Let me get this straight: the stewards at the Singapore GP “have accepted they erred in not imposing a grid penalty on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for impeding in Singapore qualifying last weekend, and the decision will not serve as a precedent.” [Reuters] That means VER got away with multiple instances of impeding, but now the stewards will revert to giving drivers 3-place grid drops … presumably unless it’s VER again. What a farce!
Qualifying
Air temperature 27°C; track 38°C; humidity 46%
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
STR is waiting at the end of the pit lane
Green lights; Q1 has started
STR 1:32.246
LAW 1:31.729
VER 1:29.878
Yellow flag – SAR is in the tyre wall in the final turn
Red flag; Q1 suspended with 9:05 left on the clock
SAR’s getting himself out of the Williams; no sign of any marshals
SAR walks across the track and jumps the wall, into the pit lane – that might be a penalty
Q1 resumes
They’re crawling along the pit lane – it’s ridiculous!
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are HUL, ZHO, STR, SAR, ALB
STR P15, relegating TSU to P16
TSU P7, STR P16
ALB P12, BOT P16
Back of the grid: BOT, STR, HUL, ZHO, SAR
A handful of drivers have been noted for not going fast enough between the Safety Car lines (the new-ish rule to try to prevent them crawling round to make space before a fast lap)
Qualifying session 2
VER 1:29.964
(NOR P2)
(PIA P2)
Radio from GAS reporting that he could feel something between his feet
5mins left; bottom 5 are ALO, OCO, GAS, ALB, MAG
ALB P7, LAW P11
Yet again another very slow-moving queue of cars leaving the pit lane
PIA has stopped in the pit lane; McLaren mechanics run over and push him back to the garage; is there an engine problem?
No, McLaren told PIA to pull out of the queue because they don’t think he needs to do another run
LEC 1:29.940
MAG P9, HAM P11
ALO P8, RUS P11
HAM P3, MAG P11
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are MAG, RUS, LAW, OCO, GAS
LAW P10, ALB P11
OCO P12
RUS P7, LAW P11
GAS P12
Middle of the grid: LAW, GAS, ALB, OCO, MAG
Top 10 shootout is between LEC, VER, PER, HAM, SAI, PIA, TSU, RUS, NOR, ALO
Qualifying session 3
Only VER, NOR and PIA have a new set of soft tyres to use in this session
VER 1:29.012
PER P2
HAM P3
PIA P2
TSU P5
NOR P3
The first six runners (on used tyres) head back to the pits as RUS heads out (on new tyres) followed by ALO; LEC and SAI remain in the Ferrari garage
Order after the first run: VER, PIA, NOR, PER, HAM TSU
5mins left
Apparently the wind is picking up
RUS P4
ALO P6
The Ferrari duo leave the pits
VER 1:28.877
LEC P4
SAI P5
PIA P2
NOR P3
TSU P7
PER P5
HAM P7
Front of the grid: VER, PIA, NOR, LEC, PER, SAI, HAM, RUS, TSU, ALO
Provisional grid: VER, PIA, NOR, LEC, PER, SAI, HAM, RUS, TSU, ALO, LAW, GAS, ALB, OCO, MAG, BOT, STR, HUL, ZHO, SAR*
*Technically SAR didn’t meet the 107% time requirement so he’ll have to see the stewards to request permission to race
Race
Pit lane is open; drivers can make their way to the grid
Grid: VER, PIA, NOR, LEC, PER, SAI, HAM, RUS, TSU, ALO, LAW, GAS, ALB, OCO, MAG, BOT, STR, HUL, ZHO, SAR*
*SAR will start from the pit lane following a 10-sec penalty due to Williams making changes to the car too soon (during parc ferme)
VER leads everyone away on the formation lap
Everyone starting on medium compound tyres except TSU, ALO, LAW, BOT, STR, HUL and ZHO on softs
Grid forms up; PIA is pointing to his left, making it clear he plans to attack VER into Turn 1
01/53: VER immediately moves across to defend against PIA, but that lets NOR close up
NOR takes P2
SAR already up to P17 – was there an incident between ZHO, OCO, BOT that let the Williams jump them?
Radio from ZHO, “I’ve got damage”
SC deployed because there’s debrise strewn across Turn 1, including BOT’s front wing end plate
ZHO looks like his front wing is damaged too
02[SC]: Replay of the start – PER nudges HAM onto the grass, and then pushes the Mercedes wide in T1 – but don’t expect the stewards to penalise Red Bull
Onboard with ALB shows BOT jink left, hit the Williams and cause debris to fly off ALB’s car
BOT pits; new nose; chaos as the mechanics man-handle the car, lifting it
03[SC]: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, SAI, ALO, HAM, RUS, LAW, TSU, STR, HUL, GAS, MAG, SAR, OCO, ZHO, ALB, BOT
PER pits for a new front wing; rejoins P17… except he passes cars despite them running behind the SC… PER slows and lets them re-pass him
04[SC]: Incident involving PER noted – SC infringement (for passing cars when he left the pit lane?)
No mention of investigations into PER and BOT causing the lap 1 incidents
SC in at the end of this lap
VER slows, bunching everyone up as the SC heads for the pit lane
05/53: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, SAI, ALO, HAM, RUS, LAW, TSU, STR, HUL, GAS, MAG, OCO, ZHO, ALB, PER, SAR, BOT
ALO threatening to find a way around SAI
BOT spins in the hairpin
RUS dives inside HAM for P7
06: HAM reclaims P7 before T1, but there was bodywork flying of #44
Replay shows SAR locked up, hit BOT causing the Alfa Romeo to spin across the gravel
SAR pits
07: VER fastest lap
BOT pits; mechanics inspect the car and give him the ok to go out again
Incident involving BOT and SAR noted – causing a collision
08: PER takes P18 from ZHO
No further investigation for Lap 1 incidents
09: HUL pits, followed by BOT
BOT’s pushed into the garage
SAR given 5-sec penalty
11: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, SAI, ALO, HAM, RUS, STR, GAS
PER has a look inside MAG but the Haas closes the door
12: ALO pits from P6; hard tyres go on; rejoins P14
PER has another look inside MAG; hits the Haas, spinning him around
PER on the radio saying he’s got damage – good, because that was a terrible attempt at a pass
13: PER pits followed by MAG
PER serves penalty (for passing a car under the SC); new nose; softs; P19
14: PIA pits as Virtual SC deployed; hards; P9
VSC ending
Incident involving PER and MAG – causing a collision
15/53: VER, NOR, LEC, SAI, HAM, RUS, STR, GAS, PIA, OCO; out: BOT
PER told to pit, retire the car
STR pits; mediums; P14
PER pits; pushed into the garage – SkySports commentator says it’s a shame for PER, obviously forgetting the damage was caused by PER playing bumper cars with HAM and MAG
Replay of NOR passing PER under the VSC – I wonder if PER slowed in the hope of NOR getting a penalty?
16: HAM runs wide, touches the gravel but recovers; that lets RUS close right up
HAM squeezes RUS; they both run wide
17: VER pits; mediums; P5
HAM pits; hards; P10
Radio from RUS asking whether he’s meant to be fighting HAM or the others, suggesting the team tell HAM to let RUS past
18: NOR pits; hards; P7
LEC pits; mediums; P9
Incident involving HAM and RUS – forcing a car off track
19: SAI pits from P1; mediums; P8 just as LEC takes P6 from ALO
VER takes P1 from RUS
LEC past OCO for P5
20/53: VER, RUS, PIA, NOR, LEC, OCO, ALO, SAI, HAM, TSU, LAW, STR, HUL, ZHO, GAS, MAG, ALB, SAR; out: PER, BOT
NOR f/lap 1:36.689
OCO has ALO and SAI on his tail, both with DRS
SAI takes P7 from ALO
Incident involving HAM and RUS – no further action
21: SAI takes P6 from OCO
STR pits, retires
HAM closing on ALO
22: HAM inside ALO into 130R for P8
23: GAS takes P11 from LAW
25/53: RUS pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins P9 behind the OCO-ALO battle
RUS around the outside of ALO to take P8
26: Looks like SAR has retired too
ALO pits
NOR frustrated that he’s faster than PIA but the team’s not telling PIA to let NOR through
Radio for ALB telling him to retire the Williams
Half distance
27: NOR takes P2
PER getting back into the Red Bull – Hmmm, PER had a 5-sec penalty before he retired so are they sending him out so he can serve it instead of it being carried over to Qatar?
ALB pits; retires
29: ALO closing on TSU
30/53: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, SAI, HAM, RUS, GAS, TSU, ALO, ZHO, OCO, HUL, MAG, LAW; out: ALB, SAR, STR, PER, BOT
ALO inside TSU for P9
32: Radio for ALO telling him STR had a rear wing failure; ALO’s car looks OK but he’s warned to stay off the big kerbs
33: PER still siting in the car, in the garage, but it looks like they’re preparing to send him out
34: SkySports confirm that an unserved penalty could be converted to a grid penalty at the following race
35/53: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, SAI, HAM, RUS, GAS, ALO, OCO
LEC pits; hards; P6
HAM pits; hards; P7
GAS pits; hards; P11
36: PIA pits; hards; P5
GAS past HUL for P10
37: NOR pits; hards; P4
HAM f/lap 1:35.611
38: VER pits with a 30-sec lead; hards; rejoins still P1 but his lead is now “only” 8secs
39: SAI pits; hards; P7
40/53: VER f/lap 1:34.183
PER leaves the garage; he’s 6 laps down
42: PIA harrying RUS for P3; goes around the outside in T1
Radio for PER telling him to retire the car – what a disgrace
45/53: VER, NOR, PIA, RUS, LEC, HAM, SAI, ALO, OCO, GAS
LEC closing on RUS… takes P4
46: HAM now closing on RUS; he’s got DRS; will Mercedes tell RUS to let HAM through? (Toto isn’t in Japan but he’s probably on the phone)
47: Radio for HAM, “Make sure you give each other plenty of room”
48: SAI closing on HAM, so HAM needs to pass RUS quickly
49: Radio for RUS telling him to let HAM through; RUS says why not do what SAI did last week but giving HAM DRS
50/53: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, HAM, RUS, SAI, ALO, GAS, OCO
Radio for HAM telling him to give RUS DRS … well then why not leave RUS in P5 and have him give HAM DRS?
SAI dives inside RUS to steal P6
Mercedes just did a Ferrari! Way to throw away points!
51: Unfortunately RUS doesn’t have enough of a gap to ALO to be able to pit for softs so he can’t even try for fastest lap
53/53: VER has 19sec lead over NOR
VER takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: VER, NOR, PIA, LEC, HAM, SAI, RUS, ALO, GAS, OCO; LAW, TSU, ZHO, HUL, MAG
DNF: ALB, SAR, STR, PER, BOT
Fastest lap: VER
So Red Bull take the Constructors’ Championship using a car built when they broke the budget cap rule… well done? What a farce!
[2023 calendar and driver line-up]
