11.5.10

Going into this race one Autosprout reporter expressed concern that Twitter might be blocked. In this day and age that would be grounds enough for the race to be called off. In the event it wasn't, but it makes you think a bit about where some of these "new" GPs are being held. By the end of the race the cause for concern had changed to how was everyone going to get home?

Apart from non-democratic governments, another feature of these "new" races is Tilkedromes and Shanghai is possibly the worst of the genre. It has the longest straight in F1, but which leads into a hairpin which makes the classic slipstreaming then diving past manouevre more difficult. Then there are those utterly ridiculous tight squiggles. In the event it was not a bad race this year, thanks again largely to the intervention of the weather.

Qualifying reminded me of another feature of these races - empty grandstands. Why don't they just make them free to encourage the development of grass roots support for motor racing? One benefit that the ash cloud had brought was the enforced abscence of Eddie Jordan from the BBC commentary team. Qualifying was dry and when Q2 had finished the top ten were 2 x McLaren, 2 x Red Bull, 2 x Mercedes, 2 x Ferrari 1 x Renault and 1 x Force India. Rosberg was third for Mercedes and Schuey was tenth, having got through by just three hundredths of a second. Things were to get worse for the great man.

Q3 was quite exciting and having been behind his team mate throughout Sebastian Vettel produced an astonishing last run to take pole by three tenths from Mark Webber, maintaining Red Bull's 100% record for pole and giving them their second 1-2 of the year. Alonso was third for Ferrari and Massa seventh after making a mistake in Q3. Once again Nico Rosberg outqualified Schuey who was ninth.

The rain clouds gathered as the race start approached and at the off it was drizzling but all were on slicks. Alonso jumped the start for which he received a drive-through penalty. Webber took the lead from Vettel. On lap 6 Liuzzi spun collecting Kobayashi and Buemi and bringing out the Safety Car. Most stopped for intermediates, but Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, the Renaults, Pedro de la Rosa and Heikki Kovalainen stayed out on slicks and went to the front.

The inter-shod cars closed in but then the rain stopped giving the advantage back to the slick-shod cars, Rosberg maintaining his lead. The inter-shod cars pitted for slicks which included and amazing continuation of Hamilton and Vettel's race from the track, into the pit lane and out of it, Hamilton receiving a reprimand from the Stewards.

There followed some great dicing, but Rosberg stayed in front ahead of Button and Kubica, meanwhile Vettel and Hamilton were scything through the field, Hamilton dicing with Schuey until he was able to draft passed, undoubtedly aided by the F duct. Then it rained again. Rosberg fell off and Button caught and passed him. Then there was another Safety Car when Jaime Alguersuari crimped Bruno Senna's Hispania, depositing debris on the track.

Button slowed the field right down for the re-start, Hamilton took to the grass and then went three abreast with the Red Bulls which caused Webber to go over the run-off, dropping him to midfield. Schuey had gone in earlier than most for inters which got him up to fifth, but Hamilton re-passed him and later took fourth from Petrov and third from Kubica in a great charging drive.

It was too wet for slicks but too dry for inters which were wearing out fast so most had to stop again. Hamilton pitted two laps earlier than Rosberg and took second when the German pitted. This left the two McLarens in the lead and they slithered round on bald tyres until the end, Button taking the win, undoubtedly aided by his smooth touch. Rosberg was third for Mercedes and Alonso fourth for Ferrari, after barging his team mate aside in the pit lane! Kubica took a fine fifth for Renault and Vettel a disappointed sixth for Red Bull.

Petrov was a excellent seventh for Renault, Webber eighth, Massa turned in one of his lack-lustre wet performances, but still managed to pinch ninth from Schuey right and the end; watching the great man struggle was still uncomfortable for a Tifoso.

Click here for FIA lap chart.