F1 China - Shanghai Race

The Volcanic Ash fallout meant the commentary team was without Eddy Jordan who couldn't get there due the problems with air travel. They did have him on the phone but it was strange not hearing the regular banter between him and DC.

It was anticipated the race would start in the rain but that didn't happen albeit there was rain on the cars cameras on the warm up lap. The track temperature had dropped to 23 degrees with air temp of 20. So a lot of nerves as the cars approached the grid wondering whether they had chosen the correct tyres. Off they went in a cloud of spray and into turn 2 there was a big accident as Vitantonio lost it and speared across the grass and into Sebastiaen (Buemi) taking Kamui with him as well as he had nowhere else to go but run into the side of Sebastien. This brought out the safety car and in came some of the teams to change tyres. Fernando had obviously jumped the start as he shot into the lead past Mark who had out dragged Sebastian as the rest went off in grid order. Fernando had to take a drive through which he did once the stewards announced it.

Then it started to rain heavier and more cars changed to inters including Lewis who made a very late decision entering the pit lane across the grass. Both Red Bull's also came in for tyres and that dropped them both back down the field. Nico and Jenson stayed out on wets so the restart once the safety car went in was going to be interesting as those cars on new inters had so much more grid, they thought. In the ensuing laps the inters burned off almost straight away so Sebastian and Lewis went back in to change back to slicks and when they left they came down the pit lane together and nearly touching as they were side by side. Sebastian moved across on Lewis to push him nearer to the pit crews and this event will be looked at after the race by the stewards and it is likely action will be taken with penalties at Barcelona.

Nico was now leading on lap 8 followed by Jenson and the 2 Renault's but Mark, Sebastian & Lewis were locked in battle for ninth, tenth and eleventh. The rain came and went again and gave us some very interesting laps and then confusion as the rain started again. Lewis passed Mark on the long back straight as he was a sitting duck for the Mclaren. Then we had an almighty battle between Adrian, Sebastian and Lewis and as Sebastian got on the wrong side of Adrian, Lewis jumped them both up into sixth place and shot up behind Michael as he put in fastest lap after fastest lap.

Lewis was then stuck behind Michael and eventually passed him on the long back straight as Sebastian loomed again in his mirrors. Meanwhile the 2 Ferrari's were line astern in eleventh & twelfth. Then all of a sudden up at the front Jenson passed Nico after he went off in the rain on what must be worn tyres at this stage of the race. A lot of cars then came into the pits to change to inters as the rain came again. Lewis came in with Sebastian and came back out together but as Mark had pitted a lap earlier they were both behind him.

I have to say I have never seen anyone pass another driver going into the pits but Fernando did exactly that as he passed Felipe in what can only be considered a very dangerous move and I am sure the stewards will be having a look and words about that as well. Back at the front Jenson still led Nico and then the safety car came out to move some debris and hopefully settle things down again as there really were some heroics going on. This of course bunched the pack back together. So we had Jenson, Nico, Robert, Vitaly, Lewis and the rest.

The safety car came was coming in on lap 25 and after the goings on we still had 26 laps to go. With the safety car lights off and as they approached the next to last corner Jenson suddenly slowed the field too much and the cars all bunched up in chaos behind him as the 2 Red Bull's lost out. Hence there was a lot happening into the last turn but Lewis as usual kept his head and passed Michael and then shot straight onto the back of Vitaly and straight past and into fourth. Mark in the meantime had taken an excursion around the last corner as he got too aggressive mixed up with Lewis and Sebastian.

There is controversy over the way Jenson approached the last turn as he nearly stopped which according to Martin broke the F1 rule book but nothing about that during the rest of the race, another for the stewards. Anyway in the meantime Lewis was on the back of Robert and straight past into third and you can see by the cars body language he thinks he can still win this race. Behind we had Fernando passing Adrian followed by both Red Bull's in a serious tussle.

So after all the chaos of safety cars and rain Jenson was still in the lead well in front of Nico, Lewis, Robert, Fernando and Sebastian, A great battle ensued as Nico and Lewis became locked in battle and a very spirited drive from them both with Lewis going past. So behind Jenson we had Lewis, Nico, Fernando and Robert still there with the Renault. Now we had a very interesting scenario at the front as Jenson led from Lewis and we know what Lewis can do in this position.

Plenty of racing going on down the field with great drives from Fernando, Felipe, Mark, Sebastian and there is so much going on it is difficult keeping pace with it. Jaime was also driving a very spirited race but lost out to Adrian and Rubens which was a shame. Jenson seemed to have stabilised the position at the front and with 10 to go he was 4 seconds to the good. Then all of a sudden Fernando got the hurry up and closed on Nico to within one and a half seconds but by this time his tyres were shot so that is where he stayed.

Both Jenson and Lewis had also got tyre problems but Lewis was still ten seconds ahead of Nico with only eight to go but he was closing. The tyre issue hit all the drivers but no point in pitting then as the race would have been over. There were still some close fights in the last few laps including Felipe on Michael who went off towards the gravel trap at the last turn and Vitaly on Mark.

Jenson took the flag after and his tyre choice very early in the race and that actually won him the race as he had 2 tyre stops to Lewis's 4. It was nice to see the spirit between Jenson and Lewis before going onto the podium and along with Nico all the talk was about vision during the race. John Button can stop eating his finger nails now and he looked thrilled with the result. Martin Whitmarsh was obviously delighted albeit he said it was a very long race on the pit wall.Nico as usual drove an exemplary race and once again out gunned Michael who simply couldn't match his pace all weekend. The Red Bull's had to concede defeat finishing in sixth and eighth and they will be very disappointed as they seemed to have it in the bag from qualifying.

What a great race again and whilst not quite matching Melbourne there was something going on all 56 laps. Leaving China the championship had changed at the top as Jenson (60pts) now led Nico (50), Lewis and Sebastian (49), Felipe lost his lead (41), Robert (40), Mark (28), Adrian and Michael (10), Vitantonio ((8), Vitaly (6), Rubens (5), Jamie (2) and the lost point scorer Nico Hulkenberg in only his fourth race (1).

In the constructors championship Mclaren now took the lead (109), Ferrari (90), Red Bull (73), Mercedes (60), Renault (46), Force India (18), Williams (6) and the last team scorer Toro Rosso (2).

Now the teams head back into Europe to Barcelona (9 May) but they going to have problems getting out of China due to the Volcanic Ash fall out from Iceland. There are 6 Jumbo's waiting to move the cars and freight but things don't look good for air travel as I write. The only thing I can say in closing in bring on the rain in Barcelona as it seems to add huge excitement each time we have a wet race.

The results are now also posted on my website (www.scorpion-eph.co.uk) and by clicking the F1 tab at the bottom of the home page you can see the results of each race in 2010 and a compilation of the results I have shown above as well as results of past years races in F1. .