Before getting into my notes about the Catalunya Grand Prix, we need to start with something unusual relating to the Monaco GP: the FIA have reversed a decision! (Gasps!) Alpine appealed GAS’ two time penalties for speeding in the pit lane and both were rescinded, which means GAS finished P3, same as he did on-track and that bumps HAD down to P4.
Revised Final Classification: ANT, HAM, GAS, HAD, PIA, LAW, LIN, ALB, OCO, ALO; BOR, RUS, HUL, COL, PER
And on that bombshell, we’ll move on to Barcelona.
Free Practice
- FP1: RUS (1:16.363), PIA, LEC, VER, Fornaroli
Lots of new faces! 7 “rookie” drivers given the chance to put in some F1 laps: Aron (Audi), Beganovic (Ferrari), Browning (Williams), Fornaroli (McLaren), Herta (Cadillac), Iwasa (Red Bull), and Vesti (Mercedes)
Unfortunately Browning didn’t leave the Williams garage due to an electrical fault in ALB’s car
SAI was stuck in the “fast lane” of the pit lane and had to be pushed back into the Williams garage
VER continues to complain about the car
LAW frustrated at SAI – the Spaniard wasn’t clear of the racing line
BOR struggled for grip in the Audi - FP2: NOR (1:15.426), RUS, PIA, LEC, ANT
RUS ran wide a couple of times
ANT ran wide in Turn 10, complaining of a long brake pedal
HAM wide in Turn 8, across the gravel
VER and ALB both reported a lot of problems
LAW stopped as he left the pit lane, reporting the gearbox had broken - FP3: RUS (1:15.679), PIA, LEC, NOR, HAM
ANT seemed to hit traffic on every lap
Ferrari have brought a few updates, including the front wing and floor, but HAM still seemed to be fighting his car
VER still unhappy with the Red Bull; teammate HAD has developed the same habit
STR was a mobile chicane, frustrating ANT and LAW
BOT couldn’t slow into Turn 10 and ended up in the gravel, bringing out the red flags
Penalties
ALO received a warning for crossing the white line at the pit exit in FP2
Cadillac were fined €100 for BOT exceeding the pit lane speed limit in FP2, and €500 for PER doing the same but at a higher speed
Aston Martin were fined €600 for STR exceeding the pit lane speed limit in FP3
ANT was given a reprimand for driving in an erratic manner in FP3
LEC and Ferrari were both given a warning for impeding car 27 (HUL) in FP3
Qualifying
Air temperature 31°C; track 51°C; humidity 31%
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
BOT 1:19.105
OCO 1:18.171
SAI 1:18.107
HUL 1:16.954
VER 1:16.352
LEC 1:15.964
RUS 1:15.717
HAM 1:15.625, who ironically is shown a black and white flag for driving too slowly (presumably on his warm-up lap)
Brief yellow flag
SAI locked up into Turn 1 and ran wide, but recovered
STR ran wide, across the gravel but dug the Aston Martin out
5mins left; bottom 6 are PER, OCO, BOT, ALB, ALO, STR
ALB P15 relegating SAI to P17
STR P21
OCO P15, ALB P16
ALO P22
BOT P19
Chequered flag; bottom 6 are OCO, ALB, BOT, PER, STR, ALO
PER P19
Back of the grid: OCO, ALB, PER, BOT, STR, ALO
Qualifying session 2
GAS 1:17.626
COL 1:17.376
HUL 1:16.922
VER 1:15.484
LEC 1:15.281
RUS 1:15.228
NOR reporting a concern with his rear brakes
5mins left; bottom 6 are BOR, COL, BEA, GAS, SAI, HUL
Black and white flag for HUL for driving slowly
HUL P10, LIN P11 – LIN’s just gone into the pits
Chequered flag; bottom 6 are LIN, BOR, COL, BEA, GAS, SAI
BEA P12
BOR P12
GAS P13
BEA P14
COL P13
Middle of the grid: LIN, BOR, COL, GAS, BEA, SAI
Top 10 shootout is between RUS, LEC, ANT, NOR, HAM, VER, PIA, LAW, HAD, HUL
Qualifying session 3
Track temp has dropped to 49°C
Green light but no-one leaving their garage… and then they all emerge
VER 1:15.328
Yellow flag – LEC has gone off – he’s in a tyre wall
PIA 1:15.176
Red flag – clock stopped with 8:30 remaining
Replay shows the Ferrari slid out of Turn 1 and spat him across the gravel, into the barrier
Medical car deployed, so that was detected as a high impact
Everyone else is back in the pits
Q3 resumes shortly; cars starting to queue
Black and white flag for RUS for driving slowly
ANT P3
HAD P4
RUS 1:15.145
HAM P6
They pit for new tyres
3mins left; order is RUS, PIA, VER, ANT, HAD, HAM; no time yet from NOR, LAW, HUL and of course LEC
ANT 1:14.998
RUS 1:14.679
NOR P3
Chequered flag; order is RUS, ANT, NOR, PIA, VER, HAD, HAM; no time: HUL, LAW, LEC
HUL P8
PIA P4
LAW P8
VER P4
HAD P5
HAM P2
Front of the grid: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, HAD, PIA, LAW, HUL, LEC
Provisional grid: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, HAD, PIA, LAW, HUL, LEC, LIN, BOR, COL, GAS, BEA, SAI, OCO, ALB, PER, BOT, STR, ALO
Penalties
ALO will start from the pit lane (instead of P22) after Aston Martin replaced a series of PU elements
Race
Pit lane is open; drivers can make their way to the grid
Grid: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, HAD, PIA, LAW, HUL, LEC, LIN, BOR, COL, GAS, BEA, SAI, OCO, ALB, PER, BOT, STR; ALO in the pit lane
Air temperature 31°C; track 50°C; humidity 30%
RUS leads everyone away on the formation lap
Slightly more than half the field starting on medium compound tyres; softs for HAM, VER, HUL, COL, SAI, OCO, PER; hards for STR, ALO
01/66: RUS leads into Turn 1
HAD has run wide and lost a lot of places
LEC up to P7
02: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, PIA, LEC, LAW, LIN, HUL
03: HAD around the outside of SAI for P13
HUL and LIN both noted for leaving the track and gaining an advantage
04: RUS has 2sec lead over HAM
05/66: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, PIA, LEC, LAW, LIN, HUL, COL, HAD, GAS, SAI, OCO, BEA, BOR, ALB, PER, BOT, STR, ALO
HUL and LIN are now under investigation for leaving the track
06: STR pits; retires the Aston Martin
LEC nearly ran into the rear of PIA
HAD past COL for P11
08: LEC tight up under PIA’s rear wing again
LEC takes P6
09: HAD has a look at LIN but LIN slams the door
Radio from NOR reporting he’s “sliding everywhere”
10/66: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, LAW, HUL, LIN, HAD, COL, GAS, SAI, OCO, BEA, BOR, ALB, PER, BOT, ALO; out: STR
11: Radio from VER reporting he’s struggling with the tyres
12: HAM pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins P7
LAW pits too; slow rear-right; hards; P19
ALO inside BOT to take P20
13: RUS pits; hards; P5, ahead of HAM
VER pits too; hards; P10
COL and PER pit
14: NOR pits from P2; hards; P6
HUL, OCO, ALB all pit
15/66: ANT pits from P1; hards; P4
PIA pits too; hards; P9
GAS, SAI, BOT also pit
16: LEC stays out and inherits P1
HAD pits; hards; P11
17: LEC pits from P1; hards; P6
Radio for BOT telling him to retire the car
Incident involving ALB will be investigated after the race – starting procedure infringement
BOT pits; pushed into the Cadillac garage
18: RUS, HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, LIN, HAD, BEA – only LIN, BEA and ALO yet to pit
19: BEA pits; rejoins P20
20/66: Radio for COL instructing him to switch positions with GAS
25/66: RUS. HAM, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, HAD, LAW, HUL, GAS, COL, SAI, BOR, OCO, LIN, BEA, ALB, PER, ALO; out: BOT, STR
Incident involving SAI will be investigated after the race – starting procedure infringement
(That’s both Williams under investigation for the same thing)
27: Radio from RUS, “front feels a bit weak”
LIN takes P15 from OCO
28: HAM pits from P2; mediums go on; P7
29: HAM rapidly catching PIA; takes P6
30/66: RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, HAM, PIA, HAD, LAW, HUL
Black and white flag for ANT for exceeding track limits
VER pits from P4; hards; P7
31: RUS laps BOR (P13)
HUL pits; retires the Audi
32: SAI pits just before RUS laps him; hards; P16
LEC lets HAM through for P4
ANT closing on teammate RUS
33: RUS moves to defend into Turn 1; ANT has a look but backs off
HAD pits; hards; P8
Bono reminds ANT not to exceed track limits
34: Radio from HAM asking if he’s catching the top 3; “You are catching really well”
35/66: RUS, ANT, NOR, HAM, LEC, PIA, VER, HAD, LAW, GAS
Bono tells ANT not to slow them by fighting with RUS
36: NOR pits from P3; hards; P6
37: RUS pits; hards; P4
PIA pits too; hards; P7
38: ANT pits; hards; P4, barely ahead of NOR
BEA (P13) moves out of ANT’s way
40/66: HAM, LEC, RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL, LAW, BEA, SAI, LIN, BOR, OCO, PER, ALO; out: ALB, HUL, BOT, STR
LEC pits from P2; hards; P6
Yellow flag – ALO has stopped in Turn 9
41: VSC deployed
VER pits; mediums go on; released right in front of BEA; rejoins P5
42[VSC]: HAM pits; hards; released alongside GAS; rejoins still P1
VSC ending
43: HAM 2.9sec ahead of RUS
44: HAM has been noted for a yellow flag infringement
45/66: HAM, RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL, LAW, SAI, LIN, BOR, BEA, OCO, PER; out: ALO, ALB, HUL, BOT, STR
46: COL also noted for a yellow flag infringement
ALB has rejoined the track – he’s 10 laps down
47: HAM building the gap over RUS – he might need that if he’s given a penalty
48: No further investigation for the HAM incident
50/66: HAM, RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL
51: Radio for NOR encouraging him to close on ANT in the hope of causing a mistake that’ll get ANT a penalty
52: ANT closing on teammate RUS; under 1sec behind; he tells Bono, “I have so much more pace, man!”
53: Radio for RUS telling him to pick up the pace (implied: or else we’ll want you to let ANT through)
55/66: HAM, RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL, LAW, LIN, SAI, BEA, BOR, OCO, PER; out: ALO, ALB, HUL, BOT, STR
NOR is catching ANT; just over 1sec behind the Mercedes
56: BOR pits from P15; softs; P16
58: SAI pits from P13; mediums; P16
Both Mercedes are right on the edge of the white line in Turn 10
60/66: HAM, RUS, ANT, NOR, VER, LEC, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL
HAD pits from P8; softs; rejoins still P8
61: ANT continues to close on RUS
ANT takes the inside line for Turn 1; RUS defends, pushes ANT to the edge of the track
ANT takes P2 from his teammate
62: Will RUS report ANT for exceeding track limits in T10?
ANT slowing, pulls off the racing line; parks on the grass
Yellow flag
LEC slowing too
62: Radio from LEC reporting he’s lost power steering
VSC deployed
63[VSC]: LEC has limped back to the pits
64[VSC]: Marshals seem to the struggling to move ANT’s car
65/66[VSC]: HAM, RUS, NOR, VER, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL, LAW, LIN, BOR, SAI, (LEC) OCO, PER, ALB
VSC ending
HAM still has ~19sec lead over RUS
66/66: This could be an all-English podium if they all make it to the chequered flag
HAM takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: HAM, RUS, NOR, VER, PIA, HAD, GAS, COL, LAW, LIN; BOR, SAI, OCO, PER, ALB
DNF: LEC, ANT, BEA, ALO, HUL, BOT, STR
How will the show ALB on the result – he’s 11 laps down and technically behind LEC, ANT and BEA
ANT congratulates HAM
HAM stops to catch his breath before being weighed
Lots more congratulations for HAM
Last all-British podium was 1968
Penalties
COL received a post-race 10sec penalty and 1 point for failing to slow for a single yellow flag; that drops him from P8 to P10
Williams were fined €5,000 as ALB started the formation lap with parts of a tyre blanket still on the car, and another €5,000 because SAI’s mechanics left equipment on the grass area next to the grid after the 15 second signal
ANT was given a post-race 5sec penalty for leaving the track without a justifiable reason multiple times
Final classification: HAM, RUS, NOR, VER, PIA, HAD, GAS, LAW, LIN, COL; BOR, SAI, OCO, PER, ALB
