12/09/2010
NEWS STORY
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Despite its emasculation over the years, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza remains a circuit that one should treat with total respect. With a lap speed of just under 160 mph mistakes are severely punished.
While this morning's GP2 and GP3 events were relatively incident free, yesterday's GP2 race proved what can happen when drivers get carried away on this superfast track.
While the long, long run to the Variante del Rettifilo should allow the field time to sort itself out - especially when one considers the mad sprint to La Source in Belgium - over the years we have seen numerous incidents here and at the second chicane, the Variante della Roggia.
Yesterday's GP2 race saw Sam Bird get the jump on teammate and pole-sitter Jules Bianchi, the English youngster going on to take his maiden series win. No doubt Jenson Button will be hoping to emulate his countryman's move this afternoon, though so would Felipe Massa.
The width of the track means that we will see cars four, maybe even five, abreast as they head off the line, then funnelling into the bottleneck that is the first chicane. The Italian Grand Prix might not be won at that first chicane but it most certainly can be lost.
While Lewis Hamilton has had the edge for much of the weekend, in qualifying, when it really mattered, it was Button who delivered, the 2008 world champion subsequently admitting that he got it wrong in terms of (downforce) set-up.
While Luca di Montezemolo is demanding that Fernando Alonso converts his pole position to a win, Ferrari having revealed that once it is out of contention for the titles it will switch its focus to 2011, one cannot help but feel that the odds are against the Maranello outfit. All too often over the years we have seen the scarlet cars spring a surprise in qualifying, thereby guaranteeing a sell-out on race day, only to fall apart once the lights go out.
One cannot help but feel that despite the protestations, the title fight is between McLaren and Red Bull with Ferrari still in contention more as a result of the failures of its two rivals (and their drivers), not forgetting a little help from the WMSC.
With today's race taking place in ideal conditions we can expect a true sprint that, like quite a few races here in recent years, quickly becomes processional, we don't even expect tyre degradation to be a problem. Compounds are hard (prime) and soft (option).
The smart money has to be on Button while the Ferraris and Red Bulls will be up there, reliability notwithstanding in terms of the Milton Keynes cars. Rosberg should have fun with the Williams and Kubica while Schumacher must be longing for this season to end in the hope that 2011 can only be better.
The superfast nature of this track has clearly shown up the deficiencies in some of the cars, the Force Indias, in particular, proving very disappointing. Toro Rosso and Sauber have also been worryingly off the pace.
There are grid penalties for Timo Glock and Vitaly Petrov, the German after his team changed the differential on his car before qualifying and the Russian for impeding the Virgin driver during Q1.
As the field heads off on the warm up lap the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 35 degrees.
Even before the race gets underway there is bad news for Sauber, with Kamui Kobayashi starting in the pitlane following a last minute technical problem.
Alonso leads the field away on the warm-up lap, everyone getting away cleanly.
They're away, Alonso forces Button towards the pit wall but the Englishman is having none of it. The Englishman leads into the first chicane but there's some real argy bargy going on. Alonso fights back but Button holds station, he knows that this is his for the taking.
At the second chicane, Hamilton clouts Massa who is challenging his Ferrari teammate, the Englishman breaks the steering arm on his McLaren and heads off into the gravel, his race already over… possibly his championship hopes also. That said, Webber has had a poor start and has dropped to ninth.
At the end of lap 1, it's: Button, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Kubica, Hulkenberg, Vettel, Schumacher, Webber and Buemi. Kobayashi has stopped on track, a miserable day for the Japanese driver.
After 2 laps, Button leads by just 0.7s, Alonso making the most of the tow from the huge rear wins on the MP4-25.
Rosberg, in fourth, heads a train of cars, the German now 2.9s down on Massa.
As Alonso harries Button, Schumacher goes quickest in the first sector, the German running eighth, 1.1s down on Vettel and under pressure from Webber.
As Massa posts a new fastest lap (27.093), Webber out-brakes Schumacher into the first chicane. The German fights back at the second chicane but the Red Bull driver successfully defends his position.
On lap 6, Alonso goes quickest (26.993), the Spaniard just 0.003s quicker than Button. Hamilton walks into the McLaren motorhome still wearing his helmet, his frustration obvious.
Webber is told to look after his tyres, the Australian clearly on a long first stint. Massa posts a new fastest lap (26.922). As Rosberg falls 5.1s behind Massa, the top three are covered by just 1.3s. Great stuff. Indeed, that's what Rob Smedley clearly thinks; "this is great stuff," he tells Massa, "keep it up".
On lap 10, Liuzzi, who is in a great battle with de la Rosa for twelfth, goes quickest in the first sector.
Lap 11 and Button posts a new fastest lap, the Englishman crossing the line at 26.861. For the first time this afternoon he has over a second on the Ferrari behind him.
As Button extends his lead to 1.5s, he is told that he's "in the window". Not having heard a word from their driver the team want Button to confirm that his radio is working. It is.
Another lap, another fastest lap for Button (26.695), as Webber closes in on Vettel. Elsewhere, Kobayashi is in no mood to talk as he walks through the paddock.
On lap 14, Alonso responds with a new fastest lap (26.421), as he attempts to close the 1.5s gap to the race leader. Rosberg remains fourth, 7.4s adrift of Massa, ahead of Kubica, Hulkenberg, Vettel, Webber, Schumacher and Buemi. Senna pulls off to the side of the track, the third retirement of the afternoon.
At the end of lap 17, de la Rosa becomes the third driver to pit, Kovalainen and Alguersuari having done so earlier.
Massa gets the first chicane wrong as the stewards announce that they are investigating Alguersuari for cutting that very corner. The Spaniard, who is currently battling Sutil for sixteenth, is subsequently handed a drive-through.
"Come on Nico," Rosberg it told, "four critical laps, four critical laps".
On lap 20, Vettel shout out; "problem with the engine, problem with the engine," he cries, "the engine is dying on me". Moments later his teammate overtakes him to take seventh. Interestingly, the German has a brand new engine, it is Webber who has an old unit. Alguersuari serves his drive-through.
Despite his problem, Vettel posts personal bests in the first two sectors, while Massa posts a new fastest lap (25.964).
Separated by just 0.9s, Button and Alonso close in on Glock, Kovalainen and Alguersuari who are battling for seventeenth. The backmarkers move aside for the leaders, as well they might.
At half-time, it's: Button, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Kubica, Hulkenberg, Webber, Vettel, Schumacher, Buemi, Barrichello, Liuzzi, Petrov, de la Rosa, Sutil, Trulli, Alguersuari, di Grassi, Glock, Kovalainen and Yamamoto.
Lap 27 sees Button post a new fastest lap, the world champion crossing the line at 25.929, 0.04s quicker than Alonso who remains 0.7s behind.
Next time around Button posts another fastest lap (25.769), as Rosberg now falls to 14.9s behind Massa. Meanwhile, Webber is all over Hulkenberg, the Australian clearly on a mission.
There's an ambulance in the pitlane after Yamamoto collided with one of his engineers.
After Button's string of fast lap, Alonso responds, the Spaniard posting a 25.711. However, moments later Massa posts 25.670. As Liuzzi pits, none of the leading eleven have stopped yet.
On lap 33, a small mistake at the first chicane allows Alonso to close in. The Englishman breathes a sigh of relief when his rival makes a similar mistake at the second chicane.
"We need you to push now," Button is told, "we need everything you've got". After 33 laps, Alonso is still just 0.8s behind. The Englishman responds with a new fastest lap (25.569).
At the end of lap 35, Rosberg is the first of the leaders to pit. Webber stops also. They rejoin in seventh and ninth.
Next time around it is Button who pits, 4.2s later he's heading down the pitlane. Hulkenberg also stops as does Schumacher. Hulkenberg leaves the pits right ahead of the Kubica/Webber battle. The Australian makes a great move to take seventh.
At the end of lap 36, Alonso finally pits. He rejoins alongside Button but has the advantage going into the first chicane even though his car is almost sideways.
As Massa pits at the end of lap 38, the crowd voices its approval for the new race leader.
Having been the hunted for almost 40 laps, now it is Button's turn to hunt down Alonso. Massa keeps a watching eye.
Button is told that his new tyre is faster as Hulkenberg cuts the first chicane in his efforts to hold off Webber.
Alonso posts a new fastest lap (24.942) on lap 39 as Vettel posts a personal best (25.229). The German has yet to stop.
Webber complains about Hulkenberg's tactics, claiming that that the German has cut the first chicane. His crew says it is talking to the stewards.
As Alonso extends his lead to 1.8s, he posts a new fastest lap (24.676).
"Hulkenberg will not let you through," Webber is told, "you're going to have to pass him". Clearly the stewards see nothing wrong with what Hulkenberg's been doing.
Suddenly Button appears to lose a lot of time, the gap to Alonso now up to 3.6s. More worrying for the Englishman is that Massa is just 1.5s behind. Alonso posts another fastest lap (24.540).
On lap 45, Webber posts a new fastest lap (24.531) as Vettel still show no sign of stopping.
With 5 laps remaining, it's: Alonso, Button, Massa, Vettel, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Webber, Kubica, Schumacher and Petrov. Vettel has yet to stop.
Alonso posts another fastest lap (24.483) as Liuzzi goes quickest in the first sector. Elsewhere, Trulli jumps out of a smoking Lotus.
Webber is getting more and more frustrated with Hulkenberg, the Australian finally nailing the German youngster at Roggia. There is no doubt that the Red Bull driver will have really enjoyed that. The big question however, is whether Vettel can pit and rejoin ahead of the Australian.
A mistake at the first chicane sees Alonso cut the corner.
At the end of lap 51, Vettel finally dives into the pits. 3.3s later he's heading down the pitlane, rejoining in fourth having held the position.
As he approaches the chequered flag, Alonso weaves from side to side in celebration, "fantastico, fantastico," is the cry over the radio.
In one brief afternoon, indeed, in just seventy-six minutes Alonso enters Italian folklore, the two-time world champion taken to the hearts of a nation that worships the Maranello outfit.
Button took a brave gamble and it almost paid off, and while he has to content himself with second, the 18 points keep him in the championship hunt, especially following the failure of his teammate to complete the first lap.
A strong performance from Massa, who did all he needed to, giving his team a double podium finish in front of its adoring fans.
A brave but strange strategy for Vettel, and while some might have their suspicions about that 'engine problem', the German finished a convincing fourth taking a few valuable points off his teammate.
A good drive from Rosberg who continues to improve, while Webber is sure to exchange some thoughts with Hulkenberg during the course of the afternoon. Kubica, Schumacher and Barrichello take the remaining points on a day when F1 shows what the sport really should be about… passion, something Monza has in spades.
As F1 leaves Europe, the top five are covered by just 24 points, the equivalent of just one win. Two weeks after Spa, where it appeared the championship was down to two contenders we once again have a five horse race.
How long is it since we've had a championship like that?
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