04/11/2012
NEWS STORY
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From the very moment the circus arrived in Abu Dhabi it began; "magnificent", "stunning", "beautiful", "inspiring"… you get the picture.
OK, the Yas Marina facility and its surrounds might look "magnificent" and "stunning" - if that's what you're into - but what about the actual racing. You know, the thing we're really here for.
Right from the start we are reminded that this is a circuit where overtaking is difficult, and is if proof were needed we are reminded of 2010 when Fernando Alonso watched his title slip away as he spent lap after lap behind Vitaly Petrov.
Going slightly off topic; some have pointed out that today's race could be "payback" for the Spaniard, conveniently forgetting that if he'd passed the feisty Russian the Ferrari driver still had to deal with Nico Rosberg.
Anyway, there we were looking ahead to a race in which pole-man Lewis Hamilton would sail off into the distance while Sebastian Vettel, several places ahead of his championship rival, Alonso, could enjoy a relatively comfortable afternoon, maybe even allowing his teammate a share of the spotlight.
However, all that changed late last night when, after several hours of deliberation, the stewards ruled that Vettel was to be excluded from qualifying for having insufficient fuel in his car for sampling.
Ordered to start the German from the back of the grid, Red Bull responded by withdrawing him from Parc Ferme and electing to start him from the pitlane. This, of course, means that not only can the championship leader choose what tyres he starts on, it also means his team can make all manner of changes to the car, particularly set-up in terms of the changing temperatures.
Among the changes made, the German has a new gearbox, new gear ratios, new suspension settings and other changes in terms of downforce.
Therefore, while some question whether the whole scenario is a ploy by F1's powers that be to keep the championship alive, at least until Austin, others must wonder if this isn't a touch of genius on the Austrian outfit's part. Certainly, the German, who many insist can only win from the front, has the opportunity to silence some of his remaining critics today.
Ignoring Vettel, and like his countryman Michael Schumacher it is never easy to do so, one has to wonder what mayhem Pastor Maldonado might cause at the start, the Venezuelan promoted to third on the grid following Vettel's exclusion. Starting behind Hamilton and Webber but ahead of Raikkonen, Button and Alonso, the Williams driver, who drove magnificently yesterday, could play a key role in the 2012 title race.
If Hamilton has looked good all weekend so too has Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn, and his car, showing significant improvement just days after India. Along with Webber, Raikkonen has the best reliability record this year, indeed, he is the only driver to complete every single racing lap. While a win might be a big ask, he must certainly be a good bet for another podium visit.
Jenson Button faces a long afternoon, and that will begin at the lights when Alonso makes his move. While his teammate seems almost assured of victory, Jenson is likely to be spending his time fending off the likes of Massa, Rosberg and Grosjean, whilst trying to help his team to the runner-up spot in the Constructors' Championship.
It was another disappointing qualifying for Force India, but Hulkenberg should help make up for that this afternoon as the team battles Sauber for sixth in the standings. After two pointless races the Swiss outfit desperately needs to start scoring again, however, Kobayashi's apparent lack of self belief is worrying.
After his mistake in qualifying, there is no hope of a fairy tale race for Michael Schumacher, the German knowing that in just a couple of weeks he can hang up the helmet, get back on his horse and not have to worry about the fashion police any longer.
As Toro Rosso continues to struggle, the other main point of interest yesterday was that Pic qualified ahead of Petrov, the Russian having been eclipsed by both Marussias in FP3. Although he's clearly got talent, the Russian is another driver who has the look of someone not destined to be part of the circus next year, especially as teams are increasingly looking at bigger and bigger purses.
Tyre wear hasn't been an issue here and Pirelli is expecting a one-stop strategy to be the norm. It's also worth noting that the difference between the tow compounds was between 0.6 - 0.8s.
As in 2011 there are two DRS zone but, as is often the case, the second zone usually negates the effect of first.
The pitlane opens and one by one the drivers head out. All except Vettel, who starts from the pitlane and is therefore not allowed to try the car until the start.
As the field waits to head off on the warm-up lap, Vettel is at the end of the pitlane. "Be careful," he is told, his engineer aware of the unique challenge posed by the pit exit here… even without the red mist factor.
Bernie Ecclestone walks at breakneck speed down the pitlane to offer his good wishes to Vettel, the F1 supremo gesturing to his wife to catch up.
Air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. However, this will drop significantly over the next hundred minutes.
All but Schumacher, Senna and Vettel are on softs, the world champion trying everything possible in his attempt to limit the damage.
As the field heads off, de la Rosa fails to get away, the Spaniard is pushed towards the pitlane.
They're away, and while Hamilton maintains his lead, Raikkonen makes a brilliant start and leapfrogs Maldonado and Webber. There is contact further back between Senna, di Resta and Hulkenberg. Rosberg and Grosjean also touch.
Alonso makes a brave move on Webber and almost touches Maldonado as Hulkenberg pulls to the side of the track. Grosjean also has damage, a loose right-front.
At the end of lap one, it's: Hamilton, Raikkonen, Maldonado, Alonso, Webber, Button, Mass and Kobayashi. As Rosberg, di Resta and Grosjean pit, Vettel is up to 20th.
Raikkonen is all over Hamilton, the Englishman, who out-brakes himself, complaining about his tyres already. Vettel, now up to 18th, complains about damage to his front wing.
Having recovered from his earlier mistake, Hamilton opens a 0.8s gap to Raikkonen who now heads a train of seven cars.
Vettel is told that there is damage to his front wing but its his choice as to whether he pits or not. The German is now up to 16th.
On lap 3, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (48.809) as he builds a 1.9s lead. With his front wing damage, Vettel is lapping almost 3s a lap slower than the leader.
Upping his pace, Vettel is now up to 14th, 21s behind the leader.
After 5 laps Hamilton leads by 2.5s as Vettel closes in on Kovalainen. Schumacher is in the points, chasing ninth placed Kobayashi.
Raikkonen now has a 1.6s advantage over Maldonado who is hounded by Alonso, Webber, Button, Massa and Perez.
Out front, Hamilton posts a string of fastest laps while his teammate struggle to hold off Massa.
The stewards announce that they are investigating the Hulkenberg incident at the start.
As Vettel closes in on twelfth placed Vergne, in the sister Toro Rosso, Alonso is all over Maldonado. Senna is working his way through the field after that early stop.
Out comes the Safety Car when Rosberg and Karthikeyan collide. Aside from severe damage to both cars, there is lots of debris on the track.
The replay shows the HRT driver suffering an engine failure and slowing drastically catching out Rosberg who goes over the top of the Indian driver. Both drivers are out of there cars, the look of relief on Rosberg's car obvious. It was a very, very nasty accident.
Vergne pits, thereby promoting Vettel to twelfth. Grosjean also pits.
With a one-stop strategy the norm, but 45 laps remaining, few drivers will want to take a gamble at this stage.
While the HRT is soon removed there doesn't appear to be any attempt to remove the Mercedes. Furthermore, other than the debris on the track, there remains the matter of the damaged barriers.
Hamilton complains about the amount of debris on the track, concerned that he and his fellow drivers risk punctures.
As the stewards announce that they are investigating the Karthikeyan/Rosberg incident, it's: Hamilton, Raikkonen, Maldonado, Alonso, Webber, Button, Massa, Perez, Kobayashi and Schumacher.
Vettel is really angry, complaining that Ricciardo keeps stopping. In his attempts to avoid the Toro Rosso the German runs wide and hits a polystyrene marker at the side of the track.
Aware of the ferocity of the earlier crash, Hamilton asks if both drivers are OK.
At the end of lap 13, still behind the Safety Car, Vettel pits for a new nose and a set of softs. He rejoins in 21st.
Next time around the Safety Car pulls off, Webber makes a bold move on Alonso but somehow the Spaniard manages to hold him off. At the back Vettel is all over di Resta. On fresh rubber he makes short work of the Scot before heading after Grosjean.
Hamilton posts another fastest lap (47.886) as he builds a 1.6s comfort cushion over Raikkonen.
At the back they're three abreast as Vettel tries to pass Grosjean as he passes Pic. Although the Lots driver holds him off Vettel is a man on a mission and a few corners later forces his way past the Frenchman at the end of the second DRS zone, all four wheels over the edge of the track. On the pit-wall the Lotus crew are not happy and announce their intent to raise the matter with Charlie Whiting.
Aware that it might have been a naughty, Vettel hands the position back to Grosjean before promptly retaking it.
Hamilton continues to set a blistering pace, the McLaren driver posting 47.333 as he extends his lead to 3s. In sixth, Button goes quickest in S1.
Senna passes Kovalainen for twelfth as Vettel closes on fourteenth placed Vergne (again).
Hamilton slows to a stop, the onboard camera showing the Englishman shaking his head in disbelief. "We've lost all power," he is told, "we are having a look into what is going on".
Consequently, Raikkonen now leads Maldonado by 4.6s with Alonso a further 0.6s behind. That said, the Spaniard passes the Venezuelan in the second DRS zone after a mistake from the Williams driver.
Webber and Button are all over Maldonado, the Williams driver now clearly struggling with his tyres. Raikkonen advised that Alonso is 5s behind. Told that he will be kept updated on the gap, the Finn replies: "Leave me alone!" Brilliant stuff.
Webber passes Maldonado but it's business as usual as the Venezuelan gives the Red Bull a gentle nudge which spins the Red Bull and drops the Australian to seventh.
Button's move on the Williams driver is altogether cleaner, the Englishman passing the Venezuelan for third. Meanwhile, Vettel has passed Ricciardo to take tenth and is closing on Schumacher.
Under DRS, Perez makes short work of Massa, Sauber having a much better race here than expected. Lots of hugs on the McLaren pit-wall for Hamilton who isn't as p****d as one might expect.
At the end of lap 25 Kobayashi pits as the window finally opens. Meanwhile, past Schumacher, Vettel closes on his Red Bull teammate.
Webber makes a move on Massa however they touch, the Australian runs wide and as he rejoins the Ferrari driver clips the kerb and spins. The Brazilian pits, as do Ricciardo and Pic. "Did you see what he did," cries Massa.
As Raikkonen builds a 7.2s lead, Vettel is up to seventh, 3.2s down on Webber. The German posts a new fastest lap (47.053). Elsewhere, Schumacher pits, as do Glock and Petrov.
The stewards reveal that they will take no further action re the Webber/Maldonado incident. Same goes for the Webber/Massa clash.
Alonso pits at the end of lap 28, rejoining in seventh behind Vettel. Game on. Kovalainen and de la Rosa also pit.
Perez and Maldonado are in involved in a titanic battle for fifth as Webber keeps a watching eye.
Button pits from second at the end of lap 29, Maldonado also stops. Button rejoins in sixth.
As Vettel closes in, Mark is about to be advised not to hold him before the message is cut short. Moments later the Australian is told to pit. The Red Bull driver pits, as requested, as does Perez.
After 30 laps, Raikkonen leads but he still has to stop. Seventh placed Senna also has to stop.
Next time around The Iceman dives into the pits, rejoining still leading just ahead of Vettel. In fourth, Button posts a new fastest lap (46.495) as he closes on Alonso.
After 32 laps, it's: Raikkonen, Vettel, Alonso, Button, Senna, Vergne, Grosjean, di Resta, Perez and Webber. That said, Senna dives into the pits.
Raikkonen posts a new fastest lap (46.055) as he extends his lead to 2s. Vergne pits from sixth.
Stuck in traffic, Perez and Webber are losing out badly, they're now running eighth and ninth.
For once, rather than being told to ease off, Vettel is told to "keep pushing", advised that he is on the same pace as Alonso.
As Button goes quickest in the first two sectors, Grosjean leads a train of car which includes di Resta, Perez and Webber.
With 20 laps remaining, the big question is whether Vettel's tyres will last the distance. A message to Alonso in Italian suggests that Ferrari thinks not.
On lap 37, Vettel gets the call: "Box, box, box". The German pits, rejoining in fourth, well clear of the Grosjean train. Great strategic call from Red Bull even though they were a bit late with the right-rear.
A great move sees di Resta pass Grosjean however, a few corners later its disaster when Perez attempts to pass the Scot. They tangle, Perez running wide, di Resta taking to the grass and in the melee Webber is an innocent victim of Grosjean, who has to avoid a spinning Sauber (Perez). The Safety Car is deployed as Perez and Ricciardo pit. Di Resta also needs to pit.
Behind the Safety Car, it's: Raikkonen. Alonso, Button, Vettel, Maldonado, Kobayashi, Schumacher, Massa, Senna and Vergne. Di Resta drops to eleventh, ahead of Ricciardo, Kovalainen, Perez, Glock, Petrov, Pic and de la Rosa.
"We need to keep working all four tyres," Kimi is told. "Yes, yes, yes, I'm doing all that," is the response. Elsewhere, Schumacher pits from eighth, the German having suffered a right-rear puncture. Pic also stops, however, his is terminal.
Perez is handed a stop and go for the incident which saw Webber eliminated.
At the end of lap 42 the Safety Car pulls off. No significant changes other than Vettel closing in on Button and Senna on Massa.
Raikkonen posts a new fastest lap (45.403) on the opening lap after the Safety Car. Impressive stuff from The Iceman… or is that Yesman.
Vettel is all over Button, the German using every inch of track.
Perez, now down in twelfth, serves his penalty. He rejoins in seventeenth.
As they close on Alonso, Button and Vettel trade fastest sector times. World champions filling the first four places.
As Alonso, Button and Vettel battle, this allows Raikkonen to build his lead to 3.2s, the Finn posting another fastest lap (44.963) in the process.
Aware of the threat, Alonso posts a new fastest lap (44.816) opening a gap of 1.6s over Button. Elsewhere, Senna is chasing Massa whilst under attack from di Resta.
Pushing hard, Alonso closes to within 2.8s of Raikkonen as Schumacher closes on his old mate Vergne in eleventh. The German makes short work of the Frenchman.
A 44.357 sees Alonso reduce Raikkonen's lead to 2.2s, Vettel trying every trick in the book to find a way past Button. Maldonado still doing a brilliant job in fifth.
On lap 52 Vettel makes his move at T11, going around the outside of Button, the McLaren driver unable to resist. The German sets about closing the 4.3s gap to his championship rival.
Alonso has closed to within 1s of Raikkonen, the Spaniard lapping around 0.4s quicker than the Finn. That said, catching Raikkonen is one thing, passing him quite another.
On the penultimate lap, Vettel goes quickest (43.964) but remains 3.8s adrift of Alonso.
"Yee ha," shouts Raikkonen as he takes the flag, the Finn clearly looking ahead to Austin already. Alonso takes second, ahead of Vettel, Button, Maldonado, Kobayashi, Massa, Senna, di Resta and Ricciardo.
Schumacher is eleventh, ahead of Vergne, Kovalainen, Glock, Perez, Petrov and de la Rosa.
"Never stop believing," Vettel tells Rocky over the radio, the German having pulled a giant rabbit out of the hat today.
We started off by saying that while we didn't expect Raikkonen to win we did expect a podium finish. However, be honest, who would have predicted today's result.
As a consequence, and much to the delight of the powers that be, the title fight goes to Austin, and maybe even Brazil, and while Hamilton and Webber will feel rightly miffed, today's result, indeed the race, goes some way to making up for the apparent banality of the circuit.
While Raikkonen will rightly take the lion's share of the plaudits, what of Alonso, Vettel, Maldonado, Kobayashi, Senna and di Resta?
A thoroughly entertaining afternoon, even if not for the reasons one might have expected.
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