British Grand Prix, Round 9, 060708

[MikeLane]

Hamilton gives a master-class in the wet at Silverstone

British Grand Prix

Silverstone, England – July 6th, 2008 – Round 9.

By

Mike Lane

F1 Correspondent.

…………………………………………………………………..

For the home crowd they had three British drivers to cheer, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and most importantly David Coultard, who would be racing at this Grand Prix for the last time having announced his impending retirement at the end of the season.

This is a circuit susceptible to winds, having formally been a World War II airfield.
On a demanding circuit such as this one, with it’s high-speed first half and technically challenging second, a Formula 1 car’s handling can change dramatically.

Add to that some rain and Silverstone becomes a spectator’s dream and so it was to be for today’s race.

As they lined up for the race there was some standing water on the track but not all of it, making a difficult choice for the teams as far as tyres were concerned. Most, if not all, had elected to go for the intermediate tyre which is a great all round tyre but still very tricky in standing water.

The only change to the grid order after qualifying was Nico Rosberg in the Williams, who would be starting from the pit lane after a complete suspension change on his car overnight.

The grid order was:-

1. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren). …………….2. Mark Webber (Red Bull)
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)…………………..4. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
4. Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) ……………..6. Fernando Alonso (Renault)
7. Nelsinho Piquet (Renault)…………………. 8. Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso)
9. Felipe Massa (Ferrari). …………………….10. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber)
11. David Coultard (Red Bull) …………………12. Timo Glock (Toyota)
13. Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso). …………14. Jarno Trulli (Toyota).
15. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams)………………16 Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
17. Jenson Button (Honda)…………………….18. Nico Rosberg (Williams)
19. Adrian Sutil (Force India)…………………..20.Giancarlo Fisichella (ForceIndia).


In front of a capacity crowd of 90,000 who had braved the inclement weather to support their home-grown drivers, the lights went out to signal the start of the British Grand Prix.

Kovalainen made a good start but Hamilton made a better one and whilst Webber moved outside to block Raikkonen, stole second place before turn one. Not content with that he made a move on his team-mate, Kovalainen, but with some inspirational driving was kept behind by the Finn. Both McLarens did seem to touch gently during this manoeuvre but no harm done.

As if to emphasise the track’s slippery condition, Webber spun the Red Bull as he turned onto Hangar Straight but managed to keep the car going. He was followed by a Williams and then a Ferrari, as Rosberg and Massa became passengers. All of them managed to avoid hitting anything and were able to continue.

The next two drivers to try this manoeuvre(not intentionally, of course) were Coultard and Vettel as the former tried to dive down the inside only to find the ‘door’ firmly closed. Both cars turned in syncronised fashion as they exited into the gravel trap and out of the race.

I am certain this was not the way Coultard wanted to experience his last race at Silverstone infront of a home crowd, but these incidents happen in a competitive sport such as Formula 1.

Within three laps the first three cars, Hamilton, Kovalainen and Raikkonen had pulled out a lead over the rest of the cars as the drivers tried to cope with the conditions and incidents around them.

With spray from these cars streaming off the back of them, driving around a track is like overtaking a large lorry in torrential rain. You lose most of your vision and therefore reference points, such as where to brake and your turn in points.
When you look at the speeds these cars achieve, it takes an enormous amount of talent and courage just to keep the cars on the black stuff.

The early order was Hamilton, Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Alonso, Piquet and Trulli.

On the 4th lap Massa again spun his Ferrari and found himself in last place, in contrast to the sister Ferrari in third.

Both Barrichello and Button in their Hondas were performing well in 10th and 11th spots. This was no surprise, perhaps,as both these drivers excel in the wet.

Hamilton was chasing Kovalainen hard and was obviously keen to get on, so it was little surprise when he surged past his team-mate into Stowe corner. Having cleared the sister McLaren, Hamilton began to pull away in the lead and now Raikkonen was challenging Kovalainen for second place.

By lap 9 the unfortunate Webber who had had such a stunning qualifying pace, got past Bourdais to take 13th place. Just one lap later he swept Sutil, in the Force India car, aside and was on a charge to move back up the field.

The very next lap Raikkonen forced his way past Kovalainen for second place, who nearly had to succumb to Alonso after a spin into the Abbey chicane.

At this stage of the race, Webber set the fastest lap, so far, whilst continuing his charge. Meanwhile, Button overtook his team-mate, Barrichello, who was now 11th.
This didn’t last long as Webber swallowed up the Honda to take that 11th spot.

On lap 12 Sutil lost his Force India car under braking into the Abbey chicane and retired from the race as he wallowed in the gravel trap.

The race order at this stage was Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Alonso, Heidfeld, Piquet, Trulli, Kubica, Glock, Button, Webber, Barrichello, Nakajima, Fisichella, Rosberg and Massa.

Over the next six laps, Raikkonen was really charging and catching Hamilton.
On lap 18 he set the fastest lap, so far, and on the next lap, was a second a lap faster than Hamilton. Hamilton was still faster in the first sector of the lap but it appeared at this stage that perhaps the Ferrari had preserved it’s tyres better than Hamilton’s McLaren.
This has been a feature of the two cars this season and Hamilton does seem to be harder on his tyres than Kovalainen in the sister McLaren.

There had been a rumour in the paddock that Kovalainen may have been on a heavier fuel load than Hamilton, thereby making his pole position even more impressive, but on lap 20 it was Kovalainen who made his pit stop first.

Raikkonen was now only one second behind Hamilton and clearly Hamilton was going to have to pit soon. We didn’t have to wait long as both Hamilton and Raikkonen pitted together on lap 21. Now it was a race between the pit crews or perhaps a change of strategy. Ferrari did not change Raikkonen’s tyres, which seemed an odd decision, whilst Hamilton did.

To the delight of the home crowd the McLaren mechanics got Hamilton out just ahead of the Ferrari of Raikkonen.

The rain was now falling quite hard and lap times were 12 seconds slower than the dry times.

Cars were struggling in the conditions at this stage and Heidfeld, on fresh tyres, was charging. In two corners he overtook both Glock and Alonso to underline the superiority of his car in these conditions.
Three laps after making their pit stops, Hamilton now seemed to have the measure of Raikkonen’s Ferrari with a 4.6 second lead, whilst Nakajima reversed his progress as he spun, but happily was able to continue.

As the next few laps unfolded, Ferrari’s decision not to change Raikkonen’s tyres unravelled, whilst Hamilton pulled out a lead at the rate of five seconds per lap.
He was now 21 seconds ahead and Kovalainen was also catching fast.

As if to add insult to injury, Hamilton lapped the Ferrari of Massa, who was having a torrid afternoon. The Ferrari seemed incapable of getting the power down in these conditions and became a frequent spinner at Becketts as it led onto the main straight.

Meanwhile Piquet overtook his team-mate, Alonso, who had also elected not to change tyres at his pit stop. Finally on lap 27 Alonso made his stop and change tyres.

The very next lap Kovalainen tried a move on Raikkonen and not only failed, but was caught out by the charging Heidfeld.

To add to the retirements, Fisichella, in the Force India car, went off the road as Hamilton lapped him and was out of the race as he floundered in the gravel trap.

By lap 29 Hamilton was 24 seconds ahead of second place man, Heidfeld and we were only just half way through the race!

On lap 32 the race order was Hamilton, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Kubica, Piquet, Barrichello, Glock, Trulli, Alonso, Button, Raikkonen, Rosberg, Nakajima, Webber and Massa.

At this stage of the race Kovalainen was struggling and Kubica overtook him for third spot as they entered Stowe bend. It was no surprise to see Kovalainen make his second pit stop from 5th place.

On lap 37 both Hondas pitted together with Barrichello infront. A problem with the front car delayed it’s exit and compromised Button behind.
Interestingly with the rain still coming down, Barrichello went to full wet tyres.

Meanwhile the drama continued, with the unpredictable conditions sending first Piquet into the gravel trap at the Abbey chicane and out of the race, then Hamilton who had to cut a chicane to keep the car straight and finally Massa, who aquaplaned whilst travelling in a straight line!

Raikkonen was also struggling and went off the track but could continue.

Common sense seemed to be saying, ‘go to full wet tyres’ but when Hamilton came in for his pit stop on lap 39, he put new inters on.

Heidfeld followed suit and put the same type of tyres on so perhaps they believed the conditions didn’t need the full wets.

Once again Raikonen was struggling and spun as he came onto the main straight and then Webber also lost it.

It was still difficult to understand the decisions to stay on inter tyres and this was compounded as we watched Barrichello’s progress, who had gone to full wets.
He was up into 5th place and lapping 30 seconds per lap faster than Hamilton!

As if to emphasis the conditions, Kubica went off the track and retired, whilst Rosberg hit one of the Toyotas up the rear and had to go in for a new nose cone.

Barrichello was now up to 4th place but the track seemed to be drying as he was now only three seconds per lap faster than Hamilton, who in turn was 4 seconds per lap faster than second place man, Heidfeld.

As the race continued, Barrichello was now in third and still three seconds per lap faster than leader, Hamilton. However, Hamilton was an incredible six seconds per lap faster than anyone else who was on the same tyre, i.e. ‘Inters’.

On lap 47 Barrichello made his last pit stop and also went to ‘Inters’ before emerging still in a great third place.

The next lap Massa again spins at the same spot as before and clearly had a problem with getting the power down on the exit to corners.
Webber kept him company as he also spun at the same point.

As we began lap 50 Hamilton was one minute ahead of the rest and in a class apart.
Meanwhile his team-mate, Kovalainen, spun thereby letting both Raikkonen and Alonso past.

Three laps later Hamilton lapped Raikkonen as he entered the closing stages of this race.

After all his troubles, Raikkonen passed Alonso for fourth place on lap 54, closely followed by Kovalainen, who desperately wanted to have a better finish after his historic pole position.

None of this was going to change the outcome of this great race and Hamilton crossed the finish line 68 seconds ahead of second place man, Heidfeld.

Hamilton won the race in 1hr39min09.440secs with a faultless performance in these extreme conditions and reasserted his challenge in this year’s championship battle.


The final race order was:-

1st Hamilton……….1hr39:09.440
2nd Heidfeld…………+68.5s
3rd Barrichello………+82.2s
4th Raikkonen……… +1 lap
5th Kovalainen………+1 lap
6th Alonso………….. + 1 lap
7th Trulli…………. + 1 lap
8th Nakajima……… + 1 lap
9th Rosberg………….+ 1 lap
10th Webber…………+1 lap
11th Bourdais………..+1 lap
12th Glock………….. +1 lap
13th Massa………… +1 lap
14th Kubica…….. ….+ 21 laps
15th Button…………. + 22 laps
16th Piquet………… + 25 laps
17th Fisichella………...+34 laps
18th Sutil…………… + 50 laps
19th Vettel…..………..+ 60 laps
20th Coultard………..+ 60 laps

After nine rounds the Driver’s championship looks like this:-

Hamilton………48 points
Massa………….48
Raikkonen……..48
Kubica…………46
Heidfeld……….36
Kovalainen…….24
Trulli…………..20
Webber………..18
Alonso…………13
Barrichello…….11
Rosberg……….. 8
Nakajima……….8
Coultard…………6
Glock……………5
Vettel……………5
Button…………..3
Bourdais………..2
Piquet…………..2
Fisichello……….0
Sato…………….0
Davidson……….0
Sutil…………….0

The Constructor’s championship looks like this:-
Ferrari…………96 points
BMW Sauber….82
McLaren………72
Toyota…………25
Red Bull……….24
Williams………16
Renault…………15
Honda…………..14
Toro Rosso………7
Force India………0
Super Aguri……..0


Silverstone is a great track and always provides a good race, but when it’s wet we get great races and that is what we got today.

After a great qualifying lap, Kovalainen struggled a little in the race and could only manage 5th place and a lap down on Hamilton.

Likewise Webber had all sorts of trouble in the race and could only manage 10th for Red Bull.

Sadly David Coultard, on his last appearance at Silverstone, got it wrong on the first lap and ended out of the race on the first lap.

For me the story, here, was that only three cars finished on the same lap and one of those was a Honda in the hands of Barrichello. He has always been good in the wet and today was no exception. He made good use of his tyre choices, using full wets when they had maximum advantage.

Heidfeld in the BMW Sauber had a good drive to get second place but the star of the show was Lewis Hamilton.

When the critics have relentlessly hounded him after a couple of lacklustre results he did his talking on the track today and left the opposition in his wake.

Over one minute between him and his nearest competitor and most a full lap down, he turned in a Senna like, Schumacher like performance.

With the season half way through we have a three-way tie at the top of the drivers championship and are we in for a great second half.

I can’t wait for Hockenheim, Germany, in two weeks time, to see who will conquer there.

Mike Lane

F1 Correspondent – Home Base - England