15/11/2015
NEWS STORY
With the Mercedes duo enjoying a 0.5s advantage over their nearest rivals, we really, really need the intervention of the weather gods today if we are not to suffer a total procession.
Sadly, despite the continued forecasts of rain - storms even - this does not appear likely.
Both titles decided, we can forget about any challenge there, however, there appears to be continuing animosity between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg so we can only hope.
Toto Wolff has made it clear that he wants Rosberg to finish runner-up in the championship, and from the look of things the German is more likely to receive assistance from Sebastian Vettel than the guy in the Mercedes. Then there is Lewis' long-held ambition to win the race synonymous with his all-time hero, Ayrton Senna.
Valtteri Bottas' three-place grid drop for overtaking under a red flag on Friday means we have an all-red second row, though we have a funny feeling that the Finn could be trading blows with his countryman Kimi Raikkonen not too far into the first lap.
A strong performance in qualifying sees Nico Hulkenberg start fifth, the German eager to start clawing the limelight back from his Mexican teammate.
The much anticipated upgrade from Renault hasn't provided the boost Red Bull expected (demanded?), Daniil Kvyat, who stuck with the old engine, out-qualified teammate Daniel Ricciardo who went for the new one, picking up a ten-place grid penalty in the process. Starting from nineteenth, the Australian admits that he will be praying for rain today... he won't be the only one.
Bottas' grid penalty means her starts alongside teammate Felipe Massa, thereby adding to the two-by-two appearance of the grid, Red Bull and Force India the only teams not playing the symmetry game.
That said, Massa has been struggling all weekend, constantly unhappy with the balance of his car and, like several others, hurting following the modifications carried out to the kerbing at a number of corners.
Starting ninth and tenth, Mas Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have the perfect opportunity to close the gap to Lotus in the constructors' standings, maybe even leapfrog the troubled Enstone outfit.
"It's only for sixth place," you cry, however, let's not forget that the F1 prize point is decided by one's finishing position in the team standings, the difference between sixth and seventh being worth many millions.
Despite his penalty for impeding Massa, Felipe Nasr will be fired up by his home fans even if his team has no hope of improving on eighth.
At the back, Manor will be happy to get both cars to the flag again, and, hard to believe, this will be the aim of McLaren also. Sadly however, it is the team that almost went under last year has the best chance.
How bad is it at McLaren, well if you use Twitter you may have seen #placesalonsowouldratherbe, a hashtag that takes full advantage of the scene yesterday when, following yet another failure, Fernando Alonso took to sunbathing by the side of the track.
Overnight McLaren has changed the engine in the back of the Spaniard's car, his third engine of the weekend.
Raikkonen has also had an engine change overnight, however the Finn is using an old unit so there is no penalty.
Tyre choices are medium (prime) and soft (option), and with wear and degradation levels lower than last year, two different two-stop strategies are theoretically the quickest options, although a three-stop is also possible.
A three-stopper would be: start on the softs and then change to softs again on laps 15 and 30, before moving to mediums on lap 46.
The two quickest two-stoppers are: start on softs, change to mediums on lap 17, mediums again on lap 44. Alternatively: start on mediums, change to softs on lap 27 and then mediums on lap 44.
There are two DRS zones, the first detection point is at the apex of T2, with activation shortly after T3, while the second has its detection point just after T13, with activation after T15.
Following Friday's atrocities in Paris, the drivers' parade lap saw all competitors wearing black armbands, whilst the truck carrying the drivers was decorated with the tricolour.
Ahead of the race there will be a minute's silence not only in respect of what happened on Friday but also in tribute to those who have lost their lives or have been injured in road traffic accidents.
The pitlane opens and one by one the drivers head down the pitlane.
An early problem for Sainz (again), the Spaniard's Toro Rosso grinding to a halt close to the pitlane exit.
The minute's silence in honour of last Friday's murders, and the victims of road traffic accidents, is observed, followed by the national anthem.
In the meantime, Sainz' car has been towed back to the pits and will hopefully start from the pitlane.
Ahead of the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 48 degrees. While it is currently bright and sunny, we are absolutely delighted to say that there are some ominous clouds in the distance. Officially there is a 30% chance. Come on you weather gods, bring it on!
Hamilton is advised that the track temperature is dropping.
All are on the option rubber bar Sainz and Maldonado who are on primes. The Spaniard, of course, starting from the pitlane.
They head off on the warm-up lap, a slight lock-up for Raikkonen almost sees Hulkenberg run into his rear as Rosberg backs the field right up.
The grid forms.
They're away. A slow-ish start from Rosberg but he holds the lead into T1, forcing Hamilton to go around the outside. Vettel watches, ready to pick up the pieces.
No issues at the start, even Sainz gets going. However, moments later double yellows are waved as Sainz stops by the side of the track. "No power," he reports.
Rosberg, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Kvyat, Hulkenberg, Massa, Perez and Verstappen. Good starts from Bottas, in particular, Perez and Ricciardo who is already up to 14th.
At the end of lap 3 Ricciardo pits, changing to a new set of primes.
Out front, as they trade fastest laps, Rosberg holds a 0.9s lead whilst Vettel is already 3s down on Hamilton. Elsewhere, Grosjean passes Nasr on the pit straight into T1 to take 11th.
"This is looking great," Bottas is told, "just keep pulling away from Kvyat." They omit to tell him that his next target, 0.6s up the road, is his old buddy Raikkonen.
The McLarens are currently running 13th (Button) and 14th (Alonso).
As Verstappen and Grosjean shadow Perez, Hulkenberg appears to be lining up Kvyat.
Asked about his tyres, Button says they are "OK". Phew!
"We need to get through these Manors quickly," Ricciardo is told. Indeed, if he is to take full advantage of his tyre strategy he must pass them soon.
At the end of lap 9, Hulkenberg pits, he too switches to primes. He rejoins in 16th.
Next time around Kvyat, Massa, Perez and Grosjean all pit.
Kvyat rejoins alongside Hulkenberg but the German has the speed to leapfrog the Russian.
Next time around Bottas pits, as does Verstappen, while Ricciardo passes Rossi to take 17th.
Bottas rejoins in 10th.
At the end of lap 12 Raikkonen pits, clearly in reaction to Bottas' early stop. Button and Ericsson also stop. Raikkonen rejoins in 5th.
Next time around Rosberg and Vettel both pit, as does Alonso. Rosberg rejoins in 2nd and Vettel 3td as Bottas passes Maldonado to take 6th, albeit 5s down on Raikkonen.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 14, rejoining still in second, as Nasr also pits. The gap between the two Mercedes is now down to 0.997s following the pit stops.
After 15 laps, all but Maldonado have stopped.
A new fastest lap from Rosberg (16.025) sees the German stretch his lead to 1.071s.
It's Rosberg, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Massa and Perez.
Hulkenberg makes short work of Maldonado to take sixth, as Raikkonen is told that this current still will be extended. No response from the Finn.
"Lewis is trying quite hard," Rosberg is warned as the gap closes to 0.955s. On his previous lap the German made a slight mistake in to T1 allowing Hamilton to close in.
After lapping Rossi, Raikkonen complains that the Manor won't get out of the way.
Running in his teammate's dirty air, Hamilton warns that his tyres won't last "at this rate".
On consecutive laps, Maldonado is passed by Kvyat and then Massa, the Lotus dropping to 9th.
Although it looks as though Rosberg has a brake issue, certainly into T1, the team insists that all is well.
"Degradation looks very low on all cars, including ourselves," Hamilton is advised. Elsewhere, Nasr makes a great move down the inside of Button in T1 to take 14th.
"It's impossible to follow this guy," says Hamilton.
At the end of lap 25, Maldonado finally pits, the Venezuelan rejoining in 17th.
Suddenly the gap between the Mercedes drivers stretches to 1.6s.
"Can you get me on a different strategy," urges Hamilton. "I'm faster but I can't get close."
Perez echoes Raikkonen's call, complaining that the Manors will not get out of the way.
At the end of lap 29, Ricciardo pits again, rejoining in 17th.
Hamilton is told he can extend this middle stint, which would allow him a late attack. However, he'd still be on the same tyres.
Ericsson perfectly mirrors his teammate's move on Button to pass Alonso and take 14th.
"Keep Verstappen under pressure if you can," Grosjean is told.
Verstappen and Perez are side by side in T1, the Mexican has the inside line but the Dutchman holds his nerve and nails him in T2. In the process, Grosjean also nails the stunned Mexican.
At the end of lap 32, Vettel, having a very lonely afternoon, makes his second stop, switching to options.
Next time around Rosberg pits, sticking with the primes. Alonso also stops.
"It's hammer time," Hamilton is told.
On the options, Vettel goes quickest in S1 as Hamilton dives into the pits. The Briton rejoins in third behind Raikkonen.
Elsewhere, Maldonado tries a move on the inside of Ericsson in T1 but gets it wrong, the two banging wheels. The stewards will investigate.
"We are going Plan B," Rosberg is told. The German asks what happened to his teammate. "He couldn't keep the pace," is the reply.
No problems with pace no however, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (15.350) as he sets about closing the 3.416s gap to Rosberg.
Massa pits at the end of lap 38 as Vettel passes his Ferrari teammate to take 4th, the Finn yet to make his second stop.
Maldonado is handed a 5s time penalty for the clash with Ericsson.
Grosjean passes Verstappen to move back into the points again.
After 40 laps, it's: Rosberg, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Kvyat, Massa and Grosjean.
Bottas stops again at the end of lap 41, the Finn sticking with the prime rubber. Elsewhere, Vettel says he is happy with his current set of tyres.
Kvyat makes mincemeat of Maldonado in T1 to take 7th from the Lotus driver.
A big lock-up for a struggling Perez as Ricciardo closes in.
Maldonado makes his second stop on lap 45 as Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (15.3040, the Briton closing to within 2.128s of the leader.
Raikkonen makes his second (and final?) stop at the end of lap 46. The Finn rejoining still in 4th.
Next time around teammate Vettel pits, sticking with the prime rubber.
At the end of lap 47, Rosberg pits, thereby handing the lead to his teammate. Elsewhere, Ricciardo passes Perez to take 11th, the Mexican responds but to no avail.
Hamilton stops next time around, teammate Rosberg retaking the lead. Meanwhile, Vettel posts a new fastest lap (15.294).
"There's a lot of traffic to get through," Rosberg is told, "we need to keep that gap to Lewis."
Rosberg and Hamilton trade fastest sectors, the German posting a new fastest lap (15.149). "Has he stopped," asks Rosberg in reference to his teammate's tyres.
On the same strategy, if Hamilton wants to win he has to do it on track, similarly, if Rosberg wants to win... The pair are currently separated by 1.042.
"Stop talking to me in the braking zone," cries Button.
Looking to take advantage as Rosberg winds his way through the back-markers, Hamilton closes in. Elsewhere, Perez and Button both pit.
At the end of lap 53, Ricciardo makes his third stop of the day, as does Alonso.
Next time around it is Verstappen who pits, his teammate the only retiree thus far.
Nasr and Maldonado are locked in a great battle for 10th.
A big lock up for Hamilton as he laps Grosjean, the Briton claiming he thinks he has damaged his floor. The gap to Roberg remains around 1.6s.
After several laps of scrapping, Maldonado passes Nasr to take tenth, but don't forget that 5s time penalty.
Grosjean makes a much shorter work of Nasr, the Frenchman passing the Sauber to take tenth. Nasr meanwhile, is now battling Verstappen.
Grosjean passes his Lotus teammate as Vettel asks as=bout the weather, observing that it is much darker now. Hulkenberg has also commented on the darkening skies.
As Nasr, Ricciardo and Perez now scrap for 12th, Rosberg prepares to lap Hulkenberg. Hamilton now just 2.003s down the road.
Previously battling for points, Nasr slowly slides down the order, the Sauber driver now down in 14th, just ahead of the McLarens.
After 63 laps (of 71), it's: Rosberg, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Massa, Grosjean, Maldonado, Verstappen, Perez, Ricciardo, Nasr, Button, Alonso, Ericsson, Stevens and Rossi.
Out front, the gap between the Mercedes duo is up to 3.281s, either Hamilton has given up or is preparing for a late charge.
A big lock-up for Ricciardo in T1 almost allows Perez through but not quite. Elsewhere, Verstappen continues to hassle Maldonado.
Hamilton is now 5.093s down on his teammate, which suggests his dream of winning here will have to wait.
Verstappen makes a move in T1 but Maldonado firmly slams the door, or thinks he does. Not one to be shut out, the Dutchman force his way through under braking.
"My tyres have gone off," reveals Hamilton, the Briton now 6.7s adrift.
Rosberg begins his final lap, having lapped everyone up to 5th placed Raikkonen.
"Whoooooo," cries Rosberg, none too convincingly, as he takes the flag. "Awesome mate," is the response.
The German wins, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Massa, Grosjean and Verstappen
Maldonado is eleventh, ahead of Ricciardo, Perez, Nasr, Button, Alonso, Ericsson, Stevens and Rossi, the hapless Sainz being the only retirement.
Sadly the weather gods let us down, big time, the first ten finishers almost a perfect copy of the order in which they qualified.
Lots of scraps further down the field, but at the end of the day the fact that only the Mercedes and Ferrari finished on the same lap says it all.
Then there's the big question as to why Nico couldn't find this sort of form earlier in the year?
Indeed, asked that very question on the podium, the German replies: "I am pushing now, I was pushing at the beginning. I don't have an exact explanation for why it is going so well now."
Check out our Sunday gallery, here.