25/10/2015
NEWS STORY
You might not be aware, but following today's race, on a specially constructed stage between turns 11 and 12, Elton John will be performing with his band.
Far be it from us to ask; haven't these poor people already suffered enough?
Anyway, this having been the weekend from hell, certainly as far as the weather has been concerned, we go into today's race like a step into the unknown.
FP2 never took place, nor did FP3, while this morning's qualifying session was abandoned after Q2.
Earlier in the week we ran a story predicting that this weekend would involve a "major rain event" and so it proved to be.
Although conditions are not as bad as at some stages this weekend, they appear to be forever changing.
A historic race for two teams today, Red Bull is making its 200th appearance whilst Sauber is celebrating 400 Grands Prix.
As start time approaches the rain has stopped but the track remains very wet. That said, twenty F1 cars should soon help shift some of the water.
After what they've had to put up with for the last couple of days, the fans deserve better than the race starting behind the Safety Car, surely one of the biggest anti-climaxes in sport.
As we await the opening of the pitlane not only has the rain stopped, there are breaks in the cloud with patches of blue behind them. Though Inters will be the order of the day as the drivers make their way to the grid we could well see drivers start on slicks... the first time they've used them this weekend.
Tyres are medium (prime) and soft (option). The teams have not had any chance to formulate the ideal slick tyre strategy for the 56-lap race. However, theoretical calculations would indicate that a two-stop strategy is best, as was also the case last year. At the moment, it's hard to predict the timing of the pit stops as wear and degradation rates are unclear.
The sizeable rooster tails suggest we will see the race get underway on Inters.
The Ferrari duo, who qualified fifth (Vettel) and eighth (Raikkonen) were both hit with 10-place penalties after the team changed their engines, whilst Stevens was hit with a 20-place penalty. Following qualifying however, Williams changed the gearbox on Bottas' car, thereby dropping the Finn 5-places.
Speaking on the grid, Ricciardo says we "should see slicks by the end of the race".
Rosberg is unhappy with his tyres, complaining that he "can't get them to work" and that "there is something wrong with the front tyres" which are "juddering". "Nico, it sounds like they're cold," is the weary response.
Button says it is "a lot wetter than it looks".
Aon the grid, the national anthem having been sung, Rosberg doesn't look happy. Meanwhile, red, white and blue smoke envelops the grid.
With all the uncertainty, re tyres, set-up and just how wet it really is, one phrase springs to mind; the race cannot be won in Turn 1 but it can be lost.
As they prepare to head off on the warm-up lap, all the drivers are on inters. Air temperature is 17 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 19 degrees. Other than cool and damp it is quite blustery.
"Drying out really quickly," says Hamilton as he follows teammate Rosberg on the warm-up lap. Indeed, there does appear to be a distinct dry line.
They're away. It's 2014 all over again as Hamilton gets the better start and forces Rosberg wide in T1, the German losing positions to Kvyat, Ricciardo and Perez as he struggles to rejoin the track. Indeed, the Red Bull duo are all over Hamilton.
Rosberg passes Perez and closes in on Ricciardo with Hulkenberg sixth ahead of Vettel, Verstappen, Button and Raikkonen.
Bottas pits for a new nose as Alonso is told he has a rear-left puncture following a clash with Massa that sends both in to a spin. Grosjean also complains of a puncture after being "hit from behind", the Lotus having been shunted up the rear at the first corner. Meanwhile the two Saubers clash in T1, Ericsson running over Nasr's front wing and leaving debris all over the track. Massa, running behind the Sauber duo runs over the debris.
Grosjean, Rossi, Alonso and Stevens all pit. Massa meanwhile has run over the debris, which looks to be part of Nasr's front wing. The Sauber driver subsequently pits. Stevens appears to have retired having not left the pits.
Bottas and Nasr have both switched to options, a move which will attract the attention of the big guns.
After 3 laps, Hamilton leads Kvyat by 0.786s as the Russian posts a new fastest lap (56.868). Ricciardo is third, ahead of Rosberg, Perez, Hulkenberg, Vettel, Verstappen, Raikkonen and Sainz.
Nasr and Bottas are both well off the pace, appearing to have made the switch to slicks too early.
Third title or no third title, Kvyat is clearly not in awe of Hamilton and continues to harry the Mercedes driver. Nasr pits and swaps back to Inters as Bottas is lapped.
Raikkonen, Sainz and Hulkenberg battle for eighth, as the Virtual Safety Car is deployed due to the debris on the track. The Finn went around the outside of the German in turns 17 and 18 with Sainz following him through.
The VSC caught out Hamilton, Kvyat got by the Mercedes but then ran wide handing the lead straight back. Elsewhere, Bottas has switched back to Inters like Nasr.
As the marshals remove the debris at T1 and Hamilton complains that it is "very slippery", Bottas returns to the pits and drives straight into his garage.
Still behind the VSC, after 7 laps, Kvyat asks: "Why is Lewis so slow?".
The lights go green and Rosberg catches Ricciardo off guard to take third. The German subsequently makes a move on Kvyat in T1 but can't make it stick, however, a couple of corners later he's through. Kvyat fights back but Rosberg is having none of it.
Ricciardo questions whether Rosberg passed him illegally - before the VSC period ended. The Australian's words are something along the lines of... "How the **** did he pass me?"
Rosberg is now a man on a mission as he closes in on his Mercedes teammate.
"No more rain expected," Rosberg is told, "think about the tyres but obviously you can make a move".
Button is really unhappy with his tyres, "this is embarrassing," he wails.
At the end of lap 10, Grosjean swaps to options as Kvyat closes in on Rosberg.
On slicks, Grosjean is overtaken by Nasr and then runs wide as he is being lapped by the leaders. He clearly has no grip.
Indeed, the Frenchman subsequently pits and appears to have retired.
The leading four, who are covered by 2.2s, Perez is 8.9s down the road under pressure from Vettel.
Kvyat makes a move on Rosberg in the final corner and passes the German but overdoes it and loses out, indeed he is passed by his Red Bull teammate. Moments later Ricciardo shows the Russian how it should be done as he nails the Mercedes.
As Ricciardo posts a new fastest lap (56.680), closing to within 0.5s of Hamilton, Raikkonen is having issues with his DRS. Unable to pass Sainz, though within DRS range, the Finn finds himself under pressure from the other Toro Rosso. However, the Ferrari driver doesn't give up and barges his way past Sainz.
Ricciardo makes another bid to pass Hamilton but the Briton is in control.
Finally Ricciardo is through, going through on the inside in T18, setting a new fastest lap in the process (55.362). Elsewhere, the two Ferraris almost come to grief as they battle with Verstappen.
Rosberg closes on his Mercedes teammate and the two nearly clash in T12, Kvyat keeping a watching eye.
"That guy keep putting me off the circuit whenever I get close to him," complains Raikkonen of Verstappen. "If he does it again..."
Verstappen makes short work of Vettel but the German fights back, the Dutch youngster subsequently running wide. As the dust settle, Vettel remains ahead of the Dutchman who has Raikkonen and Sainz right up his exhaust.
At the end of lap 17, Ericsson pits and then Button, both switch to options.
The Mercedes duo are in a ferocious battle, Rosberg finally making it through in T12. Hamilton having re-taken the position and lost it again, is subsequently told to "box". Vettel and Verstappen also pit as Ricciardo posts another fastest lap (54.194). Masa, Nasr and Rossi have also stopped.
On slicks, Ericsson goes quickest in S2.
At the end of lap 19, Ricciardo, Rosberg, Kvyat and Perez all pit, as do Raikkonen, Sainz and Hulkenberg.
Ricciardo rejoins the race still leading, ahead of Rosberg as Hamilton runs wide in T1.
It's all over for Raikkonen who goes off at T7. However, he refuses to give in and continues forcing the car forward, much to the delight of the crowd, and gets back on track, returning to the pits for a new front wing.
Down in fifth, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (24.955) as he chases Kvyat who catches Hamilton unawares to take third.
"Takes more than a barrier to stop Kimi," tweets Lotus.
Another fastest lap for Vettel (47.381) as he closes to within 2.455s of Kvyat.
Out front, Rosberg passes Ricciardo to take the lead, the German requesting a clean of his visor at the next stop.
Phew! After 22 laps, Rosberg leads Ricciardo by 3s, with Hamilton a further 3s down the road and under pressure from Kvyat and Vettel.
Rosberg posts a new fastest lap (43.999) as Vettel nails Kvyat to take fourth.
Massa pits at the end of lap 23. He's expecting new tyres but he's told his race is over. A double retirement for the Grove outfit.
Rosberg is now around 1.5s quicker than anyone else, posting another fastest lap (43.534).
After 24 laps, it's: Rosberg, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Vettel, Kvyat, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Perez and Button.
Raikkonen moves aside as Hamilton closes in to lap him, the Briton passing Ricciardo in the process. Moments later the Finn is told that he has a terminal (left-front) brake issue and has to retire.
Ericsson is stranded on track just after T11, The Swede seeming to have lost all power.
The Safety Car is deployed.
After 27 cars, behind the Safety Car, Rosberg leads Hamilton, Ricciardo, Kvyat and Verstappen. Vettel, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Perez, Button and Alonso all pit. Most switch from the option to the prime.
Next time around Nasr and Maldonado pit.
"I've got no grip," says Hamilton, "is there a big difference between our temperatures?" He is told that there isn't.
Kvyat is warned that it could be "tricky at the re-start". "Be aware," he is told.
Rosberg's lead is negated, but the big question is whether Vettel can make the primes work.
Down in 13th, with six retirements already, it is not impossible that Rossi might yet score a pint or two.
The Safety Car will pull off at the end of lap 32, Hamilton keeps teasing his teammate.
The German backs up the field, slowing to a crawl, and then he's gone. Kvyat locks up in T1 and runs wide, allowing Vettel through to take fourth.
Vettel leaves Ricciardo for dead and he goes through the inside, however, the German makes a mistake and the Australian is back through, Kvyat also closing in. A man on a mission, Vettel makes another move and this time there are no mistakes, he takes third and sets about closing the 5s gap to Hamilton.
Verstappen is mixing it with the Red Bull duo as Hulkenberg joins in. In his eagerness to keep the youngster at bay Kvyat runs wide and drops to seventh.
Watching from the pit-wall, Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene is not afraid to show his delight.
Verstappen passes Ricciardo to take fourth as suddenly both Red Bull drivers are struggling. The Force India duo are in the mix also.
Hulkenberg makes a move on Ricciardo in T12 but they clash, running wide in the process the German retiring on the spot.
Ricciardo says he has damage to his car but will continue, Kvyat subsequently sweeps to take fifth.
The VSC is deployed as Hulkenberg's car is removed from the side of the track.
At the end of lap 38, behind the VSC, Rosberg pits, as do Kvyat and Ricciardo. Hamilton now leads Vettel.
Rosberg rejoins in fourth, the Red Bulls in tenth (Kvyat) and eleventh.
As Stewards investigate the Hulkenberg/Ricciardo clash, Hamilton is worried that his race has been compromised by not pitting. The Briton has been advised that Vettel is going to the end on his primes.
The VSC period over, Alonso makes a great move on Perez to take sixth. Yes sixth!
Rosberg passes Verstappen and sets off after Vettel and Hamilton.
"We need to find another ten seconds to Vettel," Hamilton is told, "not sure we can do it on this tyre set."
And in the meantime the McLarens are running fifth and sixth.
As he closes to within 1.027s of Vettel, Rosberg goes quickest in the final two sectors, crossing the line to post a new fastest lap (41.053).
The Hulkenberg/Ricciardo incident will be investigated after the race.
Rosberg makes short work of Vettel and looks ahead at the 6.161s gap to his Mercedes teammate.
After 42 laps, it's: Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, Verstappen, Button, Alonso, Perez, Sainz, Maldonado and Ricciardo.
A big crash for Kvyat brings of the Safety Car. The Russian losing the rear after taking too much kerb in the final corner.
Hamilton pits, as do Vettel, Nasr, Sainz and Maldonado.
Whilst we knew Hamilton would need to stop, not so Vettel. Although he is now on the options. The German's stop means that Verstappen is now up to third.
Button pits, thereby promoting his teammate to fifth. Rossi is now up to eleventh (of twelve remaining runners).
A piece of the front wing from Kvyat's front wing is stuck in the barriers hence the long Safety Car period. That said, it pulls off at the end of lap 45.
Verstappen is told that his tyre life is "at the limit".
Again Rosberg backs up the field, again Hamilton teases him. We're racing again and Verstappen shadows Hamilton and Alonso shadows Vettel.
Despite much fresher tyres Vettel is unable to deal with Verstappen. That said he subsequently passes the youngster.
Maldonado and Button run wide in T12 as they battle, Sainz joining in the fun as they battle for eighth.
Perez is all over Alonso as Hamilton takes the lead after a mistake by Rosberg, the German having run wide.
Sainz passes Ricciardo for seventh with Alonso passing both moments later and Button following through.
"You are on fire mate, keep pushing," Alonso is told. Moments later however the fire is extinguished as Button passes the Spaniard for sixth.
This is manic. Alonso has a problem and loses positions to Sainz and then Maldonado. Nasr also passing the McLaren driver who complains he has no power.
At the end of lap 50 Ricciardo pits, as Hamilton maintains a 2.5s lead over Rosberg. Vettel is a further 2.7s down the road. If it remains like this Hamilton is world champion.
"I've got no power, what can I do, in lap, in lap," says Alonso. However, he is told to stay out and take the point (for tenth).
Sainz all over Button as they battle for sixth. Elsewhere, Vettel posts a PB (41.330)
Vettel closes to within 1.7s of Rosberg.
Sainz seizes the moment, diving down the inside of Button at T12 to take sixth.
Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda watch their monitors as Vettel harries Rosberg, if he passes the Mercedes driver the title fight goes on to Mexico.
Hamilton takes the flag and with it his third title, Rosberg having held off Vettel. Verstappen finishes fourth, ahead of Perez, Sainz, Button, Maldonado, Nasr and Ricciardo. Alonso is eleventh and Rossi twelfth. A 5s penalty for Sainz however - speeding in the pitlane - sees Button move up to sixth.
"You've done it," Hamilton is told, "world champion".
It takes a while for Hamilton to respond, the Briton clearly very emotional. "It's the greatest moment of my life," he finally says. "Thank you so much. To my family, I love you. Thank you so much."
After two hours of frantic activity, that saw battles raging throughout the field, yesterday's continued delays and final postponement seem a lifetime ago.
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.