Brazil Grand Prix – Race

It’s been an eventful weekend so far – rain in Quali and then some great overtaking in the Sprint (plus a handful of penalties) mean there’s a Mercedes front row for the first time this season.

Provisional grid: RUS, SAI, HAM, VER, PER, LEC, NOR, MAG, VET, GAS, RIC, SCH, ZHO, BOT, ALO, TSU, STR, OCO, LAT, ALB
Penalties:

• SAI: 5-places after taking some engine changes
• ALO: 5-second time penalty for causing the collision with OCO, so that dropped him from P15 to P18
• STR: 10-sec penalty for dangerous driving when he forced VET onto the grass; he drops from P12 to P17
• GAS: was issued a formal warning for driving unnecessarily slowly during a reconnaissance lap before the start of the sprint but no time/place penalty
• HAM, RIC and ZHO were investigated for starting procedure infringements but no action was taken

Grid: RUS, HAM, VER, PER, LEC, NOR, SAI, MAG, VET, GAS, RIC, SCH, ZHO, BOT, STR, OCO, ALO, LAT, ALB, TSU*
*TSU will start from the pitlane as his car was modified under parc ferme conditions
OCO had to take a new engine after a fire at the end of the sprint, but that’s within his allocation so no penalty

Pit lane is open; cars can make their way to the grid
OCO runs wide in Turn 4 but there’s plenty of runoff space

Air temperature 24°C; track 51°C – warmest it’s been all weekend and just 10% chance of rain

RUS leads everyone (except TSU) away on the formation lap
The front four are starting on soft tyres; the Ferrari duo are on mediums; the rest of the grid is a mix of soft and medium, except ALB on the hard compound

01/71: That’s a short hold before the lights go out
NOR has stolen P5 from LEC
RIC and MAG make contact; MAG spins, collects RIC
Safety Car deployed

02[SC]: RIC and MAG are both out of their cars
Marshals are clearing the debris

03[SC]: That’s a shame for MAG who officially was on pole because it’s Quali that counts for that, not the sprint

04[SC]: Radio from LEC report “something strange out of Turn 3 with the engine”; he’s told it’s not a problem

05/71[SC]: RUS, HAM, VER, PER, NOR, LEC, SAI, VET, GAS, SCH, BOT, STR, ZHO, OCO, ALO, LAT, ALB, TSU; out: RIC, MAG
ALB pits; switches to mediums

06[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
RUS slows to back the pack up for the restart

07: VER goes around the outside of HAM, makes contact, debris flies
That’s punctured HAM’s tyre
LEC goes outside NOR but there’s contact there too – LEC off across the runoff, hits the tyre wall but recovers

08: VER pits; new front wing; rejoins P17
HAM down to P8

09: PER fastest lap 1:16:083
SAI takes P3 from NOR

10/71: RUS, PER, SAI, NOR, VET, GAS, HAM, SCH, STR, BOT, OCO, ALO, ZHO, LAT, TSU, ALB, VER, LEC
HAM takes P6 from GAS
LEC f/lap 1:15.307

11: Stewards are investigating both the HAM/VER and NOR/LEC incidents

13: 5-sec penalty for VER for causing the collision with HAM
5-sec penalty for NOR for causing the collision with LEC

14: HAM inside VET for P5, and immediately closes up on NOR

15/71: RUS, PER, SAI, NOR*, HAM, VET, GAS, SCH, BOT, OCO, ALO, STR, ZHO, ALB, TSU, LAT, VER*, LEC (*5-sec penalties)
HAM takes P4 from NOR
ALO pits; mediums go on; rejoins P17

17: VET dives inside NOR for P5
BOT up to P8

18: SAI pits from P3; softs go on; rejoins P11
SAI takes P11 from ALB
Radio for SAI telling him there was a tear-off stuck in the brake duct

20/71: RUS, PER, HAM, VET, NOR, OCO… he pits
Radio from RUS saying his tyres are good, wants to go long (delay his pit stop)

21: SAI takes P9 from STR

22: SAI repeats his move, this time it’s SCH that he passes
LEC pits from P16; softs; rejoins P17

24: PER pits from P2; softs; rejoins P6 right behind BOT
VER pits from P15; serves his 5-sec penalty; bit of a slow tyre change; rejoins P17

25/71: RUS pits from P1; rejoins alongside VET but moves ahead into P2
NOR and BOT pit too
NOR serves his penalty; rejoins P13

27: VET pits; rejoins P9
Pit lane incident involving SCH has been noted

28: BOT inside GAS for P7
Radio from HAM, “It’s getting dark – is there rain coming?”

29: LEC steams into T1 inside TSU for P14

30/71: HAM pits from P1; mediums; rejoins P4 (Will HAM go to the end now and SAI have to pit again?)
Pit lane incident involving the Alfa Romeo team will be investigated after the race

31: RUS, PER, SAI, HAM, ALO, BOT, VET, OCO, GAS, NOR, ZHO, SCH, LEC, TSU, STR, VER, ALB, LAT; out: RIC, MAG

32: HAM f/lap 1:15.047

33: VER catching STR and TSU

35/71: RUS, PER, SAI, HAM, ALO, BOT, VET, OCO, GAS, NOR, ZHO, SCH, LEC, STR, VER, TSU, ALB, LAT
Track temp has dropped from 51°C at the start of the race to 42°C now
LEC takes P12

Half distance

36: ALO pits from P5; delayed while GAS passes their box
GAS pits too

37: SAI pits from P3; mediums; rejoins P4
ALO past ALB for P15

38: ZHO pits and then ALO takes P13

39: SAI f/lap 1:14.754

40/71: RUS, PER, HAM, SAI, BOT, VET, OCO, NOR, LEC, SCH

42: RUS has 8-sec lead over PER as he prepares for his second stop

43: LEC takes P8 from NOR

44: HAM tucked up behind PER
PER defends into Turn 1

45/71: HAM has DRS on the main straight, blasts past PER to reclaim P2
LEC pits; softs; rejoins P14

46: VER closing on NOR
BOT pits from P5, followed by VET and NOR

48: PER pits; mediums; rejoins P4

49: LEC takes P10 from GAS
HAM pits from P2; softs; rejoins P3
VER pits from P6; softs; rejoins P11

50/71: RUS pits; softs; rejoins P1 but only 1sec ahead of SAI

51: RUS, SAI, HAM, PER, ALO, BOT, VET, LEC, OCO, GAS, VER, NOR, ZHO, SCH, STR, TSU, ALB, LAT; out: RIC, MAG
HAM f/lap 1:14.103
LEC inside VET for P7

52: Yellow flag – NOR has lost power, stopped on the inside just after Turn 10

53: VSC deployed
ALO pits from P5; softs; rejoins P9

54[VSC]: SAI pits from P2; softs; rejoins P4

55[VSC]: SC deployed – there goes RUS’ lead
Radio from RUS asking if he & HAM are racing or securing the 1-2? He’s told they’re racing but “be respectful”

56[SC]: Radio from VER asking why the SC is still out – well, remember the rule about letting lapped cars pass the SC before the restart

58[SC]: TSU and LAT told they can pass the SC
Radio for OCO trying to tell him not to fight teammate ALO; OCO says he wants to pass; no, don’t fight ALO, confirm? Hmmmm

59[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap

60/71: RUS, HAM, PER, SAI, BOT, LEC, VET, OCO, ALO, VER, ZHO, SCH, STR, GAS, ALB, LAT, TSU
BOT locks up into Turn 1
SAI hassling PER

61: SAI slipstreams behind PER
ALO alongside BOT; the Alpine takes P6

62: RUS f/lap 1:13.785
Incident involving STR and SCH notes – leaving the track and gaining an advantage

63: VER inside OCO and BOT as they fight in Turn 1; VER up to P7

64: SAI and LEC have passed PER

65/71: RUS, HAM, SAI, LEC, PER, ALO, VER, OCO, BOT, VET
PER defends from ALO
ALO has DRS, takes P5
VER now behind PER – will VER take a point from his teammate?

66: RUS 1.2 sec ahead of HAM, who in turn is 4.2 sec clear of SAI

67: Radio for VER, “Go take some points off ALO and LEC”
VER easily past PER for P6
GAS past SCH but GAS switches back and reclaims P13

68: Radio for PER telling him they’ll switch back if he and VER are together on the last lap
Radio from LEC asking the team to tell SAI to give him P3

70/71: HAM still just outside DRS range of RUS

71: Radio from LEC begging “Please think about the championship”
Radio for VER “If we don’t pass ALO let PER through”

RUS takes the chequered flag
HAM P2
SAI P3, LEC P4
ALO P5
VER doesn’t let PER through but then we know he’s not a team player

Provisional result: RUS, HAM, SAI, LEC, ALO, VER, PER, OCO, BOT, STR; VET, ZHO, SCH, GAS, ALB, LAT, TSU
DNF: NOR, MAG, RIC
Fastest lap: RUS 1:13.785

GAS has been given 5-sec penalty for speeding in the pit lane, so that drops him from P12 to P14

God Save The King!

Replay of Red Bull / VER radio exchange on the final lap when they asked VER why he didn’t let PER reclaim P6: “I told you already last time, you guys don’t ask that again to me, OK? Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons and I stand by it”
Wow, what a spoiled brat
Unfortunately Whiny Spice will no doubt defend him and continue to feed that attitude

[2022 calendar and line-up]