The fourth outing on the wondrous motor-racing journey that is this years season has been brought to a conclusion albeit a rather inevitable conclusion out at the front of the grid, but plenty of intrigue. And as with the last round out in the Far East when I come to sit down to type these words the same problem seems to have arisen it is impossible to trace every car's strategic solutions but having some practice after Shanghai it seemed a lot easier to follow.
I've yet to catch up on the support race package - they are currently sitting on my video tape in the VCR machine - and of course I appreciate the irony of documenting the most technologically advanced sport in the world with an obsolete grey box as my support device. At least this computer is fairly up to date - it's not the fastest device in the world but it is a couple of years ahead of hamster powered technology.
But quibbles about the rudimentary gizmos in my living room - though I could do with KERS and DRS on my laptop - it is time to look back on the 58 laps of the Turkish GP 2011.
 |
| The Renault Squadron (source:http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk) |
One car down the grid formed up headed by the Red Bull pairing and rounded up by Kobayashi and D'Ambrosio after their difficulties across the weekend - with Kamui's technical problem and Jerome's penalty. But the formation was soon to be disturbed as the lights were illuminated and then shut off releasing the now 23 cars for the first of the many laps ahead of them.
The cars on the outside of the grid made a better initial launch with Vettel leading safely into the first corner away from the line - Rosberg followed in behind capitalising on the better side of the track to jump past Webber into the first bend. Hamilton also got away faster then Webber in front but couldn't make the pass in T1 and went for a second stab at the Australian round the outside of turn three but entered the corner with too much speed and slid wide losing places to Alonso and Button. The rest of the field were - as is becoming a pattern this year very sensible with no wings lost in the opening lap.
While the field sorted themselves out on lap one, Michael had moved himself ahead of the Renault squadron and almost took the spot from Hamilton when he was out of position. And Kamui had begun the charge through the pack picking off the HRT cars and D'Ambrosio on the opening lap, placing him in 20th behind the Lotus cars. His teammate one-stop Perez had certainly made up for not making many stops in Australia by making more visits to the pit lane since, was having more of a difficulty - returning to the pit lane with the front wing positioned underneath the front left suspension. One-stop Perez's new design change was one that wasn't considered on the Sauber factory floor and needed to be corrected with a new wing.
Once the first two laps had been completed the first part of the Renault Squadron occupied by Vitaly Petrov decided to launch an attack on the grumpy German in the form of Michael Schumacher. Sitting in the draft of the Mercedes on the exit of the 9-10 chicane and drawing closer through 11 before making a move to the inside. Michael not being particularly new to racing tactics spotted Vitaly's move and moved across to squeeze the Russian but Petrov was already in the gap and down the inside. Schumacher having a bit of a brain fade closed the door when the Renault was already in front and collided crumpling his front wing and forcing a pit stop.
With the DRS well in effect now cars were sailing past each other with ease - Rosberg was a repeat victim, being passed by Webber without any difficulty in the zone running into turn 12, the Mercedes had no reply to the Red Bull as it flew down the outside. The problems didn't end there for Rosberg as more cars closed in on the German, Alonso in the Ferrari was on the way with the McLaren pair in close formation not too far behind. While Fernando effortlessly drafted past Nico within the DRS zone - the two sliver machines behind engaged combat.
The battle started with Hamilton diving to past Button into 12 and holding the position through the niggly complex at the end of the lap - in a repeat of the in team fight in 2010. Button determined not to lose the position cut back under lewis on entry to the pit straight and was repassed into the first corner. The positioned remained stable for a lap before Button made another overtaking advance into turn one sliding down the inside of the other McLaren before pulling away in pursuit of Alonso. The battle had dropped Hamilton into the clutches of Felipe Massa who entered into the DRS zone within the required 1s window and given how easy the system made passing this race breezed past.
With the lap counter sliding into double figures many drivers were becoming tired of their rubber and wanted some more - Petrov was first to stop in the early section of the pit window as a precaution of tyre damage from the collision with grumpy Michael Schumacher on lap 2. Hamilton and Massa pitted together immediately after the Ferrari overhauled the McLaren - but some very efficient pit work by Hamilton's crew reversed the positions in the pit lane. Felipe was released as Lewis glided past in the lane and ran two wide with the McLaren before conceding the position and pulling into line. Stops for the Red Bull drivers were straight forward switching to some new option tyres, Webber gained three seconds on his team-mate as a result of Vettel having to process Button before the Brit pitted.
Now the stops were taking effect several cars were dropped into traffic - Hamilton and Massa were dropped behind Maldonado in the Willams and just in front of Alguersuari and Kovalainien who was doing well for Lotus. One car that hadn't stopped was the Sauber of Kobayashi who at this point was running in 5th position from the final row of the grid - in what had been a mammoth opening segment of the race but his tyres were wearing thin and had to change.
Mercedes were having difficulties with the car when it is heavy with fuel - Michael was trapped with the Force India cars and was now joined by Kobayashi. On the other side of the garage Rosberg was also gaining a following Massa and the three stopping Button had closed in on the German who had a few few people pass him already in the race was going to add a few more to the account. Massa didn't round up Nico as easy as other drivers had done in the early stages as Rosberg's car was getting lighter and more competitive - it just wan't fast enough yet. Felipe managed to make the manoeuvre after a good run out of the mighty turn 8, passing at the DRS activation line - as they ran two wide through 11 Button got a double tow and tried to follow the Ferrari through. Jenson looked round the outside at 12 and the inside at 13 but finally managed to skate round the outside of 14. Nico anticipated Button cutting to the inside so hovered on the apex only for the McLaren to see an opportunity to the outside.
Formation flying was still the order of the day down with the Renault Squadron who have been running in formation all season very similar the Force India team who also seem to have a permanent tether between the cars. But the two black and gold machines were running the formation a little too close in the final complex which is where everything outside the GP2/GP3 races was taking place. Heidlfeld was up the inside of Petrov in 12 only for the Russian to hold station into 13 and a little more than gently ease the fellow squadron member wide into the pit-lane entry. Both drivers waved their arms in gesticulation of the collision even thought it was Vitaly's doing giving Nick a nudge out wide and claiming the position, fortunately both squadron members survived the contact without damage and could continue un-abated.
Grumpy Michael was encountering more problems in his off-pace Mercedes with the charging Kobayashi followed by a pair of Force Indias, Schumacher once again seemed to forget how wide the track is as he eased across again - this time relegating Kamui to the grass on the exit of 11. This plan was futile against the Sauber as Kobayashi kept going with two wheels off the edge of the track and threw it down the inside at turn 12. With Schumey eased wide Adrian Sutil in the closest of the orange machines dove into the Sauber sized space inside the Mercedes and with a little bump took the position, shedding some carbon fibre in the process.
There was a little lull in proceedings while drivers took the next round of stops, there was still a raft of DRS passes into turn 12, with Button on Massa who locked his front wheels under breaking and had to pit straight after the flatspot. Hamilton's visit to pit lane wasn't as smooth as his first visit - as the right front wheel nut cross threaded and needed to be replaced - costing many seconds, and then to add insult to injury Lewis had to wait a little longer to allow the Ferrari to pit ahead of him. On track positions had become stable with Vettel remaining out front from Webber and Alsono, but the Ferrari was keen on altering the order and using the power of the DRS found a way past the Red Bull into second.
Shifting into the final phase of the race Vettel was clear in the lead but the advantage Alonso held over the second Red Bull was running out - as the better condition tyres on Webber's car were paying off reeling in the Ferrari before reclaiming the position. With the fuel loads burning off the Mercedes' were gaining speed, which improved Rosberg's race allowing him to catch and pass Massa who needed to pit again for more tyres. The extra performance didn't help Michael who after a wing change early on and more contact later was languishing outside the points and was to be joined be Massa after a poor pit stop.
Button's three stop strategy was beginning to come undone as he was on the last set of tyres for too long and was hemorrhaging pace and dropping back from Alonso in 3rd. He was easy pickings for a recovering Lewis Hamilton who made the pass easily and without any resistance within the default passing zone of the race into turn 12. The pain didn't end there as the ailing McLaren was met with a resurgent Rosberg with an improving car and Button had no defence against the Mercedes attack. A three stop strategy had also been employed by Sebastien Buemi who had through strategy moved up into 7th, albeit a long way behind Button in 6th.
After some unknown mid-race setback Kobayashi who was also on the less favourable three stop strategy had driven the car up from 23rd on the grid into the points in 10th - making the greatest gains on the alternate strategy with a comfortable gap back to the troubled pair of Michael and Felipe. The Renault Squadron had closed in on a slowing Buemi with ageing tyres - Petrov heading Heidfeld as they began the assault out of camera shot the Squadron reversed positions when Heidfeld assumed the lead of the pair before bearing down on the Torro Rosso. With the weaker compound condition the second Sebastien couldn't hold of the Renault Squadron and was passed by the pair in sequence and dropped back to 9th but safely enough in front of Kobayashi.
The order was now fixed within the points but the race of perfect reliability became unstuck when Paul Di Resta's Force India gave up on running and pulled off at the inside of turn one. The second of the Mercedes powered orange machines was engrossed an a tight battle with the many stopping one-stop Perez who was desperately trying to shake of his new title and Adrian Sutil. The pair were ahead of the Williams of Rubens who showed some promise early on but had fallen back since the early stages - their battle was caught by the leader Vettel who had to lap them on the penultimate lap.
He stayed out front and the order was static till the end of the race concluding the race with the first Red Bull 1-2 of the season ahead of a resurgent Fernando Alonso who out-drove the speed of the car to make the podium with Hamilton and Rosberg completing the top 5. The points were filled by Button, the Renault Squadron, Buemi and Kobayashi completing an epic Webber style comeback from the back row of the grid.
The Official Bonus Points Championship points winners
After sitting down with the notebook through out the race picking out the points winners was not exactly easy as there were a lot of generic performances and the all to easy DRS overtaking did dilute the racing a fair bit making passing effortless. The improvements were down mainly to strategy and the occasional proper overtaking manoeuvre, but points will be given and here are the winners from the Turkish GP 2011.
10pts - Fernando Alonso: For out-driving the power of the car and finally showing where Ferrari should be, as much as they usually up to dodgy goings on it is still nice to see them up front.
8pts - Kamui Kobayashi: A very strong comeback drive, almost made the top score but points from the back is a very commendable achievement in a mid-field car
6pts - Jenson Button: A combination score on two fronts - for making a clever opportunistic move round the outside of Rosberg, and battling and initially beating the formerly grumpy Hamilton. And topped off by some obscure appreciation of Eddie Jordan's shirt.
5pts - Red Bull: They get 5 points for scoring a strong 1-2 finished and consistent domination across the weekend despite Vettel messing up a car in Friday practice.
4pts - Renault Squadron: For some unnatural team consistency with both cars running competitively and in close company - a little too close once but strong performance.
3pts - Sebastien Buemi: For only being a few laps away from holding off the Squadron for 7th on a three stop strategy after a poor qualifying session.
2pts Jarno Trulli: For the first time out-racing and finishing ahead of the traditionally faster Heikki Kovalainen who did so well in China
1pt - Sebastien Vettel: Well ok I'll give him a point for winning - though he is doing a little too much of that recently and it become a little repetitive.
The Also Official Penalty Championship
Over the course of the weekend only two penalties were dispatched to the field - one for Jerome D'Ambrosio after ignoring yellows in Saturday practice which resulted in a 5 place grid drop. The second one handed to Pastor Maldonado for pit lane speeding.
The No Less Official Dodgy Dealings Championship
After the wing issue with Fernando Alonso was cleared up over the break I will have to remove his penalty point from the table as it turns out he wasn't up to anything dodgy.... this time. But there are some nominations for this race to fit into the table.
Firstly Michael Schumacher - for as we've seen in previous races last year Canada, Hungary and Singapore being good examples he exhibited some alternative racing skills. Colliding with Petrov for no apparent reason when it was obvious he would slide out wide which would have allowed Michael back through again - but opting for some contact. Then forcing Kobayashi to the grass on the exit of 11 when struggling for pace and tyres. So Schumey definitely gets a penalty point for today's race
Next up in the sin bin is the DRS system which made the concept of overtaking rather a formality today of course it is preferential to see cars passing each other but it becomes silly when we have cars driving past in a straight line before even reaching a corner. The extreme speed differential removed the necessity for out-breaking or setting up an attack when the DRS makes the pass easy. It is an experimental technology and will need some fine tuning but today it gets a penalty point for being too effortless, the support races showed how passing and racing should be done.
The third of the gripes over not only the race but the weekend is over the Prime Compound tyres which seem to have absolutely no use whatsoever. The idea of a harder tyre is that it is supposed to last longer than the soft in exchange for lower performance, allowing for varying stint lengths during the race to make them worth having. Bringing in the concept of running longer or running faster but the prime tyres are as feeble as the softs and just perform worse which ruins their usefulness, making them a penalty rather than a strategic tool - it's like having to spend a mandatory stint with no wings - an unnecessary handicap when so much more can be made of it. So one penalty point gets awarded to the Prime tyre compound.
Onward to Spain
The two week break before the next race allows teams to ready what will likely be the biggest updates packages to the cars as they reach the F1 testing grounds where every team (except HRT has ran many many laps in pre-season) It's a track traditionally at the head of the European season but bumped into second by Turkey and is often an indication of a the grid's relative speeds where the cars should be at their maximum pace.
Also Spain - in the form of the this Internet ranting will be the debut for the new Blogmobile a 2006 Champcar Lola which is a couple of seconds slower than the bottom of the F1 grid, and in Turkey would have held the fastest lap until lap 19 on a 1:32.9.
Overall it's two weeks of anticipation with a shortage of interim racing as Indycar and BTCC are on a break but there will always be something going on in the week off as we wait for the Grand Prix of Barcelona.
No comments:
Post a Comment