gap to pass LEC
23: HAM around the outside of LEC
LEC seems to let VER through
VER dives inside HAM for P3
24: VER f/lap 1:12.448
HAM around the outside of ALB
25/71: VET, BOT, VER, HAM, ALB… who pits
26: VET pits from P1; mediums go on – are they going to 1-stop?
Radio from HAM asking if he has an engine problem; told everything ok but a little hot
27: BOT pits; hard tyres go on, so definitely a 1-stop
Radio from HAM saying he can’t keep up with VER
29: VET f/lap 1:12.259
Radio from HAM saying he thinks they should have put him on mediums
Radio for LEC – Plan C
VET passes LEC for P3
30/71: VER, HAM, VET, LEC, BOT, ALB, SAI, GAS, RAI, GIO
LEC pits; rejoins P6
31: KUB given 5-sec penalty for unsafe release
33: Radio from HAM asking if the wind has picked up; told they’ve not noticed any change
35/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, LEC, GAS, RAI, GIO, PER, RIC, GRO, NOR, KVY, SAI, STR, HUL, MAG, RUS, KUB
Half distance
39: Radio from BOT also asking about the wind
40/71: VER, HAM, VET, BOT, ALB, LEC, GAS, RAI, GIO, PER
41: Radio from VER also commenting on the wind
Data feed shows wind is ~5.7km/h
Radio from HAM complaining about his tyres
42: BOT pits; mediums go on – what was the point of going on hard tyres?
43: Radio from HAM asking “what are you waiting for?” – he really wants to pit
44: HAM pits; mediums go on; not a fast stop (3.3sec); rejoins P3
BOT f/lap 1:10.698
45/71: VER pits; mediums; 1.9sec stop; rejoins P2, ahead of HAM
46: VET, VER, HAM, ALB, LEC, BOT, GAS, RAI, GIO, PER, GRO, NOR, KVY, SAI… HUL pits
BOT looks at the inside of LEC but backs off
47: BOT fails to pass LEC again
48: LEC and BOT lap a Williams but LEC (on hard tyres) stays ahead of BOT (on mediums)
Radio from HAM, “I need more power”
49: LEC defends P5 again; maybe a bit late
50/71: VET pits; softs go on; rejoins P4
VER, HAM, ALB, VET, LEC, BOT, GAS, GRO, NOR, SAI
51: ALB pits, releasing VET; softs; rejoins P6
52: Smoke from BOT’s engine but he closes on LEC again
BOT pulls to the side of the track; parks the Mercedes
53: HAM within DRS range of VER
Radio from VER complaining HAM didn’t slow enough under yellow flags
54: Safety Car deployed
Radio for HAM told to box opposite to VER
55/71: VER pits; softs go on; rejoins P2 but a couple of lapped cars are between him and HAM
LEC pits too
56[SC]: BOT’s car has been moved behind the barriers
57[SC]: Lapped cars can pass the SC – why? They should have brought the SC in, but now they’ve given VER a chance to attack HAM
59[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
HAM backs them to almost walking pace
60/71[SC]: HAM, VER, VET, ALB, LEC, GAS, GRO, SAI, RAI, GIO, PER…
VER around HAM in Turn 1, takes P1
ALB passed VET too
Will LEC threaten VET?
61: ALB closing on HAM
62: VER, HAM, ALB, VET, LEC, GAS, SAI, RAI, GIO, RIC, GRO, PER, NOR, HUL, STR, KVY, MAG, RUS, KUB; retirements: BOT
DRS enabled
63: ALB using DRS to get tucked up right under HAM’s wing
GRO falling down the order – he’s now P15
HUL under investigation for passing before the SC restart line
64: VET attacking ALB
65/71: VER, HAM, ALB, VET, LEC, GAS, SAI, RAI, GIO, RIC
66: LEC dives inside teammate VET to steal P4
Contact – VET clipped LEC
LEC’s front right suspension broken; he’s off
VET has a puncture – it’s destroying his bodywork
Safety Car deployed
67[SC]: HAM pits; rejoins P4, behind ALB and GAS
Replay – it’s clear VET moved across on LEC
68[SC]: STR has hit some debris – it’s broken his suspension!
69[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
VER approaches the restart line as slowly as possible
70/71: HAM immediately takes P4 from GAS
ALB runs wide; turns across HAM; contact!
71 = final lap: GAS is ahead of HAM
Incident involving ALB and HAM under investigation
VER takes the chequered flag
GAS P2 with HAM alongside him
Incident involving ALB and HAM will be investigated after the race (duh!)
HUL given 5sec penalty for overtaking MAG at the control line on the restart
Will they also investigate the VET-LEC collision?
Provisional result: VER, GAS, HAM*, SAI, RAI, GIO, RIC, NOR, PER, KVY, MAG, RUS, GRO, ALB*, HUL*, KUB
DNF: VET, LEC, STR, BOT
Apparently there are “a number” of drivers under investigation for using DRS under the yellow flags
Hey, Rubens – you’re supposed to talk to GAS before HAM!
HAM: “I massively apologise to Albon, I went for a move and the gap just closed. Completely my fault. I took a lot of risks today.”
When they asked Damon Hill if there should be a penalty for the ALB-HAM collision, Damon said ALB deserves a penalty for leaving the door open with a 6-time world champion on his tail 🙂
I’m watching the official FIA documents page for announcements…
Update: HAM has been given a 5-sec penalty for the incident with ALB, which drops HAM to P7 [video]
That moves SAI up to P3 … except he’s one of those under investigation for using DRS under waved yellow flags.
Update: Stewards have decided neither Ferrari driver was “predominantly at fault” so no penalty for VET or LEC.
Update: No penalty for SAI, so he’s confirmed in P3
Update: HUL given 5sec time penalty … but didn’t they say that at the end of the race?
OK, final classification is published.
Result: VER, GAS, SAI, RAI, GIO, RIC, HAM, NOR, PER, KVY; MAG, RUS, GRO, ALB, HUL, KUB
DNF: VET, LEC, STR, BOT
Fastest lap: BOT (but he DNF so no point awarded for f/lap)
2 thoughts on “Grand Prix of Brazil – Race”
Comments are closed.