27/04/2008
NEWS STORY
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While this morning's GP2 race was in many ways a thriller, it is unlikely that today's Spanish GP is going to have us on the edge of our seats… after all, it never has, the Barcelona track enjoying a reputation for traditionally providing one of the most soporific events on the calendar.
However, that doesn't mean that today's race won't spring a few surprises, after all, who, just twenty-fours hours ago, would have predicted that Fernando Alonso would be starting from the front row?
Unless Renault has made a massive step forward, which it then chose to hide in the three free practice sessions, we can expect the Spaniard to be the first to pit for fuel, and ending the race in the points. Should he finish on the podium there will be a lot of stunned faces in the Barcelona paddock this evening - and that is no reflection on his ability as a driver.
Based on current form, it looks as though Ferrari has the first two positions virtually sewn up, with Robert Kubica destined to add another podium finish to his and BMW's tally.
While some say that Nick Heidfeld is running heavier than his teammate - much like Nelson Piquet at Renault - the fact is that BMW was not happy to see the German qualify ninth. His position is more about a poor qualifying session than strategy. That said, he is sure to finish in the points.
While McLaren continues to put a brave face on things, the fact is that the Woking team continues to lose ground to Ferrari, and, to a slightly lesser extent, BMW. Both Hamilton and Kovalainen have their work cut out this afternoon, as the British team faces another difficult race.
Behind the leading three teams, Renault looks assured of at least one driver in the points, however, keep an eye on that fascinating midfield battle between Red Bull, Toyota, Williams and Honda.
Williams was disappointing yesterday, so hopefully the Grove team will raise its game today, however, the big battle will be that between Trulli, Webber, Piquet, the Hondas and the aforesaid Williams. Based on recent form, Trulli looks set to add another point or two to his tally, while there remains a question mark over the reliability of the Red Bull.
Having been quick in the previous sessions, it's unclear where it all went wrong for Force India yesterday. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if qualifying was a true guide to the Indian team's form, or whether we were simply expecting too much from the Silverstone-based outfit.
Another team that has dropped off this weekend is Toro Rosso, while David Coulthard, having been so blindingly quick in free practise, surely deserves to be starting better than seventeenth.
We rarely see much overtaking here, and while fuel strategy continues to be the key, several teams insist that there is little difference between the two tyre options here, medium and hard.
Other than the current rules, which do little to assist overtaking, not to mention those god-awful winglets, the fact that the teams were testing here as recently as last week mean that Barcelo9na holds few surprises… it's not as though there's even the chance of rain.
Therefore, we must hope that we got it wrong and that Alonso's pace is genuine, and that the various team strategies will provide a feast of overtaking and scrapping, failing which we can simply look forward to Istanbul, one of the better circuits on the F1 calendar for racing.
With fifteen minutes before the race gets underway, the air temperature is 23 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. As was the case on Friday and Saturday it is bright and sunny.
Following the rather corporate atmosphere of Sepang and Sakhir, there's a real buzz in the air today, much like we traditionally witness at Monza. The fact that Fernando Alonso is on the front row only adds to this. Indeed, it's hard to believe that only a couple of years ago the race was poorly attended by the locals, while TV coverage of F1 in Spain was almost non-existent. Such is the Alonso-effect, much like the Hamilton-effect has boosted the sport's popularity in Britain.
The field heads off on the parade lap, the Spanish and English (Bob Constanduros) trackside commentators whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
The majority, if not all, of the drivers are on the medium option compound, henceforth referred to as softs. Hamilton locks up heavily at one point on his parade lap, while Alonso, in his efforts to generate heat into his tyres, dives off onto the grass at the last corner.
Brilliant starts by Massa and Hamilton, but it's Raikkonen who holds the lead as Alonso slips back to third. Meanwhile, it's another nightmare for Vettel who hits the spinning Force India of Sutil. The Toro Rosso driver is an innocent victim, unable to go anywhere else. The safety car is immediately deployed as the cars are removed.
At the end of lap one, Raikkonen leads Massa, Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Webber, Trulli and Piquet. Fisichella and Rosberg both had great starts, making up several positions.
At the end of lap 3, the safety car dives into the pits, Raikkonen leads the pack across the start-line, getting the race back underway. The Finn is almost a second quicker than anyone else on the next lap, as Alonso closes to within 0.6s of Massa.
Piquet goes wide, thereby losing several places, much to Flavio Briatore's consternation. It appeared to be an unforced error, but it costs him dearly as he has dropped back to eighteenth.
On lap 6, Raikkonen posts fastest lap (22.934) as he extends his lead to 1.8s. Hamilton, who has Kubica all over him, is hassling Alonso. Meanwhile, Piquet and Bourdais collide, the Brazilian and Toro Rosso having a nightmare race. The Frenchman returns to the pits, with what appears to be a suspension problem, while the Renault driver retires on the spot. Davidson has also pitted, with what appears to be a technical problem.
On lap 9, Raikkonen posts another fastest lap (22.526), his lead now running at 2.7s. In the pits Bourdais is explaining his retirement to his crew, the Frenchman admitting that he never saw Piquet in his mirrors.
Nakajima is all over Button, who is running twelfth, while Coulthard is hassling Fisichella for fourteenth.
After 11 laps, Raikkonen leads Massa by 2.8s, while the Brazilian is 2.5s ahead of Alonso. Hamilton is 1.4s down on the Spaniard, with Kubica a similar gap behind.
Another fastest lap from Kimi Raikkonen on lap 13, the Finn crossing the line at 22.178. Massa is now 3.2s behind while Alonso is under serious pressure from Hamilton. Kovalainen is sixth, ahead of Heidfeld, Webber, Trulli, Rosberg, Barrichello, Button, Nakajima, Fisichella and Coulthard.
At the end of lap 16, Alonso pits, pretty much as expected. 9.3s later the Spaniard is heading down the pitlane on softs, rejoining in eleventh behind Barrichello.
On lap 17, Raikkonen posts another fastest lap (21.827), extending his lead to 3.6s, while Hamilton is 6.8s behind the Brazilian. The Englishman now enjoys a 2s advantage over Kubica. Meanwhile, Davidson reveals that his radiator was damaged by a stone, most likely dumped on the track by Piquet.
At the end of lap 19, Massa pits, the Brazilian stopping short of his pit slot. He rejoins (on softs) in eighth behind Trulli.
Next time around it is Raikkonen who pits, handing the lead to Hamilton, who heads Kubica. Webber, Trulli and Sato also pit, as Raikkonen rejoins in fifth.
At the end of lap 20, Hamilton and Kubica both pit, leaving Kovalainen in the lead. The Englishman rejoins in sixth, ahead of the Pole.
Kovalainen goes off deep into the tyre barriers at Turn 9, something appearing to have broken on the car. The safety car is immediately deployed, as is the medical car.
Heidfeld leads Raikkonen, with Massa third, ahead of Hamilton, Kubica, Barrichello, Rosberg, Alonso, Button and Nakajima. Heidfeld, Barrichello, Button and Nakajima all need to pit but the pitlane is not yet open.
Heidfeld pits illegally at the end of lap 24. He will serve a penalty but since he was almost certainly running on fumes he had no choice.
Marshals are still attempting to extricate Kovalainen, bringing back memories of Luciano Burti at Spa in 2001. Michael Schumacher, who had a somewhat similar incident at Silverstone in 1999, watches with concern from the pit-wall.
At the end of lap 25, the pitlane is opened, and Barrichello, Button, Nakajima, Fisichella, Coulthard and Glock all pit.
Told about his penalty, Heidfeld suggests that he serve it while the safety car is on track, which, of course, is not permitted. Meanwhile, Barrichello, who has only just pitted, has somehow dislodged his nose, which will mean another pit stop. The replay suggests that the Brazilian clouted something as he left his pit.
Kovalainen's McLaren is lifted away, the Finn having been taken away on a stretcher to the medical centre. A replay shows a failure on the front-left of the car, could have been suspension, steering or tyre. Thankfully, the Finn gives a thumbs-up to the crowd. In the McLaren garage Ron Dennis is in animated discussion with Martin Whitmarsh, will they call Hamilton in as a precaution?
At the end of lap 28 the safety car is brought in. Raikkonen leads Massa, Hamilton, Kubica, Heidfeld, Alonso, Webber, Trulli, Rosberg and Nakajima. Heidfeld still needs to serve his penalty, which will be a ten-second drive-through.
The field settles, the only real prospect of a move being Hamilton on Massa, while there is a train of three cars behind Fisichella, who is running in twelfth.
At the end of lap 33, half-distance, Heidfeld comes in for his drive-through. The German rejoins in sixteenth, last behind Barrichello.
Yet again, Spanish hears are broken this weekend, as Fernando Alonso pulls off to the side of the track, his Renault obviously having suffered a problem. Nonetheless, the air hors sound, the flags wave and the crowd cheers. The two-time champion waves to his adoring public as he prepares to head back to the pits on a waiting scooter. Elsewhere, Barrichello has driven into his garage and retired.
With so much drama, what are the chances of a fairytale ending? Takuma Sato is running ninth in the Super Aguri, could the Japanese team score a surprise point or two?
At the end of lap 38, Sato pits, the Japanese driver fitting a set of hard tyres. Meanwhile, Raikkonen leads Massa by 3.6s, with Hamilton a further 2.5s behind. Other than Sato, the big surprise is Webber who is still running in fifth, 10s behind Kubica, but 3.4s ahead of Trulli, who leads the Williams of Rosberg and Nakajima. That said, Rosberg pulls to the side of the track, right alongside his pit slot, his engine billowing out clouds of white smoke. And then there were thirteen.
Fisichella is the last of the points runners, however, like most of the other drivers he still has to make a second stop. The biggest threat to the Italian is Sato, who appears to have made his final stop. There's also Heidfeld to consider, but he still has to make another stop for tyres.
At the end of lap 44, Fisichella pits, rejoining in twelfth. Elsewhere, Massa posts a new fastest lap, the Brazilian crossing the line at 21.801.
Heidfeld makes his third pit stop at the end of lap 45, rejoining in twelfth.
As Raikkonen posts a new fastest lap (21.670), Massa, Webber and Trulli all pit. The Italian has a particularly long stop.
At the end of lap 47, Raikkonen, Hamilton and Kubica all pit. The Finn rejoins still leading, with Massa second, ahead of Hamilton, Kubica, Nakajima and Button, who both still have to stop. Coulthard and Glock (eighth and ninth) also have to stop again.
Kovalainen is being flown to hospital in Barcelona in the helicopter. However, the team reveals that the Finn has no visible injuries and is being taken to hospital as a "precaution".
Heidfeld makes a move on Fisichella but is unable to make it stick, the German clearly frustrated at having to battle a Force India for eleventh.
At the end of lap 51, Nakajima and Glock both pit, leaving Coulthard and Button as the only drivers who still need to stop.
Sure enough, at the end of lap 52, Coulthard pits. However, the Scot is then involved in a clash with Glock which sees the German damage his nose and the Red Bull drive suffer a puncture. Another "mirror problem"? All of which plays into Takuma Sato and Super Aguri's hands.
Button pits at the end of lap 54, as Heidfeld finally gets past Fisichella, the Italian making a mistake, which the German is quick to take advantage of.. Elsewhere, Coulthard pits.
So, phew! Raikkonen leads Massa by 2.5s, with Hamilton a further 2.5s down the road. Kubica is fourth, ahead of Webber, Button, Nakajima, Trulli, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Glock, Sato and Coulthard. The stewards announce that the Glock/Coulthard incident will be investigated after the race.
Raikkonen is lapping 0.5s a lap slower than Massa and Hamilton, is the Finn easing off with seven laps still remaining, or is there a problem?
Coulthard is fighting Sato, who is suffering as a result of the decision to make his final stint so long in terms of tyres and fuel load.
Raikkonen ups his pace, matching the three cars running behind him. Fact is, he has Massa running shotgun.
Just as Sato is told that he's fighting for "tenth in the championship", the Japanese driver is finally nailed by Coulthard. Game over, but it was good while it lasted,
With two laps remaining, Kubica is the quickest man on track, though he remains 1.6s behind Hamilton, who is a similar distance behind Massa.
The World Champion crosses the line, thereby consolidating his lead in the 2008 title race. Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa takes second, ahead of Hamilton, Kubica, Webber, Button, Nakajima and Trulli. Heidfeld finishes ninth, just outside the points, ahead of Fisichella, Glock, Coulthard ands Sato.
Well, boring it wasn't. Furthermore, thanks to the two safety car periods, the Ferraris weren't able to disappear into the distance as expected.
Certainly, the Maranello outfit is the team to beat right now, and will head to Istanbul and beyond as clear favourites.
McLaren will have mixed emotions. While Hamilton scored a convincing third, the team will be distraught following Heikki Kovalainen's accident. Nonetheless, the Finn's accident aside, this has to be a better result than the Woking outfit was expecting at some stages over the weekend.
While Kubica had a good race, it all went a bit haywire for Nick, who wasn't helped by his poor qualifying performance. That said, the drive-through was unfair, and the FIA needs to look into a rule whereby innocent drivers are punished for having to break the rules, namely the fact that the pitlane is closed following an incident involving a third party.
Mark Webber drove a great race, and while his Scottish teammate had a bitch of an afternoon, Red Bull must surely be buoyed by this afternoon's performance. At a time when there is talk of Sebastian Vettel being drafted in for 2009, Webber and DC have proved that there is life in the old dogs yet.
Honda too has every right to feel good, having scored three valuable points, thanks to great pit work and a sterling drive from Jenson Button. Well done guys.
Williams will be delighted with Kazuki Nakajima's performance, though the team seemed destined to have both its drivers in the points.
Trulli will be disappointed to leave with just one point, however, he and Toyota continue to show signs of improvements.
As for Alonso, it was good while it lasted. And though there was much heartbreak at the Circuit de Catalunya today, Renault is showing obvious signs of improvement.
A much better race than we expected, and now we can all look forward to Istanbul, a track which is already proving popular with fans and drivers.
However, as we look ahead to round five of the 2008 season, let's all be thankful that Heikki Kovalainen is OK following what was clearly a very nasty incident.
We talk of boring tracks, tedious races and the lack of overtaking, yet today, once again, we have been shown that motor sport, and in particular F1, remains dangerous, and we must never be complacent.
No offence to Pedro de la Rosa, but let's hope Heikki is back in the second MP4-23s in two week's time.