Round 9 - Great Britain 2015 - Race

Greetings Internet, 

If you were to look at the results of today's race, you'd think that we'd just endured another processional mess - ending with the same podium positions that we've seen in 66% of all the races in 2015. That result doesn't quite describe how those places fell into position, how a predictable result formed through unpredictability. In many respects it reminded me of the Austrian GP qualifying last time out, Hamilton made a mistake and looked set to lose pole position but inexplicably everything still worked out. Today was no different, everything was pointing towards a completely different result, but piece be piece those fortunes started to reverse. The fans trackside and here on the internet - especially those who happen to be part of the home crowd seem very pleased about today. Using this race a ammunition in the fight against the naysayers who claimed that F1 has descended into a dull, boring and stagnant sport. I can't really disagree with the statement, but the same underlying symptoms that fuel the negative diagnoses remain - and in many cases the nature of Silverstone exemplified them. Annoyingly those same defects that we have all been criticising the sport for, helped build intrigue through the opening half of the race. 

Today was also a day for intra-team difficulties - some teams will hoping to make a quick exit from the circuit. Given how close most of the factories are to the track - it won't be a long trip. Some teams will be rueing their decision making processes, while others will be ruing more mechanical challenges.Then there are others who will be see their arguments settled inside the stewards office, 

The Race

Before we even made it to the grid, the curse of poor reliability had claimed it's first victim, and this time it wasn't either a Renault or Honda powered car. Fred Nasr in the Sauber experienced gearbox difficulties - reporting that his car was stuck in 6th gear. The marshals were able to recover the car back to the pits, where the team discovered that the failure was terminal and therefore Fred would not be able to start the race. So we were down to 19 cars.

A lot of the pre-race discussion was focussed on the relative starting potential of the two Mercedes cars after it was Rosberg's start in Austria that defeated Hamilton. So as we watching the front row when the lights went out, seeing the two Williams cars from the second row scythe past both Mercedes was a major surprise. Felipe Massa rocketed into the lead towing Bottas with him, sealing second place on the inside at Village before losing it again at the following corner. While all that was going on a spot of chaos was erupting with cars scattering in Village. Replays showed a chain reaction of events started by a lunge by Daniel Ricciardo down the inside of Romain Grosjean. Grosjean steered away from the Red Bull, overreacting to the surprise of the Red Bull suddenly appearing on the inside. But Grosjean's evasive manoeuvres only lead to him crashing into the side of Maldonado in the other Lotus. Of all the cars to run in to... both Lotus' cars were out of the race. They weren't the only team to have

double difficulties because Fernando Alonso had to react to avoid Grosjean's damaged car and span into the side of Jenson Button - more intra team contact. Jenson's engine instantly turned off after the contact, but Alonso could continue after a change for a new nose. As several cars were involved, the clear up operation required a safety car - fortunately the delay was no where near as lengthy as the barrier repair operation on the opening lap of last years British GP.

As the safety car pulled back into the pit lane Hamilton tried to take the lead back from Felipe Massa on the approach to Vale. He looked to the inside but cut to the outside for the braking zone, but left his braking a little too late and ran wide. This compromised his line through Club allowing Bottas to steal second place - we had a Williams 1-2, and Hamilton had to defend vigorously to keep Rosberg behind on the front straight. Further back Daniil Kvyat was enjoying a brilliant race with the Ferrari drivers, having passed Vettel before the safety car he was going wheel to wheel with Raikkonen through Woodcote. However Daniil was on the outside and thus Kimi held onto the place and the Russian driver had to slot in behind the Finn before Vettel reclaimed the position. Slightly under the radar was Nico Hulkenberg who had jumped both Ferrari's at the start and was now sitting in 5th place ahead of the Ferrari/Kvyat battle. We also lost Mad Max Verstappen who span off on the colder tyres after the safety car and ended up in the gravel on the exit of Farm - just nudging the barrier. The Toro Rosso driver couldn't get the car into reverse and had to retire from the event.

After the slightly chaotic opening laps, everyone calmed down a bit - settling into the race positions the top four cars vanished off into the distance. But they were fleeing from Hulkenberg and company in a pack - not one of the top four appeared to be able to pull away or attack those around them. I suppose this situation is precisely the sort of scene that people across the world are complaining about, the concept of DRS doesn't alleviate the fundamental difficulties that cars have following each other. Bottas seemed most displeased about the situation as the team told both him and Massa that they were not to race each other... another thing that people are complaining about. The influence of aerodynamic wake made racing with other cars damaging to the overall race strategy. Bottas wanted to be in front of Felipe because it did seem as if he was faster at this point, and was being held up by Massa. A confusing and contradictory set of messages between Valtteri and the team followed, after being told not to race, he was then informed that he could make a DRS pass. But Massa defended each time Bottas drew alongside at the end of the Hangar straight. Valtteri eventually declared that it was too late to make the pass on Felipe - probably indicating that the quicker phase of the tyres was over and the chance to build a gap had gone. Both Hamilton and Rosberg remained within two seconds of the leader, which lead to questions as to whether things would have turned out differently if Bottas has been released to try and escape while Massa held up the two Mercedes cars. 

Because we had more than one car at the front of the race, the TV director was glued to the quartet of competitors - only cutting away to see Sebastian Vettel re-passing Sergio Perez. But there was no real hint of a positional change amongst the top runners - even with the pace advantage the Mercedes drivers have neither Lewis or Nico looked as if they were going to make any form of overtaking move on the Williams pair. Instead they all held station until the round of pitstops, of which Hamilton had the first shot at in an effort to get out of the queue of cars. This stop proved to be crucial for the outcome of the race, on the following lap Massa and Rosberg pitted, but Felipe had a slow stop to clear something from his rear wing and gifted Hamilton the lead. Rosberg almost took second, running two wide down the pit lane but had to drop in behind the Williams. When Bottas came in for his stop he rejoined between Massa and Rosberg in third place. By this point Hamilton had been able to release the actual pace of the Mercedes and set fastest lap and drove away into the distance.

But just as it seemed that the race had settled down and the tension at the front

had eased slightly, a new threat emerged - the threat of rain. Now we've heard that claim before, many times before and failed to see it materialise. Dark clouds were building behind Luffield and opposite the pit straight. At the first sight of the incoming weather, it seemed as if Renault engines were allergic to the thought of rain. Daniel Ricciardo returned his Red Bull to the pitlane and into retirement, while Carlos Sainz pulled the Toro Rosso over on the exit of Club corner with an electrical fault. Because of where the Spaniard had parked the car we were treated to our first full virtual safety car of the season - I had hoped for a full safety car only because it would stretch the race closer to the rain window. But the virtual safety car did present a good opportunity to make a mid-race toastie.

What followed was a tense series of laps as the teams stared at the radars and at the skies - but all the technology and experience on the pitwall didn't seem to help the teams. Because all the radio communications indicated that the rain would be approaching from Stowe and Club - but the TV pictures clearly showed that two patches of rain were approaching outside of Luffield. After the race Toto Wolf himself said that the location of the rain surprised him... even though it was clearly on the TV where it was coming from. Unlike the majority of rain threats we have been presented with in the past season or so, this one actually delivered, gently at first. On board footage saw cars struggling to stay on the track through Luffield and Woodcote Vettel. Of all the teams least impressed to see a damp track were Williams - last season showed that their car doesn't like the wet. The 2015 iteration turned out to be no different - even in the light drizzle Bottas came under immediate pressure from Rosberg, Nico ran wide at Woodcote on the wettest part of the track but still passed Valtteri out of Copse. At this point only a small section of the map was damp, and therefore it wasn't wet enough for intermediates. Some drivers didn't think so however, gambling on the rain getting heavier in an attempt to steal an advantage. Raikkonen was one of those drivers, a risky move for a car in the middle of the points places.

But the rain didn't come, in fact it eased off - which was bad news for Raikkonen, Ericsson and the Manor drivers. A second shower was on the way but by the time it got here the intermediates would be ruined. While they struggled it was good news for Rosberg who caught and then scythed past Massa for second place. The German continued to demolish Hamilton's lead, taking seconds off per lap. It wasn't long before the two Mercedes cars were running in close proximity - in the partially damp conditions we were on course for a titanic battle. But just as Rosberg got close to his teammate's rear wing, Lewis ducked into the pits for what seemed like a confusing stop - the second shower was brushing the track it surely it was too early for intermediate tyres. Intermediates were exactly what Lewis put on the car, and as he exited the pit lane the clouds opened and the rain fell. The timing of the stop turned out to be exactly right - which turned out to be a bit of a problem for Rosberg, who stayed out on the slick tyres and that hope of a win vanished. Vettel also pitted on the same lap and gained the same advantage - promoting him past Hulkenberg and both Williams into the final podium place. 


This second shower was also bad news for those drivers who pitted for intermediate tyres during the first short shower - because they were now faced with a wet track and ruined tyres. Exemplified by Will Stevens sliding off into barrier on the exit of Brooklands knocking off the front wing, Will recovered to the pits but fell into last place behind his Mehri. Ericsson in the Sauber was also having a bad day - he pitted to put slicks on after the first shower and now had to pit again due to this second shower. Marcus' issues resulted in good news for

McLaren as it promoted Alonso into the final championship points position - which would be his first point of the season... which in itself is a terrible indication of how things have gone for McLaren. As much as the rain had mixed up the running order, it had a rather unfortunate side effect of breaking up the remaining battles - Williams were now nowhere near Mercedes or Vettel. Raikkonen had dropped back and was a pitstop clear of Perez, which he used to put on a new set of intermediates after the first set had seen better days. This was exacerbated slightly by the lack of cars still running, only 13 of the 20 starters were on track, reliability and the opening lap crash had thinned the field somewhat. Only one hint of a battle remained as Daniil Kvyat was catching the struggling Williams of Valtteri Bottas, but despite the pace advantage the Red Bull had, there just weren't enough laps left in the race to make a move.

Therefore in the end it was another win for Lewis Hamilton, and another 1-2 for Mercedes. Followed home by Vettel in the Ferrari - which is the 6th time in the nine races that these drivers have lined up in that order. So in all the unpredictability and rainfall the same outcome still materialised. Off the podium were the two Williams cars, any early concerns about strategy quickly washed away as they floundered when the rain arrived - staying out too long on slicks and generally lacking wet weather pace. Daniil Kyvat retained his streak of being the lead Renault powered driver, and the only Red Bull branded car to get to the end of the race finishing in 6th. Hulkenberg crossed the line in 7th place in the B-spec Force India heading a double points finish for the team as Perez finished 9th. Between the Force Indias was the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, thwarted by switching to intermediates too early. The final world championship belonged to Fernando Alonso, and his first point of the season. 

The Bonus Points Championship Points Winners

Today's race was one of changing conditions and changing fortunes - potentially of missed opportunities for some people.

• 25pts - Felipe Massa - An astounding start, and lead the race comfortably up until the first round of stops
• 18pts - Valtteri Bottas - Left the door open for Hamilton to retake 2nd, but repaid the favour on the restart 
• 15pts - Nico Hulkenberg - Another driver with a marvellous start, passing both Ferraris before turning into Abbey Corner.
• 12pts - Daniil Kvyat - The only Renault driver to finish the race and almost rounded up Bottas before the end of the race
• 10pts - Lewis Hamilton - A magnificent pit call from Lewis won this race, one lap longer and he would have been overtaken by Rosberg 
• 8pts - Fernando Alonso - Fernando scores his first point for his second stint at McLaren cementing his 18th place in the championship.
• 6pts - Sebastian Vettel - Virtually anonymous for most of the race, but a smart pit stop in the second shower gifted him a podium place
• 4pts - Nico Rosberg - A series of brilliant laps erased Hamilton's lead scything past both Williams when the conditions got a little tricky
• 2pts - Sergio Perez - Another points scoring race for the Mexican and a double points finish for the team
• 1pt - Roberto Merhi - Kept the car on the track with the damaged intermediate tyres while the other Manor car bounced off the barrier.

Looking Forward to Germany - Hungary

With the cancellation of the German GP, we skip ahead to the Hungarian GP which extreme opposite of the high speed expanses of Silverstone. The Budapest circuit is often accused of being the most boring event of the season, because of the narrow, twisting configuration. This makes the the track a challenge to drive but an even bigger challenge to overtake on - but in recent years some of the better races of the season have happened at the Hungarian GP. Last season's race was brilliant, mostly down to the injection of a bit of precipitation to spice things up. Combined with placing Hamilton at the back of the grid after he had a car fire in qualifying. Mercedes reliability has been a lot stronger this season so a repeat of that eventuality is unlikely, but who knows another surprise may be on the cards.