Singapore: post-race analysis
Rosberg got the lead before the first corner, but quick
thinking enabled Vettel to almost immediately take it back.
Boringly, Vettel made a sizeable gap with relative ease,
followed by Rosberg and then Alonso, who had a great start.
For a while Button, Hulkenberg, Perez and Raikkonen were
8-12, but, for reasons that radio coverage did not make apparent, Hulkenberg
slipped down to around 14th. After others had made their first stop, and he had
not, Di Resta was up to 3rd, which is rather impressive.
Must say that 23 laps or so in the race was not the most
exciting.
About halfway through the safety car was deployed after
Ricciardo crashed into the barriers. This cut the sizeable gaps between Vettel
(leading), Rosberg and Alonso.
Just about everybody ended up pitting, which slightly
surprised me, as the safety car was some laps after the first pit stop, and
probably too early for a two stop strategy. Some cars (Button, I think) got
really held up in the pits because it was so busy. Vettel, Rosberg, Webber and
Hamilton (the leading four after the stops) all stayed out, as did Di Resta.
[You can tell the race is not great when the interruptions
for football aren’t really annoying].
After the restart James Allen asserted this was arguably the
most charismatic race in F1. Strange, especially given he sounded sober.
After the first lap after the restart Vettel was 3.2s ahead
of Rosberg (in 2nd). Huzzah for the 2014 regulation changes. I really don’t see
why everyone except Di Resta and the top 4 went for 2 stops. 3 were slightly
faster, in theory, but only if there’s no safety car. Given there’s been at
least one appearance of it at every race that seems a stupid approach to take.
Incidentally, earlier (mid-teen lap, I think) Perez was
being a bit of a tosser, forced Hulkenberg (then ahead) off the track to avoid
a collision, and then Hulkenberg had to yield the place (which confused and
annoyed him). That’s why the German was behind the Mexican dodgems’ star.
On lap 39 Vettel had a 20 second lead.
At the second stops Webber pitted first to undercut and pass
Rosberg.
With about 15 laps or so left Hulkenberg and Gutierrez were
6-7, (Perez ahead), on a two stop strategy, with three stopping Webber, Rosberg
and Hamilton behind. They got past Gutierrez pretty easily with 12 laps or so
left.
Vettel got warned about brake vibrations with circa 20 laps
left, and again with 9 to go. His engineer said that they’d focus on that.
In the closing stages Raikkonen was immediately behind
Button (3rd), and Webber was told he was just 8s off a podium (Webber being 7th
behind Hulkenberg, Perez, Raikkonen and Button).
Merde. With just a few laps to go Webber passed Hulkenberg
for 6th. Raikkonen passed Button more or less at the same time.
Hulkenberg radioed late on to tell his engineer he would be
better off letting others past or he’d ‘be dead’ (due to massive tyre wear).
Disappointing for him. Di Resta crashed with a few laps to go.
Webber suffered some sort of reliability failure on the
final lap, and had to retire after fire erupted from the engine.
So, Vettel won, strategic cunning got Alonso 2nd and
Raikkonen did well to climb to 3rd, especially given his back pain. Rosberg,
after spending all but the final third of the race in second place, was 4th,
with Hamilton 5th. Massa
got 6th, with Button 7th, then came Perez, Hulkenberg and Sutil.
Pretty good showing for Alonso and Raikkonen given where
they started. Mercedes will be the most gutted today. They were on for one,
maybe two, podium places for much of the race but lost out on the undercut to
Webber and their strategy proved inferior to that of Ferrari.
I’d need to watch the Perez-Hulkenberg moment, but given
Perez’s other events this year (the Monaco
one prompting Raikkonen to suggest someone needs to punch the Mexican in the
face) I’m inclined to believe Hulkenberg’s right to feel aggrieved.
Not a Singapore
fan, and this race sums up why.
It’s a fortnight to Korea
(perhaps for the final time), and a week after that we’ll be in Japan.
The hedge on Gutierrez was not matched, but it was on
Hulkenberg, so that was essentially flat (NB that counts as green). So, a bit
of a nothing weekend, but given the 3.5 (which disappeared) on Grosjean to be
top 3 in qualifying would’ve been right I feel a bit more at ease. Disappointed
Hulkenberg couldn’t hold on for a top 6 place (even half a stake at 9.4
would’ve been nice) but that’s why I hedge bets.
Morris Dancer
Apart from the usual procession by Vettel, it sounded like quite an interesting race and i must say I have somewhat warmed to the radio commentary which seems to have improved over the season. Unlike you Morris, both the BBC guys seemed very enthusiastic about the race track and the GP generally, although the regular appearance of the Safety Car does rather take the edge off it as a racing spectacle.
ReplyDeleteI was unlucky with both my race day bets failing to finish (thankfully more than made up by my footy bets on Man City and Arsenal), but of course Grosjean's problems helped my spread bet, which is now comfortably back in profit - although I probably wouldn't want to repeat the exercise, even if I come out of it well ahead as now seems likely - the prospect of a goodish driver like Grosjean gaining the odd podium or two makes it just too hairy. The real valuebet would have been to SELL Bottas who was on offer at around 30 points pre-season but looks likely to finish up with "nul points"!
I fear we may have listened to different races!
ReplyDeleteThe first tw-thirds was entirely processional, the latter part only became slightly interesting due to tyre wear.
James Allen is entirely to his opinion. This is a free country, and part of that means that every man has the right to hold an utterly deranged opinion. Singapore's circuit is about as charismatic as a yeast infection.
Best part of radio commentary has been Alan McNish, who I think only makes appearances during practice, and then only sometimes. If the Scots do separate I hope we get to keep their F1 presenters.
It'd be interesting to check my non-tipped spread bet suggestions at the end of the season versus what happens. I think I 'backed' Bottas, Rosberg and Raikkonen to do well. The first is obviously not true, but the latter two might be.