MorrisF1

By weird coincidence, I’d decided to take notes during the race (I’ve only done this once before, for an early start when I thought I’d be too sleepy to remember anything not written down). This proved handy, given how chaotic the race was. Shockingly, both McLarens finished, and Alonso got the team’s first points. Good for them, but my bet was red. On the first lap, Hamilton retained the lead, Bottas and Raikkonen made contact. This shoved the Ferrari a few places back and give Bottas a puncture on the second longest lap of the year (he was a lap down by the time he pitted for fresh rubber). Vettel was in 2 nd , Perez in 3 rd . Sainz also managed to spin on the first lap (he blamed his team mate, returning from an escape road, but it was simply a matter of the Spaniard cocking up). On lap 6, Ricciardo pitted to clear debris and have his front wing checked, Vandoorne also pitted and shifted from the soft (he was one of very few to start on the slower tyre) for supersoft.

Qualifying was quite interesting. On the one hand, I’m mildly miffed Hamilton remembered how driving works (if he’d not, the next two fastest were Bottas and Raikkonen). On the other, I clearly misjudged his pace and flukily the two tips, one winning, one losing (unless you didn’t hedge, then a double loss) ended up being down just 50p assuming you backed each with £10. Palmer’s fire meant he wasn’t in qualifying at all, and Vettel’s reliability problems means that he’s got an old engine in his Ferrari, which will cost him some pace and perhaps not be as solid as a newer engine would be. In news that is not staggering, both McLarens failed to progress from the first part of qualifying. Ericsson also dropped out early doors, as did Grosjean. Q2 wasn’t that competitive, with a fairly large gap between fastest drop-out Kvyat and safety. The Russian was a few tenths ahead of his team mate Sainz, with Magnussen, Hulkenberg and Wehrlein also leaving at this stage. Q3 was

Grip appears low, although engineers believe it’ll improve over the weekend. In first practice Verstappen led Ricciardo by nearly half a second with Vettel close behind in third, and Perez splendid in fourth. Hamilton and Bottas were next, followed by Ocon, Massa, Raikkonen and Kvyat. Verstappen also led in second practice, just a tenth ahead of Bottas, Ricciardo and Raikkonen. Vettel was close behind, and Stroll was half a second off the German. Perez, Kvyat, Ocon and Hamilton round out the top 10. At this stage, the Red Bulls look really rather good, Force India seems in good shape, and Hamilton seems a bit lost. Still, it’s only two practice sessions (worth recalling he was poor here last year too, and off the boil in Russia 2017). Bottas was fastest in P3, less than a tenth ahead of Raikkonen. Hamilton was a few tenths back from the Finns, with Ricciardo and Ocon a little further back. Verstappen, who had some issues, was next, then Massa, Kvyat, Stroll and Per

A cracking race from start to finish, marred only by the bets going mostly wrong. The safety car appeared due to daft driving by Sainz on lap one (whilst there were incidents later in the race it never emerged again, suggesting that the Spaniard’s silliness was the blame rather than the nature of the circuit). Raikkonen failed to get fastest lap, partially due to bad luck, but the hedge was happily matched so that bet ended up green. And the short odds bets on Ocon and Palmer both came off in a pretty straightforward manner. I might check match/group bets again, if they make repeat appearances. A note, I’m writing this the day after the night before and the race was crammed with incident, so apologies in advance if I miss off little snippets or get the order a bit wrong. Initially, the start seemed straightforward, but into the first corner Verstappen leapt all the way into 2 nd and both Ferraris slid back. Worse still, Vettel’s front wing took a bit of a knock. Massa also

Well, my tip proved neither strong nor stable. It looked really close (four-thousandths in it) after the first run in Q3, but Hamilton ended up on pole by a day and a half. In the first part of qualifying we lost mostly those you might expect to toddle off. Vandoorne was fastest to depart, follow by Stroll (but his team mate made Q3, so questions about his speed won’t stop any time soon). Magnussen, Ericsson and Wehrlein also exited stage left, with the German touching the grass, spinning and ploughing backwards into the barriers. Sainz complained in Q2 of giving Kvyat a slipstream (as planned, on the main straight) but the favour not being returned. Either way, the Russian qualified 11 th , with the Spaniard 13 th (his countryman, Alonso, between the Toro Rossos). Grosjean and Palmer prop up the departure list. I can’t see Palmer lasting beyond this season (there was a rumour he might be replaced in-season. It would be unusual, but not unprecedented). In the first run

Ahead of practice I tipped No Safety Car at 3 [Ladbrokes]. The reasoning behind that bet is that in the last 7 races there have been 2 featuring a safety car appearance, and the weather forecast is for the race to be dry. It’s not a dead cert, but I do feel the odds are too long. Update: ahead of third practice I read that the tyres aren’t providing much grip and everyone’s spinning. Not a definite wrecker of the bet, but not helpful… In first practice Hamilton was fastest, two-tenths up on Vettel, with Bottas and Raikkonen close behind. Perez and Ocon were next, with Verstappen, Massa, Ricciardo and Kvyat rounding out the top 10. Raikkonen was fastest in second practice, two-tenths up on Hamilton, who was closely followed by Vettel. Bottas, Verstappen, Massa, Alonso, Ocon, Kvyat and Perez were next up. Looking tight at the top. Force India looking quite quick, likewise Massa. In third practice, Vettel was top dog, a full three-tenths ahead of Raikkonen. Ham