Today I give you the results of the first Blog outside broadcast - well not technically outside, because I'm inside and returned from my adventure. But those small technicalities aside it was a very enjoyable event and I have to thank John for the hospitality in hosting the viewing of the 2011 British GP. Just goes to show this little corner of the internet is going up in the world, next stop the pitwall.... no well perhaps not
Anyway to the racing at had, and boy did we have some - the race often plundered into the depths of mediocrity by cars becoming trapped behind each other in a train of cars all equally spaced out and with no-one passing anyone else. But not this weekend oh no indeed, Britain had overtaking - there were folk in the grandstands revelling in the rarity of cars going past other cars here in the homeland. And on top of that the good old British weather opened the race with on of the most peculiar setups I've seen outside of Belgium.
So here's looking back - or sideways depending how sleepy you are at today's action from a little too far down the road.
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| Sourced from F1fanatic.co.uk |
The Race
The scene opened up with the most intriguing set of circumstances, ones I have't seen at the beginning of the race in this country before considering the way that the track was affected was rather anomalous. Rain from earlier in the day - not sure when, I haven't seen the earlier races to see the time scale of the weather, but whenever it happened one half of the track was completely dry, while the other half was very wet indeed. A situation that normally only evolves in places with their own micro-climate tracks such as Spa and the Nurburgring - where we're going next coincidently.
Drivers were taking several installation laps to get round to the grid, cutting through pit lane to gauge the level of contrast on the track. The severe difference between the two halves caught out One-Stop Perez on his installation lap as he has an adventure across the grass through an advertising barrier and had to replace the nose. It was clear that the wet part of the track wasn't going to dry before the start so the only logical conclusion the teams could make was to start on the intermediate tyres because the wets wouldn't cope with the dry section and would simply disintegrate.
With the prospect of a very changeable race in front of them it was an understandably cautious start for most of the grid - not wanting to risk anything when the wet track came into effect into the first breaking zone. The initial launch off the line looked equal but in the second phase of start saw Vettel slide into the lead turning into Abby. Webber settled into second place with the Ferraris in place behind them. Paul Di Resta made a strong start but ran out of room and found himself boxed in behind Massa while Button went round the outside of turn one, as they settled into the damper section of the track. The biggest gains were made from further back on the grid where Michael and Hamilton gained three places each over the course of the opening lap.
Hamilton's initial gain continued with taking Kobayashi and following that up with passing Di Resta coming into Stowe corner at the end of the first lap. Massa two was making progress reclaiming the position he lost to Button off the line at the beginning of the second lap, the manoeuvres cost Jenson time dropping back into the sights of Hamilton. Lewis caught him coming through Aintree and had a strong enough run on his team-mate to get up the inside into Brooklands making Massa his next target. Within a couple of laps he had brought the McLaren up to the back of the Brazilian's Ferrari which was holding 4th, the pair had pulled a considerable distance from Button. On lap four Hamilton ran close to the back of Massa's car before sliding off and out wide, discovering the new tarmac run-off space on the exit on Brooklands somewhere he'd be back later.
The top three teams were running in formation in the order of the respective speed between the cars. Red Bull were out front with Vettel building a gap over Webber. Both Ferraris were not much further back and McLaren further back after Hamilton's mistake and Button's fading pace, only a few seconds a head of the train forming behind Di Resta. After a sporadic opening few laps things were settling down - becoming all too settled in Heikki's gearbox where fourth gear had gone missing rendering the car virtually inoperable calling things to a close on that side of the Lotus Garage. In order to help apply some more on-track action Race Control enabled the use of DRS deeming that area was dry enough now to allow it's use
This amount of tranquillity was about to be put to an end, step forward Michael Schumacher, the German had caught onto the end of the train behind Di Resta pulling up behind Kobayashi. Schumacher now with DRS available gained a significant amount of speed on the Sauber but carried too much of that speed into Brooklands. The rear of his car got loose and ploughed uncontrolled directly into the rear of Kamui's car - I should take points off just for that but I shall remain unbiased. Both cars were not terminally damaged but Kobayashi lost two places and Schumacher lost his front wing and was given a stop-go penalty for his troubles.
Rather irritatingly Schumacher's wing change played directly to his advantage as he took the opportunity to be the first driver to make the change onto the slick tyres as a dry line had now formed through the formerly wet section. While all the teams were looking eagerly on to see Michaels times to determine if using the soft tyres were producing faster laps than the worn intermediates, Hamilton was lining up for another go at Massa now with the DRS in use. Lewis got a strong run on the National Straight (Wellington Straight indeed) and placed the car on the inside - a part of the track which remained wet, failing to gain enough grip on the damper line Hamilton once again enjoyed a visit to the run-off at Brooklands. I reckon now along with the Strewards office this section of Tarmac was tuning into one of his favourite places.
The results were in from the Mercedes lap times and slicks were definately the best tyre as Schumacher began lighting up the live timing screen - It's nice to have these things available during the race - and the flurry of pit stop activity begun. Webber and Alonso were first, being the highest qualifying drivers for their teams they got priority pitting order for the weekend, those two were then followed shortly by Hamilton. As the top teams were pitting and gaining the better tyres - it appeared Jarno Trulli had gone missing showing on the driver tracker (oh the power of many screens, another benefit of my off-site location) as being stopped in sector three but his car was never shown on any cameras only a marker indicating yellow flags but no sign of the missing Lotus. So now both Lotus cars were out of the race - knew it was a bad omen crashing their car in the video.
Making the switch to the softer tyres passed the incentive to McLaren with both Hamilton and Button gaining on their opposite numbers from the Ferrari camp. Having jumped Massa in the round of stops Lewis was now right up with Alonso, and behind them things were even close between Felippe and Jenson - who after warming his tyres for a lap used the extra grip to power round the outside of Massa at Stowe completing the pass into Vale corner...Massa would have more fun with a McLaren there later. Lewis dispatched of the Red car in front of him too into Copse on the following lap all of this was happening behind Webber in 2nd and that German Bloke out front.
Things got quite again tyre perfomances began to equalise allowing the true pace of various cars to come into effect - Alonso caught and re-passed Hamilton while Button became invisible again regaining his mythical status from Valencia. But when things have calmed down a little too much that's the call for some destruction, who was going to step up and shed some parts - and answering the call was Paul Di Resta. Paul pulled into pit lane to find the wrong set of tyres waiting for him - Sutils wheels were out in the pit lane instead of his and ended up with a diabolically long stop. He came out behind Sebastian Buemi in the STR entry - made a move to the inside of Brooklands and hey presto the amazing disappearing front wing trick was performed again. Followed by the also amazing disappearing rear tyre trick. As Buemi's tyre shredded as a result of the contact tearing into all sorts of important mechanical peices of the car forcing him into retirement.
And then there were some more pit stops, when things started to go rather down hill for Red Bull - apparently it seems they can make mistakes at least two and both seemed to happen in succession. First there was that German Bloke to encounter issues when the left rear refused to be attached in time handing the lead to Alonso. Webber wasn't able to pick up the lead because off camera he too had a slower stop releasing Fernando clear out front with Hamilton too jumping both of the Red Bull cars. Back in the pit lane even more problems were developing in the Sauber camp Kobayashi was slow leaving his pit stall and had to drive through the Force India air hoses causing all sorts of damage and earning a stop-go penalty in the process.
But that wasn't the end of the misery to befall Kamui. After serving the penalty his engine overheated and he began to plummet down the field nursing the ailing while losing out Di Resta and Maldonado. Alguersuari made a pass on him into Stowe but Kamui being the way he is threw the car down the inside at the last second into vale in the overtake of the race. Alas his overheating car gave up finally brining his race to a premature conclusion.
Vettel was mounting his recovery charge but found a silver and orange obstacle in his way piloted by Hamilton who would rather not allow the German Bloke through. He spent many laps trapped behind the McLaren only managing to catch up in the slow speed corners but the aerodynamic loss of following another car through the fast sections held Vettel back. Instead of losing more time he pitted for some new tyres where he'd be able to jump Hamilton in the pits. Because of the hold up Alonso had build a sizeable gap out front and was able to resist the speed gain by the newer tyres of Vettel and Hamilton.
The top four were set with Alonso, leading Vettel, Hamilton and Webber. but instability was afoot back in the pit lane. Jenson came into the pitlane with four wheels.... and then left with three - McLaren thought it would be a good idea to save weight be not adding a fourth wheel nut. The results were not really that great for Button's race three-wheeling his way into retirement. On the other side of the Silver garage things were also coming apart at the seams - Hamilton was running out of fuel and was thrust into conservation mode which was devouring his speed feeding him slowly into the path of Webber and later Massa.
Fernando was gone and no-one would be seeing from him again, the Red Bull cars were converging towards each other with Webber closing down Vettel after taking care of the slowing Hamilton in Brooklands. Massa was charging rapidly towards Hamilton now and the rest of the points were taken on by those who we'd barely seen anything of all race. Rosberg and One-stop Perez had sneaked into 6th and 7th with the demise of Button. It had been a very quiet day down at Renault Squadron, Petrov's only appearance was only seen being passed by Michael and Heidfeld avoided the cameras when getting in 8th because I didn't see him for most of the race. In 9th was a certain Mr Schumacher with one penalty and a replaced front wing to his name the base carspeed of the Mercedes had hauled him into the points. Completing the points was Jaime Alguersauri once again appearing in the points without any idea El Incognito was building a run of points without ever appearing on camera.
The laps were running out and Alonso was running away - Webber was right behind That German Bloke and wasn't paying any attention to the team orders to stay in position looking to the outside in Woodcote and then the inside in Copse. After some frivolity Webber started to pay attention to the radio message and retained position to the line with Fernando already claiming victory with ease.
Massa had closed within inches of Hamilton on the final lap, he dove to the outside of the McLaren in to vale corner. Lewis came to two simultaneous points of realisation firstly he could see another position outbraking him and secondly he realised he'd gone almost the entire race without actually hitting anyone. He saw an opportunity to tie up both of those issues in one corner as he slid the McLaren deftly into the side of the Ferrari. There were sparks and an endplate sailing through the air, but Massa was forced wide so was offline for club. Hamilton shifted to the inside of the Ferrari and pipped him to the line by less then a tenth - while the remainder of the top 10 maintained their position and claimed their points.
We had someone different on the top step of the new podium at Silverstone but those Red Bulls were still there ominously lurking and only a pit lane blunder kept them off the lead - but the pace of Alonso is not something they can brush away. It was this time last year Fernando made his championship claim...though the points difference is 30 more than last year it may not be so successful.
The Official Bonus Points Championship points winners
After forgetting to bring along my notebook to the special outside broadcast points were not awarded on-site and then of course I couldn't give away the intentions to soon now could I. There were a lot of Average performances in the field but points shall be awarded and here they are.
10pts - Fernando Alonso - for a combination of winning and not being That German Bloke, and for actually having more speed than Vettel in the last phase of the race
8pts - Jaime El Incognito - Out in Q1 and scoring points for the third race in a row certainly deserves points
6pts - Lewis Hamilton - for having a strong race in spite of being a prat going from 10th to what would have been 3rd had fuel not being a problem gets points.
5pts - One-stop Perez - for still running at one stop less than the leaders gaining a lot from the strategy from 12th to 7th during the race
4pts - Rain - for creating the most intriguing wet/dry layout seen outside of Spa - but Belgium is special
3pts - Nick Heidfeld - for overcoming the pain from the regulations to move into the points from a lowly 16th place
2pts - Michael Schumacher - despite having a rather poor race, hitting Kamui (should be a deductable offence) yet still managed to score points
1pt - John - for providing the hospitality for the race and some rather enjoyable race snacks
* also a bonus bonus point to Sebastien Vettel for being good on Top Gear, and one for The British GP as an event
The Also Official Penalties Championship
There was some contact this weekend some punished some not, only two official penalties were given out as follows. All stop/go penalties will be classed as drive-throughs because that's what they represented this race
- Michael Schumacher - Stop/go, for Spinning Kobayashi - a good call by the stewards
- Kamui Kobayashi - for running amok in the pit lane almost driving into a Williams before raiding Force India's air hose rack
The No Less Official Dodgy Dealings Championship
As to the other activities this weekend things were rather civil and obedient, I had considered giving a penalty point to Hamilton for hitting Massa but it was covered off well and was a little of a racing incident bore out of last lap desperations. But the field does not get off Scott free oh no indeedy...
- I issue a single penalty point to Paul Di Resta regarding his response to his contact with Buemi - which pretty much blamed the STR driver. The same sentiment he echoed when in contact with Heidfeld in Montreal. Paul is turning slowly into Hamilton where the first defence it shout at the guy he hit before blaming them in the process. This may have something to do with Anthony Hamilton managing his career... maybe not the best influence.
Looking on to Germany
From one traditional track to another moving to the Nurburgring nestled in the Eiffel Mountains. Most noticeable is that were are moving from one track prone to rain to another prone to a lot more with a opening corner almost guaranteed to cost some wings. We are also moving into the home turf of most of the drivers in the field - including the German bloke and the older German bloke who used to keep winning everything.
The German GP usually ends up being a fair bit more entertaining than the race here in Britain, so after a rather good race at Silverstone. That does make things look rather enticing for Germany, and I recall the last time I challenged a race to do better then the race before it - we ended up with Canada. So Germany I challenge thee to surpass our fair Isle, and place your towel on some entertainment first.
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