Silverstone 2009: Live Race Notes

Sixty laps of Silverstone this afternoon will make up the 2009 British Grand Prix. The race should be interesting, particularly if Mark Webber can squeeze himself ahead of Rubens Barrichello. Richard Branson is behind Barrichello for the win, and Sebastian Vettel is looking very good on pole position. Adrian Sutil is starting from the pitlane, Lewis Hamilton isn’t too far ahead in P19. Most cars are starting on soft tyres.

• L1: Good start from Ferrari.
• L1: TRU and ROS battling.
• L1: BUT in P9
• L1: Good start from HEI – P11
• L2: FIS passes KUB and ALO.
• L2: VET lead up to 2.5s
• L3: KUB passes HAM after trying to ALO and getting on the grass.
• L4: HEI told to pit for new nose. HEI insists he wants to stay out.
• L4: ALO pressuring HEI. Clearly HEI does need to pit.
• L5: Last year’s championship leaders HAM and KUB are battling for P14 this time around.
• L6: VET lead up to 6.1s.
• L7: TRU and BUT in P7 and P8
• L7: BAR soft tyres are not heating up properly. It will be even harder on the hard compound later on.
• L8: BUT told MAS going to L24
• L8: ALO still can’t pass HEI. He’s getting frustrated.
• L9: HAM told KUB is going longer and HAM has to pass.
• L10: VET pulling out a second a lap
• L14: KOV in P19
• L14: NAK pits. From hard to hard tyres. Front right slow to go on.
• L15: RAI pits. Soft tyres.
• L16: RAI has leapfrogged NAK on pits.
• L18: TRU ROS BUT pit. BUT goes soft to hard, TRU stays soft
• L18: ALO pits
• L19: BAR pits. Soft to hard tyre
• L19: GLO pits. Soft tyres
• L20: WEB pits. Soft to soft
• L20: WEB out ahead of BAR. Just.
• L20: HAM pits.
• L20: VET pits. Soft to soft.
• L21: HEI pits.
• L21: HAM passes HEI as HEI exits pitlane. Very close into Becketts.
• L21: MAS pits. Soft to soft
• L21: BUE pits.
• L23: BUT says car understeering at high speed.
• L26: VET lead up to 21s. WEB is lapping faster though in P2.
• L26: BOU pits.
• L28: KUB pits.
• L29: PIQ pits.
• L30: HAM passes ALO in to Copse.
• L31: ALO has repassed HAM.
• L32: ROS catching BAR quickly.
• L33: KOV pits. Soft to hard.
• L33: KOV exits pitlane ahead of HAM. HAM passes.
• L33: BOU slams the back of KOV. Damagaed front wing. KOV has left-rear puncture.
• L33: It looked as though KOV moved over cheekily. DC reckons BOU was being a bit stupid though and out-braked himself.
• L33: Both KOV and BOU pit. Both on hard tyres.
• L37: KOV retires.
• L38: ALO and BOU pit.
• L38: BOU retires.
• L41: NAK pits.
• L42: BUE pits
• L42: RAI pits. Soft to hard tyres.
• L43: ROS pits. Hard to soft.
• L43: HAM spins off track at Club.
• L44: VET pits. Soft to hard.
• L44: HAM pits. Soft to hard.
• L45: MAS pits. Soft to hard.
• L45: FIS pits.
• L45: MAS leapfrogs ROS in pits.
• L46: TRU pits.
• L46: WEB pits. Stays hard.
• L46: Bar pits. Hard to soft
• L46: HEI pits.
• L47: KUB pits.
• L48: GLO pits. Soft to hard.
• L48: BAR exited pits comfortably ahead of MAS.
• L49: BUT pits. Hard to soft tyres.
• BUE says KOV moved three times in their incident.
• L49: BUT exits pits in P6
• L53: BUT catching ROS
• L53: GLO chasing RAI
• L55: BUT closing in at 1.5s per lap on ROS
• L58: BUT in ROS turbulent air now.
• L60: VET wins.
• L60: WEB completes 1-2 for Red Bull.
• L60: BUT finishes in P6.