24/03/2013
NEWS STORY
Ninety minutes before the race, as the drivers prepare for the Drivers' Parade, eyes keep darting to the sky, the weather continuing to battle tyres as the main talking point at Sepang.
At present it is fine, but as we saw on Friday and Saturday that can soon all too change.
While the weather gods decide whether they are going to have a little fun this afternoon, debate returns to the tyres with some teams continuing to moan about the uncertainty of the 2013 rubber.
With Pirelli having been given the mandate of producing rubber that will only last for so many laps it seems unfair that the Italian manufacturer is in the spotlight, while the teams that are most vocal on the issue come across as Moaning Minnies at best and poor losers at worst.
Some teams, on the other hand, seem happy with the rubber, which, if nothing else reinforces the belief that this lot cannot agree on anything.
The fact of the matter is that based on the evidence thus far, while Sebastian Vettel did well to take pole it appears unlikely that he will be able to convert it into a win. Then again, if dry today he will have a free choice of tyres and has saved some primes from early in qualifying.
Putting the weather aside, a big ask we know, Ferrari must be feeling pretty confident especially now that it has two winning drivers once again. The Italian team has looked good all weekend and, unlike some of its rivals, is keeping its head down and not complaining.
Like Red Bull, Mercedes has been vocal about the tyres, but then again the German team has had issues with its rubber for the last couple of years. In the right conditions either driver is capable of winning with Nico Rosberg definitely having a point to prove.
Much like Ferrari in 2012, for McLaren it will all be about damage limitation, the Woking team sure to be the first out of here tonight in order that it can return to base and make the most of the three week break. Before qualifying Martin Whitmarsh admitted that rain was the team's best hope of not ending up with egg all over its face and that is sure to be the case again today.
While Adrian Sutil could only manage ninth in qualifying he remains one to watch, the German, like so many, suffering due to the rain shower that arrived just in time for Q3. Across the garage Paul di Resta is clearly rattled by Sutil's strong form, however his habit of blaming his team for everything (strategy, set-up) does nothing to encourage sympathy.
Despite his three place grid penalty, Kimi Raikkonen must remain a strong contender here, while Romain Grosjean seems a lot happier with his car than he did on Friday.
Assuming Red Bull and Mercedes will continue to suffer with its rubber, both teams appearing to make excuses before defeat, we must also assume that this race will mainly be about Ferrari and Lotus, with the others, including Force India, playing bit parts here and there. Then again, if it rains…
Along with McLaren, a number of teams, including Sauber, Williams and Toro Rosso are at sixes and sevens here and will be making full use of every minute over the coming break.
On the other hand, Marussia continues to make steady progress, with Jules Bianchi looking particularly impressive. If any team will be hoping that the weather gods throw a hissy fit it will be the Banbury outfit.
At Caterham it's business as usual, the 'home' team looking destined to spend yet another year going through the motions, concentrating on all things other than F1 and opting for PR spin over performance.
Around an hour before the start of the race there are dark clouds moving towards T4, while shortly after a loud clap of thunder is heard in the distance.
As the cars begin to make their way to the grid the first spots of rain begin to fall. And how.
Making their way to the grid there are a number of spinners including Ricciardo, Gutierrez, Hulkenberg, Chilton, Maldonado and Bottas, indeed, the Williams driver damages his front wing. Some drivers are on inters others on full wets. T3 is particularly wet, it is here that Bottas had his off.
Vettel is the first driver to actually arrive on the grid, the rest driving though the pitlane in order to try another exploratory lap.
Whilst Vettel is known for his wet weather prowess, Jenson Button will be allowing himself a wry smile, knowing that this is going to be one of his best opportunities to stay in touch with the leaders during this opening phase of the season. Indeed, quite a few drivers and their team bosses would be happy to see the rain continue, such conditions being a great leveller.
As the Medical Car completes a reconnaissance lap, Grosjean is told that whilst the track is drying T3 remains particularly wet.
Air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees, a lot cooler than we've seen previously this weekend. Humidity however is 71%.
As the field heads off, led by pole-man Vettel, all are on Inters.
They're away. Vettel leads as Massa moves across on Alonos, all through the first series of corners with Webber moving up past Massa as Alonso clips Vettel and damages the front wing on his Ferrari. Indeed, Massa has dropped back several positions.
Despite the front wing damage Alonso is battling Webber, ahead of Hamilton, Button and Massa.
Refusing to pit Alonso continues and on the pit straight he pays the price, his front wings falls from the car and he runs over it a passenger as he heads into the gravel at T1 his race over. Vettel leads Webber.
Rosberg and Button battle for fourth, the Englishman knowing that this is his best opportunity for points. However, the McLaren is no match for the Mercedes and the Englishman has to yield.
After 3 laps, it's: Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Rosberg, Button, Massa, Perez, Sutil, Hulkenberg and Ricciardo. Di Resta is down in thirteenth and Bottas twentieth.
Hulkenberg is on a mission, having passed Raikkonen at the start he now passes Perez with ease, the German a rain-master in the tradition of Schumacher and Vettel. Having despatched the McLaren he sets off after Massa.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 5 switching to a set of options. Massa also pits, he too switches to options.
At the end of lap 7, Sutil, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Di Resta, Maldonado and a whole host of others pit, however, the leaders stay out. Replay shows a problem with Sutil's left-rear.
Webber pits next time around as do Hamilton, Button, Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Gutierrez and Vergne. Hamilton stops at the McLaren garage while Vergne needs a new front wing after a collision with Pic when the Toro Rosso driver is released early.
Rosberg pits next time around, like the rest he switched to options.
Consequently, Webber leads Vettel, followed by Hamilton, Rosberg, Button, Hulkenberg, Massa, Perez, Ricciardo and Grosjean who is under pressure from Raikkonen.
As Hamilton goes quickest (45.628), Webber enjoys a 3.1s lead over his Red Bull teammate. Raikkonen bangs in a 45.416 in his pursuit of his Lotus teammate.
With Grosjean passing Perez it falls to Raikkonen to deal with the Mexican, he closes but it is clear the Lotus is a real handful the car twitching wildly.
On lap 12 it is Rosberg who goes quickest (43.775) almost a second quicker than Webber. Meanwhile the stewards announce that they will investigate the Vergne/Pic incident after the race.
Maldonado goes cross country and loses his front wing in the process, not a good day for noses at Williams. Elsewhere, di Resta, who is battling his force India teammate, posts a new fastest lap (43.753) as he closes on Gutierrez. Maldonado pits.
Another fastest lap for Rosberg (43.538) as he maintains a 3.44s gap to his third-placed teammate who is 2.2s down on Vettel. Massa told he has to look after his tyres.
Out front, Webber now goes quickest (43.535) as Hulkenberg complains that his tyres are "starting to go". As Grosjean posts a new fastest lap (43.485), teammate Raikkonen finally nails Perez to take ninth.
After a brief battle di Resta passes Ricciardo to take eleventh, his next target, Perez, 8.4s up the road.
Webber pits at the end of lap 19, swapping from the prime to option rubber. Ricciardo and Chilton also pit.
Next time around Massa and Grosjean pit, as does di Resta. The Brazilian rejoins behind Sutil in tenth. Another dreadful stop for force India, this time di Resta the victim as the team struggles with his left-front.
Hamilton and Button pits at the end of lap 21, as do Hulkenberg and Raikkonen. On cooler tyres, as he rejoins Hulkenberg is passed by Massa who pitted a lap earlier.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 22 as does second=placed Rosberg. Webber re-takes the lead ahead of Vettel with Hamilton third and Rosberg fourth. Sutil, Gutierrez and Bottas also pit. Sadly, it's another disaster for Force India, the team having serious problems with his left-front.
As Sutil rejoins the race teammate di Resta returns to the pits and stops outside his garage, as a trolley is pushed underneath his car it is clear his race is over. A dreadful day for the Silverstone team.
After 24 laps, the top four are covered by 5.8s, Webber (M), Vettel (H), Hamilton (M) and Rosberg (M). Button is a further 8.6s down the road 9.2s clear of Massa who has Grosjean, Hulkenberg and Raikkonen right up his exhaust pipe.
With Hamilton closing in, Vettel ups his pace and closes on Webber. Webber, currently lapping at 42.0 is told to target "high 41s".
In traffic the leading three lose time, instead it is Rosberg who gains.
"Get him out of the way, he's too slow," says Vettel however, Webber is 0.1s quicker in S1 and 0.5s quicker in S2. The German is reminded that the race is still only at half-distance.
Raikkonen goes cross country at T4 as Sutil is pushed into his garage, Force India put out of its Malaysian misery.
Perez goes quickest in S1 as he closes on a struggling Raikkonen, Melbourne seeming like a lifetime ago for the Finn.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 30, as does Bianchi. The Englishman switches to the prime rubber.
Next time around it is the race-leader Webber who pits, as does Rosberg. Both now on primes. Rosberg loses time behind the battling Chilton and Pic.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 32, taking on another set of options. He rejoins behind Hamilton and only just ahead of Rosberg having stayed out for that extra lap.
Button now leads but has yet to make his third stop, with Webber second, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Massa, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen and Perez.
Massa pits at the end of lap 33, as do Perez and Pic, the Ferrari and McLaren almost colliding as the Brazilian is released early.
Out front, Webber passes Button into T1 but pushes too hard and overshoots allowing the McLaren driver to hold on. However, moments later the Australian nails the Englishman.
Hulkenberg and Raikkonen side by side down the pitlane with Perez almost collecting the pair of them as they rejoin.
Button pits at the end of lap 35, having swapped to primes, however his car grinds to halt as he heads off down the pitlane. His mechanics race to his rescue, his right-front wheel not having been attached correctly.
After 36 laps, Webber leads Hamilton by 3.6s with Vettel and Rosberg right behind. Fifth placed Massa is 29.6s behind the second Mercedes.
Told to ease up on fuel use, Hamilton is passed with ease by Vettel who sets off after Webber who is 4.8s up the road.
"Can you see what he is doing, he is pushing me off," screams Raikkonen as he battles Hulkenberg. And as the replay shows the two clashing wheel you can understand The Iceman's concern.
"You've opened up the gap to Hamilton," Vettel is told, "Forty-twos should do." The German is now 4.6s down on his Red Bull teammate.
Raikkonen finally get by Hulkenberg but the German doesn't make it easy. Indeed, replay shows that it was a lock-up from the Sauber that allowed the Lotus driver to close.
Hamilton makes his final stop at the end of lap 41, taking swapping back to the options.
Next time around it is Vettel who pits, The German taking on a set of options. Rosberg also pits, taking on primes.
Webber pits at the end of lap 43, the Australian taking on a set of primes. He rejoins just ahead of his teammate, the battle through the following complex of corners but Aussie Grit is having none of it. "Careful Sebastian, careful," the German is told.
As Button, now down in fourteenth, posts a new fastest lap (40.556), Hamilton passes Rosberg on the main straight.
As Hamilton and Rosberg battle so too do the Red Bull duo, it's heart in mouth time as the two battle, the German finally wins out. "This is silly," Vettel is warned. Fantastic stuff but it could so easily end in tears.
Locked in their own little battle, the Mercedes duo have dropped 9.6s behind the battling Bulls.
Game over for Maldonado who is off in the gravel but not sure where.
Down in fifth, Massa pits, the Ferrari driver rejoining in eighth, a disappointing day for the Italian team.
After 47 laps, it's: Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Rosberg, Grosjean, Perez, Raikkonen, Massa, Hulkenberg and Gutierrez.
As Perez battles Raikkonen, Massa comes along and nails the Mexican before setting about the Finn.
Behind the leading ten, it's: Vergne, Bottas, Ricciardo, Button, Bianchi, Pic, Van der Garde and Chilton.
"I can go so much faster, let me pass," urges Rosberg as he shadows his teammate. "Negative Nico, negative," is the firm response.
The German is then told that Hamilton's pace is what he's been told to do, the wily old fox Ross Brawn ensuring that there is no bad feeling.
On lap 52 there are late stops from Gutierrez and Ricciardo.
"Save the left front," Vettel is told, the German nursing a 3.7s lead. In the Toro Rosso garage Ricciardo is the latest to retire.
Massa passes Grosjean to take fifth as Rosberg is told to drop back. "I want to bring these cars home," urges Ross Brawn.
At the end of lap 54, Button drivers into the pits and straight into his garage, his race over. Elsewhere, Hulkenberg passes Perez, the Mexican subsequently pitting.
As they begin the final lap, Hamilton is told that he needs "maximum fuel saving", which will only add to Rosberg's frustration.
Taking the flag, Vettel weaves from side to side on the pit straight, there are no such celebrations from the second Red Bull.
Hamilton finishes third, ahead of Rosberg with Massa ahead of Grosjean, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez and Vergne.
"Good job Sebastian," Vettel is told, "but there will be some explaining to do," the sort of dreaded warning you used to get from your Mum.
Bottas finishes eleventh, ahead of Gutierrez, Bianchi, Pic, Van der Garde and Chilton.
A thrilling race, with the drama continuing all the way up to the get together before the podium ceremony, Webber clearly furious with his teammate and making no attempt to mask it.
On the podium the Red Bull duo look as though they have both swallowed wasps, Webber's mouth actually down-turned to almost cartoon like proportions.
The recriminations, both at Red Bull and Mercedes will continue for some time, as will the post mortems at McLaren and Force India, maybe even at Ferrari where Fernando Alonso should have pitted at the end of lap one.
However, all this friction is surely only going to make things even better for us as the season progresses.
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