18/04/2010
NEWS STORY
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With around two hours to go before the start of the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix, the thing on everyone's minds, certainly in the paddock, isn't so much the forthcoming race but how they get home afterwards.
The ash fallout from the Icelandic volcano continues to wreak havoc for travellers and now the F1 'circus' is about to feel the full impact.
Some people have been given a departure date of late April (Emirates), while Virgin is saying May 4.
China isn't that popular with many of those that inhabit the paddock, therefore, even under normal circumstances, they want to get out as soon as possible.
The Spanish Grand Prix might be three weeks away, but In light of the worsening travel situation, some here, including team bosses are beginning to panic. Barcelona is the start of the European season, the race at which teams introduce the biggest updates. However, the fear right now is how those cars are going to get back to their factories then on to Spain.
As for personnel, some are considering heading to Dubai and sitting out the ash storm there, others are considering flying to the USA then on to Portugal then getting a ferry back to the UK. Some of the teams are even looking to club together and hire a charter aircraft - where's Stoddy when you need him?
To further complicate the issue, there's a major exhibition in Shanghai next week so hotel rooms are in short supply and getting more expensive.
As for today's weather, currently, the temperature is 23 degrees with hazy sunshine bathing the circuit and no sign of rain. Consequently, those drivers who opted for a wet set-up - and Michael Schumacher is said to be one of them - are looking more than a little worried. However, as we know from experience, things can change quite dramatically very, very quickly.
Reliability issues aside, one has to admit that whatever the weather, Sebastian Vettel must be red hot favourite today. His qualifying lap was superb, while his performance here in the wet last year should never be forgotten.
His main challenge is sure to come from his teammate, Mark Webber, who, despite the smiles, will still be smarting from that move at the first corner of the Malaysian GP. Today, the Australian will be looking for revenge.
Fernando Alonso will be looking to make up for the misery of Malaysia, however, there remain serious doubts as to the Ferrari engine's reliability, no matter what the Spaniard and his team might say.
Another strong performance from Nico Rosberg yesterday who really isn't getting full credit for his sterling work this year. Sadly, much of the media is concentrating on his teammate's (under?) performance and therefore failing to grasp the fact that Nico is actually better than we gave him credit for, especially when given a good car and a team with a decent budget.
We can probably expect another strong performance from Lewis Hamilton, while teammate Jenson Button is another suspected as having opted for a compromised set-up.
Expect another strong performance from Robert Kubica, who seems to be getting better and better, while Adrian Sutil will be keen to build on his Malaysian performance.
Of the new teams, Timo Glock got his Virgin ahead of the Lotus yesterday, while Hispania's Karun Chandhok is starting from the pit lane today having changed some hydraulic parts on his car. We also understand he has "quite a weak engine"
Less than an hour to go and the cloud is building, it's looking just that little more threatening. Bob Constanduros tells us that during the drivers' parade, Lewis Hamilton told him the wind is also affecting the cars.
Twenty-three minutes before the start, Bob, who is on his way to the commentary box - he's the trackside commentator at every round of the world championship - text us to say: "There are umbrellas up in the pit lane and in the paddock although if there is rain it's very light at the moment. Temperatures are 22 ambient, 23 track. Overcast." Ever the pro.
With eight minutes to go, attention in the grandstands is divided, some watch the cars on the grid while others watch the sky. As more and more fans put up umbrellas and don macs, Ferrari appears to have gone with a wet set-up.
As the cars prepare to head off on the warm-up lap,. The air temperature is 21 degrees C, while and the track temperature is 22 degrees.
As the field heads off, Glock is left stranded on the grid, his two front wheels up on jacks. The German will now have to start from the pitlane - he will also incur a penalty - along with Chandhok and di Grassi, who has also opted to start from there.
As a few spots of rain appear on the on-board camera lens, Rosberg is told that what was drizzle is now rain and that it is getting heavier.
As the grid forms, most, certainly at the front, are on the option (soft) tyre.
A poor start from Vettel as Alonso appears to jump the start, Webber beats his Red Bull teammate into the first corner. There's an incident at Turn 6 involving three cars - Liuzzi, Kobayashi and Buemi - and the Safety Car is deployed.
At the end of lap 1, Barrichello, Sutil and Alguersuari all pit, as - behind the Safety Car - Alonso leads Webber, Vettel, Rosberg, Button, Hamilton, Massa, Schumacher, Kubica and Petrov.
"Alonso must have jumped that start," Button tells his crew. At which point the Race Stewards announce that they are investigating the incident.
At the end of lap 2, Alonso, Webber, Vettel, Massa, Hamilton and Schumacher all pit - the Englishman making an exceedingly late call - all switching to the Intermediates as the rain increases in intensity.
Rosberg now leads from Button, Kubica, Petrov, de la Rosa, Alonso and Kovalainen.
The Safety Cars pulls off at the end of lap 3, the race is back on. Massa is also on a charge, as de la Rosa and Petrov battle.
Out front, Rosberg posts a new fastest lap (51.312) as teammate Schumacher makes his second stop, the German switching back to slicks.
Alonso is handed a drive through penalty having been adjudged as jumping the start. Elsewhere, Hamilton and Vettel are battling twelfth.
At the end of lap 5, Alonso serves his drive through. He is followed into the pits by Barrichello, Hamilton and Vettel as it is realised that the Inters are not lasting. Vettel and Hamilton head down the pitlane side by side, indeed, they appear to touch.
Rosberg posts another fastest lap (45.801) as he extends his lead over Button to 2s. Kubica is 1.2s down on the McLaren, followed by de la Rosa, Petrov, Alguersuari, Kovalainen and Schumacher.
Webber, Vettel, Hamilton and Barrichello are battling for eleventh, at one point running three abreast. Barrichello is one of the most outspoken critics of Hamilton's Sepang weaving. Elsewhere, Massa goes off on to the grass as de la Rosa appears to suffer an engine failure.
Vettel makes a great move on Webber on the pit straight, thereby moving up to ninth. Hamilton is sticking with the two Red Bulls though the trio are 50.7s behind the race leader.
Next time around, Hamilton passes Webber who is clearly running more rear wing and unable to respond.
Schumacher passes Kovalainen to take sixth, as rain begins to fall in the pitlane again. Rosberg now leads Button by 2.9s.
Hamilton goes quickest in the middle sector, as Sutil passes Kovalainen, the German moving up to seventh.
Di Grassi appeared to have retired but is now up and running again, his team obviously using this race as a glorious test session.
Hamilton makes a move on Vettel who is busy having a go at Sutil. They touch, and in the mayhem Webber catches the squabbling group.
Hamilton makes good his escape, leaving the two Red Bulls struggling behind the Mercedes powered Force India. Despite Sutil's best efforts, brute powers sees Vettel and Webber slip through. Great stuff.
Hamilton, now running in sixth 4.4s behind Schumacher, posts a new fastest lap, crossing the line at 43.276. "The rain is coming down again," says Schumacher. The German is told tat the rain will last as long and be of the same intensity as before, however, he is reminded that his teammate has coped on dry tyres.
Another fastest lap for Hamilton (42.061) as he closes to within 1.3s of Schumacher. Massa is now running in eleventh, behind Barrichello, but ahead of his Ferrari teammate, Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton makes a move on Schumacher, but the German is having none of it. As the McLaren driver remorselessly hunts down the German we are reminded of how the seven-time champion used to psyche out his victims during his glory years.
Try as he might, Hamilton isn't making it stick, the two no doubt enjoying every moment of it. As are we.
As the two battle, the Red Bulls are catching up. The Englishman finally gets through, and though the German tried to fight back he is unable to do anything about it. Now we have the prospect of Schumacher versus Vettel.
After 17 laps, it's: Rosberg, Button, Kubica, Petrov, Hamilton, Schumacher, Vettel, Webber, Sutil and Alguersuari. The leading quartet still not having stopped.
Vettel makes surprisingly short work of his compatriot, the Red Bull driver setting off after Hamilton.
Alguersuari and Sutil are wheel to wheel as they battle for ninth, Massa is 3.1s behind the battle, just 1.9s ahead of his Ferrari teammate.
Suddenly, Button is right behind Rosberg, the Englishman making short work of the German. Replay shows that the Mercedes driver had gone off earlier in the lap. Elsewhere, Barrichello and Trulli pit.
At the end of lap 19, Webber and Schumacher both pit, the rain now much heavier. Alguersuari, Sutil, Alonso, Massa and Senna also pit, Alonso cheekily overtaking his Ferrari teammate as they enter the pitlane.
Race Stewards reveal that they are investigating the earlier pitlane incident involving Hamilton and Vettel.
At the end of lap 20, Button, Rosberg and Kubica all pit, as do Petrov, Hamilton and Vettel. All are taking on Inters.
As Alguersuari pits with much of his front wing missing, though it's not clear how it happened.
So (big sigh!), Button still leads Rosberg, Kubica, Petrov, Schumacher, Webber, Hamilton, Vettel, Sutil and Alonso.
On lap 22, the Safety Car is deployed, though, again, it is not clear why. Possibly due to debris on the track following the Alguersuari incident.
The Safety Car has totally negated Button's lead, however, it will be interesting to watch Schumacher - currently fifth - who faces fresh battles with Webber, Hamilton and Vettel, not to mention the two Ferraris.
Hulkenberg pits at the end of lap 23, as the Safety Car still leads the field.
The Safety Car pulls off at the end of lap 24, the rain now falling harder than before.
As the field bunches up at the penultimate corner behind Button, who is being just a little bit naughty, for the 're-start', Hamilton has to take to the grass. The race is back on but conditions are deteriorating.
Once again Schumacher and Hamilton are battling, however, this time there's no time for niceties. Webber complains that Hamilton forced him off track at the re-start. "We saw it mate, we saw it," is the response.
For the second successive race, Hamilton is locked in battle with Petrov, while Schumacher is clearly struggling for grip, the German losing position after position.
Replay shows Hamilton did force Webber wide, but the Englishman was being forced wide by the other Red Bull driver.
After 28 laps, Button leads Rosberg by 1s, with Kubica a further 3.4s behind. Hamilton is fourth, 4.7s clear of Petrov who leads Sutil, Alonso, Vettel and Schumacher. Webber is now down in twelfth.
One cannot help but feel that the Race Stewards are going to be very busy later this afternoon, and that a few more penalties will be handed out.
Hamilton nails Kubica and sets off after Rosberg, as Alonso passes Sutil. Vettel lines up the Force India driver and passes him and Schumacher closes in. Elsewhere, Massa and Barrichello having a great scrap for tenth, the battle watched intently by Webber. Indeed, the Australian catches the Williams driver by surprise to take eleventh.
Schumacher all over the back of Sutil, but he's unable to make it stick. There can be no doubt that this must be one of the highlights of Sutil's career.
Petrov spins off on to the grass and almost collects Alonso in the process. The Russian having a great race.
Out front, Button now leads by 3.3s with Hamilton now 1.3s down on Rosberg. Kubica hold on to fourth 5s ahead of Alonso who has Vettel all over him. Petrov is in seventh, 2.4s ahead of the Sutil/Schumacher scrap. Massa and Webber are running right behind the seven-time champ.
Rosberg and Hamilton now locked in battle, allowing Button to extend his lead to 3.9s. Hamilton makes a move but the German is nobody's fool and resists all attempts. Elsewhere, Webber makes his fourth stop of the afternoon, the Red Bull driver taking on fresh Inters.
Another great move from Hamilton who passes Rosberg, but the German reclaims the position at the next corner.
"Good job Nico, he's dropped back a bit," Jock clear tells Rosberg. "However, we've got more rain coming."
At the end of lap 36, Schumacher pits for new Inters. Kovalainen pits as teammate Trulli retires.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 37, as do Kubica, Vettel and Barrichello. The McLaren driver rejoins behind his old mate Petrov.
Next time around, Button and Rosberg both pit, as does Alonso. Button rejoins still leading, ahead of Hamilton, Rosberg, Alonso, Kubica, Vettel, Webber, Schumacher, Petrov and Alguersuari. Webber runs wide at Turn 1 allowing Schumacher to catch up.
A word of praise for Hispania which still has both cars running - albeit in the final two positions - but running nonetheless.
"It's raining harder," says Hamilton who is now 3.3s behind his McLaren teammate. Rosberg is 6s down on the 2008 champion, 6.5s ahead of Alonso. With 16 laps remaining, there's a feeling that this race still has a few more surprises in store. And let's not forget those investigations.
Button's crew reassure the driver regarding his pace - compared to his teammate - after the Englishman complains that he cannot see anything ahead of him in these conditions.
After 44 laps, Vettel has closed right up on fifth placed Kubica, While Alguersuari is under pressure from Petrov and Massa in the battle for ninth.
Despite his best efforts, Alguersuari is unable to keep Petrov at bay, and as he struggles to regroup the Spaniard loses another position to Massa. Moments later, within the space of a couple of corners, the Toro Rosso driver loses yet another position, this time to Sutil.
Hamilton is now 5s behind Button, but 13.2s ahead of Rosberg. Other than a further heavier downpour, or major problems with the tyres, Button looks set for his second win of the season. Elsewhere, Alguersuari pits, his sixth stop of the afternoon… shades of Alain Prost at Donington in '93.
After 47 laps, the only real battle is for fifth, with Vettel all over Kubica. Hamilton tells his crew that his left-front is "nearly bald". He is assured that they will last until the end of the race.
Alonso is now 1.6s behind of Rosberg and taking around 0.1s a lap off the Mercedes driver. However, the German is focussed on Hamilton who is now just 7.8s up the road. Elsewhere, another spin for Petrov, however, he holds on to ninth.
Button locks up at Turn 1, losing around 4s as he briefly goes off track. Elsewhere, Petrov makes short work of Schumacher, the German's tyres clearly shot. Elsewhere, Hamilton has a little moment, the McLaren driver, like so many others, clearly struggling on his tyres.
With 4 laps remaining, Petrov is closing in on Webber while Massa is just 0.8s behind his former Ferrari teammate, Michael Schumacher. "Concentrate on Massa, he is the only threat," the German is told. The Brazilian makes a move but gets it wrong and runs wide.
With 3 laps remaining, Hamilton closes to within 3.8s of his teammate while Petrov has closed to within 0.7s of Webber. Not a great day for Red Bull and looks as though it's about to get worse. Indeed it does, the Renault driver makes a bold move on the Australian and snatches seventh place.
As they begin the final lap, Hamilton is told, "the rain is getting heavier, be careful". Elsewhere, Schumacher loses ninth to Massa, the German running wide.
Button's McLaren twitches worryingly such are the conditions and the lack of rubber, however, he keeps it under control, leading Hamilton home for a well-deserved 1-2 for McLaren.
Nico Rosberg finishes third, ahead of Alonso, Kubica, Vettel, Petrov, Webber, Massa and Schumacher.
Sutil finishes eleventh, ahead of Barrichello, Alguersuari, Kovalainen, Hulkenberg, Senna and Chandhok.
Once again, the weather gods spring a surprise and once again, Button is able to capitalise. A strong, convincing drive from the Englishman, who once again made the perfect call on tyres. That said, it will be interesting to see if there is any fall-out for his tactics after the second Safety Car period. Nonetheless, the man who some would have you believe 'lucked in' to the 2009 title heads to Barcelona - assuming the F1 circus gets there - as championship leader.
Another strong performance from Lewis Hamilton who really is giving some remarkable performance this season, even if he has yet to stand atop the podium. Despite the obvious off-track problems, the Englishman is driving better than ever.
A well deserved podium finish for Nico Rosberg also, the German doing all that he could under the circumstances. Hopefully, in the next three weeks his team will work hard in order to give him a car that will allow his to take the fight to its rivals.
A strong performance also from Fernando Alonso, who, despite 5 pit stops, finished just 11.8s behind the winner. Had it not been for that (so unnecessary) jumped start, the Spaniard might well have been celebrating his second win of the season.
Great performances from both Renault drivers. While we heard little of Robert Kubica this afternoon, the Pole quietly getting on with the job and adding more points to his tally, teammate Petrov was having the race of his life and finally opening his F1 points account.
Volcanic ash or no volcanic ash, Red Bull will want to get out of China as soon as possible, a race which promised so much ultimately delivering so little. However, while the Austrian outfit suffered miserably today it is aware that as F1 heads back to Europe, where the weather is usually a lot more settled, it remains red hot favourite.
Michael Schumacher takes the final point for Mercedes, the German clearly unhappy with his car and his tyres, and consequently never quite revelling in such conditions in the way he used to. Sadly, it will allow the media to continue its relentless rubbishing of the man.
Thanks to the weather gods we have yet another race that will provide positive headlines for the sport and get people talking. And while there were some great moves, some fine performances, we cannot continue relying on the rain to provide the drama.
That said, nothing should take away from Button's win and McLaren's performance today, under the circumstances it was quite remarkable.
That said, while most of us will feel we've just watched a great race and that F1 is back with a bang. We all know from experience that within an hour of the best Chinese, one is left feeling hungry again and wanting more. As we head to Europe can F1 really serve up something substantial?