The sprint format this weekend saw Mercedes P1 and P2 for Qualifying, but penalties (for power unit changes) for BOT moves hit to the back of the grid, and a poor start for HAM means he’ll be P4 for the race.
Grid: VER, RIC, NOR, HAM, LEC, SAI, GIO, PER, STR, ALO, VET, OCO, LAT, RUS, TSU, MAZ, KUB, SCH, GAS, BOT
TSU has been pushed back into the pits; doesn’t look like he’ll be able to start
GAS is starting from the pit lane after a series of engine changes
Radio for LEC, “Everyone around us on mediums – expect for Hamilton on hards.”; “That’s a weird choice from Lewis?”
Air temperature 28°C; track 44°C
01/53: RIC beats VER into Turn 1
HAM has passed NOR and is catching VER
HAM alongside VER into the second chicane
HAM cuts the corner, drops behind NOR
GIO spins
Virtual Safety Car deployed
02[VSC]: GIO has made it to the pits
VSC ends
03: RIC, VER, NOR, HAM, LEC, SAI, PER, STR, ALO, OCO, LAT, VET, RUS, KUB, BOT, SCH, MAZ, GAS, GIO; out: TSU
LAT fastest lap 1:27.106
BOT takes P14 from KUB
04: VER f/lap 1:25.808
05/53: RIC, VER, NOR, HAM, LEC, SAI, PER, STR, ALO, OCO, LAT, VET, BOT, RUS, KUB, SCH, MAZ, GIO
GAS has pitted and is out of the car
06: Incident involving GIO and SAI under investigation (That’ll be from lap 1, when GIO cut the chicane, clipped SAI and spun)
07: Radio from VER saying it’s hard to get close to RIC
08: 5sec penalty for GIO for unsafe rejoin (GIO currently P18 and last)
10/53: RIC, VER, NOR, HAM, LEC, PER, SAI, STR, ALO, LAT, OCO, BOT, VET, RUS, KUB, SCH, MAZ, GIO; out: GAS, TSU
13: HAM has had DRS for a few laps but he still can’t find a way around NOR
BOT takes P10 from LAT
15/53: RIC, VER, NOR, HAM, LEC, PER, SAI, STR, ALO, BOT, LAT, OCO, VET, RUS, KUB, SCH, MAZ, GIO
VET alongside OCO into the chicane; wheel to wheel contact; OCO holds on to P12
16: Incident involving VET and OCO under investigation
17: VER has DRS behind RIC
BOT takes P9 from ALO (BOT’s on hard tyres)
19: VER’s tyres looking like their end is nigh
20/53: RIC, VER, NOR, HAM, LEC, PER, SAI, STR, BOT, ALO, LAT, OCO, VET, RUS, KUB, SCH, MAZ, GIO
Radio for VER, “Mode 7”; VER sounds frustrated
5sec penalty for OCO for causing the collision with VET
21: VER locks up into Turn 1, cuts the corner but bouncing over the kerbs means he’s fallen back from RIC
22: BOT dives past STR into Turn 1, takes P8
23: RIC pits from P1; hard tyres go on; 2.4sec stop; rejoins P7
24: VER pits from P1; hard tyres go on; front-right was very slow; 11.1sec stop; rejoins P10 – ouch!
HAM took P1 from NOR while VER was in the pits
25/53: NOR pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins P8
26: HAM pits from P1; mediums go on; rejoins P6
HAM exits the pits alongside VER
They’re side-by-side into Turn 1
They collide; VER rides up on top of HAM – they’re both in the gravel!
Safety Car deployed
VER’s rear wheel rests on HAM’s halo – that could have been lethal!
VER just walks away
27[SC]: HAM’s out of his car too
28[SC]: RIC, LEC, NOR, PER, SAI, BOT, STR, ALO, RUS, LAT, OCO, KUB, VET, SCH, GIO, MAZ; out: HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
29[SC]: The replays are scary, but it also looks like a 50-50 collision
30/53[SC]: RIC, LEC, NOR, PER, SAI, BOT, STR, ALO, RUS, LAT, OCO, KUB, VET, SCH, GIO, MAZ; out: HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
SC in at the end of this lap
RIC slows, backs up the pack
31: NOR taps LEC into Turn 1 but both continue
NOR passes LEC for P2 – so that’s a McLaren 1-2
Radio for NOR warning him of track limits
32: BOT ahead of SAI into Turn 1, taking P5
PER uses the kerbs to bounce ahead of LEC – he’ll have to give P3 back to the Ferrari
SCH and VET collide; SCH spins
33: BOT attacking LEC, takes P4
LEC out-brakes BOT and reclaims P4
PER doesn’t appear to have any intention of giving P3 back to LEC
34: BOT attacks again; makes the move on LEC stick this time; he’s gone from P19 to P4
35/53: RIC, NOR, PER, BOT, LEC, SAI, STR, ALO, RUS, OCO, LAT, KUB, VET, GIO, MAZ, SCH
BOT f/lap 1:24.827
36: Radio for RIC telling him to open a gap
37: 5sec penalty for PER for leaving the track and gaining an advantage (passing LEC) … but hasn’t he gained more than 5sec? Not yet – the penalty will put him P6
38: LEC closing on BOT
39: 5sec penalty for MAZ for causing a collision (with SCH)
40/53: RIC, NOR, PER*, BOT, LEC, SAI, STR, ALO, RUS, OCO, LAT, KUB, VET, GIO, SCH, MAZ; out: HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
(*PER has 5sec penalty to be added)
41: Radio from NOR asking “is it best for us” to be stuck behind RIC; he’s told yes
Brief yellow flag for “track hazard” but I didn’t see what it was
43: BOT inside PER for P3 but PER fights back
MAZ has pulled off-track and parked his Haas at the Ascari chicane
Yellow flags… VSC deployed
44[VSC]: Replay shows MAZ lost power in the chicane
VSC ends
45/53: RIC, NOR, PER*, BOT, LEC, SAI, STR, ALO, RUS, OCO, LAT, KUB, VET, GIO, SCH; out: MAZ, HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
46: BOT pushing hard to catch PER, but PER’s 5sec penalty would currently put him P6
47: VET has finally made the move on KUB stick
49: GIO past KUB for P13
50/53: RIC, NOR, PER*, BOT, LEC, SAI, STR, ALO, RUS, OCO, LAT, VET, GIO, KUB, SCH; out: MAZ, HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
51: Radio for PER telling him to give it everything; he’s effectively P6
STR under investigation for failing to slow under yellow flags
53 = final lap: The battles have died down – no-one within DRS range
RIC takes the chequered flag, and sets f/lap 1:24.812
NOR P2
PER crosses the line but his penalty means he’s P5
BOT P3
Provisional result: RIC*, NOR, BOT, LEC, PER, SAI, STR, ALO, RUS, OCO; LAT, VET, GIO, KUB, SCH
*Fastest lap for RIC, and F1 driver of the day (as voted by fans)
DNF: MAZ, HAM, VER, GAS, TSU
Still under investigation: HAM-VER collision; STR for not slowing under yellows
McLaren tweeted “3213 days since our last win in F1”
David Coulthard points out McLaren is the first team to get a 1-2 result this season!
Interviews:
BOT: “I mean starting from the back, it’s never easy. I’m glad we get to get more points than Red Bull, we maximised and from my side, it was good fun.”
NOR: “We’ve had a pretty awesome weekend. We’ve been working towards this and we got a 1-2 finally. I’m happy for of course Daniel for getting the win. You want to go for it, but I’m also here for the long term, for the team and it could have ended up like the other two [HAM and VER].”
RIC: “Can I swear? I want to swear. No? About *cough* time. It went well for me yesterday and even if we got the start, was never a guarantee we’d hold the whole race. To lead literally from start to finish, I don’t think anyone expected that. There was something in me on Friday, I knew something good was to come. I’ve just been a sandbagging SOB all year! I’ve felt better the last three weekends. For McLaren to be on the podium is huge, let alone a 1-2. I’m for once, lost for words.”
HAM: “It landed on my head, but I’m okay. I was racing as hard as I could, finally got past Lando, I was in the lead. Came out, I saw that Max was coming, I made sure I left a car’s width on the outside. Into Turn 1 I was ahead, I was ahead going into Turn 2, and the next thing he was on top of me. I was in exactly the same position [earlier in the race] and I gave way. I don’t know what to say.”
Toto Wolff: “Doesn’t look alongside. And then he rolls over the sausage kerb. Let’s let the stewards make the judgement. I think when you look at Turn 4 [Hamilton] backed out, and then the incident where they crashed, it was clear for Max it would end in a crash. We’ve had a high speed crash in Silverstone, here a car has landed on our head. Did you see the car? The whole thing is damaged over the halo, all over Lewis’ head.”
It’s interesting to hear Christian Horner talk about it being 50-50 and VER being “alongside” HAM – if VER was alongside here, then HAM was alongside in Copse … but then you’ve got to expect the team bosses to be biased. Oh, and will Red Bull be paying Mercedes’ repair bill?
Also interesting to hear past F1 drivers’ views – they’re split between “go for it, even if you wreck” and “back off and try again later”.
I think VER was still fired up after his long pit stop and wasn’t going to give an inch – a collision was inevitable, and I believe VER was to blame [FIA video]
But now we have to wait to hear what the stewards decide… (I suspect they’ll say it’s a racing incident)
“Verstappen handed three-place grid drop for Sochi after crash with Hamilton at Monza” [FIA]
“Verstappen handed three-place grid drop for Sochi after crash with Hamilton at Monza” [FIA]