Japanese Grand Prix 2009

[ShiftingGears]

I'm saying that the race wasn't that different (not so exciting as I was expecting, obviously the track is a lot better and more challenging than tilke tracks)...

You get some exciting races and some not so exciting races at any circuit. It's part of grand prix racing.

[HenryM]

You get some exciting races and some not so exciting races at any circuit. It's part of grand prix racing.

of course, but I was expecting a bit more from this one

[Robinho]

surely it had to be a mistake somehow
because sutil was 4th and rubens 5th
so when sutil dropped rubens would have been 9th and still behind sutil, in fact, both sutil and rubens where assessed the same penalty on the same lap for the same infraction, so they should have dropped together.
so the first revised grid that the FIA put out was this one

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
8. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
9. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
10. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
11. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.5
12. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
13. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
14. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
17. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
18. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
19. Timo Glock, Toyota, n/a
20. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a


now with kovy's grid place penalty for the gear box change it should have been like this

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
7. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
8. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
9. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
10. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.
11. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
12. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
13. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
14. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
17. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
18. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a
19. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
20. Timo Glock, Toyota, n/a


but the final grid looked like this
1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
4. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
6. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 684.5
8. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650
9. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 686
10. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
11. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675
12. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 682.5
13. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4
14. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, 661.5
15. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 695.7
16. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 689.5
17. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 691.8
18. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 682.5
19. Mark Webber, Red Bull, n/a

how did rubens jump nico and kubica?
how did Jenson jump Kovy and Alguersuari ?
still don't understand the FIA thinking

what i understand is that they gave the yellow flag pens in the order they were incurred, one by one. so you have to give Rubens his first, then Jenson,, then Sutil, (not sure where alonso) was. factor in Buemi getting a 5 place as well (don't know when he should be given his) and then the gearbox ones and you should end up with the final grid - i've had a go but still couldnn't work it out!?

[ShiftingGears]

Horrible race, I am only happy because Jenson held Kubica. Apart from this, that was a weekend in which STR ruined Brawn GP. So this was probably the least enjoyable race for me.

The Brawn drivers chose not to heed the yellow flags - it was blatantly breaking the rules, regardless of what you think of them.

I quite enjoyed the race. A real shame about Webber's weekend though.

[ShiftingGears]

Sutil didn't give him much room,

And nor should he have. I would say it was 100% Kovalainen's fault. Didn't stop Legard trying to pin it on Sutil because of his previous bonehead incidents though.

[Robinho]

Stewards say 1hr to sort the Rosberg situation, apprently he set a personal best sector on the safety car lap, depends on when the safety car was thrown and if he was subject to the average speed at that time?

as it stands Brawn 1/2 point from winning the constructors champ

[Robinho]

Williams just gone in (Sam michael, Rosberg +1) gone to the stewards now

[Dave B]

You mean "stewads", surely?

[Robinho]

do i? i know its early but i don't get it!?

[Dave B]

I thought you must have been watching Ted Kravitz: he pointed out the rather poor spelling on the sign in the Suzuka race control building.