13/05/2007
NEWS STORY
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As ever, there are a number of factors that will help to decide the outcome of today's race; fuel strategy, tyre strategy, team strategy and whether the field can get through the first couple of corners unscathed.
In yesterday's GP2 race, and to a lesser extent this morning's, there was mayhem, with a number of drivers eliminated as the jostled for position, especially at the first corner and at the new chicane.
Therefore, as is so often the case, it will be interesting to see how Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton manage the first few turns, especially as the BMW duo of Kubica and Heidfeld is there waiting to pick up the pieces.
Alonso will be fired up by his home crowd, especially as he was out-done by Felipe Massa in the battle for pole position. The Spaniard's failure to take the coveted position all the more remarkable, not merely because of the pace the McLaren's have shown all weekend, but also the fact that teammate Lewis Hamilton claims the World Champion was running lighter.
Having scored his third successive pole, Felipe Massa will be keen to convert this into his second successive win, however, Kimi Raikkonen will be extremely keen to retain his position as (joint) World Championship leader.
As for the rest, well, BMW is a given with regards picking up any points not taken by McLaren and Ferrari, however, it will be worth keeping an eye on Red Bull, which has made an obvious step forward since Bahrain.
Toyota also appears to be running a little better, certainly in Jarno Trulli's case, while Renault, which has scored points in every race, will probably add a few more points to the tally. However, the French team, like several of its rivals, is unlikely to show any significant improvement until later in the summer.
Following a strong start to the season, Williams has dropped off, which should add to the midfield fun today. It will be of particular interest to watch the battle between the Hondas and Super Aguris, which are all grouped together on the grid. Could be good fun.
The drivers have mixed feelings regarding the new chicane, which was introduced partly for safety reasons and partly to add a little spice, in the hope that it might offer overtaking opportunities, or merely cause drivers to make mistakes. It happened in the GP2 races, but will that be the case with F1?
As the cars take their place on the grid, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 47 degrees. It is bright and sunny, as it has been all weekend.
Everyone is on the softer compound, as the field leaves the grid for the formation lap - Massa being slow to get away.
Massa in position for an age before the grid finally falls into shape.
As the atmosphere builds to breaking point, the yellow flags are waved, Jarno Trulli has stalled with a fuel pressure problem. The field heads off on another formation lap while the Toyota is pushed into the pitlane, from where it will start the race.
The grid forms for the second time.
A great start from Massa but Alonso is all over him, indeed, they almost touch. As they go into the first corner the Spaniard attempts to go round the outside of the Ferrari but fails, he goes off, losing several positions. He is lucky not to be passed by the two BMWs, which are right behind him. Elsewhere, there's a clash as the new chicane which sees Wurz running into the back of Schumacher.
Massa leads Hamilton, who is ahead of Raikkonen, Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld and Kubica. Schumacher pits following the clash with Wurz.
Alonso has a go at Raikkonen, but is unable to make it stick. Out front, Massa posts fastest lap (23.751).
In the Williams pit the crew work on the Austrian's car, hoping to get him back into the race.
While Alonso harries Raikkonen, Kubica is all over the World Champion. Button has passed Fisichella to take eleventh, while Wurz has officially retired.
After four laps, Massa lead Hamilton by 3.9s, with Raikkonen a further 1.4s down the road. Alonso leads Kubica, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg and Barrichello.
Another fastest lap for Massa (23.016), as he extends his lead to 4.5s. Elsewhere, Trulli is up to eighteenth, though he still has a fuel pressure problem.
It's all over for Webber, who pulls into the pits on lap 8, on the advice of his team.
Another fastest lap for Massa (22.978), as Jarno Trulli pits. Hamilton is still second, keeping the gap to Raikkonen at a steady 1.3s.
That said, the Finn slows dramatically, the Ferrari driver heading back to the pits. As Massa extends his lead to 6.2s, his teammate seems as though he'll be lucky to make it back to his garage.
This is good news for Alonso, who is now 4s behind Hamilton, and 3.9s clear of Kubica. As Raikkonen is pushed into his garage, Scott speed's rear-right tyre explodes on the main straight. Eleven laps into the race and we've lost five drivers.
Heikki Kovalainen gets a wake up call from his crew, as Rosberg begins to close in. Elsewhere, Massa ups the pace, the first driver to dip into the 1:22s.
Despite the retirements, and the fact that they've only done 14 laps, the race appears to be settling into a groove as we await the first round of pit stops. Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Barrichello and Button.
Heidfeld is told to improve in turns 5, 7 and 9, such is the data instantly available to his engineers -it's like they're in the cockpit with him.
After sixteen laps, Massa leads Hamilton by 9s, with Alonso a further 3.9s down the road in third. The Spaniard goes quickest in the second sector, to set a personal best time.
"Good work David, good work," the Scot hears over his radio. The Scot is 2.3s down on fifth placed Nick Heidfeld and 3.4s clear of Kovalainen.
At the end of lap eighteen, Albers and Barrichello are the first drivers to make a regular pit stop.
Massa pits at the end of lap 19, as do Alonso and Kovalainen. As the Brazilian leaves the garage flames shoot from the back of the car. Hopefully, it looks worse than it is, but it certainly looked nasty. Elsewhere, Liuzzi, who clearly has a problem, crawls back to the pits, getting in the way of Coulthard, who is making his regular pit stop.
Hamilton leads Kubica, with Heidfeld third, ahead of Massa, Rosberg and Alonso.
At the end of lap 21, Kubica pits, as do Button and Fisichella. As Button leaves the pits and takes the first corner he touches Barrichello, the Englishman losing his front wing.
Hamilton finally pits, which hands the lead to Heidfeld, who heads Massa. However, next time around the German pits, which means the Brazilian is back in the lead ahead of Hamilton and Alonso. Disaster for Heidfeld who appears to leave the pits early, followed by his right-front wheel nut. The German gets as far as the first corner before he realizes the problem.
Somehow, Heidfeld has got his BMW back to the pits, where his crew re-attach the wheel nut. An impressive performance, but he's lost any real hope of points this afternoon.
Phew!
After 27 laps, Massa leads Hamilton by 10.7s, the Englishman having lost the lens out of his left mirror. Alonso is third, 10.8s down on his McLaren teammate, but under intense pressure from Kubica. Coulthard is fifth, ahead of Kovalainen, Rosberg, Davidson, Barrichello and Fisichella. Button is sixteenth (of sixteen), one place behind the hapless Heidfeld.
There are two good scraps going on, that for fifth, involving Coulthard and Kovalainen, and the battle for eighth featuring Barrichello and Fisichella.
As Kovalainen pits, giving Coulthard a bit if a breather, Massa extends his lead to 13.4s.
"Keep pushing, keep pushing," Sato is told, "strategy is good, stick with the Renault". The Super Aguri driver is running in tenth, 1.4s down on Fisichella, who is scrapping with Barrichello.
Kovalainen is the fastest man on track at present, lapping in the low 1:23s. The only other driver even close to this pace is race leader Massa. Elsewhere, Mike Gascoyne is clearly less than impressed with Albers, who has to serve a drive-through penalty.
Rosberg, who is running sixth, is the latest driver to get a "hurry up" call. The German is 4.3s behind Button, but 7.8s ahead of Kovalainen, who is setting a blistering pace.
Other than the scraps for the 'minor points', out front its pretty processional, with no sign of the running order changing. Barring a major failure, Massa, Hamilton and Alonso look to have the podium sewn up.
Just in case he isn't aware, Fisichella is told that he needs to pass Barrichello.
Coulthard is having a brilliant race, currently 3.1s down on fourth-placed Kubica, the Scot is making a mockery of the retirement talk, while compounding the fact that Red Bull is improving. Elsewhere, Kimi Raikkonen is already making his way home.
At the end of lap 40, Fisichella pits, allowing Barrichello some breathing space, for now. Takuma Sato moves up to ninth place as a result.
At the end of lap 41, Massa pits, as does Barrichello. The Ferrari rejoins in second as Coulthard and Kovalainen make their final stops. That's the Finn's third stop this afternoon.
Fisichella must have had a problem during his pitstop, for the Italian is told to up his pace as he will need to stop again. Elsewhere, Rosberg pits.
Hamilton leads, but like Alonso and Kubica - who are running third and fourth - he needs to stop again. As Michael Schumacher walks across the pitlane, brother Ralf makes his third stop, still paying the price for that first lap clash with Wurz.
At the end of lap 47, Hamilton makes his final stop, as does Kubica, while back on track, Heidfeld appears to be cruising. Indeed, the German drives straight into his garage, his race over. Fellow-German Ralf Schumacher has also called it a day.
Alonso pits at the end of lap 48, rejoining in third, just ahead of Kubica.
Therefore, after the final round of pitstops - at least as far as non-Renault drivers are concerned - it's Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Coulthard, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Fisichella, Sato and Barrichello. Fisichella, and possibly Kovalainen, will have to stop again due to a problem with the French team's fuel rig.
Sato is told that Fisichella will probably have to stop again - which as we know is a certainty. With the gap standing at 14.2s, the Super Aguri driver has a good chance of scoring a point for eighth.
Alonso is taking bites out of Hamilton's lead but it's not enough. Elsewhere, Fisichella posts a personal best (23.752).
With a 10.4s lead, Massa can afford to ease off, the Brazilian lapping in the mid 1:24s. Hamilton and Alonso are lapping up to a second quicker. However, with less than eight laps remaining, there's little they can do.
At the end of lap 58, Fisichella makes his final pit stop, rejoining behind Takuma Sato. Providing he can hold off the Renault, this is a massive result for Super Aguri, and in many ways a mark of how far the French team - the reigning World Champions remember - has fallen.
Coulthard is losing pace, which is good news for Rosberg and Kovalainen, who are in hot pursuit. Fisichella is hounding Sato, as well he might.
The Scot has apparently lost a gear, which means the Scottish must draw on all his experience. Nonetheless, Rosberg and Kovalainen are taking almost two seconds a lap out of the Red Bull driver.
Out front, Massa's lead is down to 7.6, but barring a disaster it's more than enough.
It is, the Brazilian takes the flag, much to the delight of his team, if not the partisan crowd, which clearly came here hoping for a different result.
Hamilton takes a convincing second, and with it the lead in World Championship, while Fernando Alonso's race was lost at the first corner.
A great result for Robert Kubica, who finally appears to be getting his season into gear, while David Coulthard has surely silenced anyone who believes he should make way for younger talent.
Points for Rosberg and Kovalainen, whilst Super Aguri will rightfully be celebrating its maiden World Championship point, courtesy of Takuma Sato.
All-in-all, and ignoring the spills, wheel nuts and technical failures, not the most exciting of races, indeed as processional as we are used to at this track, and under these rules.
In two weeks we head to Monaco, a race that almost always provides a surprise, sometimes on the very last lap, let's hope so.
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