Korean Grand Prix - Korea - 24 October 2010

[Guest]

  to Korea for getting every thing ready.. A few weeks back they were all talking about them not being ready in time..

So the race!!!!!!!! Well after BBC1 switched it to BBC2 after 44 laps this meant I had to watch to watch the re-run to see how it all finished..
Ok not much over taking but wow it was interesting... And that RedBull let go BIG TIME...
This is going to go down to the wire..

[fullpint]

  to Korea for getting every thing ready.. A few weeks back they were all talking about them not being ready in time..

So the race!!!!!!!! Well after BBC1 switched it to BBC2 after 44 laps this meant I had to watch to watch the re-run to see how it all finished..
Ok not much over taking but wow it was interesting... And that RedBull let go BIG TIME...
This is going to go down to the wire..

[MadBoB]

Sorry guys, I've been away again and neglecting my duties here.

Qualifying times:

1  VETTEL        Red Bull      1m35.585s
2  WEBBER        Red Bull      1m35.659s
3  ALONSO        Ferrari       1m35.766s
4  HAMILTON      McLaren       1m36.062s
5  ROSBERG       Mercedes      1m36.535s
6  MASSA         Ferrari       1m36.571s
7  BUTTON        McLaren       1m36.731s
8  KUBICA        Renault       1m36.824s
9  SCHUMACHER    Mercedes      1m36.950s
10 BARRICHELLO   Williams      1m36.998s

11 HULKENBERG      Williams
12 KOBAYASHI       Sauber
13 HEIDFELD        Sauber
14 SUTIL           Force India
15 ALGUERSUARI     Toro Rosso
16 BUEMI           Toro Rosso
17 LIUZZI          Force India
18 TRULLI          Lotus
19 GLOCK           Virgin
20 PETROV*         Renault
21 KOVALAINEN      Lotus
22 DI GRASSI       Virgin
23 YAMAMOTO        HRT
24 SENNA           HRT

* penalised 5 places for crashing into Hulkenberg in Japan

[MadBoB]

Korean Grand Prix result - 55 laps

1  ALONSO       Ferrari
2  HAMILTON     McLaren       +14.9s
3  MASSA        Ferrari       +30.8s
4  SCHUMACHER   Mercedes      +39.6s
5  KUBICA       Renault       +47.7s
6  LIUZZI       Force India   +53.5s
7  BARRICHELLO  Williams      +69.2s
8  KOBAYASHI    Sauber        +77.8s
9  HEIDFELD     Sauber        +80.1s
10 HULKENBERG   Williams      +80.8s
11 ALGUERSUARI  Toro Rosso    +84.1s
12 BUTTON       McLaren       +89.9s
13 KOVALAINEN   Lotus         +1 lap
14 SENNA        HRT           +2 laps
15 YAMAMOTO     HRT           +2 laps
R. SUTIL        Force India   +9 laps
R. VETTEL       Red Bull      +10 laps
R. PETROV       Renault       +16 laps
R. GLOCK        Virgin        +24 laps
R. BUEMI        Toro Rosso    +25 laps
R. DI GRASSI    Virgin        +30 laps
R. TRULLI       Lotus         +30 laps
R. WEBBER       Red Bull      +37 laps
R. ROSBERG      Mercedes      +37 laps

Fastest lap: ALONSO  1m50.257s (lap 42)

[MadBoB]

I did get up early to watch the qualifying, and nearly did for the race - actually turned on the tv about 7.15 to find it all looking a bit wet and lots of doom about how green the tarmac was, no grip, not enough rubber down - nothing new really. Seems the days of 'lets go racing' are gone.
Anyway, eventually they started under the safety car, ran for 7 or 8 laps i think and then red flagged it. In theory that meant the race had run and 1/2 points could be awarded. What a looney set of rules. 'I qualified on pole therefore I get 12.5 points' - almost as mad as the constant changes to the rules on white lines. Yup, now you can exit the pits and cross the white line. Don't ask.

Everyone parked up. Had a cup  of tea and watched the rain ease a bit. Hooray, 10 past 8 they decided to have another go. Funny, Alonso was on the radio saying it was terrible and Hamilton was cheerfully asking for inters as it was fine. It did look a bit wet, but not so wet you couldn't race.

Restart under safety car, all started to look a lot dryer (still wet though) and away they went.
May I suggest you have a watch on iplayer, it was pretty entertaining really. Championship is swinging away from RedBull and unbelievably towards Alonso.

[MadBoB]

Ferrari: 1st and 3rd. Kept out of trouble. Watched the Red Bulls fall apart, and made the most of the start.

McLaren: Hamilton seemed to struggle to begin with but once up to speed tried his hardest to take the fight to the front. Jumped Alonso in the pits, only to run very wide and give the place away - never to return. Good result, but is it enough? Button just didn't have the grip, poise or confidence. To finish 1/2 a lap ahead of Kovi in a Lotus says it all.

Mercedes: Schuey finished 4th. Had a good race then? Sort of I guess. Rosberg easily had far more pace and deserved a podium. Of course that didn't happen after he was collected by the crashing Webber.

Renault: Didnt see much of Kubica, but 5th showed his continued form. Petrov tried hard, but ultimately had a pretty big off into the tyre wall near the pit entrance.

Force India: Liuzzi quietly worked his way to a points finish. Sutil bounced his way up the inside of a great number of cars - especially the Saubers. In the end it all got a bit too much and Sutil ended the day on the grass, wheels deranged.

[MadBoB]

Williams: Both in the points and ran a strong race. Does make me wonder if the Williams had a Renault engine would it go better?

Sauber: 8th and 9th. Both took inters early - and proved to the rest that it was too early. Put up with Sutil bouncing off their side pods, and proved the cars were strong when subjected to the grief.

The rest: Trulli lost a rear wing thanks to Senna getting a bit close. Di Grassi put it in the wall if I remember correctly. HRT got both cars home and Lotus again led the also ran pack.

Red Bull: Had it sewn up really. This was the weekend that a 1 2 would take the constructors championship and pull Webber into a very nice lead. Qualifying went almost perfect with a front row for them both. Webber was the first to faulter, running a little wide onto the kerbs, spun the car across the track into the wall. All in slow motion really, then as he rolled back across the track Rosberg (with no option) tried to squeeze through the closing space on the inside - it was about 1/2 a cars width. hmmm no wheels then. This left Vettel to himself out the front. In command despite several safety car periods to clear up the various crashes and parked cars. Then as the light started to fade (yes it was so late it was officially sunset before the race finished) the Renault exploded across the track. Looked like bits of conrods and all sorts flying around. Can't see that one will get rebuilt.

So, there you have it. First ever Korean GP complete. Wet, dark, turned the championship upsidedown and with two races left RedBull have to get it right now. Ferrari have been strong and McLaren just don't look that happy.

Brazil and Abu Dhabi to go. 7th and 14th November......who knows.

[fullpint]

Better late then never.. GOod job mate.. Make interesting reads.. Looking forward to next weekend swiftly followed by the last round 

[MadBoB]

Oh, one last comment on the race. Anyone else notice that when Petrov hit the wall very hard the poor bloke was left on his own in the car. Eventually he wobbled his way out and really did not look very steady on his feet. Why were the marshalls not with him? Secondly, despite parking in a gap with a marshalls post nearby, Vettel had to grab his own extinguisher to put out the raging inferno trying to engulf his Red Bull. Recently I seem to recall Kovi doing the same with his Lotus.

Is this health and safety again? or marshalls that are just a little bit too timid for the task?

Not knocking them, honest. Marshalling is a pretty thankless task - I've done some, but no-one wants to see a stranded driver being left to his own devices following a big shunt, goodness knows what condition he's in at that point. And if it was me, I'd love to grab the extinguisher and have a go - nice after dinner story to tell for years 'Yeah kids, that was grandpa in Korea GP in 2010 putting out the fire. Nice lad that Vettel, gave him some tea from my flask....didn't take sugar though'.

[halfpint]

i agree, i noticed that as well. they need to make sure it doesn't happen next year. Hopefully plenty of peeps said summat bout the lack of help.