Bittersweet weekend for us BBC viewers.
This was the final race, which meant it was the last outing of the best coverage F1 has ever received in the UK, for free-to-air watchers, at least. Next year us skint or anti-Murdoch types get 10 races live, and 10 lots of “highlights”, which will involve us avoiding TV, radio, shops, the internet and any kind of human contact whatsoever, in case we hear the results before we get to see a cut-down race.
Still, the BBC had one last chance to end on a high-note, with a fitting farewell to great coverage, Martin Brundle (off to Sky, where he can do his job properly still) and us, the loyal viewers. Unfortunately, the transmission of the F1 Forum conked out with 10 minutes left, and we had to sit in front of the unintentionally, but oh-so, ironic message: APOLOGIES FOR THE LOSS OF COVERAGE. You’re sorry? Not as sorry as I am, matey.
And if someone could kindly explain to Jake Humphrey that getting some extra post-race info doesn’t make waiting 3 hours for less-than-full race coverage somehow better, that’d be nice too...
As race weekend dawned, it was fitting that two of Brazil’s countrymen were in the spotlight. Massa celebrated 10 years of not quite winning enough, and 100 races of moderate disappointment for Ferrari, whilst Barrichello was attempting to look like he was absolutely fine with the fact that he was probably about to start his last race. Still, 19 years is a pretty good run.
With the Sebulator on pole yet again, and Webber playing rear gunner to the McLarens, we looked set for another dominant outing by Seb, with some possible liquid excitement to liven it all up a bit. Wrong on both counts, then.
It was a clean start for the Red Bull boys, whilst Alonso jumped a tardy Hamilton for 4th. Seb eked out a small lead over the first few laps, but by lap 10, nothing much had changed.
Senna and Schumacher played a game of dare into turn one, which Michael lost. Limping back to the pits with a shredded tyre, he only salvaged a point out of the day. Senna got a (rather harsh) drive-through penalty for what was a pretty basic racing incident, but as has been rightly pointed out, the stewards have loads of different camera angles. Apparently. Who knows?
The story of the race began to play out on Lap 14 when Seb was advised that he had a gearbox problem, and needed to short-shift in lower gears.
The first round of pit-stops failed to make any difference to the front-runners, and as the hapless/hopeless Maldonado crashed out on Lap 29, Vettel’s inability to drive at any speed other than flat-out was causing increasingly stern messages from his team to crackle through the ether. The following lap, he finally eased off a little and let Webber by, but subsequent fast laps proved he wasn’t really easing off much. Still, what was there to lose?
Hamilton received a similar warning on lap 38, whilst Button sneaked past Massa for 4th a lap later, the Brazilian running a different stop strategy.
Lewis’s luck ran out faster than Seb’s (amazing, that...) and his gearbox packed up altogether on Lap 47, ending a crappy year that he’d been busy trying to dress-up as a ‘learning’ experience, that would ultimately make him stronger. Nice one, LH – must try that next time I have a rubbish day in the office.
Rosberg continued his run of robust defences, this time against Sutil. Although Adrian is looking like being out of Force India next year, he did himself a bundle of good by eventually passing Nico on his way to an excellent 6th place.
Jenson was reeling in Alonso with 10 laps to go, eventually nailing Nando on lap 62. Webber’s eventual win was small consolation for the square-jawed one, in a race where his illustrious team-mate was hampered for most of it by technical gremlins. Still, a win’s a win as far as the history books are concerned, and the points allowed Mark to leapfrog Alonso for 3rd in the championship. He’ll be hoping for much more next season.
And then it was over. 2011 – Year of The Pointyfingered one...
(CD of choice tonight is Chuck Berry's "Blues Berry". I don't want your botheration...)
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