27/11/2011
NEWS STORY
In the hours leading up to today's race there have been conflicting views as to whether we are in for a wet or dry race.
It started out bright and sunny, then clouded over, brightened again and then clouded over. Clearly, the weather gods are having fun.
Of course, whether its wet or dry, certain drivers won't be too bothered, among them pole-man Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button, indeed, the Englishman would no doubt prefer mixed conditions.
While the world championship are decided there is still much to play for. OK, in the eyes of many finishing runner-up doesn't mean much to drivers, who, from the day they first climb into a kart, are amongst the most competitive people on earth.
However, with his teammate having totally dominated the season, surely Mark Webber would like to go into the holiday season why finishing second in the championship, and what better way than by taking his first win of the season.
Then again, as his annus horribilis draws to an end, Lewis Hamilton cannot overhaul his teammate, but Fernando Alonso could, the Spaniard keen to finish second to Vettel in a car that is some way of the pace of both the Red Bull and McLaren.
Other than those drivers keen to retain their current seats for 2012, or at least find an alternative berth, there is the battle for the lower placings in the constructors' Championship, and let's not forget it is this that decides who gets how much prize money.
While it would require a Herculean effort from Force India to find the 16 points to overhaul Renault - the Silverstone outfit never having scored more than 12 this season - only one point separates Sauber and Toro Rosso in the fight for seventh.
Of the (second year newbies) Lotus will be looking to hang on to tenth, which is thought to be worth £25m ($16.1m).
Tyre options for this afternoon are soft (option) and medium (prime), the difference between them around 0.8 to 1s a lap, with most teams expecting two stops. Assuming it's a dry race.
As in Abu Dhabi, there are fears the (sole) DRS zone is in the wrong place. With the detection zone in the middle of the Senna S (Turn 2) it's feared that we might not see as much overtaking in the first corner as we're used to as drivers will fear losing back the position once they hit the activation zone which runs the course of the back straight from Turn 3 to Turn 4.
Forty-five minutes before 'showtime', after an hour of sunshine, the sky suddenly darkens and a few spots of rain begin to fall. Nothing serious, but the dark clouds all around look ominous.
Not only is this the last race of a long and tiring season, this could be the last time we get to see a number of the participants, certainly in terms of F1. One such person is Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian increasingly looking as though this is his swansong. That said, his performance in Q2 yesterday was epic.
Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi, Tonio Liuzzi and Jerome d'Ambrosio all look doubtful for next year, while Bruno Senna, Pastor Maldonado, Daniel Ricciardo and Adrian Sutil have yet to confirm their plans.
When the pitlane opens the sky has brightened just a little, however, Ferrari tweets that the nearest shower is now 4km away and heading our way.
While the sun breaks through, Mike Gascoyne tweets that rain is expected in five minutes. However, Renault's Alan Permane says he is expecting one short shower that won't amount to much. Moments later, despite needing an umbrella to shield him from the sun, Vettel says that there is rain on the way.
Jonathan Neale says he is expecting rain at some stage this afternoon, admitting that his team would love that to be the case.
As the field heads off on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees. Humidity is 58%.
The leading nine cars are on softs, as used in Q3, Schumacher, who did not post a time, is also on the yellow banded rubber. Indeed, it looks like everyone is on softs.
They're away, Vettel holding his lead into the first corner. Button makes a charge on Webber but the Australian holds him off. No incidents. Good starts from Massa, Petrov and Kovalainen but a bad start for Barrichello who slips back to eighteenth.
At the end of lap 1, it's Vettel, Webber, Button, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Rosberg, Sutil, Senna and di Resta.
Schumacher passes di Resta for tenth and though the Scot tries to fight back the German is having none of it.
After 2 laps Vettel already has a 2.2s lead, Button and Alonso all over Webber, while Hamilton, 1.2s down on Alonso is under pressure from Massa.
On lap 4, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (17.784) as he extends his lead to 2.5s. Schumacher, still under pressure from di Resta, is hassling Senna.
After 5 laps Vettel has a 2.8s advantage over Webber who has a 3s lead over Button. Alonso is all over the McLaren with Hamilton just 0.8s behind. Kovalainen, who got as high as fifteenth is now back in nineteenth having been passed by both Williams.
Sutil is pushing seventh placed Rosberg hard, the Force India driver looking very impressive. Wonder how he feels about lining up for Williams next year.
The Saubers and Toro Rossos are involved in a great battle, Kobayashi, in thirteenth, chased by Buemi, Perez and Alguersuari.
Schumacher makes a move on Senna, the German clouting the Renault in the process and picking up a left-rear puncture. The Stewards, who include Alex Wurz, immediately announce that they are investigating. Subsequent replay makes it a hard one to call.
Moments later Alonso makes the pass of the season on Button, the Spaniard going around the outside in Turn 6.
As Schumacher pits for a new set of tyres, Vettel complains that his tyres are going off. Schumacher rejoins in last position, finding himself in the midst of the Button/Hamilton battle.
Senna pits at the end of lap 12, a scheduled stop or the result of that clash. Seeing as they don't change the nose on his car it appears it was a scheduled stop.
Vettel is told that he has a gearbox problem and that he needs to short-shift in second. This comes two weeks after the German's first retirement of the season. Elsewhere, Petrov pits.
At the end of lap 14, Sutil pits, rejoining in fourteenth.
Next time around Button pits, indicating that we could be on a three-stopper. And that's without rain. The rear tyres on the McLaren are blistered but not badly.
Vettel is now told to short-shift second and third gears as Alonso, Hamilton and Rosberg all pit. Barrichello also stops.
Vettel lead Webber by 2.8s with Massa third, ahead of Alonso, Button and Hamilton.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 17, the world champion rejoining in third. Di Resta also stops as do Maldonado and Kovalainen.
Senna is handed a drive-through for the Schumacher clash, the Brazilian currently running sixteenth.
Webber pits at the end of lap 18, thereby handing the lead to local hero Massa. Senna serves his penalty which drops him to seventeenth.
No sooner has Button posted a new fastest lap (17.779) than teammate Hamilton goes quicker (17.764). Elsewhere Buemi pits.
Despite his gearbox issue, Vettel closes in on Massa, using his DRS to make short work of the Ferrari driver. Rosberg in a great battle with Alguersuari for ninth.
As Webber posts a new fastest lap on lap 21 (17.612), Massa finally pits, as do Kobayashi and Ricciardo. The Ferrari driver rejoins in sixth.
After 22 laps, and the first wave of stops, it's: Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Button, Hamilton, Massa, Sutil, Rosberg, Petrov, di Resta, Kobayashi, Buemi, Perez, Alguersuari, Barrichello, Senna, Maldonado, Trulli, Kovalainen and Schumacher.
Glock is the first retirement of the day, the German, who had left the pits before his crew were ready, sheds his left-rear wheel as he gets to the end of the pitlane.
Now running in sixteenth, Senna is asked how his tyres are performing. "They're OK," is the dispassionate response.
"Sebastian, we have a serious gearbox problem," the world champion is told, "you have to short shift in second and third on red". Meanwhile, Webber has closed to within 2.3s.
Senna sheds a piece of the front wing damaged earlier in the race watched by his mother, sister of the late Ayrton Senna.
"Short shift every corner every lap," Vettel is told. "Then I will fall behind," is the anxious response.
Maldonado has pulled off to the side of the track, his race over. What with Senna's; problems this is Force India's chance to close the gap, Sutil is currently seventh and di Resta tenth. It's not enough.
At the start of lap 30, Webber passes Vettel, the German giving a whole new meaning to his previous response of "I will fall behind". Ironically, on the lap just completed (29), the German was quicker than his teammate.
As Petrov (tenth) makes his second stop of the afternoon, Kovalainen passes Senna and then Schumacher.
Button pits at the end of lap 31, the Englishman taking on a new set of hards. Sutil also pits.
As Webber posts a new fastest lap (16.959), Hamilton and Schumacher both pit. The Englishman taking on softs.
Button's first lap on the mediums is 17.621, slightly quicker than third placed Alonso but slower than Vettel.
Despite his gearbox issue, Vettel, currently 2.3s down on his teammate, posts his personal best lap of the race.
As he completes his thirty-fifth lap, Vettel is told that there is rain on the way. "We want you to go as long as you can on these tyres." Elsewhere, Alonso pits, the Spaniard taking on softs.
Perez spins at Turn 8 but is able to continue.
Just after half-distance, as Hamilton is told that he has a gearbox problem. The McLaren driver is currently sixth behind Webber, Vettel, Alonso, Massa and Button. Rosberg is seventh, ahead of Sutil, di Resta, Kobayashi, Buemi, Alguersuari, Petrov, Perez and Barrichello.
Webber pits at the end of lap 38, the Australian taking on softs.
Making full use of DRS, Button leaves Massa for dead, as Vettel makes his second stop of the afternoon. The German rejoins in second.
As Button sets about closing the 5.2s gap to Alonso, teammate Hamilton closes in on Massa. Oh oh!
As Webber posts a new fastest lap (16.484), Kobayashi is told that he is taking one second a lap from di Resta. "We need the points," he is told, his team desperate that the Japanese driver doesn't get involved in a needless tangle. To ease their minds, the Scot pulls off into the pits. Tenth placed Buemi is 10.8s behind.
The stewards announce that they are investigating the unsafe release of Glock, a no-brainer when one considers that he only had three wheels on his car by the time he got to the end of the pitlane.
As Rosberg and Buemi pit, d'Ambrosio and Ricciardo also, Hamilton is not making an impression on Massa. "This is good driving," Rob Smedley tells his boy. Elsewhere, Kobayashi and Trulli pit.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 44, the McLaren driver making the mandatory switch to mediums. He rejoins in seventh behind Sutil.
Now 4.4s down on his teammate, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (16.310). Meanwhile, Massa and Sutil both pit. The Brazilian rejoins ahead of Hamilton, the pit stop working to the Ferrari driver's advantage.
It's getting monotonous, Vettel is told: "We have a serious gearbox problem". Moments later, no such warnings for Hamilton who pulls to the side of the track. "My gearbox has gone," he despondently tells his team.
All this plays into the hands of the Force India duo who are currently running seventh and ninth with the Renaults eleventh and eighteenth.
Sutil passes Rosberg on the pit straight, but the Mercedes driver beautifully re-takes the position under braking into the first corner.
At the end of lap 49, Alguersuari pits from ninth, thereby promoting Kobayashi. Elsewhere, Senna makes his fourth visit to the pits this afternoon.
Sutil finally nails Rosberg, this time the Force India is ready for his countryman's response. Game over.
As Webber enjoys a 6.3s lead, Vettel has clearly eased off. Enquiring of his team his advantage over Alonso he is told 11s.
Button and Schumacher both pit, the McLaren driver sticking with mediums while the Mercedes driver has to.
Alonso pits at the end of lap 54, as does Barrichello, the Spaniard taking on the mediums. Meanwhile, Button is told that he can do qualifying laps to the end. The McLaren driver responds with a new fastest lap (15.989) closing to within 4.6s of the Ferrari.
Webber makes his final stop at the end of lap 58, the Australian rejoining in second. Next time around it is his teammate's turn to pit, the German rejoining 8.5s behind Webber.
Button has closed right in on Alonso, the McLaren driver having put in a string of sensational laps.
As Alonso and Button continue their titanic battle, Webber posts a new fastest lap (15.492).
Button closes right in on Alonso at the end of lap 61, and making full use of KERS and DRS nails the Ferrari at the end of the back straight. The move, clean and totally professional, gets a deserved round of applause in the McLaren garage. The Englishman is told that Vettel has a gearbox problem and is catchable. Although 0.6s quicker than the German there are only 8 laps remaining.
It's: Webber, Vettel, Button, Alonso, Massa, Sutil, Rosberg, di Resta, Kobayashi, Petrov, Alguersuari, Buemi, Perez, Barrichello, Schumacher, Kovalainen, Senna, Trulli, d'Ambrosio, Liuzzi and Ricciardo. That said, Liuzzi pulls to the side of the track, his race over.
With 3 laps remaining, Alonso complains that his rear wing isn't working. Button, now 8.4s down on Vettel, appears to have settled for third.
Barrichello passes Massa to un-lap himself, the Brazilian battling with Schumacher for fourteenth.
On the penultimate lap Webber goes quickest (15.480), the Australian is immediately told "we don't need any more". Nonetheless, he bangs in a 15.324, just 48 hours after winning DHL's Fastest Lap Award.
After crossing the line, Button is told to park his car, the Englishman fully obeying and walking up the hill for the podi8um ceremony.
At the other end of the start straight, Massa does a couple of do-nuts, the Ferrari driver giving his fans something after what has been a disappointing outing for local talent.
So, Webber wins, ahead of Vettel, Button, Alonso, Massa, Sutil, Rosberg, di Resta, Kobayashi and Petrov.
Alguersuari finishes eleventh, ahead of Buemi, Perez, Barrichello, Schumacher, Kovalainen, Senna, Trulli, d'Ambrosio and Ricciardo.
The result means that Button finishes runner-up to Vettel in the championship, while Webber leapfrogs Alonso to take third.
In terms of constructors, despite a brave effort, Force India miss out on fifth by just four points while Sauber's two points, courtesy of Kobayashi, are enough to fend off Toro Rosso for seventh.
A perfect way to end the season, and we didn't need an appearance from the rain gods.
No disrespect to Sebastian but it was good to see someone else taking a win in one of the Milton Keynes rockets, even though, before he got to the podium, Mark looked as though he could barely contain his indifference.
What we hope for now, as we await the launches in January and the first tests in February, not to mention the season opener next March, is that the engineers at McLaren, Ferrari and Woking will go away and get to work on closing the gap to Red Bull.
With few rule changes, it is hard to see either the Austrian outfit or its star driver dropping the ball, however, as we know from the early 2000s, when Ferrari and Schumacher reigned, nobody enjoys total domination. It is not up to Seb and his team to slow down, it is up to the opposition to catch up.
Similarly, let's hope that teams like Renault (soon to be Lotus) and Williams get their act together and Lotus (soon to be Caterham), HRT and Marussia (nee Virgin) follow suit.
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