07/07/2013
NEWS STORY
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Clearly riding on a nationalistic wave, the British media has been overdrive since yesterday’s qualifying session.
In the wake of the Lions victory over Australia and anticipating Andy Murray winning Wimbledon, the media is pumping up Lewis Hamilton’s pole position at the Nurburgring.
Make no mistake, it was a fantastic lap and he thoroughly deserves to start from the front, he even deserves sympathy for the tyre failure which snatched his lead at Silverstone, but let’s not carried away.
Other than the fact that pole isn’t as important here as it is at some tracks, let’s not overlook the fact that both Red Bulls are within 0.21s of the Mercedes. Indeed, let’s not forget that both Lotus are within 0.56s.
Finally, let’s not forget that but for a monumental mistake by Mercedes in terms of strategy Lewis would have been under intense pressure from his own teammate, Nico Rosberg.
While Mercedes has clearly taken a significant step forward and we should necessarily expect Hamilton to drop back down through the field today as his tyres deteriorate, one still gets the feeling that the German team isn’t quite there yet… certainly not in terms of titles as some sections of the media continue to claim.
As for Nico, we’d be surprised if he doesn’t start on the prime today, a strategy that could go some way to making up for the disastrous strategy call on Saturday. In other words don’t write off young Rosberg.
Red Bull has been strong all weekend and Sebastian Vettel, who has yet to win in front of his home fans is clearly motivated, not least by the failure that robbed him of almost certain victory a week ago. That said, teammate Mark Webber, a proven winner here, has looked good all weekend and if he were only to claim one win this season where better than in Seb’s backyard.
While the modifications to Pirelli’s tyres appear to have impacted some teams more than others, Lotus is looking strong here and the warmer temperature will only add to the Enstone outfit’s confidence. Kimi Raikkonen is looking as strong as ever, while Romain Grosjean looks to be enjoying one of his ‘sensible’ weekends.
For the second successive race, Daniel Ricciardo starts from sixth on the grid, unlike last week however he hasn’t benefitted from the exclusion of another driver. While Toro Rosso admits that in trying “different directions on both cars” it failed Jean-Eric Vergne and therefore the Frenchman should perform better today, the fact is that Ricciardo is clearly on a roll. A strong steady drive should see a further handful of points and a another step towards Webber’s vacant seat.
Ferrari continues to hurt and one wonders at what point the Maranello outfit will follow McLaren’s example and switch focus to 2014. That said, despite, or maybe due to, being out-qualified by Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso is sure to give 100% today and the wily old Spanish fox rarely walks away from the table empty handed… just look at last week.
Furthermore, with both drivers starting on the (harder wearing) medium (prime) rubber, we can expect to see the Ferraris up front quite early in the race. A correct call in terms of driver strategy could see one of the Maranello boys benefit greatly.
Kudos to Jenson Button and Nico Hulkenberg for getting into the Top Ten, both driving for teams that need a bit of a boost in the morale department at present.
There is all sorts of speculation doing the rounds regarding Sauber at present, most of it relating to the Swiss team’s financial status. A few more points, and the resultant prize money, would give the team the boost it needs and who better to do this than Nico.
If any one team has been hit by the modifications to the Pirelli tyres, it would appear to be Force India, neither driver getting into Q3 for the first time since China. No doubt starting on the primes however, decent strategy and intelligent drivers could yet see the Silverstone duo score some points today.
As Williams celebrates 600 Grands Prix, one wonders whether the party could have come at a worse time. Like an ageing Hollywood movie star posing in front of pictures when she was in her heyday, the Grove outfit is a sad shadow of its former self, embarrassingly so. There are time, even if momentarily, when the looks on the faces of those involved appear to suggest the team has already succumbed to its wounds.
Caterham and Marussia will continue their little scrap at the back, the Anglo-Malaysian outfit, in particular, showing no sign of real progress. In a further blow, a late gearbox changes to Charles Pic’s car sees the Frenchman demoted from 19th to 22nd.
While Pirelli’s new tyres won’t be available until the Hungarian Grand Prix, today we have to make do with its modified versions, complete with Kevlar bands. The prime being its medium tyre and the option being the soft.
As we witnessed on Friday, drop-off, in terms of the soft, is alarming with the front runners losing 8 to 9 seconds in as many laps. Therefore we expect those front runners starting on the options to pit quite early on.
According to Pirelli there are two feasible strategies. Either start on the soft tyre, change to the medium on lap five or six, and then to the medium again on lap 32 or 33 or, for those starting on the medium, change to the medium again on lap 27 and change for a mandatory final stop for the soft tyres on lap 54.
When the pitlane opens one of the first drivers out is Mark Webber who performs a number of practice starts, the Australian mindful of last week’s disastrous grid getaway.
As the field prepares to head off on the parade lap the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 42 degrees.
Along with the Ferrari duo, Button, Hulkenberg, Bottas and Maldonado are all starting on primes.
“At the start, if you get wheel-slip, hold the throttle,” Webber is told. There is no response.
They’re away. Hamilton takes so much effort to hold off Vettel that Webber pulls alongside, going into T1 the two Red Bull both pass the Mercedes, Vettel holding the inside line. Good starts by Massa and Perez.
At the end of lap 1, it’s: Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Massa, Ricciardo, Alonso, Button and Perez. Into T1, Perez aggressively battles with Button the Mexican nailing his teammate forcing him wide.
Vettel opens up a 0.9s lead over his teammate as Raikkonen shadows Hamilton. The Force Indias running thirteenth and fourteenth behind Rosberg.
As Massa spins in T1, losing countless positions before finally realising that the anti-stall has kicked in and ended his race, DRS is enabled allowing Webber the chance to challenge Vettel.
At the end of lap 4, di Resta, Vergne and Pic all pit, the Scot released (unsafely) into the path of the Toro Rosso. A drive-through, if he gets one, will not help his relationship with his team.
Next time around Ricciardo stops as do Sutil, Van der Garde and Bianchi. Webber now has a 1.5s advantage over Hamilton.
“I am much quicker than Kimi,” claims Grosjean as the Stewards announce they will investigate the di Resta incident after the race. An odd move.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 6, as does Gutierrez. He rejoins just behind his teammate.
“Box, box, box,” Vettel is told at. He duly obliges, as does Perez, the German rejoining the race in 7th ahead of Rosberg and Hamilton.
After a lap in the lead, Webber is also told to pit, which he does, as does Raikkonen. It’s a disaster for Webber, his wheel isn’t fitted correctly and as he heads down the pitlane it comes loose and hits a TV cameraman. The Australian grinds to a halt down the pitlane. “Switch off the engine,” he is told.
Out front Grosjean posts as new fastest lap (37.276) as Vettel passes Hulkenberg to take fourth. Raikkonen and Hamilton battling for seventh as Webber rejoins the race in last position.
As it is revealed that the Webber incident will be investigated after the race, Vettel makes short work of Button. Rosberg is told to close on Hulkenberg.
Hamilton claims that Rosberg is holding him up, the Englishman under intense pressure from Raikkonen. The German needs a place where he can safely allow Hamilton through without letting Raikkonen by also.
Alonso pits at the end of lap 12, the first of the prime runners to stop… and surprisingly so. Race leader Grosjean is the only man to have started on options and yet to change.
At the end of lap 13 Grosjean pits, the Frenchman re-joining in third behind Button.
Hamilton passes Rosberg who manages to hold off Raikkonen. The Englishman is now 18s down on the race leader. Using DRS, Raikkonen passes Rosberg into the chicane. Despite his best efforts the German is unable to re-take the position in the second DRS zone.
Grosjean immediately posts a new fastest lap (36.757) as he closes to within 3.4s of race leader Vettel.
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 16, the German re-joining in 15th, sporting another set of primes.
Hulkenberg pits at the end of lap 17, thereby releasing Hamilton who is still under pressure from Raikkonen.
“I have no grip with these tyres,” complains Hamilton, “they’re not holding very well.” As if proof were needed, Raikkonen nails the Mercedes going into the chicane, a repeat of his move on Rosberg. Elsewhere, Ricciardo has made his second stop of the afternoon, the Australian sticking with the primes, which are not lasting as long as expected.
“These tyres are like different tyres to me man,” claims Hamilton. Meanwhile, Alonso, the wily old Spanish fox, is all over the back of the Mercedes.
After 20 laps, it’s Vettel, Grosjean, Button, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Alonso, Maldonado, Bottas, Perez and Sutil.
Alonso is all over Hamilton but the Mercedes driver is using every trick in the book, and every inch of track, to keep the Ferrari at bay. The Englishman is told that Rosberg is suffering similar tyre issues.
At the end of lap 21, Button and Maldonado both pit, however, all attention is focussed on the titanic battle between Hamilton and Alonso. “I’m pushing man, I’m pushing,” says the Mercedes driver.
The Mercedes driver dives into the pits, slipping and sliding as he does so. Switching to a three-stop strategy he takes on another set of primes. Bottas, Gutierrez and Vergne also pit.
There’s smoke and flames as Bianchi’s engine detonates, the Frenchman becoming the second retirement of the afternoon. Haven’t seen an engine fire as dramatic as that for some time.
There’s more drama to come however, with Bianchi out of the car, the Marussia starts rolling backwards down the track… out comes the Safety Car. As a result Vettel leads the charge to the pits, followed by Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Perez, Sutil, di Resta, Rosberg, Maldonado (again!), Pic and Webber. Hamilton the big loser as far as the ‘free’ pit stops are concerned but aided by the bunching up brought about by the Safety Car.
Replay shows Rosberg battling a Force India as he enters the pits and Bottas having problems with an errant right-front wheel during his stop. Vergne has become the third retirement of the day.
The race re-starts and Vettel maintains his lead, Webber, at the back nailing Van der Garde and Chilton. The Australian is re-born, working his way through the backmarkers having now made up the deficit of that disastrous pit stop.
The leading seven covered by 7.6s, Raikkonen closes in on his Lotus teammate. Hamilton is all over the back of sixth placed Hulkenberg. Button maintains a steady pace in fifth.
As Grosjean and Raikkonen trade fastest laps, Hamilton and Hulkenberg enjoy a great battle. The German shows great class despite the inferiority of his equipment.
As Raikkonen posts a 35.673, Vettel, just 0.5s ahead of Grosjean, posts 36.225. Webber ties to pass Gutierrez to take fourteenth, the Mexican is having none of it.
“Do you think you can manage fourteen more laps on those tyres,” Hulkenberg is asked. “No,” is the firm reply.
Perez storms past Maldonado, who runs wide, to take eighth, a strong drive from the Mexican.
“We have no concern over rear tyre life,” smiley, smiley Paul di Resta is told.
Hulkenberg pits well ahead of schedule, if previous radio messages were correct. Chilton has also pits. Webber, frustrated behind Gutierrez, pits at the end of lap 38. He re-joins in sixteenth. Van der Garde also stops.
As Hulkenberg posts a new fastest lap (35.600), Vettel is told to “come on” as Grosjean closes to within 1.1s. The German responds with a lap 0.4s quicker than the Frenchman who duly pits.
Taking on another set of primes, Grosjean is clearly on a three-stopper, as Webber posts a new fastest lap (35.172). Raikkonen is now 1.7s behind Vettel.
At the end of lap 41 Vettel pits, thereby handing the lead to Raikkonen. The German re-joins the race in fifth just ahead of Grosjean.
“We’re trying to cover Raikkonen mate,” Vettel is told. The German is immediately on the pace, going quickest in the two final sectors while Grosjean posts a new fastest lap (35.006).
After 42 laps, Raikkonen leads Alonso with Button third, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Grosjean, Perez, Maldonado, Sutil and di Resta.
As Sutil pits, Rosberg moves up to tenth and Webber thirteenth. A new fastest lap from Vettel (34.797).
Vettel closes on Hamilton however, the Mercedes driver is in no mood to yield. Eventually however, he has nothing with which to resist the far quicker Red Bull. Subsequently mullered by Grosjean, Hamilton dives into the pits.
As Hamilton re-joins in eleventh, behind his teammate, replay shows the German being passed with frightening ease by Hulkenberg courtesy of DRS.
Vettel closes on Button as Hamilton, on fresh rubber, nails Rosberg.
Having been told that his tyres are “not bad”, Raikkonen is told that other than at T12 his radio is not working and the team cannot hear him. “Do not talk anywhere else,” he is urged. Raikkonen, talk?
The Finn, currently leading by 4.1s from Alonso, has a 15.6s advantage over his fourth-placed teammate. Button, who has pitted, goes quickest in S2. Rosberg also pits re-joining in sixteenth.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 49, taking on a set of softs with which he must go the distance. Alonso also pits, thereby handing the lead back to Vettel. Button posts a new fastest lap (34.201).
Maldonado, di Resta and Hamilton are three-abreast as they battle for seventh, the Englishman soon despatching the Scot.
Maldonado pits, thereby releasing Hamilton and Sutil. Elsewhere, Button passes Perez, payback for the earlier incident, while Alonso goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 33.468.
Replay shows yet another front-right wheelgun problem for Maldonado who rejoins in 16th.
After 51 laps, Vettel leads Grosjean by 1.8s with Raikkonen a further 1.6s behind. Alonso is fourth, 3.7s down on the Finn but 9.6s clear of Button. Perez, 4.1s down on his McLaren teammate, has 4.9s in hand on Hamilton. Di Resta, Webber and Bottas make up the leading ten.
Working his way through the backmarkers, Vettel is told to be patient. “The other have to go through them as well.”
Grosjean is told not to hold his teammate up, the Finn now just 0.7s behind, as Webber is told he is doing a good job.
Rosberg passes Bottas and Ricciardo in one move, the German thereby taking tenth and the last of the point-scoring positions. Elsewhere, Raikkonen passes his teammate at the chicane. With five laps remaining, Raikkonen is 2.5s down on the race leader.
Hamilton passes Perez with ease, the McLaren driver still seemingly destined for a decent points haul. Indeed, both McLaren drivers look likely to take some points back to Woking.
As Alonso closes in on Grosjean, Vettel posts a PB (34.301) as do Raikkonen (33.767) and the Frenchman (34.576).
Raikkonen clearly has the bit between his teeth, the Iceman closing to within 1.6s of the race leader. As the Finn takes 0.2s here and 0.3s there out of Vettel, Hamilton closes to within 1.9s of Button.
As they start the final lap, Raikkonen is one full second behind Vettel. “Last lap, last lap, come on” the German is urged. A small mistake from Raikkonen and Hamilton as their tyres begin to fall off.
Vettel keeps the Iceman and indeed the monkey off his back – the German never having won his home race or any other Grand Prix in July.
Raikkonen takes a well-deserved second, ahead of Grosjean, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Webber, Perez, Rosberg and Hulkenberg.
Di Resta is eleventh, ahead of Ricciardo, Sutil, Gutierrez, Maldonado, Bottas, Pic, Van der Garde and Chilton.
As Vettel completes his victory lap Alonso grinds to a halt in T1.
As the British tabloids turn to the Webber pit incident for their headlines – "F1 madness! Cameraman suffers chest pain and concussion after Webber's wheel hits him" (Daily Mail) and "See shocking video of Mark Webber's wheel knocking down cameraman" (Daily Mirror) – it’s worth noting that they are unable to get any shock, horror headlines courtesy of tyre failures. It would appear that last week’s media villains are this week’s heroes. Then again, what is it they say about newspapers and chip wrappers.
A good race and a popular winner – at least in Germany – while Raikkonen enjoys a much welcomed return to form, as does Grosjean.
Clearly, contrary to what we all thought, and in spite of that Barcelona test, Mercedes still has tyres issues.
On the whole though, Wunderbar!
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