It’s the final race of the season; it’s been pretty predictable due to Red Bull’s advantage (cough – what cost cap? – cough) but in theory that should be different next season… time will tell.
Whiny Spice has been trying to stir up drama by claiming HAM approached him about joining Red Bull. HAM of course denies this. Horner started backpedalling by saying it was HAM’s father who talked to him. It doesn’t really matter, because drivers’ managers are always talking with the teams and trying to find the best deals.
The first Free Practice session saw a lot of the third drivers having a chance to run
FP2 had two red flag incidents, with SAI spinning into the tyre wall and then HUL spun into the armco barrier
The other notable incident was VER making a dangerous move trying to pass cars in the pit exit tunnel; the latest (third) revision of the Race Director’s Event Notes now says “overtaking is prohibited in the pit exit road unless a car slows with an obvious problem”.
Qualifying
Air temperature 26°C; track 32°C; 65% humidity
The sun has set, so qualifying is taking place under lights
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
Green light; final Quali session has started but no-one rushing to be on-track
4mins later there’s finally some activity
SAR 1:24.722
VER 1:24.160
SAR’s lap time deleted for exceeding track limits
Everyone running on the soft compound tyres, but none can beat VER’s time
Radio for ALB telling him they expect track evo(lution) will be 4secs
5mins left; bottom 5 are GAS, MAG, SAR, ZHO, HUL
A slow crawl as a lot of cars leave the pits
SAR goes P4 but that lap’s deleted too
Radio from VER whining that they’re going too slowly
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are PIA, OCO, MAG, SAR, ZHO
ZHO P18
MAG P15, BOT P16
SAI is down to P16
Back of the grid: SAI, MAG, BOT, ZHO, SAR
Replay shows GAS on the racing line but did really impede SAI?
Qualifying session 2
Green light; no immediate activity again
ALB the first to head out, followed by the Mercedes pair, and now the slow procession in pit out
The FIA commentary says VER is on new softs but most on used softs… but the FIA’s data shows the same number of laps against them all
ALB 1:24.965
HAM 1:24.826
RUS 1:24.460
VER 1:23.740
5mins left; bottom 5 are RIC, GAS, ALB, OCO, HUL
ALB P5 pushes HAM down to P11
HUL P4, STR P11
RIC P7, ALO P11
GAS P4, TSU P11
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are STR, ALB, RIC, RUS, HAM
HAM P10, OCO P11
RUS P4, HAM P11
Middle of the grid: HAM, OCO, STR, ALB, RIC
Radio from HAM, “There’s something not right with this car, mate” – that’s not very specific, is it 🙂 but maybe they don’t want to discuss it over the radio
Top 10 shootout is between VER, NOR, LEC, RUS, GAS, PER, ALO, TSU, HUL, PIA
Qualifying session 3
VER sits at the end of the pit lane, waiting for Q3 to start
VER has one new set of softs more than the other drivers
Rest of the top 10 leave their garages as the lights turn green
VER 1:23.445
HUL P2
TSU P2
NOR P2
ALO P5
PER P3
PIA P3
LEC P8
GAS P9
RUS P4
Order after the first run: VER, NOR, PIA, RUS, PER, TSU, HUL, ALO, LEC, GAS
VER leaves his garage but other cars enter the pit lane ahead of him; expect another whiny radio message in 3, 2…
NOR P2
PIA P2
ALO P4
LEC P2
Chequered flag: VER, LEC, PIA, NOR, ALO, RUS, PER, TSU, HUL, GAS
TSU P5
HUL P7
PER P5
RUS P4
PER’s lap time is deleted, dropping him to P9
Provisional grid: VER, LEC, PIA, RUS, NOR, TSU, ALO, HUL, PER, GAS, HAM, OCO, STR, ALB, RIC, SAI, MAG, BOT, ZHO, SAR
Incident involving PIA and GAS noted – impeding
Race
The stewards decided no further action was required for the PIA/GAS impeding incident
SAR failed to set a time in Quali (because his times were deleted for exceeding track limits) so he had to appeal to the stewards to be allowed to race; he’ll start P20
Presentation for Franz Tost, AlphaTauri’s team principal, who is retiring although it sounds like he’ll still be involved in F1 in some way
SkySports are brave to show a snippet from the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP… you know, the one where VER was gifted the Championship 🙁
Grid: VER, LEC, PIA, RUS, NOR, TSU, ALO, HUL, PER, GAS, HAM, OCO, STR, ALB, RIC, SAI, MAG, BOT, ZHO, SAR
Air temperature 27°C; track 34°C
VER leads everyone away on the formation lap
Looks like everyone’s starting on the medium compound tyre except STR, SAI and BOT on hards
01/58: VER leads through Turn 1
Clean first couple of corners, although HAM did run a bit wide
LEC inside VER but VER defends
02: VER, LEC, PIA, NOR, RUS, TSU, ALO, GAM, HAM, PER, OCO, STR, HUL, SAI, RIC, BOT, ALB, ZHO, MAG, SAR
NOR closing on his teammate, PIA
SAI takes P13 from HUL
ZHO past ALB for P17
03: DRS enabled
VER fastest lap 1:30.710
PER inside HAM for P9
Replay of the start shows HAM try to pass PER in T1 but HAM was off the track
04: VER f/lap 1:30.408
NOR has passed his teammate for P3
05/58: VER, LEC, NOR, PIA, RUS, TSU, ALO, GAS, PER, HAM
NOR f/lap 1:30.188
MAG locks up, runs wide
06: MAG pits from P19; hard tyres go on; rejoins P20
07: Almost everyone has DRS, from NOR (behind LEC) all the way down to ZHO (P17)
RUS reclaims P5 from TSU
Radio for RIC telling him there might be a visor tear-off in a sidepod
08: RIC pits; hards; P19
Incident involving SAR and MAG noted – forcing another driver off the track
Incident involving ZHO and ALB noted – forcing another driver off the track
09: PER has half a look inside GAS
RUS tries the long way around PIA but the Aussie keeps P4
Both Mercedes seem to be struggling to make progress
10/58: VER, LEC, NOR, PIA, RUS, TSU, ALO, GAS, PER, HAM
RIC f/lap 1:29.815
11: LEC keeping VER’s lead to about 1.5sec
PIA locks up; RUS takes P4
12: TSU now closing on PIA
PER has another look at GAS but the Alpine hangs on to P8
PER makes this move stick
13: ALO pits from P7; hards; P18
GAS has got HAM, OCO and STR on his tail
14: PIA pits from P5; hards; P15, only just in front of ALO
HUL and ZHO pit too
15/58: VER, LEC, NOR, RUS, TSU, PER, GAS, HAM, OCO, STR
NOR pits, as does RUS; both take on hard tyres; slow stop for NOR; RUS rejoins P13 with NOR P14
GAS locks up; HAM taps the rear of the Alpine; HAM’s front wing is damaged
16: HAM, OCO and SAR all pit; HAM rejoins P15
17: VER pits; hards; P7
RUS f/lap 1:29.537
18: LEC, PER and GAS all pit for hard tyres; LEC rejoins P5
So TSU leads the race!
RUS inside BOT for P7
19: RUS f/lap 1:29.522
VER closing on SAI – can the Ferrari hold him up to let LEC close up?
Nope, VER easily past SAI for P3
Radio from GAS asking why OCO got the undercut to pass him
20/58: TSU, STR, VER, SAI, LEC, RUS, NOR, BOT, PIA, ALO, RIC, PER, HAM, OCO, GAS, HUL, MAG, ZHO, ALB, SAR
PER f/lap 1:29.365
Yet to pit are TSU, STR, SAI and BOT (TSU started on mediums, the others are on hard tyres)
21: PER f/lap 1:29.107
SAI lets teammate LEC through for P4
VER storms past STR for P2
22: PER f/lap 1:28.986
RUS tucked up under SAI’s rear wing… and passes the Ferrari for P5
HAM is behind the battle between RIC and BOT
Radio for HAM from Toto Wolff, “Lewis, second quickest car last lap. You’re quick.”
23: TSU pits from P1; hards; P12
HAM past ex-teammate BOT for P10
24: SAI pits from P5; more hards, so he’ll have to stop again; rejoins P16
HAM has DRS behind RIC
25/58: VER, LEC, RUS, NOR, PIA, ALO, PER, RIC, HAM, TSU, OCO, BOT, STR, GAS, HUL, SAI, ZHO, ALB, SAR, MAG
VER’s lead over 5sec
PER takes P6 from ALO
HAM past RIC for P8
26: Frustrated radio from GAS asking “Where are we losing? Why are we so slow?”; he’s told there’s damage from the incident with HAM
27: STR f/lap 1:28.860
Another radio call from Toto to encourage HAM
28: Looks like BOT is on a 1-stop strategy; he’s the only one yet to stop
29: VER’s lead now over 6sec
STR takes P10 from RIC
Half distance; sun has set; air temperature 27°C; track 32°C (2° cooler than at the start)
30/58: VER, LEC, RUS, NOR, PER, PIA, ALO, HAM, TSU, STR
BOT pits from P15; mediums go on; rejoins P19
32: RIC pits; hards; P18
SAI locks up into the hairpin as he closes on GAS
33: GAS pits; slow right-rear; rejoins P18
34: NOR pits from P4; new hards; P10 just ahead of OCO
Radio from RUS asking if they’re sure they can’t make a 1-stop work; he’s told it’s a long way to go
35/58: RUS pits from P3; hards; rejoins P9
36: LEC pits from P2; hards; P5
HAM pits too; hards; P12
NOR f/lap 1:28.736
RUS takes P7 from STR
37: RUS f/lap 1:28.687
NOR looking to get round STR
PIA and ALO pit; hards for both; rejoin P10 and P11 respectively
NOR finally passes STR for P6
HAM past ALO for P11
38: LEC closing on TSU… and takes P3
Black and white flag for ALB for exceeding track limits
ALO reclaims P11
Radio from HAM claiming ALO brake-tested him
39: RUS takes P4 from TSU
PIA f/lap
40/58: VER, PER, LEC, RUS, TSU, NOR, STR, PIA, SAI, OCO, ALO, HAM, ALB, RIC, SAR, GAS, HUL, BOT, MAG, ZHO
Incident involving ALO and HAM noted – driving erratically (for brake-testing HAM)
41: VER 16sec clear of PER, who in turn is 13sec clear of LEC
No further investigation for ALO/HAM incident
SAR defends from GAS but instead RIC passes him
42: NOR passes TSY for P5
43: PER pits from P2; hards; P6
STR pits too; takes on mediums; P13
HAM takes P10 from OCO
44: VER pits from P1; hards; rejoins still P1 and even now has over 5sec lead
Incident involving HAM noted – pit stop infringement (??)
PER takes P5 from TSU
45/58: VER, LEC, RUS, NOR, PER, TSU, PIA, SAI, ALO, HAM, OCO, STR, RIC, GAS, HUL, ZHO, ALB, BOT, MAG, SAR
PER f/lap 1:27.493
ALO filling SAI’s mirrors
46: VER f/lap 1:26.993
Incident involving HAM will be investigated after the race – pit stop infringement
ALO inside SAI to steal P8
47: PER makes a late move on NOR; hits the McLaren, pushing NOR wide
Incident involving GAS will be investigated after the race – pit stop infringement
Radio from PER claiming it’s NOR’s fault, of course – dirty racer
48: HAM around the outside of SAI to take P9
PER passes NOR for P4
49: SkySports say HAM’s and GAS’s “pit stop infringement” are probably because some of the pit crew weren’t wearing goggles!
50/58: VER, LEC, RUS, PER, NOR, PIA, TSU, ALO, HAM, SAI, OCO, STR, RIC, GAS, ALB, HUL, ZHO, BOT, SAR, MAG; no retirements yet
51: Incident involving ZHO will be investigated after the race – pit stop infringement
PER given 5sec penalty for causing collision
52: Radio from PER asking why he’s got a penalty – idiot!
53: RIC inside OCO for P12
54: PER storming up behind RUS… dives inside and takes P3
55/58: VER, LEC, PER*, RUS, NOR, PIA, TSU, ALO, HAM, SAI, STR, RIC, OCO, GAS, ALB, HUL, ZHO, SAR, BOT, MAG
SAI needs to make another stop as he’s only used hard tyres so far
56: PER trying to open a 5sec lead over RUS to offset his penalty
57: STR closing on SAI, but SAI has been told to box
ALO takes P7 from TSU
SAI pits; softs go on; rejoins P15
58/58: VER 16.5sec clear of LEC
Radio from VER asking about PER’s situation; he’s proposing he’ll slow to let PER get DRS
LEC has let PER take P2
This is all tactical to prevent Mercedes getting P2 in the Constructors
VER takes the chequered flag
PER is P2 but that’s before his 5sec penalty is applied
LEC P3
RUS P4 – he’s 3.8sec behind PER
HAM squeezes under TSU to take P8 but struggles with the Mercedes and TSU reclaims the place
Provisional result: VER, PER*, LEC, RUS, PER, NOR, PIA, ALO, TSU, HAM, STR; RIC, OCO, GAS, ALB, HUL, SAR, ZHO, SAI, BOT, MAG
*PER’s penalty drops him to P4
The official timing chart shows SAI as Retired as well as P18
Mercedes are P2 in the Constructors’ Championship, despite Red Bull and Ferrari’s efforts
Hopefully the post-race stewards investigations will (at most) result in penalties for the teams, not changing the result
Update: all teams were summoned regarding pit crews wearing eye protection but no penalties were handed out
“All Teams are requested to stress the importance of eye protection for all personnel working on a car and ensure that this Article is respected by all team members in the future.”
[2023 calendar and driver line-up]