07/10/2012
NEWS STORY
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After winning three of the last four races, McLaren will do well to add to its tally today. While Jenson Button did well to grab third place on the grid, his penalty for changing his gearbox will make life just that little bit harder. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, who could only mange ninth, is unlikely be able to take the fight to the Red Bulls this afternoon.
Sebastian Vettel led the front row lock-out for the Austrian team, it first of 2012, Mark Webber just 0.251s behind. Having looked supreme all weekend, it is hard to see anyone but a Red Bull driver taking the win here today.
As far as the fans here are concerned the man of the moments is Kamui Kobayashi, who will actually start from third following Button's penalty. With teammate Sergio Perez starting two places back the Swiss outfit must be hoping for a serious amount of points this afternoon.
Romain Grosjean pulled out all the stops to take fifth, however, the Lotus has looked a handful all weekend, witness Kimi Raikkonen's mishap in the final moments of Q3. Despite a fabulous start to the season, the team has lost its shine, the ongoing saga of the 'device' not entirely helping things.
Another team at sixes and sevens is Ferrari. As the Italian team blames its windtunnel for a serious of updates that haven't proven effective, Fernando Alonso must be wondering how long he can hold off the opposition for. Though he scored podiums in both Italy and Singapore, some would say this is more about the bad luck of others than a spirited defence by the Maranello outfit. With six races remaining the opposition is breathing down his neck and a repeat of 2010's end of season turnaround looks to be on the cards, if not sooner.
It's been a torrid weekend for Force India, what with crashes for both Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg. Nonetheless, the team is convinced that it can turn things around, and the back its performance in Singapore who would doubt it.
Another team having a difficult weekend is Mercedes, the German outfit's cause hardly helped by Michael Schumacher's ten-place penalty carried over from Singapore. That said, the wily old fox has plenty of fresh rubber available so don't write him off. Nor should you give up on his young teammate Nico Rosberg, who is due to receive a serious wake up call next season.
Bruno Senna was unlucky to lose out to Jean-Eric Vergne in Q2, one of a number of incidents this weekend where drivers have wrecked the laps of others by being in the wrong place at the wrong speed. Speaking earlier, Anthony Davidson said that in this respect it is an anomaly of the track layout, much like Monaco, but try telling that to Bruno and all the others who have lost out this weekend. Maldonado had similar problems, however, both should be in good shape for some points later this afternoon.
The Toro Rosso duo continue to do the best their car allows them, while Caterham still has the edge in terms of the minnows. Timo Glock's performance in Singapore, aided by a number of important retirements, put Marussia back in the tenth place in the Constructors' Championship. Seeing how much money this is worth to the team that finishes tenth, it gives the fight some added spice.
Tyres this afternoon are hard (prime) and soft (option) with the DRS zone being on the main straight. It is expected that a two-stop strategy will be the norm today, but some will undoubtedly opt for less and some for more.
As the cars make their way to the grid the air temperature is 23 degrees C, while the track temperature is 32 degrees. It is bright and sunny but with quite strong breeze.
We've had a number of first corner incidents here over the years, indeed, going back to the Prost/Senna days there have often been first lap incidents. And of course, let's not forget Messrs Grosjean and Maldonado.
As they head off on the parade lap, all are on softs bar Vergne, Pic and Schumacher, who have opted for the harder rubber.
They're away! Brilliant starts for Vettel, Kobayashi and Rosberg. However, into the first corner Alonso spins and goes off whilst further on Rosberg is in trouble also, as is Webber. The Safety Car is deployed. The race is already over for both Alonso and Rosberg.
Behind the Safety Car, Senna is missing his front wing while Webber is running last having got going again. A front wing change for Grosjean, while Webber also pits.
Replay of the start shows Alonso squeezing Raikkonen, but the Ferrari driver coming off worst. Grosjean gets squeezed by Perez and runs into the back of Webber.
Behind the Safety Car its: Vettel, Kobayashi, Button, Massa, Raikkonen, Perez, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Ricciardo.
The Safety Car pulls off after just one lap, Vettel holding station. Down the main straight Perez goes wheel to wheel with Raikkonen, the Sauber having to run wide to avoid contact.
As the Stewards announce that they are investigating the first lap incident involving Grosjean and Webber, Kobayashi has somehow passed Button for second. Raikkonen, after enquiring about it, is told that there is a "small part" missing from his front wing. In all the excitement, Schumacher has moved up to fifteenth and closing on Glock.
As he closes in on Hamilton, Perez is told to watch his front tyres. The Mexican is shadowed by Hulkenberg. Moments later, Perez makes a superb move on Hamilton in Turn 11. The McLaren driver was caught totally unawares.
Grosjean is handed a stop-and-go for causing a collision. Elsewhere, Schumacher is told that he has lost telemetry. The Frenchman rejoins the race in last position.
After 7 laps, Vettel is 4.1s clear of Kobayashi, with Button a further 1.2s behind.
As Grosjean serves his penalty, Hulkenberg is all over Hamilton. Webber, who damaged his sidepod in the first lap incident, passes Pic to take twenty-first.
Sensing far more than a victory here, Vettel posts a string of fastest laps, his latest being 39.341.
While it has all gone terribly wrong for Alonso, Massa is all over Button, the McLarens looking just a little bit sluggish today. The Ferrari is 2.4s clear of Raikkonen.
Up to fourteenth, Schumacher closes in on di Resta, elsewhere, Webber hunts down de la Rosa. Amazingly, Kovalainen is up to eleventh. Could there be Suzuka points for Caterham?
At the end of lap 13, Button, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg and di Resta all pit. Button rejoins in eighth and Raikkonen eleventh.
Next time around Kobayashi pits, rejoining just ahead of Button. Raikkonen passes Vergne to take tenth. However, fellow Finn Kovalainen isn't quite so easy, the Caterham driver battling the Lotus for a few corners before he can hold off no longer.
Perez pits at the end of lap 15, however, he rejoins in ninth in the middle of a queue of cars.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 16, as does Maldonado, as Kobayashi battles with Ricciardo for fifth. The Sauber driver nails the Toro Rosso at the hairpin, much to the delight of the crowd.
Vettel and Massa both pit at the end of lap 17, as Button also gets past Ricciardo. As the Australian pits, as does Schumacher, Vettel and Massa rejoin in first and second.
Button complains of a gearbox problem, but the team insist that it is OK.
After 19 laps, and the first wave of pit stops, it's: Vettel, Massa, Kobayashi, Button, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Perez, Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Kovalainen. Webber is up to eleventh.
Perez attempts to go around the outside of Hamilton at the hairpin but gets it horribly wrong, he loses the back end and spins off into the gravel. Game over!
After 20 laps, as Glock pits, Senna is handed a drive-through for the first lap incident involving Rosberg. Meanwhile, Button complains that his gearbox "keeps missing gears" and "going into neutral".
Although 9.3s down on the race leader, Massa is having a great race, 3.2s ahead of Kobayashi and the fastest man on track (38.876).
"My tyres have gone off," moans Hamilton, who only pitted on lap 16, it's now lap 22.
At the end of lap 22, as Grosjean pits, Hulkenberg closes in on Hamilton while Webber maintains ninth. Schumacher is up to twelfth.
Reacting to Massa's pace, Vettel hits back with another string of fast laps, the German whittling it down to 38.449. Hulkenberg complains that his wheels are funny.
Under pressure from Schumacher, and 10.7s behind Ricciardo, di Resta is told that he can push now.
Webber dives into the pits at the end of lap 26, half-distance, his tyres completely gone. Elsewhere, Schumacher makes a classic move on di Resta, the German giving the Scot no-quarter. Just like the old days.
Talking of the old days, as Vettel posts another fastest lap (38.246), the remorselessness of the German's pace is reminiscent of Schumacher at his greatest. Thus far it's a flawless performance from the two-time champion.
Sadly, it is quite processional now, the entire field strung out - though not in the Timothy Leary sense. Vettel heads Massa by 12.3s, with Kobayashi 6.9s behind, Button (2.4), Raikkonen (6.9), Hamilton (1.8) and Raikkonen (1.2).
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 30, the Finn rejoining in eighth having dropped two places. Elsewhere, his teammate, now up to sixteenth, goes quickest in S1.
Next time around it is Kobayashi who stops, as do Hamilton and Hulkenberg. The Sauber driver rejoins in fifth.
Hamilton rejoins virtually alongside Raikkonen, they head into the first corner, the McLaren driver bravely holding the inside line to deny the Finn seventh place. Di Resta pits.
Maldonado (fourth) pits at the end of lap 33, teammate Senna currently thirteenth following his earlier penalty. Switching to hards he rejoins in ninth.
As Ricciardo pits, Karthikeyan drives into his garage, another miserable race for the world's fastest Indian. Senna also pits.
"Box this lap, box this lap," Button is told, "everything you've got." As the McLaren driver heads into the pits, rejoining in fourth, his teammate posts a new fastest lap (37.947). As Vergne also pits, replay shows that Button's stop wasn't the tidiest.
Massa pits at the end of lap 36, the Brazilian sticking to the harder rubber. Schumacher also stops, the German sticking with softs, having started on hards. Massa rejoins still in second and Schumacher in eleventh.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 37, the Red Bull driver sticking with the harder rubber. He rejoins still leading, still well clear of Massa.
Pic pits but it is not a regular stop, he appears to have an engine problem. Elsewhere, Vettel is told not to keep locking up his fronts.
Senna is all over Grosjean, as Kobayashi is told that he's losing out in S1.
Senna passes Grosjean in the entry to 130R, a great move from the Brazilian who takes fourteenth. Elsewhere, Kovalainen pits from sixteenth.
Sadly, the timing screens have been playing up for several laps, falling a couple of laps behind, catching up and then falling behind again.
Button has closed to within 2.7s of Kobayashi, should he pass the Sauber driver it would no doubt break the hearts of the majority of the fans here.
With 10 laps remaining, it's: Vettel, Massa, Kobayashi, Button, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Webber and Ricciardo.
Following his second stop, Petrov, down in eighteenth, runs wide kicking up a great cloud of dust. Elsewhere, Button continues to harry Kobayashi while Schumacher closes in on tenth placed Ricciardo.
Despite being 19.9s clear of Massa, Vettel bangs in another fastest lap (36.466) as he seemingly closes in on a win that will take him to within 4 points of the championship lead.
On lap 48, Kobayashi posts a PB (36.800) as he maintains a 1.8s lead over Button. Elsewhere, Schumacher is all over Ricciardo. Petrov is handed a drive through for ignoring blue flags - the Russian's day going from bad to worse.
Out front, Vettel is told to stop posting fastest laps, the little rascal.
Schumacher continues to push Ricciardo, again he makes a move into Turn 1, but the Toro Rosso driver is having none of it. Elsewhere, Raikkonen is under similar pressure from Hulkenberg. Petrov serves his penalty.
On lap 50, of 53, Button closes to within 1.2s of Kobayashi. "You pace is superb," he is told, "you are almost within DRS." The McLaren driver responds by going quickest in S1 however, it is not enough.
As Vettel posts another fastest lap (35.774), he is warned to "be careful". Elsewhere, Grosjean pits from fifteenth, the Frenchman driving straight into his garage, his race over.
As Vettel takes the flag attention focuses on the Sauber pit wall, it's white knuckle time. However, Kobayashi holds on and the crowd goes wild.
Vettel wins ahead of Massa, with Kobayashi third, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Webber and Ricciardo.
Schumacher finishes eleventh, ahead of di Resta, Vergne, Senna, Kovalainen, Glock, Petrov and de la Rosa.
Although not the most exciting of races - a master piece of understatement - like so many others this season it had its moments. Certainly, the first lap retirement of the championship leader turned it all on its head, as did Vettel's lights to flag win.
As the crowd chants "Kamui, Kamui," it is impossible not to be moved. Not only is this a popular result in terms of the likeable Japanese star but an equally popular result in terms of the equally likeable Felipe Massa.
All that aside however, today effectively turns the title fight into a two-man show. While Alonso heads Vettel by 4 points, third-placed Raikkonen is now 37 points behind, with Hamilton 42 and Webber 60.
As the Carmen overture is played, the crowd claps along, it is quite magical, the fans as passionate as those found at Monza and Silverstone.
On a day of passion, who better to step up and ask the winning three some questions but the wonderful Jean Alesi.
Not a great race but certainly a great day for F1.
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