15/05/2016
NEWS STORY
In the same way that one can appreciate why Mercedes and Ferrari were loathe to give Red Bull their engines, especially the works versions, one can understand why the Austrian team allows Adrian Newey to indulge himself in other pet projects.
If allowing him to spend time designing racing yachts, Aston Martin supercars, hair dryers or cat baskets keeps him content and on board, the Austrian racers have to indulge his every whim.
Not taking anything away from Mercedes and that very, very impressive lap from Lewis Hamilton, fact is Red Bull was the star of the show yesterday, and not merely because of the media mania surrounding Max Verstappen.
Considering the power unit in the back of the car, is the same as that which put Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer fifteenth and seventeenth on the grid, to allow Daniel and Max to grab the second row takes a very special car. A car, which if fitted with a Mercedes engine, would be almost impossible to beat.
Quite what happened to Ferrari yesterday we don't know, and neither does the Italian team. Told that the car thrives in warmer temperatures, some now tell us yesterday was too warm. Whatever the problem, and there clearly is one, Maurizio Arrivabene looked ashen following yesterday's session.
Then again, despite the power the team wield, despite its 'historical bonus' and the right to veto regulations, let's not forget that when Michael Schumacher finally secured the title in 2000, it was after five season of trying. Let's also not forget that he was Ferrari's first world champion in 21 years.
Prior to the arrival of Todt, Brawn, Byrne and Schumacher the Maranello team had spent years in the F1 wilderness, to the point that most of us took it for granted. Slowly, Sebastian Vettel is learning what Fernando Alonso learned previously, Ferrari can be its own worst enemy.
Whilst some believe the Ferraris can make a great start and take the fight to Mercedes today, the German team has looked all weekend as if it has something in reserve, then there is the Red Bull duo.
That said, some, including Christian Horner, fears the Italian team's long run pace.
An error by Williams, or perhaps Felipe Massa, means that Valtteri Bottas is the Grove outfit's sole representative in the top ten, and other than his pursuit of the leading six he can expect to have a fight on his hands with the Force Indias, Toro Rossos and possibly McLarens.
Haas has had a difficult weekend here and will be keen to get the weekend over and done with and get to work on testing, the American outfit being the only team to use both its regular drivers this week.
Renault will look at Red Bull and wonder what might have been, whilst Manor continues to play catch-up and Sauber merely continues...
Although the circuit de Catalunya is not known for producing classics - unless the weather gods opt to intervene - we could well be in for a good race today.
First off there is Lewis Hamilton's need to open his 2016 account and start reducing that gap to his teammate. As we have seen form the last seven races, particularly this year, the new Nico Rosberg is an entirely different beast to that witnessed in Austin last year, and will be in no mood to yield to his teammate.
We have seen what the Red Bull is capable of, and we have heard the relief with which Daniel Ricciardo greeted the news that he had out-qualified his sensational teammate. The Bulls are clearly fired up this weekend and providing they can hold off the red pair they are set to pounce on any mistakes from the Mercedes duo or any bad luck that might befall them.
A team already beginning to look as if it is falling apart will not be helped by the additional pressure coming from Sergio Marchionne who will be present here today. Sadly, we feel it is going to get worse at Maranello before it gets better.
In Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen has two star drivers - that goes for McLaren also - and now it needs to buckler down and start acting a little less Italian.
Talking of tyres, and we usually are, the three compounds this weekend are hard, medium and soft.
The hards were only used by Force India in qualifying but seen in free practice. The medium is a strong race tyre, used by Mercedes for the majority of free practice, whilst the soft, the default choice for qualifying, has a notable performance advantage.
A three-stopper is theoretically the quickest way for the 66-lap racex, but that leaves drivers trying this strategy having to pass those who stopped only twice towards the end of the race.
In practice, most drivers will go for the fastest two-stopper: start on soft, soft again on lap 20, then medium on lap 40.
Those trying a three-stopper are likely to start on soft, stop for soft again on laps 16 and 33, then medium from lap 49.
The pitlane opens and one by one the cars head out, Sainz leads the way, but Hamilton is another early riser, the Briton performing a much-needed practice start.
Pirelli sets a last minute power. "There have actually been nine different winners in the last nine races at the Spanish GP. Will that pattern continue?" it asks.
A very late visitor to the grid is Placido Domingo who makes no secret of his desire to see countryman Alonso do well.
As they prepare to head off on the warm-up lap all are on softs bar Haryanto who is on mediums. Hulkenberg, Button, Grosjean, Magnussen, Gutierrez, Palmer, Massa, Nasr and Wehrlein have a luxury of starting on brand news sets.
All get away cleanly for the warm-up lap. Air temperature is 21 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 40 degrees.
Hamilton leads down the straight and as he weaves across to block his teammate, so Rosberg weaves across with him. Behind them, Vettel is on the outside, appearing to be ahead of Verstappen who is stuck behind his Red Bull teammate.
In T1 Rosberg goes around the outside of Hamilton to take the lead, whilst Vettel loses out to both Red Bulls and falls back to fifth.
Hamilton tries to pass Rosberg out of T3 on the run to T4 but the door is closed and he is forced on to the grass. With no grip the Briton spins and hits the back of his teammate, both heading off into the gravel. The Briton raises his hands in despair.
Back on track, a superb start and some very brave driving around the outside, sees Sainz up to third, ahead of both Ferraris. Stunning stuff from the Spaniard and bad news for Vettel and Raikkonen.
The Safety Car is deployed as the two cars are removed from the gravel trap.
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.
Meanwhile, behind the Safety Car, Ricciardo leads, followed by Verstappen, Sainz, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Perez, Button, Alonso and Grosjean.
At the end of lap 3, the Safety Car pulls off.
The race resumes with no immediate dramas, Ricciardo controlling the field.
The stewards will investigate the Mercedes clash after the race.
Ricciardo enjoys a 1.174s lead over his teammate as he posts fastest lap (30.042), Verstappen keeping his former teammate (Sainz) at bay. Vettel is all over the Spaniard with Raikkonen also in the hunt.
Back in the paddock, Hamilton still has his helmet firmly in place.
"Lewis was too aggressive," says Niki Lauda. "Nico was in the lead, who should he give in to him?"
Vettel makes a move on Sainz on the outside in T1 but the Spanish youngster is having none of it. A lap later the wily German tries it on the inside and this time makes it stick. He now sets off after Verstappen 4.597s ahead.
Kvyat is told to hand positions back to Magnussen and Hulkenberg - something having happened behind the Safety Car. "You cannot be serious," says the Russian before obeying.
As Raikkonen tries to make a move on Sainz but gets it wrong and runs wide, Massa pits.
Palmer and Gutierrez almost come to grief as Perez, Ericsson and Kvyat pit.
Raikkonen finally gets by Sainz, and sets about closing the 4.194s gap to his Ferrari teammate.
At the end of lap 10, Sainz, Button, Hulkenberg and Magnussen all pit, like the previous stoppers they switch to mediums.
Next time around (lap 11) it is race leader Ricciardo who pits, rejoining in sixth on the mediums. Alonso, Palmer and Wehrlein also pit.
Rosberg is seen heading into the Mercedes motorhome, also wearing his helmet.
Vettel leads as Verstappen peels off into the pits, Raikkonen and Bottas following suit. The Dutch driver rejoins in fourth behind his teammate.
Ricciardo passes Grosjean to take second, the Australian 16.2s down on race-leader Vettel. On fresh rubber, sixth placed Raikkonen goes quickest in S1.
Verstappen flies past Grosjean as Raikkonen similarly nails Gutierrez, the Haas duo, like Vettel (and Haryanto) yet to stop.
At the end of lap 15, Vettel pits, the German rejoining 21.643s later in third.
So, deep breath, after 16 laps, it's: Ricciardo, Verstappen, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Sainz, Perez, Button, Alonso and Massa. The Haas duo having pitted on successive laps.
On fresh rubber, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (29.760) as he attempts to close the 1.648s gap to Verstappen.
Despite that dreadful qualifying, Massa is currently running tenth and closing in on former teammate Alonso, with Grosjean keeping a watching eye.
All on mediums now bar Grosjean, Gutierrez and Ericsson who are on softs.
"I believe I have smoke at the back of the car," says Hulkenberg as the rear facing camera on his Force India reveals flames leaping from the car. "Pull over by a fire marshal," he is wisely told. He, equally wisely, obeys.
The gap between Ricciardo and Verstappen remains static, around 1.2s, as does the gap between the Dutchman and Vettel (1.1s).
At the end of lap 22, Haryanto makes his first stop of the afternoon.
Good move by Gutierrez who passes Magnussen to take 12th.
Ricciardo uses back-marker Haryanto for a spot of slipstreaming on the pit straight.
At the end of lap 25 Kvyat is the first driver to make a second stop. He sticks with the mediums.
Although there's a 3s gap from Vettel to Raikkonen, the top four are covered by 2.877s. Fifth placed Bottas is 18.321s behind the second Ferrari.
At the end of lap 28 Ricciardo pits, the Red Bull driver switching back to softs. He rejoins in fourth.
Elsewhere, Massa, who has made his second stop, posts a new fastest lap (29.920).
Reacting to Ricciardo, next time around Vettel pits, which means Verstappen becomes the youngest race leader in the history of the sport. Grosjean also stops.
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.
Verstappen stays out as Ricciardo posts a new fastest lap (28.974), but Vettel's out-lap is also blisteringly quick.
Gutierrez and Magnussen both pit at the end of lap 30. The Dane taking on the hard rubber.
Massa is back up to tenth, albeit 10.107s down on ninth-placed Alonso. The McLaren running eighth and ninth.
Vettel goes quickest (28.137) as he closes to within 3.099s of Ricciardo.
Behind 11th placed Palmer, there's a train of cars that includes Grosjean, Gutierrez, Kvyat and Nasr.
At half-time, it's: Verstappen, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Vettel, Bottas, Sainz, Perez, Button, Alonso and Massa.
In one fell swoop, Gutierrez passes Grosjean and Palmer, though the Mexican resorts to a little argy-bargy in the case of his teammate.
At the end of lap 33, Verstappen makes his second stop, rejoining in fourth on mediums. Next time around Raikkonen pits, the Finn rejoining in fourth, also on mediums. Perez pits also.
At the end of lap 36 the Ferrari crew is in the pitlane but nobody pits so they head back to the garage. A bluff for Red Bull's entertainment or a false alarm.
No bluffs for Button who does pit, as does Nasr.
At the end of lap 37 Vettel does indeed pit. So no bluff. He rejoins in fourth on mediums. However, that stop seems mighty early, the German having completed just 8 laps on his previous set of softs.
Sainz pits at the end of lap 38, as Palmer gets a series of waved blue flags as Ricciardo prepares to lap him.
On the mediums, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (27.974), almost 3s quicker than the race leader.
Bottas and Alonso both pit at the end of lap 39.
Magnussen locks-up as he battles Ericsson for thirteenth. The Dane subsequently taking the position.
Masa makes his third stop of the afternoon at the end of lap 41, the Williams driver rejoining in 11th.
Ricciardo has a number of comparatively slow laps, around a second a lap slower than his teammate who is now just 5.737s behind. Raikkonen remains 1.341s down on the Dutch youngster, 6.345s ahead of Vettel.
At the end of lap 43 Ricciardo makes what should be his final stop. He rejoins in fourth behind Vettel. Has Red Bull blown it for the Australian?
Ericsson runs wide in T1 as he battles his Sauber teammate for fifteenth.
After 44 laps, Verstappen leads Raikkonen by 1.174s with Vettel a further 7.685s behind and Ricciardo another 6.445 behind the German. So much intrigue.
31.277s behind Ricciardo, Bottas is in fifth, ahead of Sainz, Perez, Gutierrez, Kvyat and Massa.
"No power, no power," says Alonso as he pulls to the side of the track at T3, a corner with which he is entirely familiar. Teammate Button is currently 11th.
Raikkonen closes to within .6s of Verstappen, as teammate Vettel's pace is dropping off. Unlike Ricciardo's.
As Ericsson complains about the driving standards of his teammate, Ricciardo closes to within 1.651s of Vettel.
"He is moving everywhere within the braking zone," wails Ericsson. "It's dangerous, we're teammates, come on!"
For lap after lap Raikkonen gets tantalisingly close to Verstappen on the pit straight, but then loses out to the Red Bull on the twisty bits that follow.
At the end of lap 51, Kvyat makes his third stop of the day. He rejoins in 11th, behind Button.
Incredibly, the gap between fourth-placed Ricciardo and fifth-placed Bottas is 42.6s.
"Get him out of the way, he's going to cost us time" says Button of Haryanto, "I know he thinks he's quick but he's not."
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.
As he's lapped by the man that has his seat, Kvyat posts a new fastest lap (26.948).
As Raikkonen edges in on Verstappen, Ricciardo is all over Vettel, with Kvyat right behind the feuding pair and trying to un-lap himself.
Such is the quality of the racing, we've only just noticed the swathes of empty grandstand seats. Not good.
Ricciardo makes his move under braking into T1, Vettel sees him and closes the door, but the Australian is too deep anyway, the two frighteningly close. "He's going straight for my car," wails Vettel, "what is this racing or ping pong?"
Grosjean pits, the Frenchman driving straight into his garage.
At the start of lap 61, Ricciardo makes the move again, but this time locks-up. Meanwhile, the battle with Vettel for third has allowed Verstappen and Raikkonen to open a 4.2s gap.
The Iceman versus the Teenage Sensation.
Button appears to catch Gutierrez off guard, passing the Haas to take 9th.
Vettel runs wide in T14 giving Ricciardo an opportunity, however, the Ferrari has the edge in terms of power. At the end of the pit straight Vettel passes Gutierrez to give himself a breather. In the mayhem, Kvyat passes the Haas to take tenth.
Meanwhile Verstappen now has a 0.981s advantage.
With three laps remaining we could be watching F1 history in the making.
Indeed, the gap increases to 1.149s, whilst Ricciardo is unable to make his mark on Vettel.
Kvyat passes the Australian who has visibly slowed. Indeed, he has a puncture. Cruel luck for the Australian on such a wonderful day for his team.
He pits and rejoins still in fourth.
Out front, Verstappen takes the flag and makes F1 history, winning a Grand oprix at the frighteningly tender age of 18.
Raikkonen takes second, ahead of Vettel, Ricciardo, Bottas, Sainz, Perez, Masa, Button and Kvyat.
Gutierrez is eleventh, ahead of Ericsson, Palmer, Magnussen, Nasr, Wehrlein and Haryanto.
"Unbelievable, unbelievable," says Verstappen over his radio. The marshals at the side of the track bow to the youngster in respect as he punches the air.
Out of his car, Verstappen celebrates as any other 18 year old who has just won a Grand Prix would do, and quite rightly.
It's a historic moment as Verstappen is hugged by Vettel, the Dutch youngster having stolen the German's record as the youngest ever winner.
One might have thought that with all that first lap drama F1 would have dominated the headlines tomorrow for all the wrong reasons, but instead young Max has given the sport its very own Leicester City moment.
Somehow, Ferrari pulls something out of the hat, whilst poor old Daniel Ricciardo will be ruing the team's strategy.
For a while it looked as though this afternoon and the weeks leading to Monaco would be dominated by the Mercedes incident post-mortem, now courtesy of Red Bull we have a much needed feelgood story.
To the Max!
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.