25/07/2010
NEWS STORY
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With the weather unlikely to play a major role in today's race, we will probably need to rely on tyre wear, reliability, silliness and outright madness if we are to expect anything too dramatic.
While our current crop of F1 starts are known to have their moments, it is highly unlikely that we are going to witness the sort of gross stupidity we've seen from their GP3 counterparts this weekend. As if 21 drivers being penalised after Friday practice wasn't enough, not to mention two restarts to Saturday's race, this morning we actually had drivers racing and crashing behind the Safety Car. Quite pathetic really.
While Sebastian Vettel must go into today's race as red hot favourite, the German and his Austrian team have been shooting themselves in the foot quite a bit recently. Sure, the youngster will be fired up in front of his home crowd, but as we know from experience he tends to be just a little too emotional and one cannot help but fear that today he could be his own worst enemy.
We have to admit that when, earlier this week, Alonso claimed that Ferrari will win the championship, our first thought was that we'd like a tipple of whatever the Spaniard is on. However, having watched the pace of the two Maranello cars this weekend, one would be stupid to continue dismissing Alonso's claims especially as Red Bull and McLaren continue to make their own mistakes.
Also, a year on from his horror accident at the Hungaroring, how good to see Massa starting from the second row.
Despite the claims that Red Bull has moved on from the Silverstone row, which in turn came amidst claims that the team had moved on from the Istanbul row, many remain sceptical and who can blame them. Having won here last year, Webber will be keen to make it a double, especially with the Silverstone saga still fresh in his memory. And let's not forget, the team, whilst refusing to admit any form of bias, has now said that it will from here on in favour whichever driver is ahead in the championship.
Should Red Bull fail to convert pole into another win, the Maranello duo will be there to pick up the pieces, though, on his Friday and Saturday form, maybe, just maybe, Alonso can take today's race without any assistance from the Milton Keynes drivers.
Jenson Button will be keen to keep teammate Lewis Hamilton behind him but that's a hard ask, the 2009 champion no doubt one of several drivers hoping for a bit of rain this afternoon. With its testing severely compromised this weekend, the Woking team might need to wait until the end of August before it really reaps the benefit of those new upgrades.
While Nico Rosberg will be keen to do his best for Mercedes, the German will be under pressure from Kubica and the Williams, while teammate Michael Schumacher is in for another long difficult afternoon and another (post-race) trial by media.
Sauber - celebrating forty years in motorsport - will be hoping that Kamui Kobayashi can continue his success streak, while Toro Rosso appears to have the edge over Force India here.
One driver who really needs a result here today is Vital Petrov, the Russian, though exciting to watch, simply getting involved in too many incidents. At a time when there is talk of financial problems at Renault, as many as seven drivers are being linked with the French outfit.
In an effort to spice things up, Bridgestone has two very different compound available this weekend, the hard (prime) and super-soft (option). However, if the Japanese manufacturer was expecting to repeat what we witnessed in Montreal it will be disappointed because, thus far, both compounds have done their job well.
However, Bridgestone believes there could be a graining issue with the sorter compound, which would probably suit Michael Schumacher - who starts from eleventh - however, Mercedes and tyres is another matter entirely.
Conditions are better than they have been at any other stage over the weekend, therefore problems with the option tyre that weren't apparent before might well show themselves in these warmer conditions.
All that aside however, the first corner here has always been a bit of a problem, therefore we can probably expect a little argy-bargy, however hopefully nothing like we witnessed in the GP3 race.
As the field prepares to head off on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 21 degrees, while the track temperature is 33 degrees. It's warm-ish and sunny, in the stands, the crowds perform the Mexican Wave, with six home drivers on the grid there's a real sense of anticipation.
Having both been handed penalties after changing their gearboxes, Glock and di Grassi start from the back of the grid - though the Brazilian was there already.
As the field heads off on the warm-up lap, Schumacher is on the option tyre. Most of those behind him are on the prime tyre.
As they make their way to the grid some drivers, particularly Rosberg, are really pushing their cars, such is the desire to generate heat in the tyres.
They're away, and Vettel pushes Alonso towards the pit wall, but the Spaniard is having none of it and holds station while Massa goes around the other side of the Red Bull. Further round the lap, Buemi hits someone and loses his rear wing.
At the end of lap 1, it's Massa, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Kubica, Schumacher, Rosberg and Kobayashi. Liuzzi, Sutil, Buemi and Alguersuari all pit.
Replay shows Webber running wide the Australian subsequently being passed by Hamilton at the hairpin. It's at the hairpin that Buemi has his coming together with his teammate.
After 3 laps, Massa leads his teammate by 1.5s, as Vettel shadows Alonso, the German ruing his start, having concentrated on the Spaniard he handed the lead to the Brazilian. Elsewhere, Sutil pits again.
The Ferraris set the pace, Massa and Alonso posting fastest laps (19.292) as Schumacher is all over Kubica.
Liuzzi pits again at the end of lap 6, meaning that already both Force Indias have pitted twice. A lousy day for the Silverstone team.
Trulli, who is back on track after a lengthy pit stop earlier on, is running very slowly again, Lotus continuing to run into technical problems.
After 8 laps, Button is 3.1s down on the leading five - Massa, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton and Webber - however, he has a 4.4s lead over Kubica who has his mirrors full of Schumacher. It's revealed that Force India fitted its drivers with the others tyres, which is against the rules, and hence the second stop.
The Ferraris are setting a blistering pace, Massa and Alonso seemingly taking it in turns to post fastest laps. Vettel is now 2.1s down on Alonso but 3.9s ahead of Hamilton who has Webber all over him.
At the end of lap 12, Vettel pits. He rejoins in sixth, behind Button. Next time around it is Alonso who pits, as does Webber. The Spaniard rejoins in fourth while the Australian rejoins in ninth.
Massa pits at the end of lap 14 as do Hamilton and Schumacher. Webber is struggling having rejoined in the middle of a traffic jam.
Therefore Button now leads but has still to stop. More importantly, Massa is second, ahead of Alonso, Vettel and Kubica, who also has to stop.
Massa has a couple of wobbles, the Brazilian not at ease with the harder rubber. Consequently, his teammate closes right in.
Still on the softer rubber, Button is setting a strong pace, his lead over Massa up to 3.8s. The world champion goes quickest in S2 crossing the line at 19.122. Elsewhere, Kubica pits as Rosberg moves up to sixth.
The Pole rejoins just ahead of Schumacher, the two immediately locked in battle. The German has a go at the hairpin but the Renault driver slams the door.
As Button continues to push a strong pace, Massa is clearly holding up his teammate allowing Vettel to close to within 1.5s.
"Keep going," Button is told, "clear the traffic, clear the traffic". The Englishman has a 4.3s lead after 19 laps and still showing no signs of stopping.
After 20 laps, it's: Button, Massa, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Rosberg, Webber, Petrov, Hulkenberg and de la Rosa.
As they come up behind the back-markers, Alonso is all over Massa, with Vettel right behind them. Cut to the Ferrari team radio and Alonso shouts; "this is ridiculous!"
At the end of lap 22, Button pits, rejoining in fifth behind his teammate, the strategy appearing to have worked out well for the Englishman.
Massa posts a new fastest lap (18.711) as Petrov finally pits, the Ferrari driver just 0.8s ahead of his teammate.
With the Ferrari duo looking likely to square up to one another, Button is all over Hamilton.
Behind Schumacher, who is losing ground to Kubica, Petrov is wheel to wheel with Kobayashi.
Rosberg pits at the end of lap 24, he rejoins ahead of his Mercedes teammate, having leapfrogged Schumacher during their stops. Essentially, all but Hulkenberg and de la Rosa (seventh and eighth) have stopped.
Lap 26 sees another fastest lap from Massa (18.560) as he now extends his lead to 3s. Elsewhere, Schumacher, who is harrying his teammate, is under pressure from Petrov.
Next time around, Massa posts another fastest lap (18.399) as Rob Smedley tells him, "keep it going Felipe, you can win this". In response, Alonso goes quickest with an 18.075.
Hamilton is now 8.9s down on Vettel, while his teammate has Webber hot on his heels. These six are well clear of the rest of the field which is headed by Hulkenberg who has still to stop.
Massa is the first driver to break the 1&17s barrier, the Brazilian crossing the line at 17.991. Speedwise the Ferraris are the class of the field, though not even in the Top 6 through the speedtrap they are around 0.7s quicker than Vettel.
A string of quick laps sees Alonso close to within 2s of his teammate, while Vettel is now 4.9s behind. Webber is all over Button as de la Rosa makes a great move on Hulkenberg at the hairpin to take seventh. At the end of the lap the Williams driver pits, rejoining in fourteenth.
On lap 36, Alonso posts 17.666, the gap to his teammate now running at 2.5s. de la Rosa, di Grassi and Glock are the only drivers still to stop.
Hamilton is told to try and conserve fuel, unable to do anything about Vettel, the McLaren duo much now concentrate on keeping Webber at bay in sixth.
From out of nowhere, Sutil -now on the option tyre - produces a 17.300 as Webber is told not to lift on the straight, but maintain a 4s gap to Button, the Australian is currently 4.4s down on the McLaren driver. This is subsequently passed on to the world champion who is only 1.4s down on his teammate.
On lap 42, Vettel posts 17.242, the German now 5.8s down on Alonso but well clear of Hamilton. Next time around the Red Bull driver crosses the line at 17.170.
After 44 laps, it's: Massa, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Button, Webber, de la Rosa, Kubica, Rosberg, Schumacher, Petrov, Kobayashi, Barrichello, Hulkenberg, Alguersuari, Liuzzi, Sutil, di Grassi, Glock, Kovalainen and Senna.
"Our problem is with oil consumption," Webber is told, "hard and late braking will help".
Alonso posts 17.012 as he closes to within 0.9s of his teammate, Rob Smedley advising the Brazilian and subsequently asking the Brazilian to confirm that he understands. Basically, Massa is being told to defer to his teammate. A couple of corners later, Alonso passes the race leader, passes as opposed to overtakes.
"OK mate, stick with him now," Smedley tells Massa, before adding, "sorry".
Webber, already warned about his oil problem, goes quickest in S1 while Button goes quickest in S2.
Now in clear air, Alonso posts 16.770, however, Vettel responds with a 16.669. The German is now 2.9s down on the second Ferrari.
de la Rosa finally pits at the end of lap 52, rejoining in fourteenth but promoting Rosberg and Schumacher into the points. Elsewhere, di Grassi has a big spin.
de la Rosa makes a great move on Hulkenberg to take thirteenth while on the Ferrari pit-wall the mood is sombre even though Maranello drivers are first and second. Elsewhere, Glock finally pits which means that all drivers have now stopped.
Of the newbies, Glock is doing the best, the Virgin driver now up in eighteenth of the twenty-one still running.
Lap 56 sees another fastest lap from Vettel (16.536) as he closes to within 2.6s of Massa.
Petrov, now running in tenth, is told to concentrate on shifting early to seventh gear. "Otherwise, we'll turn your revs down," he is warned.
Replay shows de la Rosa losing part of his front wing after a mistake passing Kovalainen. The Spaniard subsequently pits.
A fastest S2 sees Button close to within 1.3s of his teammate, will McLaren follow Ferrari's example? Talking of which, Vettel is now 1s down on Massa as he posts a new fastest lap (16.525).
With 6 laps remaining, Kovalainen is the fifth retirement of the afternoon.
On lap 62, Alonso posts 16.471 as Vettel has to swerve avoid a bit of debris on the track. Elsewhere, Hamilton is told that there is no longer any need to save fuel.
Another fastest lap from the race leader who crosses the line at 16.103, thereby extending the gap to Massa to 4s.
On the penultimate lap, Alonso finally breaks the 1:15s barrier, crossing the line at 15.880. However, having been told that he's the quicker Ferrari driver it's the very least we expected.
Alonso takes the chequered flag but Vettel posts the fastest lap, the German closing to within 0.9s of the second Ferrari.
As the Maranello duo climb from their cars the reaction between them is cordial, the previous radio messages having said it all.
"How is Felipe?" Alonso asks, while Rob Smedley does his best to revive the Brazilian's spirit, "Felipe Massa is back" he cries, "and so very, very, very magnanimous".
A convincing result for the Maranello team, but there is sure to be fall-out and rightly so. Thing is, with discontent already evident at Red Bull, now we appear to be heading for problems at their Italian rivals.
Whatever the reason for the decision, and whatever action the FIA decides to take, if any, the fact is that Ferrari, on the back of a string of poor results, has finished first and second. A remarkable come back.
After the podium ceremony, Stefano Domenicali takes his two drivers back on to the podium to demonstrate that all is well. However, other than probably even breaking even more rules, the Italian outfit is digging an even deeper hole for itself, showing that it knows that it has done something wrong.
Ironically, exactly a year after the accident that almost ended Massa's career, when a spring hit the Brazilian above just his left eye, the Ferrari driver is hit once again, this time an arrow hits his heart fired by his own team.
Other than that, the championship order remains the same - more or less - with McLaren and Red Bull able to limit the damage, but for how long? Was this a freak result - in every sense for Ferrari - or is the Italian team back and ready to fight for the titles.
Other than Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren getting both drivers into the points, so too did Renault and Mercedes, while Kobayashi was best of the rest, holding off the Williams.
All in all, a bit of a procession, and while it is good to see Ferrari back, one cannot help but feel uneasy at the result and the way it was handled.