Red Bull continue to dominate; VER on pole, PER in P3, but it’s not a Mercedes between them – it’s NOR in the McLaren!
VET was given 3-place grid drop for impeding ALO in qualifying [FIA]
Provisional grid: VER, NOR, PER, HAM, BOT, GAS, TSU, RUS, STR, SAI, VET*, LEC, RIC, ALO, GIO, RAI, OCO, LAT, SCH, MAZ
It’s (painfully) funny that the FIA’s tweet asking “Who’ll be smiling the most after the race?” doesn’t even have a Mercedes driver as an option!
Incidentally, PER makes his 200th F1 start this weekend
An hour before the start of the race, and it’s starting to rain!
Air temperature 19°C; track 27°C; 40% chance of rain during the race
Pit lane opens; cars can do installation laps and then form up on the grid
Radio from RUS reporting an issue with his Williams (“100% something’s not right with the car guys, the rear of the car; 100% guys”) but his engineer says the data looks ok and tells him to go to the grid
RUS is in his grid position; mechanics take a close look but don’t seem concerned… or maybe it’s something they can’t fix under parc ferme conditions
Maybe the drizzle was wishful thinking; it’s sunny and the track temp has risen to 35°C … oh, the official forecast has risen from 40% chance of rain to 60%
That’s a different way to perform a national anthem! \m/
Grid: VER, NOR, PER, HAM, BOT, GAS, TSU, RUS, STR, SAI, VET, LEC, RIC, ALO, GIO, RAI, OCO, LAT, SCH, MAZ
VER leads everyone away on the formation lap
VER and NOR line up pointing slightly towards each other
01/71: BOT defending from GAS
HAM pressuring PER
Safety Car deployed
Replay shows SCH around the outside of OCO, squeezing him against GIO
GIO heads for the pits
02[SC]: VER, NOR, PER, HAM, BOT, GAS, TSU, STR, VET, LEC, RIC, RUS, SAI, RAI, ALO, SCH, LAT, MAZ, GIO; out: OCO
03[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
04: PER almost passes NOR before the restart
PER attacks again; NOR forces him wide
BOT squeezes past HAM for P4
PER has another go but ends up touching the gravel; rejoins P10
HAM reclaims P3 from his teammate
05/71: VER fastest lap 1:09…
06: VER f/lap 1:09.735
GIO under investigation for overtaking before the SC line at the restart
07: DRS enabled
VER f/lap 1:09.451
GIO given 5sec penalty for overtaking while SC deployed
08: HAM tucked up behind the Mercedes-powered McLaren of NOR
10/71: VER, NOR, HAM, BOT, GAS, TSU, STR, VET, RIC, PER, LEC, RUS, SAI, RAI, ALO, LAT, GIO*, SCH, MAZ
VER f/lap 1:09.218
11: VER f/lap 1:09.190
12: Radio for NOR telling him he’s using the rear left tyre too much
13: TSU pits; switches from softs
Incident involving PER and NOR under investigation (that was lap 4)
Radio from BOT checking he’s on “Plan A” (1-stop?)
14: GAS pits
LEC closing on PER… and takes P8
15/71: VER, NOR, HAM, BOT, VET, RIC, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS
16: BOT f/lap 1:09.074
VER has 7sec lead over NOR
RIC makes a move on VET but VET defends P5
17: VER 1:09.070
Incident involving TSU under investigation – crossing the white line at pit entry
18: RIC takes P5 from VET
VET pits; switches from softs to hard tyres; rejoins P17
20/71: VER, NOR, HAM, BOT, RIC, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, RAI
NOR given 5sec penalty for forcing PER wide 🙁
Radio from NOR, “His (HAM’s) brakes are on fire!”
22: LEC closing on RIC
TSU given 5sec penalty for crossing the pit entry line
24: GAS takes P13 from GIO
25/71: VER, HAM, NOR*, BOT, RIC, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, RAI, ALO, LAT, GAS, GIO*, TSU*, VET, STR, SCH, MAZ; out: OCO
*NOR, GIO and TSU each have 5sec penalties
26: VER f/lap 1:08.882
27: Haas tweet a meme with lots of 5-sec penalties being thrown out; yeah, it’s ridiculous
28: VER has 10sec lead over HAM
30/71: VER, HAM, NOR*, BOT, RIC, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, RAI
RIC pits from P5; mediums replaced by hard tyres; rejoins P12
31: NOR pits, followed by BOT
NOR serves his penalty
BOT on hards; rejoins P3
NOR also on hards; rejoins P4
32: HAM pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins still P2
33: VER pits from P1; rejoins easily still ahead of HAM
PER pits from P5; bit slow with getting the front left on; rejoins P10
34: BOT f/lap 1:08.689
35: VER, HAM, BOT, NOR, LEC, SAI, RAI, GAS, RIC, PER, TSU, VET, STR, RUS, ALO, SCH, LAT, GIO, MAZ
VER f/lap 1:08.473
LEC pits from P5; rejoins P10
Half distance
36: Radio for BOT warning him to stay off the kerb at Turn 10; “HAM may have some damage from it”
37: VER’s lead now 14sec over HAM
38: RUS dives inside STR to steal P13
39: PER and LEC closing on RIC
40/71: VER, HAM, BOT, NOR, SAI, GAS, RIC, PER, LEC, TSU, VET, RUS, STR, ALO, RAI, LAT, GIO, SCH, MAZ; out: OCO
41: LEC around the outside of PER
PER pushes LEC into the gravel, at least as “bad” as NOR did to PER, so I hope PER will get a 5sec penalty too
42: PER given 5sec penalty for forcing LEC off track
45: VER, HAM, BOT, NOR, SAI, GAS, RIC, PER*, LEC, TSU, VET, RUS, STR, ALO, RAI, LAT, GIO, SCH, MAZ
46: RIC attacks GAS but GAS keeps P6
GAS pits
47: LEC all over the rear of PER again
PER pushes LEC wide again! That was dangerous!
48: Radio for NOR telling him BOT’s been told not to race HAM
Incident involving PER and LEC under investigation
49: Radio from HAM, “I don’t think I can make this tyre last”
50/71: VER, HAM, BOT, NOR, RIC, PER, LEC, TSU, SAI, VET
Black and white flag for MAZ for exceeding track limits
SAI passes TSU for P8
52: VER f/lap 1:08.439
BOT closing on HAM
PER given 5sec penalty for pushing LEC wide (for a second time)
BOT told they’ll switch
BOT given P2
53: VET f/lap 1:08.420
BOT f/lap 1:08.374
NOR tucks up behind HAM
NOR inside HAM to take P3
54: VER f/lap 1:08.173
HAM pits; more hard tyres; rejoins still P4
STR given 5sec penalty for speeding in the pit lane
55/71: VER, BOT, NOR, HAM, PER**, RIC, LEC, SAI, GAS, RUS, ALO, RAI, VET, TSU, STR, GIO, LAT
Radio from NOR reporting a long brake pedal
56: GAS f/lap 1:08.146
57: VER f/lap 1:08.012
TSU gets another 5sec penalty for crossing the pit entry line again
58: LEC closing on RIC
59: VER f/lap 1:07.835
60/71: VER, BOT, NOR, HAM, PER**, RIC, LEC, SAI, GAS, RUS
ALO catching RUS
61: VER pits; another set of hard tyres; rejoins still comfortable P1
62: ALO runs wide in Turn 1; recovers
LEC almost rear-ends RIC
63: VER f/lap 1:06.200
VER laps ALO (P11) and then RUS
64: VER has 10sec lead over BOT
ALO closes on RUS again
65/71: VER, BOT, NOR, HAM, PER**, RIC, LEC, SAI, GAS, RUS, ALO, RAI, VET, TSU, STR, GIO, LAT, SCH, MAZ; out: OCO
SAI takes P7 from teammate LEC
66: RUS continues to defend P10 from World Champion ALO
68: ALO makes another move and this time takes P10 from RUS
PER still has 2*5sec penalties so he’ll drop to P6
70/71: VER, BOT, NOR, HAM, PER**, RIC, LEC, SAI, GAS, ALO
SAI right on RIC’s rear wing
RAI almost tags RUS’s rear wheel
71 = final lap: SAI takes P6 from RIC
VER takes the chequered flag and fastest lap
BOT P2
NOR P3
VET inside RAI for P12 but there’s contact and they’re both into the gravel
Interviews:
VER: “Incredible to be honest, the car was unreal. On every tyre set we put on, it was really enjoyable to drive. A great effort by the whole team, these two weeks here have been incredible.”
BOT: “As a team, we got some decent points considering the gap we had to Red Bull on pure pace.”
NOR: “It was a good race, it was exciting. I’m disappointed because we should have been in second place. He went off the track himself, we didn’t push him so I’m frustrated. I could keep up with [Bottas] even in the dirty air, it’s nice to know we can be there – it’s the first race in many years we’ve actually been racing a Mercedes and a Red Bull.”
RUS: “I tried to go as fast as I could and as hard as I could. It was very tricky, with all of [Alonso’s] experience – and speed as well, yesterday he was really fast, quick enough for top five. Trying to keep him behind, yeah, it would never have happened.”
Provisional result: VER, BOT, NOR, HAM, SAI, PER*, RIC, LEC, GAS, ALO; RUS, TSU, STR, GIO, LAT, RAI, VET, SCH, MAZ
*PER’s penalties drops him to P6
Incident involving VET and RAI will be investigated after the race
DNF: OCO
RUS has been summoned to see the stewards for moving under braking when RAI was catching him on lap 70
8 drivers (SAI, PER, RIC, LEC, GAS, GIO, LAT & MAZ) have been summoned for not respecting double-yellow flags on the final lap
“Mazepin and Latifi handed post-race penalties for failing to slow under yellow flags”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mazepin-and-latifi-handed-post-race-penalties-for-failing-to-slow-under.6f8SGWq4WlOkeAdh3ff1T.html
“Each driver was also given three penalty points, putting Mazepin on five for the current 12-month period, and Latifi on six.
Incident involving VET and RAI will be investigated after the race…
“After the race the stewards deemed Raikkonen to be at fault for causing a collision and handed him a 20 second time penalty, as well as two penalty points, which takes his total to six in the current 12 month period. His time penalty does not affect his final classified finishing position of 16th.”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.dramatic-last-lap-collision-with-raikkonen-a-misunderstanding-says-vettel.7ybHonJYvglpqzD2Y2KgBq.html
“Dramatic last lap collision with Raikkonen a ‘misunderstanding’ says Vettel”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.dramatic-last-lap-collision-with-raikkonen-a-misunderstanding-says-vettel.7ybHonJYvglpqzD2Y2KgBq.html
“After the race the stewards deemed Raikkonen to be at fault for causing a collision and handed him a 20 second time penalty, as well as two penalty points, which takes his total to six in the current 12 month period. His time penalty does not affect his final classified finishing position of 16th.”
“Race Director Masi explains reasoning behind controversial penalties for Norris and Perez in Austria”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.race-director-masi-explains-reasoning-behind-controversial-penalties-for.1gy9p6YCdOUcjZgh6Wzmzq.html
“A full six drivers had their final race result affected by a penalty at the Red Bull Ring, while the major incidents on race day centred around Lando Norris being judged to have forced Sergio Perez off at Turn 4, Perez being judged to have done the same to Charles Leclerc at the same corner, while Leclerc was also deemed to have been forced off by Perez at Turn 6. Norris would earn a five-second time penalty for his misdemeanour – served during his pit stop, and which allowed Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas past him – with Perez earning himself a pair of five-second penalties added to his race time, and which dropped him to P6 at the flag, with Masi going on to defend the three decisions by the stewards.”
“So no, I don’t think they are harsh. It was discussed late last year… and the consensus was at the end of last year involving everyone, the teams, the FIA, everyone, that there shouldn’t be a change this year and it’s not something we’d ever change mid-year. The penalty scale is something the teams all agree upon and actually have input on at the start of the year is what the stewards use.”
“How many penalty points have all 20 F1 drivers got – and what did they get them for?”
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.how-many-penalty-points-have-all-20-f1-drivers-got-and-what-did-they-get.3rFAlHELKARrdjzveVONuC.html
“Much was made of the fact that Norris was one race away from a race ban after climbing to 10 penalty points after the Austrian Grand Prix, thanks to the two he earned for being judged to have forced Sergio Perez off track during the race. But crucially, Norris has since gone back down to eight before even getting back into the cockpit of his McLaren, his two points for overtaking Pierre Gasly under yellow flags in FP1 at the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix having expired over the weekend.”