F1 Shanghai

F1 Shanghai

The only thing we got wrong in yesterday's prediction of Webber's race was the number of laps he would do before coming in to change to his first set of soft tyres.His KERS charged up but did not work. He scythed through the field, mainly passing on the straights (but there were some spectacular moves in corners, too). He dropped almost to the back of the field after his first pit stop (which still raises the question as to why he bothered to fight for 11 laps only to have to do it all again after he had changed tyres - surely it would have been easier to have changed tyres then only have to pass back markers once - and to have what amounted to a pit-stop in hand for later).
Webber's team-mate Vettel elected to run a two stop strategy - and by the end of the race, his tyres were shot. He even waved through a Force India car to unlap itself. And he had nothing to answer Hamilton's drive past him to take the lead. Strangely, of the McLarens, it was Button who seemed to have the greater tyre degradation. But he also had a delay in the pits when - bizarrely - he drove into the Red Bull pit box instead of his own and had to be waved through. F1 has seen some strange lapses of concentration but that was a classic.
The final result was Hamilton, Vettel, Webber, Button (who Webber had stormed past with a couple of laps to go but was also closing on Vettel).
So with tyre management proving they key at the front, what happened in the midfield?
Today, the midfield expanded: Team Lotus joined it with a convincing 17th place by Heikki Kovalainen. Only one car retired during the entire race (a Torro Rosso's wheel fell off after it left the pits) and so this was a genuine result on pace. Perhaps the biggest news of the day - although most media will be reporting on the top four - is that Team Lotus brought one of their cars home ahead of a Williams and a Sauber - yes, Sauber who had two cars in the top ten (albeit with a technical infringement) just two races ago. Only five cars lapped HK - the four leaders plus Rosberg. That is a superb achievement.
Also of note was that Nico Rosberg led the race and stood a decent chance of the maiden victory for the Mercedes team - until his fuel consumption gave cause for concern and he was told to back off for a few laps so as to have enough fuel to battle with cars with older tyres in the last few tours.
Ferrari pootled around somewhat pointlessly. They were slow, their handling was awful and their tyre wear was - er - tired. Alonso and Massa's biggest contribution to the day was to stay out of trouble: something they have not managed so far this season.
HRT were much more confident now they have actually got some miles inthe cars and they battled with Virgin on seemingly equal terms.
Renault have had a dismal weekend. Fast in Malaysia where his steering broke, tossed Petrov onto the grass where he hit a bump and headed spectacularly skywards coming to earth with a crash and parts flying all over, his superb Q2 qualifying performance in Shanghai was negated when his gearbox turned into a bag of bits. Starting from 10th, he didn't shine in the race. Team mate Nick Heidfeld made himself noticed by a display of impetuous and sometimes rash driving which - given the speed of the car - was entirely unnecessary.
The pace was frantic from the outset. Close racing was the norm with cars running in bunches of two or three abreast at times. The rear wing flap contributed to a great deal of overtaking despite its use being restricted to a short stretch of track at the back of the circuit.
Really: if you can catch a re-run (preferably the BBC with decent commentators and no adverts) do. The Chinese Grand Prix 2011. One of F1's classic races.

F1 Shanghai