05/10/2014
NEWS STORY
At one stage, albeit very briefly, we seriously considered whether there was some sort of conspiracy at work, the sort Glen 'Crompo' Crompton revels in.
Although F1 doesn't do politics, the sport is under considerable pressure in terms of the Russian Grand Prix. Therefore, what better excuse to abandon the race than for Bernie to have to tell the organisers, and his old pal Vladimir Putin, that Typhoon Phanfon (a made-up name if ever we heard one – had meant the 'circus' couldn't leave Japan in time to get set up in Sochi... the F1 equivalent of 'the dog ate the bill'.
Anyway, all that aside, in terms of today's race all bet are off.
While the full force of said typhoon has yet to be felt, the storm after the calm, so to speak, began several hours ago as rain began to fall on Suzuka and pretty much everywhere else.
Consequently the grid and all that running on Friday and Saturday pretty much counts for nothing with all running in the dry and not a hint, to our knowledge, of a wet set-up, though Red Bull is understood to have added some extra wing.
Remember, the typhoon is ongoing and still approaching the circuit, indeed the region, and things will only get more difficult.
The FIA was willing to move the race forward by a couple of hours, but promoter, asnd circuit owner, Honda said no, fearing that this would result in having tp make refunds to race goers.
A worst case scenario would see the race start behind the Safety Car, the field continuing on its way behind the Mercedes, the one driven by Bernd Maylander, until it is deemed safe enough to release the hounds. An even worse case scenario could see the race stopped after just two laps at which stage half-points would be available.
While there is a time limit on the race, which would allow for it to be stopped and then resumed when conditions improve, this is compromised by the fading light... it was dark by 17:30 yesterday.
Of course, such conditions totally level the playing field, in terms of the cars, but sort the men from the boys in terms of drivers. One driver who is sure to relish the conditions is Sebastian Vettel, who probably has his best chance of the season. Then again, countryman Nico Hulkenberg is no slouch in the wet either.
Then again, let's not forget Lewis, Jenson, Kimi or Fernando, to name just the champions
The drivers' parade, which saw the drivers ferried around the circuit in open top cars (natch!), was held in lashing rain, all said drivers looking thoroughly miserable... their waves to the crowd half-hearted but about as much as they could manage under the circumstances.
As the pitlane opens the rain has eased off a little, but it won't last for long indeed, meteorologists are predicting two further very heavy downpours. One by one the drivers head out... all are on full wets.
As Button complains of a total lack of vision, Perez goes off twice, once at Spoon. However, Ricciardo feels inters will suffice. That said, the rain is now increasing in intensity. There is standing water on various parts of the track, even one or two little streams.
Race control confirms that the race will start behind the Safety Car.
Great to see that despite the conditions, the enthusiasm of the fans hasn't been dampened.
As the field prepares to head off behind the Safety Car the air temperature is 19 degrees C, while the track temperature is 23 degrees.
The Safety Car heads off... the field follows. Game on.
"It is much wetter than before, Hamilton is told, "you need to be careful." "The safety car needs to go faster," is the response.
As the field completes the first lap, fans can be seen applauding.
Ericsson goes off in the final corner and appears to be stuck in the gravel. He is given a push and rejoins behind the rest of the pack.
Rosberg is told that conditions are so poor Hamilton cannot see him. A likely excuse.
Halfway through the first lap the race is red flagged. The cars follow the Safety Car in to the pit lane rather than reforming the grid.
Safety controls issues the (hard to believe) message that "tents are allowed in pit lane".
As the mechanic make adjustments to the cars, most of the drivers are back in their garages.
A long shot reveals a lot of empty seats in the grandstands... and we don't believe that's down to the weather.
Mercedes tweets that with two laps completed the race now qualifies for half points however, the general consensus that this is not entirely correct as the race was red-flagged before the end of the second lap. That said, F1 usually makes the rules up on the hoof anyway.
Race Control says the race will resume in 10 minutes, the rain appearing to have eased. For now.
Hulkenberg is told that the rain should stop for around thirty minutes but further "showers" (showers!!!) are expected after that.
Race Control: The Safety Car will cover more than 1 lap – wet weather tyres must be used.
Rosberg tells the team to keep a close eye on the weather, warning that it would be pointless to pit for Inters only to have to change back to full wets shortly after. Well duh!
At 15:25, as promised the Safety Car takes to the track followed by Rosberg and friends. Bottas almost trips up over Hamilton. Game over for Alonso who stops at T5, the Spaniard clearly furious.
"I can't get my right brake temperature up," says Hamilton. He is told it could be a sensor issue. The Briton also says the track is drying.
As Alonso changes out of his overalls, Ricciardo suggests it might be time for the Safety Car to pull off.
Oh dear. Maldonado posts the fastest lap of the 'race'.
Bottas is told that the expected band of rain will probably arrive later, after lap 35.
"Track is as good as it's going to get," claims Hamilton, "the puddles are not a problem."
"Conditions are fine," says Vergne, "it's perfect to drive now."
"Charlie, the track is fine," says Hamilton, in a direct message to the Race Director, "we've already done two more laps (than we need).
"It's not far off Inters," he subsequently adds. Button concurs.
Still the Safety Car stays out, 8 laps now completed.
Halfway through the ninth lap, Race control announces that the Safety Car will pull off at the end of the lap. Looks like we're going to have a race. For a while.
Rosberg backs up the field, Hamilton right behind him. Race on. Not for Button and Maldonado however, as both pit.
Hamilton looks at his teammate but is unable to make a move, he has to pull out of the spray. Vettel is all over Magnussen, however the German subsequently runs wide.
Perez makes a great move on Kvyat to take ninth as nobody follows Button's example of switching to Inters. Maldonado, also on Inters, has been off at T13.
Out front, Rosberg has a 2.1s lead while Bottas is 8.8s behind Hamilton.
At the end of lap 11, Bottas, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Raikkonen, Perez, Kvyat, Gutierrez, Grosjean and a host of others pit for Inters.
By stopping early, Button has leapfrogged a number of cars and is up to 8th.
"The Inters are slower at the moment," Rosberg is told. Maldonado has been off again.
Next time around Massa, Vettel, Hulkenberg and Sutil pit. Massa and Vettel almost collide as they exit the pits.
Rosberg is told to "box" for inters at the end of lap 12, as Bianchi is promoted to third as a result of not having pitted (yet).
Rosberg pits but teammate Hamilton stays out. The German rejoins in second... such is Mercedes advantage.
Bianchi also pits, thereby promoting Button to third. Massa goes off at T13 but continues.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1 but subsequently runs wide at Spoon. He pits, rejoining in second 23.891s later.
With all now on Inters, after 14 laps it's: Rosberg, Hamilton, Button, Bottas, Massa, Vettel, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Raikkonen and Hulkenberg.
Rosberg complains of oversteer.
At the end of lap 15, Magnussen makes his second stop of the day.
Vettel is all over Massa with Ricciardo keeping a watching eye. The world champion nails the Williams driver at the hairpin. Ricciardo attempts to follow suit but the Brazilian is having none of it.
Next time around Ricciardo goes around the outside of the Williams at Dunlop, a bold, brave move from the Australian.
Out front, Rosberg leads by 1.2s, Button a further 17.5s behind.
Rosberg is warned of further "light rain in a couple of minutes".
Vettel makes short work of the second Williams, going around the outside of Bottas at the hairpin.
Hamilton goes quickest in S2 as he closes on Rosberg.
Ricciardo repeats his earlier move, going around the outside of Bottas at Dunlop. The Red Bulls now fourth and fifth.
Contrary to the report to Rosberg, Hamilton is told that there will be "no more rain before the end of the race". We'll see.
As Vergne pits for fresh Inters, countryman Grosjean goes off at T13. Vergne, remember, was among the first to stop and switch from Inters.
Vettel and Ricciardo post PBs as the German closes to within 13.3s of Button.
Massa is now under pressure from Hulkenberg.
Ricciardo is told that his pace is good but that teammate Vettel is the fastest man on circuit.
At the end of lap 21, Grosjean pits.
Hulkenberg runs wide at T8, losing ground to Massa.
"Nico, let us know, on your scale, how hard you are pushing?" "I'm flat-out," comes the reply.
Sutil and Maldonado both pit at the end of lap 22.
Alonso remains the only retirement.
Kobayashi from Grosjean, Sutil, Magnussen and Vergne.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 23, but there's an issue with the front-right costing the Finn valuable time. He rejoins in 14th.
DRS is enabled on lap 25 and Hamilton immediately closes on his teammate.
Bianchi, currently 12th, pits at the end of lap 34.
A mistake by Rosberg allows Hamilton to close right in, the Briton hounding his teammate all the way.
"So much oversteer," complains Rosberg.
Perez and Ericsson pit at the end of lap 25.
Down the pit straight, the sole DRS zone, the Mercedes duo close on Bianchi. A mistake sees Hamilton run wide, giving Rosberg breathing space. Hulkenberg pits whilst Vergne runs very wide in T13.
As Hamilton closes in on Rosberg, Button is 16.1s behind with the Red Bull duo closing in.
At the start of lap 29, Hamilton sweeps around the outside of his teammate in T1, having taken full advantage of his DRS. The crowd cheers.
Kvyat passes Gutierrez on the pit straight to take 9th.
At the end of lap 29, Vettel is the first of the leading group to make a second stop. He joins in 5th, having lost just one position – to his teammate.
As Gutierrez is now passed by Perez, Hamilton's lead is up to 3.936s.
On fresh Inters, Vettel goes quickest in S2.
Clearly struggling for grip, Rosberg continues to lose ground to his teammate. The gap is now up to 4.7s.
Button pits at the end of lap 31, the McLaren driver rejoining in fifth 28.547s later, behind Ricciardo, the team having changed his steering wheel.
Vettel posts a new fastest lap 1:52.191.
Maldonado nails Sutil to take 16th. Some good scrapping throughout the field.
Another fastest lap from Vettel (51.915) as he closes to 38s of the race leader.
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 33, rejoining in third 24.862s later. Sutil also pits.
Button posts a new fastest lap (51.721) as teammate Magnussen's day gets worse, the Dane spinning at T2.
"Tyres are OK still," says Hamilton, the Briton now 18.7s clear of Ricciardo.
Magnussen makes his fourth stop of the afternoon.
Gutierrez, Grosjean and Raikkonen pit, as does Hamilton, the Briton rejoining in second, to Ricciardo, 23.677 later.
"Heavy rain in the pitlane," Ricciardo is warned.
Ricciardo pits at the end of lap 35, having been passed, in a bold move, by Magnussen, who was un-lapping himself. The Australian rejoins in fifth, 5.6s behind Button.
Hamilton leads Rosberg by 6.637s with Vettel a further 6.8s behind. Button is fourth, 4.8s down on the German and 4.7s clear of Ricciardo. Bottas is sixth ahead of Massa, Hulkenberg, Kvyat and Perez.
Perez is warned of "fifteen minutes of rain".
Massa pits at the end of lap 37 as Vettel runs wide in the Esses, the German lucky not to clout the barriers.
A new fastest lap from Hamilton (51.667),
Bottas pits at the end of lap 38, the Finn rejoining in 7th ahead of his Williams teammate.
Hamilton is told that the rain "may build".
Ricciardo is all over Button who is closing on Vettel, the Briton revelling in the conditions. As he usually does. A great scrap between the Australian and the McLaren driver, Button drawing on all his experience to keep the upstart at bay.
As the rain increases in intensity, DRS is disabled.
As Ericsson and Kobayashi pit, Hamilton warns that the rain is "getting heavier". "Yes, Lewis, we can see that," is the response.
Maldonado and Magnussen pit, the Dane, making his fifth stop, switching to full wets. Maldonado also.
Ricciardo finally nails Button at the hairpin, another great move. Magnussen attempts to pass his teammate and un-lap himself.
Sutil is off and into the barriers at the hairpin, bringing out the yellow flags.
Button pits at the end of lap 42, rejoining in fifth, on wets, 22.9s behind Ricciardo.
Over a lap later, the Safety Car is deployed, as is the Medical Car. However, we saw Sutil climb from his Sauber.
As the field lines up behind the Safety Car, the Force India duo pit... for Inters.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 44, as does Raikkonen (remember him?). Vettel takes on Inters and the Iceman full wets.
After 44 laps, with the Safety Car deployed, it's: Hamilton, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Vettel, Button, Bottas, Massa, Hulkenberg, Vergne and Perez.
It is now revealed that Bianchi had gone off at the same corner as Sutil but the car couldn't previously be seen. Concerned faces in the Marussia garage.
Hulkenberg has stopped at the end of the pitlane.
At the end of lap 45 the race is red-flagged.
Again, the cars head to the pit-lane.
As we await news on Bianchi Race Control announces that the race will not be resumed.
It is understood that Bianchi hit the recovery vehicle sideways. He is currently in the Medical Centre. Adrian Sutil is understood to be in shock.
Consequently, Hamilton wins, and increases his lead in the championship, ahead of Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo, Vettel, Button, Bottas, Massa, Hulkenberg Vergne, and Perez.
Kvyat is eleventh, ahead of Raikkonen, Gutierrez, Magnussen, Grosjean, Maldonado, Ericsson, Chilton, Kobayashi, Bianchi and Sutil.
Needless to say, all thoughts are with Jules, who, according to the FIA was unconscious when removed from his car and has been taken to hospital.
Check out our Race gallery, here.
Chris Balfe