Germany 2009: Live Race Notes

Mark Webber is on pole, the Brawns are right behind and McLaren have significantly improved. Qualifying for the German Grand Prix was exciting and all eyes will be on the skies to see what the changeable weather is going to do. The rain could really shake things up and allow out of position drivers to show their worth. At the moment though, the sun is shining over the Nurburgring and all the action will be updated here in the live notes.

• GLO is starting from the pitlane.
• WEB on super soft compound, as is for most others.
• SUT, PIQ, NAK, ROS on medium compound.
• ALO spun on the formation. He regained position.
• BAR leads.
• HAM challenged but rain wide.
• HAM puncture. Made contact with another car while rejoining.
• KOV in P3.
• BUT all over MAS.
• L2: BUT passes MAS at T1.
• L2: VET challenging MAS.
• L2: HAM finally makes it back to the pits with a damaged rear right tyre.
• L3: TRU pits.
• Replays show that HAM may have picked up the puncture prior to his excursion.
• L4: BUT still can’t get by KOV.
• L5: WEB closed up on BAR. No need to pass, just wait for the stops. WEB is heavier.
• L6: HAM apparently held up train of cars, not yielding initially. Brawn are not happy.
• L7: VET all over MAS.
• L8: ROS and KUB running P9 and P10 – good starts.
• L8: FIS passes HEI for P13.
• L9: VET drew alongside MAS, but couldn’t make it.
• L9: WEB under investigation with BAR. Probably for his darting move at the start of the race.
• L10: KOV is 14s behind WEB.
• L10: WEB given a drive-thru – he caused a collision. His race is over. DC disagrees with the decision.
• L11: FIS passes ALO.
• L13: BUT pits. Stays soft.
• L14: BAR pits. WEB does drive thru.
• L15: KOV pits. Goes medium.
• L15: NAK passes GLO while KOV finds his way through.
• L17: BUT passes BUE through final sequence of corners for P12.
• L18: BUT passes HEI for P10.
• L18: BOU driving slowly back to pits.
• L19: BOU pits.
• L19: WEB pits.
• L19: FIS pits.
• L20: HAM radios team suggesting he retires to save engine and gear box. Team say they are considering it, but aren’t so sure about the weather just yet.
• L21: SUT pits.
• L22: VET pits. Medium tyres.
• L22: BUE pits.
• L22: TRU pits.
• L23: BUT all over the back of WEB.
• L23: KUB pits.
• L24: RAI pits. Stays super soft.
• L24: Despite drive thru, WEB is only ~8s behind leader.
• L24: MAS pits. Stays super soft.
• L25: BAR needs to nail it right now.
• L25: SUT in P2.
• L26: HEI and PIQ pit.
• L27: SUT pits. Stays hard. Therefore doing a two stopper as he still needs super soft.
• L27: SUT collides with RAI on pit exit. Front wing damaged.
• L28: SUT pits again.
• DC reckons RAI should be investigated and penalised similarly to WEB especially as there was more damage involved in RAI/SUT incident than BAR/WEB.
• L29: BAR says movement on rears.
• L29: ROS pits. Stays hard.
• L30: WEB is 2.8s behind BAR in P2.
• L30: RAI/SUT under investigation. Will be investigated after the race.
• L31: BUT pits. Super soft to medium.
• L31: NAK pits.
• L31: BAR pits. Super soft to medium.
• WEB released into an open road.
• Kravitz thinks BAR is fuelled to the end.
• L33: RAI falling back. Possible engine problem.
• L33: BAR radio – he is not fuelled to the end. It was a fuel rig problem.
• Replays shows BAR fuel rig wouldn’t go on. Brawn used reserve rig.
• L34: RAI pits.
• L35: WEB fastest lap.
• L35: RAI retires.
• L36: FIS pits.
• L37: Another fastest lap for WEB. 34.003s
• L37: HAM radios team. Says rain might be coming at T11.
• L38: GLO finally stops.
• L38: BUE and HAM pit.
• L40: ALO all over KOV.
• L40: KOV pits.
• L41: No rain is forecast for next 30 mins.
• L41: Brawn’s line astern in P5 and P6. But BAR is ahead of BUT.
• RAI says his incident with SUT was just a racing incident.
• BUT is weaving to generate tyre temp for under braking.
• L43: WEB pits. Stays medium.
• WEB exits pits ahead of MAS. VET engineer is happy as WEB could ease off and help his team mate as VET is racing MAS.
• L44: VET pits. Medium to super soft.
• Legard says rain in the paddock.
• L44: KUB pits.
• L45: MAS pits. Super soft to medium.
• L45: ALO setting good pace in comparison to the others at the moment.
• L45: BUT is clearly faster than BAR. Still behind though.
• L46: ALO pits. Medium tyre.
• L46: SUT pits.
• L47: ROS pits.
• L47: BUT needs to be released from BAR if he is to race MAS.
• L47: HEI pits.
• L48: PIQ pits.
• L48: ALO fastest lap: 33.744s
• Brawn will likely switch drivers in pitstops.
• L49: TRU pits.
• L50: BAR pits. Medium tyre.
• L50: NAK pits.
• L51: BUT good in lap.
• L51: BUT pits. Super soft tyre.
• L51: BUT exits ahead of BAR.
• VET is ahead of MAS.
• ROS has track position over the Brawns.
• L52: ALO catching BAR – ALO is flying.
• L53: KOV in P8 has a train of cars desperate to pass him for the final point.
• L54: GLO all over KOV.
• L54: BUT catching ROS.
• L55: BAR has caught BUT. BUT must have made an error.
• L55: Graining on BUT’s rear tyre.
• L56: HAM may stop prior to race end to take advantage of free fear box. Although I believe the rules state that he has to genuinely retire, not just stop.
• L57: BUT now catching ROS a little.
• L57: BAR’s tyres have gone as well.
• L60: WEB wins.
• L60: VET P2.
• L60: MAS P3.
• L60: ROS P4.
• L60: BUT, BAR, ALO, KOV.
• L60: NAK tried to take FIS in final corner. Didn’t make it though.