28/10/2012
NEWS STORY
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Few, if any, drivers were actually happy with their qualifying laps yesterday, from Sebastian Vettel right the way back to Charles Pic.
The German had to "settle" for his first time after being a "bit too greedy braking into Turn 4" on his next flyer, while Frenchman Pic was at a loss to explain why he was slower on the soft compound than on the hard.
All along the pitlane it was the same story of "disappointment" and "frustration", be it Paul di Resta, who described it as his "worst qualifying ever", Mark Webber who couldn't get his "tyre prep done" or Kimi Raikkonen who admitted to having gone wrong in terms of set-up.
While disappointed with qualifying however, almost everyone is hopeful that they will perform much better today, Fernando Alonso convinced that he will still win the title. Fact is however, unless something totally out of the ordinary happens - and we can discount the weather gods - this race has Vettel's name all over it. Indeed, the juggernaut appears to be racing towards that third title at breakneck speed.
With the RBR8 looking so good here, the only hope for the opposition is that Webber sticks to his word and refuses to roll over for his teammate - assuming he can get ahead of him - that the German suffers another reliability issue or that Romain Grosjean can work his magic.
Assuming Alonso hasn't taken up voodoo, sitting in his cockpit with a toy alternator and a pin, or handed Romain a backhander - an almost impossible concept in contemporary F1 - we can only think that the Spaniard believes the next three circuits will play into his hands.
The only incident of note last year - which, ominously, Vettel won, was a first lap clash that saw Kobayashi and Glock eliminated, with Maldonado, Buemi and Massa all retiring later in the race with technical issues.
However, other than the world championship title which, despite what some of the participants might say, is now clearly a two horse race, there is the Constructors' Championship - the one that brings in the money - and the little matter of those (twelve) drivers yet to secure their seat for next season.
Consequently, while most attention is drawn centre stage, there is a lot going on elsewhere.
Tyre wear isn't an issue here - teams have access to the hards and softs - but this has led to speculation over strategy with Pirelli claiming that some drivers might stop just once. Of course, this opens up the possibility of a repeat of those closing laps in Korea when Vettel received repeated, ever more alarming, warnings about his rubber. Then again, are we clutching at straws?
Talking on the grid, Lewis Hamilton, who did well to qualify third, just ahead of his teammate, says it is possible that he can beat the Red Bulls today, however, even he doesn't look too convinced.
Shortly after, Martin Brundle asks Bernie Ecclestone if he received his birthday card - the F1 supremo was 82 yesterday - to which Ecclestone replies that cards are "old fashioned" and that he prefers emails. Apart from being untrue, Bernie cannot get to grips with emails or texts, while you can include cash in a birthday card is it is difficult to include it in an email… unless it's a bank draft.
As the field prepares to head off on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees.
As in 2011 there are two DRS zones here, though you may remember that this didn't produce too much overtaking. Well it did, but what happened was that drivers in the second DRS zone merely re-took the positions they'd lost in the previous zone.
Almost all are starting on the soft tyres, the exceptions being Grosjean, Schumacher, Ricciardo and Kobayashi. Hamilton complains that his radio quality was really bad whilst on the grid. At least he doesn't have to suffer The Archers like some of us!
They're away strong starts from Vettel, Button and Alonso, further back there's some argy bargy. Alonso has passed both McLarens on the back straight, but is then re-passed by Button into T4.
At the end of lap 1 it's: Vettel, Webber, Button, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Perez, Hulkenberg and Rosberg. Schumacher and Vergne pit after clashing at the start, the Mercedes trailing a badly damaged rear tyre while the Toro Rosso needs a new front wing.
After 2 laps Vettel enjoys a 1.6s lead with Webber 2.4s clear of Button. Hamilton, in fifth, goes quickest in S1. Alonso is all over Button.
Schumacher is told that his "floor position looks OK" as Alonso closes on Button on the back straight to take third. This time however, the McLaren driver is unable to re-take the position.
Replay shows just how brave that opening lap was in terms of Alonso and the two McLarens, three great, brave drivers wheel to wheel, not giving a quarter but, at the same time, not getting dirty.
On lap 6, Hamilton passes Button on the back straight as Massa closes in. While the McLarens look good the Ferraris look even better. In clear air, Alonso is already 2.6s clear of Hamilton.
Karthikeyan, who has already had problems this season, is warned about his brakes.
Hamilton heads a queue which now includes Raikkonen, the McLaren clearly not on a par with Alonso far less the Red Bull duo. In last place Schumacher is having a nightmare, 37.6s down on Vergne and lapping almost 1.5s a lap slower.
Behind the leaders, it's Perez in eighth, ahead of Hulkenberg, Rosberg, Maldonado, Grosjean, Senna, di Resta, Ricciardo and Kobayashi, followed by the usual suspects.
On lap 10, Webber posts a new fastest lap (32.033) as he maintains a 3s gap to the leader and a 4.3s lead over Alonso. Next time around Vettel responds with a 31.695.
Perez and Hulkenberg battle for eighth, the pair now 3.7s down on Raikkonen. While Hamilton heads a train of four cars so too does Rosberg, in tenth, who has Maldonado, Grosjean and Senna on his tail.
Hulkenberg finally nails Perez and immediately puts some air between them, the German seemingly Force India's best hope of a points finish today.
Perez is the first driver to make a regular stop, the Mexican stopping at the end of lap 14. One of the best tyre managers out there is clearly on a two-stop strategy.
Hamilton complains that he lost "quite a bit of time behind Schumacher" the German probably seeing blue flags for the first time in his long F1 career.
Behind Rosberg, Grosjean makes a good move on Maldonado, selling the Williams driver a brilliant dummy, with Senna also passing the Venezuelan moments later.
Alonso quickest in S2 and Senna in S1 as the fuel load lightens. Perez makes good use of his new rubber, passing his teammate and then Ricciardo to take fourteenth. Button has a very worn front-left.
Perez suddenly slows the Mexican having shed his right-front tyre which has totally delaminated. As he heads back to the pits, invoking memories of Gilles, he drops down the order. He puts on a set of primes which Sauber hopes will get him to the end - another 40 laps.
"A lot of understeer and shuddering," complains Button, or Capt No Grip as we know him.
Perez returns to the pits later, driving straight into his garage, his race over.
Having mysteriously lost ground to the McLarens, Massa is now under pressure from Raikkonen. As Vettel posts a new fastest lap (30.837), Hamilton is 10.3s down on third placed Alonso.
Massa admits to making a mistake, Hulkenberg says his tyres a "going off" and Grosjean closes in on Rosberg.
Now, after 23 laps, 8.4s clear of his teammate, Vettel is told that Webber is "struggling for pace". Grosjean, courtesy of his DRS, passes Rosberg with ease.
Struggling for pace or not, Webber goes quickest in S2. Massa asks when he'll be pitting, "four more laps," replies Rob Smedley.
Rosberg and Senna are lucky not to clash as the Brazilian passes the German for tenth. In the next DRS zone the Mercedes driver re-takes the position.
At the end of lap 25, Button pits, the McLaren driver rejoining in ninth.
Next time around Vettel posts a new fastest lap (30.466) as he extends his lead over Webber to 10.1s. Senna pits.
Raikkonen and Karthikeyan both pit at the end of lap 27, as do Rosberg, Ricciardo and Maldonado.
Massa and Hulkenberg pit next time around, as does di Resta. The Brazilian rejoins just ahead of the Finn but the two-time champ is in no mood to take prisoners. Nonetheless, in the first DRS zone the Ferrari driver re-takes the position.
Alonso stops at the end of lap 29, as does Pic. The Spaniard rejoins in fourth, 11.2s down on Hamilton who has yet to stop.
Webber pits at the end of lap 30 as Kobayashi, Maldonado and Senna are involved in the mother of all battles. It all goes wrong for the Venezuelan who picks up a right-rear puncture after clouting the Sauber. He limps back to the pits.
A momentary lapse in concentration sees Vettel run wide, causing a few hearts to skip a beat in the Red Bull garage. Alonso is all over the back of Webber.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 32, as does Petrov. The McLaren driver also gets a new steering wheel. He rejoins in fourth.
Next time around Vettel pits, as does Kovalainen. 20.707s later he's back on track still leading.
Pic politely pulls over as Webber and Alonso close in, the Spaniard shaping up to nail the Australian. Elsewhere, Massa is told that his fuel situation is "critical", which prompts the question, is Alonso's fuel situation similar?
A big lock-up for Button as he battle Grosjean for fifth, the Frenchman yet to stop. Elsewhere Webber goes quickest (30.417). Next time around Vettel posts 30.279.
Grosjean finally pits at the end of lap 36, rejoining on a new set of softs in ninth. Kobayashi also stops.
So, with the main round of stops over, and 37 laps completed, it's: Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Grosjean, Massa, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg and Rosberg. Senna is eleventh, ahead of Kobayashi, di Resta, Ricciardo, Kovalainen, Petrov, Vergne, Pic, Maldonado, Glock, Schumacher, de la Rosa and Karthikeyan. Perez being the only retirement.
7s adrift of Alonso, but 10.4s clear of his McLaren teammate, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (29.639). Told about it, the Englishman says he doesn't know how long his tyres are going to last - he's only been on them for 8 laps.
The stewards confirm that they will not be taking any action regarding the Maldonado/Kobayashi clash, though Schumacher is under investigation for ignoring blue flags. He probably didn't know what they were.
Informed that Massa has fuel concerns, Raikkonen applies the pressure, the two now just 0.8s apart. Elsewhere, Webber has opened a 2.2s gap to Alonso. Senna continues to harry Rosberg while Vergne is all over Kovalainen, as he should be.
"No KERS, no KERS," complains Webber, the Australian told that "it might come back".
Game over for de la Rosa who goes off backwards into the barriers at T4. "Brake failure," says the Spaniard. No Safety Car, just waved yellow flags.
"Lots of clear track in front of us, tyres are good, let's see what we can do," Button is urged. The Englishman is currently 12.3s down on Hamilton and 9s ahead of Massa.
Devoid of KERS, Webber is a sitting target when Alonso makes his move on lap 48, the Spaniard sweeping past the Red Bull. Overhead shot shows the Australian totally overawed by the Ferrari.
With 12 laps remaining, Alonso is 11.9s down on Vettel, as Button posts a new fastest lap (29.381).
"Webber has a KERS problem," Hamilton is told, "we can get him, he's losing 2s a lap". In clear air, Alonso goes quickest, crossing the line at 29.236. Hamilton, Massa and Raikkonen all posts PBs.
With the aid of DRS, Senna passes Rosberg to take tenth, Williams only chance of a points finish today. Hamilton posts another fastest lap as he closes to within 2.6s of Webber. Next time around it is Button who goes quickest (28.889).
Sparks are coming from underneath Vettel's car, prompting fears that the German has a problem. However, as Button posts another fastest lap (28.810) Vettel's times do not appear to be dropping as he maintains a 9.5s lead with 5 laps remaining.
Alonso is fully appraised of the situation with Vettel's "plank"; "let's put him under pressure," the Spaniard is told.
In fact, Alonso loses time behind Pic, allowing Vettel to open up the gap and post a better time.
"I can't catch him," moans Hamilton, as Webber posts the quickest time of the afternoon in S2.
Alonso runs wide in T12 as he pushes on, the Spaniard merely allowing the gap to Vettel to open up to 10.8s again. Elsewhere, Schumacher pits and retires as Hamilton closes to within 1.2s of Webber.
Rather than focussing ahead to Vettel, Alonso now has to watch his mirrors as Webber and Hamilton close in. Down in fourteenth, Kobayashi goes quickest in S1 as he battles Ricciardo.
Sparks or no sparks, Vettel begins his final lap 9.5s clear of Alonso, as Hamilton puts Webber under increasing pressure.
Vettel takes the flag ahead of Alonso, the Spaniard momentarily posting the fastest lap of the race before losing out to Button (28.203).
Behind the German and the Spaniard, it's: Webber, Hamilton, Button, Massa, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Grosjean and Senna. Massa stopping out on track having run out of fuel.
Rosberg finishes eleventh, ahead of di Resta, Ricciardo, Kobayashi, Vergne, Maldonado, Petrov, Kovalainen, Pic, Glock and Karthikeyan.
A fourth successive wins sees Vettel extend his lead to 13 points, which is surely unlucky for Alonso and all those hoping to see the title fight go down to the wire.
On the whole, an uninspiring race as Vettel seemingly steamrollers towards that fourth title, a title which not that long ago appeared totally out of reach.
Than again, remembering 2010, perhaps Fernando Alonso and Ferrari can surprise us all and stage the mother of all come backs, starting in Abu Dhabi next week.
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