04/10/2009
NEWS STORY
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If today's race is half as controversial and incident filled as yesterday's qualifying session we could be in for a thriller.
Then again, if today's race is even a fraction as entertaining as Mott the Hoople were at Hammersmith on Friday then F1 will have gone a long way in terms of redeeming itself in terms of the tedium of Singapore.
Of course, F1 wouldn't be F1 without a bit of controversy and confusion, and in today's case it is the grid line up.
With five drivers penalised not to mention penalties for gearbox changes and drivers needing new chassis, nobody has a clue with each source appearing to have its own version of how the grid will line up. Thankfully, just over an hour before the race Bob Constanduros provides the definitive version.
The big news is that Timo Glock will miss today's race following his crash during qualifying yesterday. There is no serious damage to the German's leg but he has been advised to rest. Under FIA rules the team is not able to bring in reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi because he didn't take part in yesterday's free practice session, which kind of makes the reserve driver thing a bit redundant.
An hour before the race, the air temperature is 24, and the track temperature is 41, the sky is blue though humidity still a bit sticky at 51 per cent.
After the grid reshuffle Button's hopes of taking the title today take a bit of a knock, the Briton being demoted to tenth. His main championship rival, teammate Rubens Barrichello, starts from sixth while outsider Vettel start from pole after producing a devastating performance yesterday.
Interestingly, Vettel and Button are on the same fuel load with Barrichello only a lap or two lighter.
A number of drivers either crashed out or went off yesterday, a combination of ride height, unforgiving kerbs and much smaller run offs that they have got used to. Already a number of drivers have blasted the track as dangerous while the rest of us are simply glad to get away from the likes of Valencia and Singapore.
In terms of today's race, almost anything can happen and probably will, though if pushed to make a prediction we'd plump for Vettel, providing his car and engine hold up. Other than that, Hamilton has to be a good bet, as do Barrichello and even Raikkonen, however, we have a sneaking feeling that Rosberg could do something a bit special.
That said, Suzuka, as fans of a certain vintage - though not going back as far as Mott the Hoople - will be aware that Suzuka has history, therefore anything can happen here today and probably will.
Kimi Raikkonen is a previous winner here, as are Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello, while Lewis Hamilton is one of several drivers, including Sebastian Vettel, who have never raced here before.
Trulli is running very light and should be quick to get away at the start. However, Hamilton and Raikkonen have KERS at their disposal and are on the clean side of the track as is Vettel.
Tyre options are hard (prime) and soft (option) with the softer rubber proving the quicker but less durable. Then again, with Friday's sessions blighted by the weather and yesterday's qualifying session, in particular, constantly interrupted by incidents, we go into this race with a lot of questions unanswered.
Button can secure the title here today, as can his team, however, with the Briton continuing to make heavy weather of his championship bid we may have to wait until Interlagos or maybe even Abu Dhabi.
In a season in which nobody appears to want to really win the title perhaps the best result today would be for Vettel to take the win and Button to go home empty handed, though the German would still have his work cut out in the remaining two races.
The main thing today is that while we want a good race with convincing performances and a deserving winner we don't want to see any more heart stopping moments such as we encountered yesterday when Glock went into the barriers.
As the field prepares to head off on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 28 degrees, while the track temperature is 41 degrees. Humidity is now 42%.
As the field heads off on the warm-up lap Mark Webber watches from the pitlane. Following his crash in yesterday's practice session the Australian had to use a new chassis which means he starts the race from the pitlane, as Glock would have done had he been fit enough.
We're expecting the front runners to stop twice, however, the post-qualifying penalties mean that some of the lighter cars are now starting behind their heavier rivals, all of which adds to the drama.
Most drivers appear to be on the prime tyre, the main exception being Hamilton who has opted for the option, so to speak.
They're away and there are no incident in the first few corners, though Button has a poor start.
At the end of lap 1, Vettel leads Hamilton by 1.1s, with Trulli, Heidfeld, Raikkonen and Barrichello making up the top six. Button has dropped from one place. Webber pits at the end of the first lap switching to the option tyre.
At the end of lap 2, Vettel has extended his lead to 1.9s, the German setting a blistering pace. Heidfeld is all over Trulli while Kovalainen, in eighth, has four cars hot on his heels. Meanwhile, Webber makes his second stop of the afternoon.
Vettel posts a new fastest lap (33.949) on lap 3 as Button passes Kubica to take tenth. Next time around however, Hamilton goes quickest, crossing the line at 33.721. Trulli is the only other driver running in the 1:33s.
On lap 5, Vettel posts another fastest lap (33.286) as Red Bull makes his third stop. Last time it was for a headrest problem, this time around he has a puncture.
After 6 laps, it's: Vettel, Hamilton, Trulli, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Sutil and Button.
While Barrichello is hounding Raikkonen, the closest battle is that for eighth with Kovalainen under attack from Sutil and Button.
Sutil is all over Kovalainen, the German ruing the penalty that negated his light fuel load in qualifying. As are several others.
"You're doing a good job," Vettel is told, a masterpiece of understatement, "however, you cannot use any more fuel, keep doing what you're doing". Barrichello posts a personal best, almost a second quicker than his teammate.
Renault having a dreadful race, Alonso down in fifteenth with Grosjean in eighteenth.
"We're a bit stuck here Jenson," is the somewhat obvious message that Button receives on lap 11. "I know," says the Englishman who is losing grip whenever he gets close to Sutil.
At the end of lap 12, Buemi - the man behind all those penalties - dives into the pits and straight into his garage, his race over.
At the end of lap 13, Sutil makes his move on Kovalainen at the final chicane, and even as it happens you know that it is going to end in tears as Kovalainen refuses to yield. They clash lightly and spin, giving Button a golden opportunity that the Englishman accepts with relish.
Consequently, after 14 laps, Button is up to eighth and homing in on Rosberg and Button. That little incident in which he wasn't even involved may well decide the World Championship.
At the end of lap 15, Hamilton is the first of the front runners to stop, Sutil also pits. The Englishman, who has switched to the prime tyre, rejoins in seventh behind Rosberg and ahead of Hamilton.
Next time around Trulli pits rejoining behind Hamilton in seventh.
Out front Vettel leads Heidfeld by 13.8s with Raikkonen third, ahead of Barrichello, Rosberg and Hamilton.
At the end of lap 17, Button and Fisichella both stop, the World Championship leader rejoining in fourteenth having taken on a lot of fuel. Unlike the first phase of the race he is now in clear air.
Next time around Vettel pits, as do Heidfeld, Raikkonen and Barrichello. The Red Bull driver rejoins still leading.
Of the front runners, Rosberg has yet to stop, as has Kovalainen and Kubica. Button is still down in fourteenth.
Vettel, Rosberg, Hamilton, Trulli, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Kubica, Raikkonen and Barrichello after 20 laps.
"Barrichello is slowing me down," shouts rookie Alguersuari. The Spanish youngster, who has still to stop, now running in tenth, one second behind the Brawn veteran.
Button, still down in fourteenth, 3.7s behind Alonso, is matching the pace of the race leaders, consistently lapping in the 1:34s.
At the end of lap 22, Rosberg pits, as does Alguersuari. The German, who appears to have changed strategy, rejoins in ninth just ahead of his teammate.
Kovalainen pits at the end of lap 24, as teammate Hamilton is told that he needs a "three-second gap to Trulli" who is matching the Englishman's times. Kubica (fifth) has yet to stop, as have Nakajima, Liuzzi, Alonso and Grosjean.
On lap 26 it is Kubica who pits, promoting Raikkonen to fifth. The Pole rejoins in eleventh behind Button. Staying with the prime tyre the BMW driver will obviously have to make a splash 'n' dash at the end of the race.
When Nakajima points at the end of lap 27, it promotes Button to ninth, 2s down on Alonso who has yet to stop. Elsewhere, Grosjean makes full use of the generous run off at Spoon Curve.
At the end of lap 29, Grosjean finally pits, leaving teammate Alonso as the only driver still to stop. Meanwhile, Vettel, now leading by 6.1s, posts a new fastest lap, crossing the line at 33.052.
"There's a lot of opportunity here," Button is told as Alonso finally makes his pit stop. The Englishman is currently 5.3s behind his teammate Barrichello who is running in sixth.
Liuzzi makes a brave move on Nakajima at the end of the pit straight on lap 33, the German moving up to fifteenth.
Raikkonen, running fifth and 1.6s down on Heidfeld, posts a new fastest lap (32.999) on lap 33, the Finn finally appearing to spring to life. Meanwhile, Trulli closes to within 3.1s of Hamilton.
Behind Raikkonen, albeit 16.6s down the road, is Barrichello, who has a 4s safety cushion between him and the three-way battle for seventh involving Rosberg, Button and Kubica.
At the end of lap 35, Raikkonen pits, switching to the option tyre. The Finn rejoins in eighth between Button and Kubica.
Next time around Heidfeld pits, BMW responding to Ferrari's strategy. It's a long stop which sees the German rejoin right behind the Ferrari and only just ahead of his BMW teammate. In terms of the Kubica threat this has worked out well for Button.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 37, the Englishman re-emerging in third. His pitlane speed limiter appears to come back on as he exits the pitlane.
If Trulli, currently second, is to maintain a podium position, especially if he is to emulate Timo Glock's Singapore result, he needs to push and push hard.
At the end of lap 39 the Italian pits, rejoining just ahead of Hamilton in third with Vettel still to stop. A great performance from the Italian veteran and his team. Fisichella, Kovalainen and Sutil also pit. As they leave the pits Fisichella and Kovalainen are immediately embroiled in a battle for position, Kovalainen coming out on top.
At the end of lap 40, race leader Vettel pits, the Red Bull driver rejoining still leading, ahead of Trulli and Hamilton. Button also pits, the championship leader rejoining in ninth.
Kubica pits at the end of lap 42, leaving Barrichello and Rosberg (fourth and fifth) as the only front runners still to stop. That said, the Brazilian dives into the pits, rejoining in seventh, ahead of his teammate, 6.1s later.
A new fastest lap from Vettel (32.572), as he extends his lead over Trulli to 11.7s. Hamilton is third, 3.5s down on the Toyota, but 8.9s ahead of Rosberg, who has still to stop.
On lap 45 Alguersuari turns the race on its head when he crashes heavily on the outside of the notorious 130R. The Safety Car is immediately deployed.
"I crash, I crash," Alguersuari tells his crew, "at Turn 15, I'm fine, I'm fine."
Williams is quick to bring Rosberg in for his final stop, the German rejoining the race in fifth.
Therefore, after 46 laps, behind the Safety Car, it's: Vettel, Trulli, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Heidfeld, Barrichello, Button, Kubica and Alonso.
Hamilton is told that there is a problem with his KERS, however, his team promise him that it will be fixed. Elsewhere, Webber makes his fifth stop of the afternoon, this time for a new nose.
Despite having walked away from the accident, Alguersuari is placed on a stretcher… just in case. Meanwhile, as the field continues to follow the Safety Car, marshals attempt to rebuild the tyre wall where the Toro Rosso crashed.
At the end of lap 49, the Safety Car pulls off leaving a four lap sprint to the finish.
While Trulli will be keen to retain his second place, it is Hamilton who has the biggest problem as his team continues to try to fix his KERS.
They're away again, but there are no significant changes, though Button is all over Barrichello. Elsewhere, another mistake from Grosjean while Kubica almost runs into the back of Button at Spoon.
As Vettel appears to be cruising to victory, the main focus of attention is on the three-way fight for seventh with Barrichello trying to hold off Button and Kubica. Alonso, in tenth, keeps a close watch.
On the penultimate lap, Webber crosses the line at 32.569 to post a new fastest lap.
Kubica makes a late attack on Button at Spoon but the Brawn driver is having none of it.
Vettel takes the chequered flag, a supreme performance. "You're the man," he is told, "a fantastic performance, brilliant, brilliant!".
"It's our day," he responds, though it is doubtful that Mark Webber would agree.
A convincing win for Vettel and Red bull, however, one has to wonder what might have been had reliability not been such an issue.
Another second place for Toyota, this time courtesy of Jarno Trulli, and one has to wonder what might have happened had both drivers been on duty.
Hamilton will be thankful to finish third, though, like most drivers, if he isn't on the top step of the podium nothing else matters.
Raikkonen adds another five points to his tally, while Rosberg continues to impress. Both drivers are surely at the very heart of the driver market, while Nick Heidfeld, who drove an excellent race to finish sixth must also be on the radar of a couple of teams.
Barrichello's seventh place means the drivers' championship fight goes to Brazil, as does the Constructors' Championship, however, in all honesty both titles appear to be wrapped up in all but name.
Sadly, it was a lot more processional than expected and one has to wonder what the FIA and, in particular, the Overtaking Working Group, will do to rectify this. It should also be noted that, not for the first time this season, when Alguersuari crashed the wheels were ripped from his car. In his final days at the FIA it would be nice if Max Mosley could focus a little more on these issues as opposed to trying to promote his presidential successor.
Not a great race, but a great performance from Sebastian. Certainly, a performance worthy of a champion.