Oliver WhiteAlong with the race result post that is now updated live as the race unfolds, I tried typing my race notes up online as well this morning, originally publishing them just under the results table. However, having found it just as easy to type these notes as it is to scribble them down on my notepad, I thought they should belong in a post all to themselves.
They may not make entire sense as they are hurled out from the tips of my fingers as the action unfolds in front of my eyes. But when it comes to writing up the race report after the race, these notes are invaluable. It is also from these observations that I am able to complete the race strategy post with a high accuracy rate, and the laps that the drivers pit on is something many other sites do not add to their strategy guides. Which, in my opinion, means they are missing out on half of the story, if not more.
1. Race start under SC.
1. GLO and KUB start from pitlane.
2. ALO says track is okay, but he needs SC in.
2. MAS snatches rear wheel, runs wide at final turn and rejoins.
2. VET says weather isn’t great, but wants to race.
2. BUT says conditions are bad. Wants SC to remain.
3. ROS says aquaplaning on main straight.
3. SUT pits. Full wets.
3. RAI does the same as MAS at final turn.
4. ALO says if they started racing, the water would clear. ALO is aware that race control listen to radios and he needs race to start due to his low fuel strategy.
5. ROS pits. Full wet.
5. McLaren say rain is expected to continue for next 30 minutes.
7. ALO pits. Has to wait at end of pitlane due to field streaming pass.
7. SC in this lap.
8. SC in. Racing begins.
8. BUE looks at HAM, but too far back and backs off.
8. HAM passes RAI.
8. RAI comes back. HAM presses KERS and pulls away.
9. VET 2.4s from WEB.
9. RAI says engine not running well.
9. BUE looks at RAI, but maturely backs off as his too far back.
9. Does it again at hairpin.
9. BUE runs deep at final turn. Keot it together though.
10. HEI gets it wrong. Recovers.
10. HAM passes TRU.
11. HAM and BAR run wide at final turn.
11. BUE gets through RAI.
11. MAS passes RAI.
11. HAM lost places. Off road? T10 spins. Recovers in P10.
12. BUE passes TRU. BUE driving beautifully.
12. PIQ and FIS a tap moment.
13. HEI spins after he touches GLO – racing incident. HEI lost places.
13. MAS has a go at TRU, backs out of it.
13. MAS passes TRU.
14. WEB pits. Full wets.
14. HAM has moment crossing line behind RAI.
14. TRU loses out to RAI and HAM.
14. HAM passes RAI. Again.
15. VET pits. Full wets.
16. KOV passes TRU. BOU followed through as well.
16. GLO attacking team mate TRU now.
16. HAM been off road – slow lap and RAI has repassed.
16. NAK skates wide.
16. Raining again.
17. BUT leads BAR by 13s.
17. TRU lost his rear wing KUB hit rear of TRU at final turn. TRU forced to complete another lap.
18. SC out again.
18. Wait for the pitstops…
18. HEI pits.
19. BUT, BAR, BUE, TRU, SUT pit.
19. As TRU was recovering slowly to pits, BUE clipped the rear of VET.
20. MAS stopped on track.
20. PIQ pits.
21. VET car appears undamaged. Team say tyres okay.
22. SC in this lap.
22. BOU spun. Recovered.
23. Race restarts.
23. HAM looking at RAI, again.
23. HAM passes RAI. KOV almost loses rear.
23. VET FL. 54.646.
24. GLO pits. He has a damaged right hand endplate on front wing.
25. VET leads BUT by 5.7s.
25. SUT passes KUB, for position!
26. ALO and BUE running close together.
27. VET leads BUT by 8.2s.
27. NAK going wide at final turn. Recovers.
27. GLO runs wide at T1.
27. RAI pits.
28. NAK runs off at T1. Recovers.
28. PIQ finally spins at T5. Looks like he clouted the barrier – damaged front wing. Recovered, just. Didn’t hit barrier, polystyrene distance marker.
28. SUT runs wide.
29. PIQ pits. New nose, new steering wheel.
29. BUT ran wide at hairpin, WEB passed.
30. BOU pits.
31. ALO attacking BUE. Can’t get through though.
31. BUT passes WEB. WEB ran wide at final turn.
32. WEB came back at BUT. Repasses outside of T7.
32. BUT weaving. Warming tyres or looking for grip?
32. NAK pits.
33. HAM pits. Rejoins P8.
33. FIS pits.
33. RAI attacks ROS. Can’t find way through yet.
33. KOV pits.
34. KUB nose working loose.
36. ALO pits.
36. KUB pits. New nose.
37. BOU spins.
37. Red Bull drivers sharing FLs.
37. VET pits. Rejoins in P3.
38. ALO spins at T13. Recovers.
39. WEB pits.
40. VET FL. 52.918s.
40. GLO passes RAI at hairpin.
41. BUT leads from VET. Together on track. BUT probably has to stop again.
41. VET confident on the white lines. Runs right up on exit of T13. VET passes BUT. Super confident.
41. ROS pits. Inters.
42. NAK pits.
42. ALO passes RAI at hairpin. Again!
42. BUT pits. Full wets.
43. BAR FL. 52. 592.
43. ROS 2s slower than leaders on inters.
44. BAR pits. Tyres?
45. NAK pits. Parked in garage.
46. BUE pits.
46. SUT driving well in the wet. Currently P8. HEI and GLO closing in though.
46. PIQ spins again at final turn. Damages nose, again. Pits.
47. GLO runs wide.
47. HAM runs wide. KOV streaks by.
48. ROS big off at T6. Avoided barrier. Recovers.
48. Squabbling McLarens home in on BAR.
49. GLO attacking HEI.
49. SUT in P7. Following cars squabbling and allowing SUT to edge out.
50. ROS pits.
50. HAM spins at final turn. Recovers.
50. GLO looks at HEI. Backs out of it.
51. GLO tries again at T1. Doesn’t make it. HEI aquaplans at apex.
51. SUT off. In barrier.
51. SUT okay. Drops it on exit, clouts barrier and runs front of car.
52. BUE now in P8 and on for a point.
52. Conditions worsening, but race control want to avoid ending another race under SC.
53. BUE and GLO close together on track.
54. SUT car recovered under double yellows.
56. Sebastian Vettel wins Red Bull’s maiden victory.
56. Mark Webber comes home in second.
I will update the race result, watch the celebrations and then continue with a full race report after I’ve eaten some breakfast.
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