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Sunday, October 13, 2019
Prelude
Glorious blue skies
arced over the hallowed asphalt at Suzuka as the last minute
preparations were feverishly underway on the grid. Kubica was looking
at a pitlane start after his crash in qualifying forced Williams to
change his chassis. Similarly, Magnussen was dinged 5 places for his
gearbox change, a direct result of his crash during qualifying, which
effectively made no difference as the only person behind him was
starting from the pits. Hulkenberg, also a victim in quali, was done
thanks to a hydraulic leak in Q2, which stopped Renault's forward
progress, given Ricciardo had a suspension issue which put him out
in Q1...
Vettel, Leclerc and
Verstappen all managed to have an extra set of Softs available, which
meant that the 2 stop strategy remained a possibility for them.
According to Pirelli, the one stop was quickest, coming in for the
Mediums around lap 24-27, followed by the 2 stopper, with 20 lap
stints on the Softs, and 13 laps on the Mediums at the end. They
rated that as quicker than a one stopper coming in around lap 20-23,
and going the distance on the Hards.
As the start approached
a radio call was heard stating that the track was cooling, and would
continue to cool throughout the race and given the Friday running,
the focus was once again on Mercedes' race pace as it was generally
thought that Ferrari would be vulnerable to excessive tyre
degradation, especially if they were being pushed. Of course, running
in dirty air does the car no favours and if Mercedes fail to get
round them at the start it could be a long afternoon as they look to
try and close out the Constructor's Championship, needing a 14 point
advantage to clinch it today.
McLaren seem to have
put themselves into their own little world, but still a bit far to
consider seriously racing the Red Bulls for an entire race distance.
Giovinazzi, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Russell, Magnussen, and Kubica all
elected to go alternate strategy and start on the Medium tyre.
Summary
Lights Out!!!! Great
Start by Bottas, as he bombs down past Vettel who grabbed a lot of
wheelspin, as Leclerc, too had a terrible start and immediately
collides with Verstappen, trying to go round the outside of the
Ferrari through the first two turns. It looked good for a moment, but
then Leclerc understeered into the side of the Red Bull and right off
went Max. Leclerc's endplate was dangling off and then it tore off
and went hurtling back and took off Hamilton's right side wing
mirror.
Verstappen was back in
the race, P18 and Leclerc was in on lap 4. Both McLarens were by
Albon but lap 5 saw Norris into the pits, and out on the Medium tyre,
presumed for a puncture, after Albon had a late lunge into the
chicane that resulted in contact. With Leclerc's pit and Verstappen's
off, this left Albon in P5 and Lando thoroughly disgruntled. The
stewards were quick to pick up on that, and as if that wasn't enough,
Verstappen complained that his car was moving a large amount under
braking.
Lap 7 and the other big
winners were Magnussen up to P12 and Perez up to P9. The
Leclerc/Verstappen incident which had initially been rated as not
worthy of investigation, was suddenly deemed to be worthy of being
looked at and whilst that was being processed, Leclerc's left side
wing mirror flew off.
Lap 10, and having
almost catalogued the legalities and then Vettel was dinged for a
false start, having clearly moved and then stopped before the lights
went out.... And that's how Ferrari did themselves this time round.
Never a dull moment.
At the front, Bottas
was nearly 4 seconds up on Vettel and it was lap 15 and the stewards
decided no penalty for Vettel, apparently because he stopped before
crossing his grid line and was stationary when the lights went out?
Maybe? Will have to see what they say about it later.... Regardless,
the Ferrari was struggling for pace and was nearly 7 seconds back.
Behind, Leclerc had worked his way up to P12.
Verstappen retired the
same lap and Albon was in and out for his Mediums, emerging P10. Lap
17 and Vettel was in and Ferrari chose to put him on the Softs, a
clear 2 stopper. Bottas was in the following lap and he was out on a
set of Mediums and the race was on.... This left Hamilton in the
lead, and likely going deep. And confirmation as Bottas was told he
was on a 2 stop and Lewis was on a one stop and Valterri would need
to pass him on track... Oucharooni!!!
Lap 20 then and Albon
was now all over Ricciardo and Bottas was chunking large chunks of
time out of Hamilton. Despite being on the slower tyre, Valterri was
extending his lead over the Ferrari. Lap 21 and Hamilton was in as
the Softs were simply NOT lasting at this pace. Out on a set of
Mediums, but with a fair amount of managing to do. On the radio, he
was told it was perhaps marginal for a one stopper and he might need
to pit again.... Madness.
At the back, Norris, on
lap 26, was getting crushed on his now 25 lap old Mediums as Leclerc
rocked in for a new set of Softs and off he went. Sainz was in for a
set of Mediums clearly on the one stop. Hamilton meanwhile, had just
taken a full second out of Bottas and at 18 seconds back, was looking
to keep himself inside the pit window of the Bottas and Vettel to
have a chance at the end.
Vettel was making no
progress against Bottas, and was beginning to lose serious time to
Hamilton. Ricciardo hit the pits lap 30 and that left Sainz best of
the rest, in P5 followed by Gasly and Stroll. Leclerc had worked his
way up to P9 and was immediately all over the back of Hulkenberg. Lap
32 saw Vettel in for his last set of tyres. Hamilton stayed out, and
aside from Russell, there was a large gap between him and Hamilton
that was delightfully free of traffic, Ferrari having pitted him as
he caught the back of the tail that Bottas was in the midst of
carving through.
Hamilton was 13 seconds
back of Bottas and Vettel was JUST inside his pit window. He was 32
seconds back of Bottas, however, and he needed to clear at least 10
of those in order to be effectively even with Bottas on track. Lap 35
and Albon was in for his second stop, back out on a set of Softs.
Leclerc rocked by Gasly up the inside on Spoon and into P6 for him,
quite the recovery.
Lap 37 and Bottas was
in, out on a set of Softs, and 7 seconds up the road from Vettel and
9 seconds back of Hamilton. It was all to play for as the finale of
the race shaped up rather nicely. Vettel rocked in a purple first
sector as he hit some free air. He kept up the pace and set fast lap
for the race, now 7.5 seconds back of Bottas, who was not making much
progress and was being told, on the radio, that Hamilton WAS going to
be pitting again.... Allegedly.
Further back, Ricciardo
had worked his way up to the points, and was now behind his teammate
as it was Gasly leading the train, with Stroll, Perez, Hulkenberg and
Ricciardo all behind him and in DRS. Perez was in though and along
with him, on lap 43, was Hamilton. Out on the Softs with 15 seconds
and 10 laps to go...
Ferrari wanted to bring
in Leclerc, and he, along with most of the rest of the audience,
wondered why exactly, as he was in P6 and only 5 seconds back of
Sainz. Lewis was wasting no time, and chunked nearly 3 seconds out of
Vettel. Ricciardo snuck by Hulkenberg, or rather was swapped in front
to have a go at Stroll. And he was immediately by and up to P8.
By lap 47 Hamilton was
well within DRS and it looked to be only a matter of time. Into Spoon
he got close but Vettel was able to stretch it down to the chicane,
where Hamilton once again was able to get close into the and just
about got him onto the start/finish straight.
5 laps to go and with
all the midfield traffic coming up, the battle raged. with Ricciardo
now at the head, having rocked by Gasly. Leclerc, having pitted for
Softs and an effort to take away the fast lap from Hamilton, was told
to have a go at unlapping himself. Lap 50 and it all came together as
Vettel got bottled behind Hulkenberg and into Spoon he and Hamilton
were practically nose to tail. Vettel slipped Hulkenberg and Lewis
followed and down the straight to 130R they went, Vettel now stuck
behind Gasly, although he benefitted from DRS. Through the chicane
Vettel was by Gasly and then Hamilton was just the barest of tenths
behind. Down the straight and into Turn 1 and Lewis gave the outside
a look but there was nothing doing and on they went.
The next lap was a
recovery for Hamilton and as they came through the chicane to start
the final lap, once again Hamilton had closed up within half a second
and into the first turn they went, Vettel taking the standard line
and Hamilton having a momentary peek up the inside before Vettel
closed the door, and that was the best chance gone. Behind, Perez,
having a go at Gasly, was mostly around the outside heading into Turn
2 and as he turned for the apex he encountered the front of Gasly's
car and much like Verstappen at the start, right off he went, drawing
the yellow flags. Leclerc's tilt at fast lap came up short and thus
it was that Mercedes clinched the 2019 World Constructors
Championship. Albon with a hard fought P4, though Norris was still a
bit sore about the outcome of that one as he finished P13. And if
that wasn't enough for you, an error with the chequered flag meant
all the results were actually taken from lap 52, which was bad news
for Stroll, who got kicked to the kerb in P11, but good news for
Perez, now credited with P9 and Hulkenberg now credited with P10...
Go figure.
Aside from Norris it
was another good day for McLaren, with Sainz in P5 and the car
looking like it is the class of the midfield. A good recovery for
Renault as well, with both drivers in the points and in particular,
Ricciardo going P7 after a blitz of late race passes.
Discuss!!!
And remember to play
nice in the comments!!
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