16/10/2011
NEWS STORY
While his mood was subdued - to put it mildly - we have no doubt that having secured pole position, his first since Canada 2010, deep down Lewis Hamilton was punching the air in delight and whooping with joy… the sort of understandable jubilation one Pitpass forum user describes as "vulgar triumphalism" when executed by Sebastian Vettel.
For the last few months Hamilton has been living a nightmare, and while some of it was of his own doing, much of it wasn't. The eagerness with which some sections of the media have anticipated, almost encouraged, each new sorry twist has been sickening. However, this is what the media does, especially in the UK, build you up then tear you down.
There can be very few of us who have not felt as though everything we did was wrong, that every little mistake appeared to be magnified a thousand times over. How Lewis kept his cool yesterday, having finally laid some of the demons to rest, is a mystery and should be a lesson to us all.
Whether he can convert his superbly taken pole into a win remains to be seen, but no doubt he remains fully fired up and aims to see his critics eat some large dollops of humble pie today and in the weeks, months and years ahead.
However, a number of people, while happy to see the youngster rediscover his mojo, will be keen to spoil the party, not least Sebastian Vettel and Lewis' teammate, Jenson Button. Both are looking very good here, while there was something ominous about the way in which the German said today's race will be different, reminding us about the extra set of tyres at his disposal. And let's not forget what happened at Suzuka seven days ago, when the German moved across the track forcing Button on to the grass, surely the Englishman will be fully prepared for any such naughtiness today.
Behind these three we have Webber, the two Ferraris and Rosberg, and while the Australian's starts continue to disappoint it should be well worth watching Felipe trying to out-gun his Ferrari teammate once again. Worth noting also, in terms of this group, the one ahead and all those poor souls behind, that the run to the first corner is one of the shortest on the calendar.
It should also be worth watching the Force Indias again, especially in terms of the battle with Sauber and Toro Rosso for sixth in the Constructors' Championship, the Swiss outfit's tyre strategy possibly a key factor in today's race. Then again, having not posted a time in Q3, both Force India drivers are free to choose what tyres they start on.
Last year's race witnessed a number of retirements and accidents, not least the unforced error which ended Mark Webber's title hopes and Vettel's engine failure ten laps from the end.
Should today's race prove to be as demanding could we possibly witness Lotus or one of the other newbies score their first championship points or can Williams turn things to their advantage.
Although featureless and largely unchanged since last year's race - where are the hotels, the tourist hot spots - it's popular with the drivers. However, the empty grandstands - visible despite the best efforts of the broadcasters - have an ominous familiarity about them. Then again, with Bahrain still very much in doubt there is continued talk of Turkey returning to the calendar next season, another circuit popular with drivers and fans but unable to put (paying) bums on seats.
Tyre options are soft (prime) and supersoft (option) with Pirelli anticipating three possibly four stops. Indeed, there are claims that some drivers could be pitting within the first five laps. The DRS detection zone is half-way between Turns 1 and 2 and the activation zone around a third of the way down the long straight that follows.
It has been warm and bright all morning, however, as the pitlane opens the sky clouds over. There are conflicting reports from the teams, some claiming there will be no rain for the next couple of hours, others only willing to predict the next thirty minutes or so. Indeed, Ferrari reports that Meteo France, it's weather supplier, has "changed its mind" an is now predicting "a few drops" before the start. On cue, a few isolated drops duly begin to fall but nothing serious.
As the field heads off on the warm up lap the air temperature is 24 degrees, while the track temperature is also 24 degrees. As well as having clouded over, there is a strong head wind on the back straight, the straight that forms the DRS zone.
Of the leading ten only Sutil is on the prime tyre, Force India clearly splitting its strategy. Kobayashi, Senna, Maldonado, Perez, Glock, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi and Ricciardo are also on the primes. Webber is warned that there could be a "few drops of rain at (turn) 13".
They're away, Hamilton gets away well while Vettel holds off Button. The German closes on Hamilton on the back straight while Massa passes Button into Turn 3.
Vettel passes Hamilton going into Turn 4, the Englishman not appearing to put up too much of a fight.
At the end of the opening lap it's: Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Massa, Alonso, Button, Rosberg, Petrov, di Resta and Schumacher. Liuzzi pits after an incident at the start while Buemi and Senna have dropped several places after clashing.
On lap 3, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (45.218) as he maintains a 1.2s gap to the leader. Schumacher is also very quick while Button is losing touch with Alonso who is all over his Ferrari teammate.
"Light rain at Turn 4," Vettel is told, "light rain ahead". Further back Buemi and Maldonado having a great scrap for thirteenth while Schumacher makes short work of di Resta courtesy of his DRS. The Scot subsequently complains of a lot of understeer. He is told to "drive through" the problem and that the tyres will "come back" to him. Comforting advice.
After 5 laps, Vettel leads by 1.4s with Webber a further 2.6s down the road. Alonso is all over Massa while Button has a 1.5s advantage over Rosberg. In thirteenth, Kobayashi leads a train of six cars.
Hamilton, told that his tyres are OK, replies that he has a vibration. He is told that his front wing will be adjusted for the next stint. Webber is now under pressure from Massa and Alonso, the Australian now 3.6s shy of Hamilton. TV camera picks up on an entire front wing, possibly from a Virgin.
As Vettel posts a new fastest lap (44.727), Button joins the (now) four-way fight for third as Webber continues to lose ground to Hamilton. Next time around Vettel posts another fastest lap (44.468).
At the end of lap 10, Kobayashi and Barrichello are the first drivers to make a regular pit stop. Button appears to make a move on Alonso but then has second thoughts about it.
Another fastest lap from Vettel (44.401) as he extends his lead to 3.4s, the German pulling half-a-second each lap on Hamiton.
Di Resta pits at the end of lap 11 as Massa appears to soak up the pressure despite falling 2.2s behind Webber. Elsewhere, Senna out-brakes himself as he closes on Perez.
Still under pressure, Massa is told that his front wing will be adjusted when he pits, at which point his teammate makes a move but to no avail. Clearly frustrated, Alonso runs a little wide.
At the end of lap 13 Button and Rosberg pit, they head down the pitlane side-by-side however, the German has advantage. A small mistake sees Button pull ahead only for the Mercedes driver to re-take the position on the back straight.
At the end of lap 14, Webber, Massa, Petrov, Schumacher and Buemi all pit.
Next time around it is Hamilton who pits, as does Alonso. The Englishman rejoins still in second, ahead of Alguersuari, Webber, Button and Rosberg.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 16, as he rejoins the Safety Car is deployed as a result of a clash between Petrov and Schumacher. Sutil, Maldonado and Perez all pit.
Replay shows Schumacher the innocent victim of the Russian while Alonso is lucky not to get taken out in what was a pretty reckless move from the Renault driver. Petrov pits, as do Glock, Ricciardo and d'Ambrosio. As Schumacher climbs from his abandoned car, Petrov's race ends in the pits his steering arm clearly broken. Alguersuari and Liuzzi pit.
After 17 laps, behind the Safety Car, which picked up Webber rather than Vettel, it's: Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Rosberg, Massa, Alonso and Alguersuari, di Resta and Sutil.
The big losers as a result of the pit stops and Safety Car are Ferrari, Massa and Alonso now running sixth and seventh. On the other hand it's worked out nicely for eighth placed Alguersuari.
As debris is cleared from the track, Webber is warned that Button will make a move at the re-start. Duh!
The Safety Car pulls off at the end of lap 20, Vettel maintains his lead while Button makes his move later than expected. The Australian, on full alert, fends off the McLaren driver who momentarily pulls alongside.
The race stewards announce that they are investigating Maldonado for hitting a bollard at the pitlane entry. Will be interesting to see if they investigate Petrov's earlier move.
As Maldonado is handed a drive through, Senna is involved in a titanic fight with Kobayashi and Barrichello for thirteenth.
Fifth placed Rosberg is now under pressure from the Ferraris while the stewards announce they will investigate the Petrov incident after the race.
The battle between Barrichello, Senna and Kobayashi sees the Sauber and Renault touch, resulting in front wing damage to the Swiss car. The two Lotus' close in on Senna as Kobayashi subsequently pits.
Out front, after 25 laps, Vettel leads Hamilton by 1.3s with Webber third, ahead of Button, Rosberg, Massa, Alonso, Alguersuari, di Resta and Sutil.
On lap 27, a massive lock-up going into Turn 3 sees Rosberg passed by both Ferraris, as Hamilton closes to within 1s of Vettel and Webber posts a PB (42.290).
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 27, rejoining in fourteenth, the German's tyres shot to pieces in that previous lock-up.
His teammate looking good for a strong points finish, Buemi goes quickest in S1, the Swiss currently tenth, closing in on di Resta.
After 30 laps the leading three are covered by just 2s with Button a further 5s down the road.
Sensational stuff from Kobayashi who is involved in the mother of all battles with Ricciardo and d'Ambrosio. The Sauber driver finally nailing the squabbling duo in one move.
Senna pits at the end of lap 30 as Vettel posts a new fastest lap (42.264). Maldonado also pits, however, the Venezuelan has a terminal problem his race is over.
As di Resta and Barrichello pit at the end of lap 31, Webber closes on Hamilton however, despite KERS and DRS he is unable to pass the McLaren. Nonetheless, this battle allows Vettel to extend his lead to 2.1s.
The stewards announce that they are to investigate the "unsafe release" of Ricciardo after the race.
Webber tries to go around the outside of Hamilton in Turn 3 on lap 33, and over the next couple of corners the pair battle like a pair of karters.
On lap 33, as Vettel posts a new fastest lap (42.044), Hamilton and Webber both pit, rejoining in sixth and seventh. Hamilton subsequently runs wide allowing Webber through, however, the McLaren driver recovers and re-takes the position.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 34 as do Button and Massa, meanwhile Hamilton and Webber continue their epic fight. Alonso leads but the Spaniard still has to stop, as does fifth placed Alguersuari.
On lap 35, Alonso posts a new fastest lap however, this is soon beaten by Webber (41.755). Elsewhere, Sutil pits from tenth.
Webber continues to apply the pressure on Hamilton, the Englishman soaking it up.
A new fastest lap from Vettel (40.974) on lap 36 as Buemi and Perez pit, Alonso still leading the race by 3.4s.
At the end of lap 37 Alonso finally pits, handing the lead back to Vettel, and rejoining in fifth just ahead of his Ferrari teammate. Alguersuari also pits, the Spaniard rejoining in eighth.
Asked if his front wing has been adjusted, Hamilton, still under relentless pressure, is told "you've got everything".
After the second round of stops, it's: Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Alguersuari, di Resta and Buemi. Sutil is eleventh, ahead of Perez, Senna, Barrichello, Kobayashi and Kovalainen.
Hamilton is advised to save all KERS for Turn 2 in order to defend himself. The McLaren driver's battle with Webber has allowed Button to close to within 1.6s and Vettel to extend his lead to 10.7s. Fifth placed Alonso, 5.5s down on Button, has posted a string of fastest laps. To add to the fun Alguersuari is all over seventh placed Rosberg.
On lap 43, Kobayashi makes his third stop of the day, thereby dropping the Sauber driver to sixteenth. His teammate is currently twelfth.
A series of fast laps sees Alonso close to within 3s of Button who is now just 1.5s behind the Hamilton/Webber battle. Vettel enjoys an 11.2s comfort zone, the German, from out of nowhere, and with no real need, producing a 40.679.
Vettel is told, in no uncertain terms, to watch his tyres as there are some very quick cars behind. Talking of which, Webber makes another move on Hamilton, the Englishman not being given a moment of breathing space.
Button goes quickest in S1, closing to within (DRS) striking distance of Webber. Alonso is also continuing to set an amazing pace.
Webber makes his move on Hamilton in Turn 1 on lap 49 to take the lead, however, with the aid of DRS the McLaren driver soon re-takes the position. Elsewhere, tenth placed Buemi goes quickest in S1 as he battles di Resta for ninth.
Lap 50 sees a new fastest lap from Webber (40.513) the Australian right up the back of Hamilton's McLaren.
"I give up, I give up," says Alonso, just two laps from the end and 0.9s down on Button. The Spaniard clearly still seething at the time spent behind his teammate earlier in the race.
On the penultimate lap, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (40.459), pulling it out of nowhere. Webber is told to "use the overtake button if you get a chance". Yeh right, never thought of that.
Vettel takes the flag, and also the fastest lap of the race (39.605), thereby denying his rivals the slightest crumb. "Fantastic," says Christian Horner, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," replies the German, "and yes again!"
Hamilton takes a superb second while Webber, following an equally epic drive, takes third, thereby securing the Constructors' Championship for Red Bull.
At the weigh-in, despite not winning, Hamilton looks a lot happier than he did twenty-four hours earlier, the Englishman even managing a grin. Then again, that was a great scrap, as enjoyable for the participant as it was for us.
No smiles for Alonso however, who parks his car by the side of the track, the Spaniard's demeanour worth a thousand words. Rosberg has also parked his car, the German losing out to Alguersuari on the very last lap, the Spaniard digging truly deep to take seventh and six very valuable points.
To re-cap, Vettel wins, with Hamilton finishing second ahead of Webber, Button, Alonso, Massa, Alguersuari, Rosberg, Buemi and di Resta.
Sutil finishes eleventh, ahead of Barrichello, Senna, Kovalainen, Kobayashi, Perez, Trulli, Glock, Ricciardo, d'Ambrosio and Liuzzi.
All in all a brilliant race, thoroughly entertaining and, despite what the lap charts might say, unpredictable.
Having secured the title a week ago, Vettel didn't need to win today, however, like his hero, Michael Schumacher, the youngster doesn't do comfort zones, all he knows about is winning, dominating.
Full credit to Hamilton and Webber for their epic battle, not only in terms of how long it lasted but for the fact that it was clean with no silliness. One recalls Keke Rosberg's words about the legendary Gilles Villeneuve, he was the hardest of fighters but the cleanest. Fantastic stuff guys.
A good performance from Jenson Button but in all honesty fourth was the best he could expect or deserve while Fernando Alonso, despite a great driver, has done little to shake of Dr Mike Lawrence's tag of 'Big Girl's Blouse'.
A good drive from Felipe Massa, who will no doubt use his teammate's "I give up, I give up" quote as a ringtone, while Jaime Alguersuari must surely be up there for driver of the day. A fantastic performance from the Spanish youngster, who, unlike his countryman, quietly gets on with it. Kudos to his Toro Rosso teammate also.
Thankfully, there were a few more people in the stands this afternoon, but if the race is to pay its way, and thereby remain on the calendar, the circuit, or at least its locale has to be made more attractive and appealing. "If you build it they will come," was the mantra of Field of Dreams, however, in this case it would be wise to finish building it.
Like Turkey, the Korea International Circuit produces great racing however, more must be done to put bums on seats both local bums and those of tourists.
To sum up, a great race, highly entertaining.
Check out our Korean GP gallery, here.