It was hot and sunny in Brazil. Nico Hulkenberg's pole was hoping to set the standards for a typically crazy Interlagos race. But it wasn't to be.
The two Red Bulls quickly passed Hulkenberg, with Alonso overtaking Hamilton for fourth. Button was barely in it. On lap 7, Alonso overtook Hulkenberg. It was an early pit stop for Button on lap 12, switching to the harder tyre, and he came out behind a large pack of cars. Then Massa also pitted, coming out behind Button, and then but was forced to pit again after a mistake by the crew. In the pit stops that followed, Button made it up to fifth behind Hamilton in lap 30, as Hulkenberg fell backwards.
At first, Alonso was slower than the Red Bulls, but he got to their pace around lap 18. But he wasn't able to catch up, and there was a large gap between them. Hamilton was struggling to make his car work for him, and pitted in lap 21 with Schumacher. Meanwhile, Alonso pitted in lap 24 without losing position, and Vettel and Webber temporarily switch places. The two Red Bulls battled it out for first and second, but Webber couldn't quite reach his team mate.
On lap 51, there was the one and only retirement of the race: Liuzzi, going too wide into turn 2, hit the wall. The safety car came out, bunching up the track into three races: the leaders of Vettel, Webber, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Rosberg and Schumacher; the people a lap behind with Hulkenberg leading them and Barrichello at the back; and the new team drivers.
After the safety car came in, the drivers struggled to overtake the back markers because they were all mixed up, but Alonso didn't lose too much on Vettel and Webber. Unfortunately, he didn't quite make it back on them, and finished third.
The best news was with Hulkenberg, who finished eighth and got four vital points for Williams to overtake Force India. Otherwise, Kobayashi and Sutil were both 'doing Kobayashis' and waiting until late in the race to pit. With Kobayashi's tyres causing him havoc, this wasn't a good thing. Interlagos was wearing on the tyres, and most drivers did multiple pit stops.
Alonso still leads the championship by 8 points on Webber, and 15 on Vettel. Red Bull, however, have the constructor's championship.
In the new teams, Christian Klien came out late and was always at least three laps behind. He didn't lose too much, and by the end of the race he was close enough to be classified. Di Grassi, however, also lost a lot of laps in the pits, and was not classified despite finishing the race.
See you in one week for Abu Dhabi, the last race of the season!
Showing posts with label race 18. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race 18. Show all posts
07/11/2010
06/11/2010
Formula 1 Race Eighteen: Qualifying
An amazing shock: pole for Williams!
Sutil and Buemi have five-place grid penalties after Korea. It's wet, but cars are in full-dry specs because the weather tomorrow for the race is expected to be good. This is not a good situation for the drivers. With a limited number of intermediate tyres, they had to be especially careful.
With rain expected early, everyone was queuing up at the start of Q1 to get out. Buemi, who was fast in practice three, was at the front. All 24 cars went out, giving a similar feeling to Monaco. Times continually improved as the track dried out. It was Sutil who went out with the usual six, and no rain came until just after the session. Alonso, meanwhile, was the first man under 1:19 seconds, with Button faster than Hamilton. Timo Glock had a good session, outqualifying both Lotus drivers. Poor old last-placed Bruno Senna didn't make it back to the pits, and had to walk. Not good for his first Brazilian Grand Prix.
Q2, and the track was drying. It was close for Button and Massa, but in the end the Ferrari just managed to push the McLaren out with tyres failing. Alguersuari outqualified Buemi for the fourth race in a row, but Liuzzi had a slow one. However, both Renaults, Williams, Ferraris and Red Bulls got through, as well as Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.
Finally it was Q3. Half-way through the session, it was all in for soft tyres as the intermediates struggled. It was touch and go, with all the drivers struggling for grip especially on the final sector. But it was Nico Hulkenberg who surprised everyone, with his last two laps both good enough for pole position. Williams get their first pole of the season, over a second faster than the field! Even more amazing, Hulkenberg is only a rookie.
Vettel was only second, with Webber, Hamilton, Alonso, Barrichello, Kubica, Schumacher, Massa and Petrov.
Sutil and Buemi have five-place grid penalties after Korea. It's wet, but cars are in full-dry specs because the weather tomorrow for the race is expected to be good. This is not a good situation for the drivers. With a limited number of intermediate tyres, they had to be especially careful.
With rain expected early, everyone was queuing up at the start of Q1 to get out. Buemi, who was fast in practice three, was at the front. All 24 cars went out, giving a similar feeling to Monaco. Times continually improved as the track dried out. It was Sutil who went out with the usual six, and no rain came until just after the session. Alonso, meanwhile, was the first man under 1:19 seconds, with Button faster than Hamilton. Timo Glock had a good session, outqualifying both Lotus drivers. Poor old last-placed Bruno Senna didn't make it back to the pits, and had to walk. Not good for his first Brazilian Grand Prix.
Q2, and the track was drying. It was close for Button and Massa, but in the end the Ferrari just managed to push the McLaren out with tyres failing. Alguersuari outqualified Buemi for the fourth race in a row, but Liuzzi had a slow one. However, both Renaults, Williams, Ferraris and Red Bulls got through, as well as Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.
Finally it was Q3. Half-way through the session, it was all in for soft tyres as the intermediates struggled. It was touch and go, with all the drivers struggling for grip especially on the final sector. But it was Nico Hulkenberg who surprised everyone, with his last two laps both good enough for pole position. Williams get their first pole of the season, over a second faster than the field! Even more amazing, Hulkenberg is only a rookie.
Vettel was only second, with Webber, Hamilton, Alonso, Barrichello, Kubica, Schumacher, Massa and Petrov.
05/11/2010
Formula 1 Race Eighteen: Preview
One driver change for Brazil. Christian Klien is in again for Hispania, replacing Sakon Yamamoto. I guess Hispania aren't trying to show off Senna, then, because Klien's experience in Formula One means he will probably qualify higher. Senna has almost always outqualified Yamamoto, although he did less well against Chandhok.
With only two hours difference to the UK with Brazil on summer time, it was good for me watching the race. No middle-of-the-night sessions with the TV! The exit of the pit lane here is long, and follows the Senna S at the start of the track before the lanes merge.
The first practice session went well for the most part. The only real incidents were at the end, with Petrov and Kobayashi, who had a puncture, coming off the track. Alonso's engine ran out of life, and he pulled off the track right at the end.
Mercedes were running a new diffuser – a single channel, rather than the loophole-permitted double design that will be outlawed next year.
In the second session, Alonso had a new engine. The Ferraris have no unused spares from their eight permitted, unlike both Renaults, Barrichello and the Hispanias. Good news there for Cosworth's reliability.
Massa had the only incident, with initial reports from Ferrari suggesting it was a hydraulics problem. Unfortunately, it was just after switching to the softer 'option' tyres. Despite this he still set the fifth-fastest time.
With the shortness of the track, the atmosphere matched Monaco by the end of the session, with all 23 remaining drivers fighting for clear air as they loaded up on fuel to see their race pace. Grip seemed to be going off the tyres much faster here than on most tracks in 2010, although it's still a 'green' circuit, so we could see more pit stops in the race depending on how much it rubbers in.
Vettel was fastest in both sessions from Webber. After a slow first session, Alonso was third-fastest in the second. Both McLarens did reasonably well. Interestingly, Senna beat Klien's time in the second session. Maybe Hispania are going to be able to show Senna's skill after all.
A prediction from the BBC is that Lewis Hamilton will win. His first race at Interlagos, in 2007, he came seventh. In 2008 he came fifth, and in 2009 he came third. Should this coincidental run of finishes continue, Hamilton will win. Then again, where will he come in 2011? -1 is not a viable position!
Post to come later today about the championship competition. Visit F11, my Formula One blog for 2011 and beyond, for news on next season.
With only two hours difference to the UK with Brazil on summer time, it was good for me watching the race. No middle-of-the-night sessions with the TV! The exit of the pit lane here is long, and follows the Senna S at the start of the track before the lanes merge.
The first practice session went well for the most part. The only real incidents were at the end, with Petrov and Kobayashi, who had a puncture, coming off the track. Alonso's engine ran out of life, and he pulled off the track right at the end.
Mercedes were running a new diffuser – a single channel, rather than the loophole-permitted double design that will be outlawed next year.
In the second session, Alonso had a new engine. The Ferraris have no unused spares from their eight permitted, unlike both Renaults, Barrichello and the Hispanias. Good news there for Cosworth's reliability.
Massa had the only incident, with initial reports from Ferrari suggesting it was a hydraulics problem. Unfortunately, it was just after switching to the softer 'option' tyres. Despite this he still set the fifth-fastest time.
With the shortness of the track, the atmosphere matched Monaco by the end of the session, with all 23 remaining drivers fighting for clear air as they loaded up on fuel to see their race pace. Grip seemed to be going off the tyres much faster here than on most tracks in 2010, although it's still a 'green' circuit, so we could see more pit stops in the race depending on how much it rubbers in.
Vettel was fastest in both sessions from Webber. After a slow first session, Alonso was third-fastest in the second. Both McLarens did reasonably well. Interestingly, Senna beat Klien's time in the second session. Maybe Hispania are going to be able to show Senna's skill after all.
A prediction from the BBC is that Lewis Hamilton will win. His first race at Interlagos, in 2007, he came seventh. In 2008 he came fifth, and in 2009 he came third. Should this coincidental run of finishes continue, Hamilton will win. Then again, where will he come in 2011? -1 is not a viable position!
Post to come later today about the championship competition. Visit F11, my Formula One blog for 2011 and beyond, for news on next season.
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