At the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on Sunday 13th October Sebastian Vettel had the opportunity to secure the championship if Fernando Alonso finished below sixth and he took the win. The weekend started did not start off according to plan for Vettel as his team-mate Mark Webber secured pole whilst he himself suffered a KERS issue. The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton lined up behind him in third and the dangerously quick in race trim Lotus of Romain Grosjean. However, Fernando Alonso, Vettel’s only remaining challenger was down in eighth after a poor qualifying.
The race start saw Romain Grosjean’s Lotus make a fantastic getaway to take the lead from fourth place with a down the inside. Behind Lewis Hamilton managed to briefly get ahead of Vettel, but lost the position going wide into turn one, contact was made during this move and Lewis Hamilton suffered a race ending puncture to his rear right, Vettel sustained minor damage to his front wing. Contact occurred at the very back of the field at the same time, with Giedo Van de Garde and Jules Bianchi colliding. Roseberg made his way up to fourth during the chaos of the start, with the two Ferrari’s of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso behind him.
By lap seven it became apparent that Fernando Alonso was being held up by his team-mate Felipe Massa, a team order was issued for him to be released an order that fell on deaf ears, a not entirely surprising fact as Massa will be leaving Ferrari at the end of this season and is currently in the market for a new race seat.
Despite the inter-team battle the two Ferraris quickly closed up on Nico Roseberg, compounded by a mistake going into turn one which caused Roseberg to run wide.
Tyre changes started early with pit stops starting on lap nine, causing the track to become rather muddled as who was two or three stopping was not entirely clear.
The damage of the fight between the Ferrari’s became clear as the pit stops emerged and Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber had managed to get ahead of them both, an issue which worsened Fernando Alonso’s chances of a podium as Hulkenberg became incredibly difficult to overtake due to good straight-line speed.
Mark Webber’s intention to three stop became clear when he pitted whilst both Romain Grosjean and Vettel stayed out.
Mercedes weekend went from bad o worse as on lap fifteen Nico Roseberg was awarded a drive through penalty for the team’s unsafe release into the path of Sergio Perez in the pit lane, damaging Roseberg opportunity for a podium and desperately needed constructor’s points.
By lap twenty quite a train had formed behind Riccardo and Hulkenberg, with Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Gutierrez and Kimi Raikkonen unable to pass despite considerably more pace and a different strategy. In the train Alonso manages to pass Massa, a lap later Hulkenberg goes past Riccardo but Alonso cannot manage to follow him. The failed attempt place him dangerously close to Massa who sought to seize the opportunity but also failed, allowing Alonso another chance to pass Riccardo finally managing to do so on the pit straight. Gutierrez then run up alongside Massa and despite a slight contact Massa manages to keep the position as Raikkonen makes a move past around the outside of Gutierrez.
Webber managed to get the undercut on the second wave of pit stops, coming in a lap earlier than Grosjean and therefore managing to take second place. Further back the pit stops do not work favourably for Fernando Alonso and he comes out yet again behind the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg.
The stewards were busy with yet another two penalties being issued in as many laps with Ricciardo given a drive through for his move on Maldonado and then Felipe Massa a drive through for speeding in the pit lane.
Vettel was unable to get ahead of Grosjean as he pitted on lap thirty eight but was close enough to make the move three laps later on the straight with DRS assistance. Meanwhile Webber pits a lap later for the third and final time coming out behind both his
At the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on Sunday 13th October Sebastian Vettel had the opportunity to secure the championship if Fernando Alonso finished below sixth and he took the win. The weekend started did not start off according to plan for Vettel as his teammate Mark Webber secured pole whilst he himself suffered a KERS issue. The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton lined up behind him in third and the dangerously quick in race trim Lotus of Romain Grosjean. However, Fernando Alonso, Vettel’s only remaining challenger was down in eighth after a poor qualifying.
The race start saw Romain Grosjean’s Lotus make a fantastic getaway to take the lead from fourth place with a down the inside. Behind Lewis Hamilton managed to briefly get ahead of Vettel, but lost the position going wide into turn one, contact was made during this move and Lewis Hamilton suffered a race ending puncture to his rear right, Vettel sustained minor damage to his front wing. Contact occurred at the very back of the field at the same time, with Giedo Van de Garde and Jules Bianchi colliding. Roseberg made his way up to fourth during the chaos of the start, with the two Ferrari’s of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso behind him.
By lap seven it became apparent that Fernando Alonso was being held up by his teammate Felipe Massa, a team order was issued for him to be released an order that fell on deaf ears, a not entirely surprising fact as Massa will be leaving Ferrari at the end of this season and is currently in the market for a new race seat.
Despite the inter-team battle the two Ferraris quickly closed up on Nico Roseberg, compounded by a mistake going into turn one which caused Roseberg to run wide.
Tyre changes started early with pit stops starting on lap nine, causing the track to become rather muddled as who was two or three stopping was not entirely clear.
The damage of the fight between the Ferrari’s became clear as the pit stops emerged and Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber had managed to get ahead of them both, an issue which worsened Fernando Alonso’s chances of a podium as Hulkenberg became incredibly difficult to overtake due to good straight-line speed.
Mark Webber’s intention to three stop became clear when he pitted whilst both Romain Grosjean and Vettel stayed out.
Mercedes weekend went from bad o worse as on lap fifteen Nico Roseberg was awarded a drive through penalty for the team’s unsafe release into the path of Sergio Perez in the pit lane, damaging Roseberg opportunity for a podium and desperately needed constructor’s points.
By lap twenty quite a train had formed behind Riccardo and Hulkenberg, with Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Gutierrez and Kimi Raikkonen unable to pass despite considerably more pace and a different strategy. In the train Alonso manages to pass Massa, a lap later Hulkenberg goes pas Riccardo but Alonso cannot manage to follow him. The failed attempt place him dangerously close to Massa who sought to seize the opportunity but also failed, allowing Alonso another chance to pass Riccardo finally managing to do so on the pit straight. Gutierrez then run up alongside Massa and despite a slight contact Massa manages to keep the position as Raikkonen makes a move past around the outside of Gutierrez.
Webber managed to get the undercut on the second wave of pit stops, coming in a lap earlier than Grosjean and therefore managing to take second place. Further back the pit stops do not work favourably for Fernando Alonso and he comes out yet again behind the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg.
The stewards were busy with yet another two penalties being issued in as many laps with Ricciardo given a drive through for his move on Maldonado and then Felipe Massa a drive through for speeding in the pit lane.
Vettel was unable to get ahead of Grosjean as he pitted on lap thirty eight but was close enough to make the move three laps later on the straight with DRS assistance. Meanwhile Webber pits a lap later for the third and final time coming out behind both his teammate and Grosjean in third place.
The now similar sight of Perez with a puncture occurred yet again after contact with Roseberg.
The dying laps of the race saw many on a charge the most notable of which were Mark Webber on Romain Grosjean and Fernando Alonso on Hulkenberg. On lap forty six Webber was within a second of Grosjean and Alonso managed to make the move on Hulkenberg for fourth place, keeping the championship alive going into the Indian grand prix. Webber managed to make the move on Grosjean on the inside of turn one on lap fifty two but by the time he lost behind the Lotus placed the race win out of his reach. A fantastic move on the final lap saw Kimi Raikkonen pass Hulkenberg for fifth place around the outside of the chicane, an unusual overtaking move which saw supreme daring and skill from the Lotus driver.
Overall the three stop strategy took the win away from Mark Webber with his teammate Vettel winning on a two stop and extending his lead to ninety two points in the driver’s championship. Fernando Alonso drove a good race to take fourth and keep the championship alive, but any hope of challenging Vettel and the supreme pace of the Red Bull’s appeared unrealistic. and Grosjean in third place.
The now similar sight of Perez with a puncture occurred yet again after contact with Roseberg.
The dying laps of the race saw many on a charge the most notable of which were Mark Webber on Romain Grosjean and Fernando Alonso on Hulkenberg. On lap forty six Webber was within a second of Grosjean and Alonso managed to make the move on Hulkenberg for fourth place, keeping the championship alive going into the Indian Grand Prix. Webber managed to make the move on Grosjean on the inside of turn one on lap fifty two but by the time he lost behind the Lotus placed the race win out of his reach. A fantastic move on the final lap saw Kimi Raikkonen pass Hulkenberg for fifth place around the outside of the chicane, an unusual overtaking move which saw supreme daring and skill from the Lotus driver.
Overall the three stop strategy took the win away from Mark Webber with his team-mate Vettel winning on a two stop and extending his lead to ninety two points in the driver’s championship. Fernando Alonso drove a good race to take fourth and keep the championship alive, but any hope of challenging Vettel and the supreme pace of the Red Bull’s appeared unrealistic.
For part five, click here.
