Brazil 2009: Live Race Notes

The Brazilian Grand Prix, the penultimate race of the 2009 championship, is due to unfold before our eyes. Rubens Barrichello will lead the field from the start and will be hoping to retain his position as the gaggle of cars thread their way around the Senna Esses. Jenson Button will be desperate to fight his way back towards the front and at least score a point or two. However, the race will be tricky for those who didn’t qualify well yesterday. Here are the notes from the race, taken live as the events happen in front of us.

• BBC are showing something coming off of VET’s car as he went to the grid. Eddie Jordan reckons it was dry ice, but from the footage, there was a wire coming out of it.
• DC thinks it could the drink system.
• Red Bull are saying dry ice as well. Oh well, it really looked like something more electrical in nature.
• Brawn are expecting rain towards the end of the race.
• McLaren say showers are developing in the area, and there is a chance of rain in the next thirty minutes.
• Most drivers starting on the medium compound tyre, by the looks of it.
• RAI appears to be on the super-soft, which Bridgestone think is crazy because they will fall away too quickly.
• VET told his engine is hot and he needs to control the temperatures.
• RAI is on super-soft tyres.
• Looked like a McLaren was also on super-soft tyres. Possibly HAM.
• RAI charges through to P3.
• FIS and KOV incident.
• RAI damaged front wing.
• TRU out. Force India in trouble.
• BAR leads.
• SAFETY CAR deployed.
• TRU and SUT argue on track.
• L2: KOV, RAI, HAM pit.
• ALO is out as well.
• KOV exited with fuel hose still attached. Ignited in front of RAI. Brawn assist McLAren in removing hose.
• Fuel sprayed over RAI and ignited in his face. Appears to be okay.
• Updates on lap one:
• VET touched KOV who spun and collected FIS.
• WEB clipped RAI’s front wing while defending position
• TRU tried the outside of SUT but fell off road. Clipped SUT who spun around and collected ALO.
• L4: LIU pits.
• L5: HAM on a one stop and having already run the super-soft tyre.
• L5: BAR, WEB, ROS, KUB, BUE, NAK, KOB, GRO, BUT, ALG, VET, HEI, FIS, HAM, RAI, KOV, LIU
• L6: SC in.
• KUB passes ROS.
• L6: BUT passes GRO.
• L6: GRO comes back. Can’t make it.
• L7: BUT passes NAK.
• L7: HAM passes ALG. Then GRO.
• L8: BUT tries to pass KOB.
• L8: BUT into P7.
• L8: VET twitches and almost loses it.
• L9: BUT is having trouble passing rookie KOB.
• L10: WEB FL. 14.412
• L11: BAR – WEB just 1.6s
• L13: BAR – WEB is 2s
• L14: KOB is apparently going longer than BUT, which is not good for BUT.
• L15: KOV under investigation for his early pit release.
• L16: BAR FL 14.293
• L16: SUT and TRU also under investigation and will be judged after the race.
• L17: Another FL for BAR 14.179.
• L18: Another FL for BAR 14.118.
• TRU says SUT was dangerous.
• SUT says he didn’t do anything wrong and had the racing line.
• L20: BAR – WEB 2.7s
• L20: HEI pits. Medium tyres.
• L21: BAR FL 13.950
• L21: BAR pits. Medium tyres.
• L22: VET passes BAR around the outside.
• L22: HEI stopped on track.
• L22: HAM attempts to pass BAR.
• L23: KUB pits.
• L23: BUT passes KOb, but runs wide and KOB ducks under to repass.
• L23: WEB FL 13.875
• L23: BUT says KOB moving in braking zone. Brawn to speak with Whiting.
• L24: ROS pits.
• L24: BUE pits.
• L25: BUT passes KOB, finally.
• L25: Another FL for WEB.
• L25: KOB and NAK ding dong each other. VET wants in on the action as well.
• L26: KOV and FIS also under investigation for first corner incident.
• L27: WEB pits. Medium to Medium tyres.
• L27: NAK pits.
• L28: WEB is considerably ahead of BAR.
• L28: ROS travelling slowly.
• L28: ROS pits and retires. Engine issue.
• L29: HEI ran out of fuel apparently, problem with rig in pitstop.
• L29: BUT pits. Medium to Medium.
• L29: KOV pits.
• L30: KOB pits. Medium tyre.
• L30: ALG pits.
• L31: NAK sizable accident. T4. Skted over gravel and in barrier. NAK moving in car. Seems fine.
• L31: NAK came up behind KOB and KOB moved causing contact.
• L32: HAM looks at BAR, but cannot pass under yellow flags.
• L33: WEB – KUB: 7.9s
• L34: BUT passes BUE. Almost contact at T1 as BUT stepped the Brawn out..
• L35: GRO pits.
• L36: WEB – KUB 7.5s
• L37: VET pits. Medium to Medium. He has to stop again for super softs.
• L37: FIS pits.
• L38: WEB 7.1 ahead of KUB.
• L39: HAM 0.5 behind BAR.
• L42: HAM pits. Medium to Medium tyres.
• L42: HAM gets a bit lairly exiting the pitlane.
• L43: RAI pits. Medium to super soft tyres.
• L44: LIU pits.
• L46: KUB pits. Super soft tyres.
• Rubens Barrichello’s son, Eduardo, mimics his dad from the safety of the paddock.
• Brundle reckons Barrichello’s neck has gone. He is leaning it over more than usual.
• L50: BAR pits. Medium to super soft tyres.
• L51: ALG pits.
• L52: WEB 27.7s ahead of KUB.
• L53: WEB pits. Medium to super soft tyres.
• L55: BUE pits.
• L56: BUT pits. Medium to super soft.
• L57: VET pits. Medium to super soft.
• L57: KOB pits.
• L58: VET gets out ahead of BUT as KOV holds him up (legitimately – they’re racing.).
• Currently BUT is 10 points ahead of BAR and therefore would be crowned the champion if they finish in these positions. KOV is expected to make another pitstop which improves BUT’s position..
• L59: KOV pits. Super soft to super soft.
• L60: BAR complaining of vibration, caused by the tyres.
• L61: HAM takes P3 from BAR.
• L62: Radio to HAM: Front right endplate on front wing is broken.
• L64: BAR left rear puncture. Believed to have been caused by HAM, which makes sense with HAM front-right endplate damage.
• L64: BAR pits. Super soft to super soft.
• I think there are going to be a lot of investigations after this race.
• WEB, KUB, HAM, VET, BUT, RAI, BUE, BR, KOV currently.
• BUTs engineer says a chance of a few drops of rain at T12, but nothing serious.
• L67: KOB passes FIS in T1.
• Webber wins his second race.
• Button wins his first world championship.