Sensational Spanish Duel – Vettel wins again
CATALUNYA
The Circuit de Catalunya was built in 1991, and used for Formula in that same year.
It is a favourite amongst F1 teams for testing purposes, weather conditions are usually favourable; and a lot of development work is done there in the off-season. The Pirelli tyres that are being used in F1 this year have also been extensively tested at Catalunya. The teams have mountains on data on the circuit, and more importantly how their cars perform there. The title sponsor for this prestigious event is Santander.
TRACK STATS:
Length: 4,655km’s
Turns: 16
Race Distance: km’s
Current Lap Record: Kimi Raikkonen 1:21:670 (Ferrari 2008)
2010 Winner: Mark Webber RBR-Renault
RACE TIME
Qualifying: 14h00 (SA time – Saturday 16th April 2011)
Race: 14h00 (SA time – Sunday 17th April 2011)
WEATHER:
Saturday: 13/24 (sunny)
Sunday: 14/27 (sunny)
TECHNICAL
Catalunya is a clockwise circuit, with a combination of fast sweeping corners and slower corners. There are two long straights where the cars will reach speeds in excess of 300km/h. There is no true “chicane”, the right left combination of Turn 1 (“Elf”) and Turn 2 (“Renault”) being the closest to a “chicane” on the circuit. The drivers will come flying into this series of corners after the long drag off the start/finish straight. Turn 3 is a long fast right hand bend. The beginning of the 3rd timed sector, Turns 10-15, is arguably the most technical part of the track. After that it’s Turn 16 (“New Holland”), a fast right corner which leads back onto the start/finish straight. With more right hand corners than left ones, the camber of the front wheels, balance and set-up of the cars will be adjusted accordingly.
The hard compound Pirelli tyres will be raced for the first time this weekend. This should make for a fascinating race, as laps times with these tyres are comparatively slower than with the soft compound tyres. As far as tyre degradation goes, and which compound will last longer during the race, this will only truly be seen under racing conditions. The teams have to use 1 set of these tyres during the race, making pit-stop strategies paramount. It would appear that 3 stops would be the optimum strategy, but the disparity in the lap times of the optimum (soft) compound vs the hard compound tyres could make for some fascinating racing.
There was talk that Ferrari was being investigated by the F. I. A. for “illegal” rear wing technology: using the exhaust outlets to create more down-force at the rear of the car. That amounted to nothing; most of the teams are using that new technology.
PRE RACE
The weather gods have been kind and delivered a perfect day for racing: 27 degrees sir temperature, and a track temperature of 32 degrees. There is vast support for the local hero, Fernando Alonso – a sea of blue flags bearing testament to this. A large crowd is making the most of the European sunshine and have turned out to watch their favourites. The drivers are driven around the circuit in vintage cars: it’s great to see these glorious old machines of yesterday making an appearance.
START
The Santander Grid Girls look resplendent in their red dresses – giving the pre-race action on the grid a touch of glamour.
The drivers set off on their warm-up lap, attempting to generate as much heat as possible in their tyres with false rolling starts; and also making sure that their brakes are up to the correct operating temperature: there is a long drag down to turn one, and arriving there with cold brakes would not be ideal.
All of the drivers occupying the top 10 slots on the grid have opted to start on the soft compound Pirelli tyres, for better traction off the line.
The grid formation is once again complete. Who will get the fastest jump off the line? Who will out-brake who into Turn 1 at a speed in excess of 290km/h? Time will tell.
The 5 red light sequence begins… it seems as though everyone is holding their breath… the lights disappear…
We are racing in Catalunya!
Lap 1
Alonso makes a brilliant start, weaving between the Red Bulls of Webber and Vettel at speeds in the region of 290km/h – sheer brilliance!
Alonso leads into Turn 1 and the local crowd raise their voices in unison in support of their hero.
Into Turn 1 the order is as follows:
Alonso leads, followed by Vettel, Webber, Hamilton, Petrov, Schumacher, Rosberg, Buemi, Massa and Button.
Lap 2
Kobayashi pits.
There is furious jostling for position as the drivers’ race each other before the KERS system comes in operation (no KERS allowed for the first 2 laps).
Lap 3
Vettel sets the fastest lap: 1:30:433
Lap 5
Button takes Buemi for 10th position.
The Order after 5 Laps is as follows:
Alonso leads, flowed by Vettel (@0,8s), Webber, Hamilton, Petrov, Schumacher, Rosberg, Massa, Button and Buemi.
Lap 8
Alonso sets the new fastest lap: 1:30:007
(Top speed 317km/h)
Liuzzi takes Karthikeyen.
Lap 9
Maldonado pits.
Lap 10
Vettel pits – from 2nd – rejoins 9th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,253s. Pit-stop time: 3,7s).
Buemi pits.
Vettel takes Button.
Alonso pits – from 1st – rejoins 3rd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,547s. Pit-stop time: 4,2s).
Webber pits.
Schumacher pits.
Maldonado takes Barichello.
Button takes Massa.
Lap 11
Webber takes Massa.
Lap 12
Hamilton pits – from 3rd.
(Pit Lane time: 19,716s. Pit-stop time: 3,4s).
Petrov pits – from 10th.
(Pit Lane time: 21,854s. Pit-stop time: 3,7s).
Massa pits.
(Pit Lane time: 20,800s. Pit-stop time: 4,3s).
Barichello pits.
The Order after 12 Laps is as follows:
Alonso leads, followed by Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Di Resta, Schumacher, Trulli, Petrov and Kovelainnen.
Lap 13
Alonso sets the new fastest lap: 1:29:323
Lap 14
Button pits – from 5th – rejoins 7th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,015s. Pit-stop time: 3,7s).
Lap 15
Karthikeyen pits.
Di Resta pits.
Lap 16
Button takes Schumacher.
Lap 17
Alonso leads, followed by Vettel (@0,676s) and Hamilton (@0,352s behind Vettel).
Lap 18
Liuzzi pits.
Glock pits.
The top 3 drivers are racing in tight formation at this stage – it is a close duel upfront.
Vettel pits – from 2nd – rejoins 4th.
(Pit Lane time: 19,847s. Pit-stop time: 3,4s).
Lap 19
Alonso pits – from 1st – rejoins 3rd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,338s. Pit-stop time: 3,9s).
Webber pits – from 3rd – rejoins 4th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,079s. Pit-stop time: 3,4s).
Lap 21
Hamilton sets the new fastest lap: 1:28:024
Lap 22
Vettel sets the new fastest lap: 1:27:394
Massa pits.
(Pit Lane time: 21,465s. Pit-stop time: 4,5s).
The Order after 22 Laps is as follows:
Hamilton leads, followed by Vettel, Alonso, Webber, Button, Schumacher, Rosberg, Petrov, Buemi and Alguersuari.
Lap 23
Hamilton pits – from 1st – rejoins 2nd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,235s. Pit-stop time: 3,9s).
Lap 24
Barichello pits.
Heidfeld takes Kovelainnen for 19th position.
Heidfeld takes Kobeyashi for 18th position.
Upfront, Vettel leads, followed by Hamilton, Alonso, Webber and Button.
Lap 26
Buemi pits.
Lap 27
Kobeyashi pits.
Petrov pits.
Lap 28
Rosberg pits – from 7th – rejoins 9th.
(Pit Lane time: 19,524s. Pit-stop time: 3,2s).
Alguersuari takes Sutil for 15th position.
Lap 30
Webber pits – from 4th – rejoins 5th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,729s. Pit-stop time: 3,3s).
Alonso pits – from 3rd – rejoins 4th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,728s. Pit-stop time: 4,2s).
Upfront Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso are still very close to each other.
Lap 31
Perez pits.
Trulli pits.
Button pits – from 3rd – rejoins 5th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,763s. Pit-stop time: 4,4 s).
Lap 35
Vettel pits – from 1st – rejoins 3rd.
Webber and Alonso are having a great dice, Webber takes Alonso; and Alonso immediately retakes Webber.
Lap 36
Hamilton pits – from 1st – rejoins 2nd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,493s. Pit-stop time: 4,1 s).
Button is a charge: he takes Webber – great move.
Button takes Alonso.
Lap 37
Barichello pits.
D’Ambrosio pits.
Massa pits.
(Pit Lane time: 22,419s. Pit-stop time: 3,4 s).
Heidfeld pits.
Maldonado pits.
Alguersuari pits.
Lap 38
Heidfeld pits.
(Pit Lane time: 21,053s. Pit-stop time:3,5 s).
Lap 39
Massa spins and leaves the track – he recovers the car and rejoins the race.
The Order after 39 Laps is as follows:
Vettel leads, followed by Hamilton (@2,5s), Button, Alonso, Webber, Schumacher, Rosberg, Petrov, Massa and Buemi.
Lap 40
Alonso pits – from 4th – rejoins 5th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,340s. Pit-stop time: 4,0 s).
Lap 42
Liuzzi retires.
Lap 43
Heidfeld takes Barichello.
It has been a good drive from Heidfeld, considering that he started from the back of the grid.
Schumacher pits – from 7th.
(Pit Lane time: 20,451s. Pit-stop time: 4,0 s).
Petrov pits.
Kovelainnen pits.
Lap 44
Rosberg pits.
(Pit Lane time: 20,395s. Pit-stop time: 3,0 s).
Buemi pits.
The Order after 45 Laps is as follows:
Vettel leads from Hamilton (@1,537s), Button (@22,4s), Webber, Alonso, Schumacher, Rosberg, Massa, Di Resta and Perez.
Lap 47
At this stage of the race, Vettel and Hamilton are dominating upfront, and it would appear as though the eventual race winner will come from one of these two drivers.
Lap 48
Webber pits – from 4th – rejoins 4th.
(Pit Lane time: 19,984s. Pit-stop time: 3,2 s).
Vettel pits – from 1st – rejoins 2nd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,292s. Pit-stop time: 3,8 s).
Perez pits.
Button pits – from 3rd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,107s. Pit-stop time: 3,7 s).
Lap 49
Hamilton pits – from 1st – rejoins 2nd.
(Pit Lane time: 20,988s. Pit-stop time: 4,4 s).
Vettel now leads, followed by Hamilton (@2,054s), Button (@28,353s), Webber and Alonso.
Lap 51
Kovelainnen crashes into the tyre barrier – race over.
Karthikeyen pits.
Lap 52
Webber sets the new fastest lap: 1:27:394
Alguersuari pits.
Lap 53
Hamilton sets the new fastest lap: 1:27:394
D’Ambrosio pits.
Di Resta pits.
Lap 55
Vettel and Hamilton are pushing each other hard: only 0,525s separates the pair.
The Order after 58 Laps is as follows:
Vettel leads, followed by Hamilton, Button, Webber, Alonso, Schumacher, Rosberg, Massa, Perez and Heidfeld.
Lap 59
Perez takes Massa for 8th position.
Good move.
Lap 60
Heidfeld takes Massa for 9th position.
Lap 61
Heidfeld takes Perez for 8th position.
Lap 64
Massa retires from the race.
Hamilton is trying to pass Vettel on the main straight:
Vettel reaching a speed of 309km/h and Hamilton doing 316km/h.
Lap 66
Vettel takes the win!
2nd. Hamilton (@0,630s)
3rd. Button (@35,687s)
4th. Webber (@47,966s)
5th. Alonso
6th. Schumacher
7th. Rosberg
8th. Heidfeld
9th. Perez
10. Kobeyashi
Retired: 21/24 starters finished the race.
(Massa, Kovelainnen and Liuzzi did not finish).
SUMMARY
RBR-Renault secures their 4th win of the season, out of a possible 5 races.
McLaren –Mercedes pushed them hard all the way, and it was a much improved performance from Ferrari.
It has been an enthralling Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix: action from start to finish, the various tyre options certainly provided for some fascinating racing. The racing has been close throughout, and there were some great performances from numerous drivers.
The top 3 are joined on the podium by Peter Prodroumou from the RBR-Renault team.
The formalities complete, there is a shower of champagne and celebrations all round: this is Formula 1!
Catalunya most certainly delivered an awesome race.
NEXT STOP
The F1 Grand Prix du Monaco, in years gone by known also as the Montecarlo Grand Prix. Monaco has a special place in Formula 1: it is the jewel in the crown on the Formula 1 calendar. It is the playground of the rich and famous, and race day always delivers an astounding mix of celebrities: from film stars to the who’s who.
Luxury yachts line the circuit at various points as the cars race through the harbour section, and then there in the famous tunnel. For the drivers, it is a very technical and demanding circuit that does not allow for error: there are no run off areas here, crash and you’re into a steel barrier. For the fans, it is a great opportunity to get up close to the attraction that is Formula 1.
Written by Mark Batchelder, Road and Race’s F1 Connoisseur
