Austrian Grand Prix, takes place at the Red Bull Ring circuit, owned by Dietrich Mateschitz notorious. However, drivers «Red Bulls» — both older and younger team — in Spielberg still no luck.
But in the past weekend there were problems not only quartet of pilots Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Although the first serious trouble occurred exactly at the driver of one of these teams.
The first training session Max Verstappen lost his first piece of the front wing — after contact with the established on the eve of the Grand Prix this year, new additional curbs his car came off the left end plate of the wing.
The Dutchman immediately announced that this innovation is dangerous, but returned to the track to run over again... on the same sidewalk and broken front right suspension! The incident ended with the flight, after which the car was in the gravel trap. But in this new adventure around the yellow curbs are not finished — they just started!
In the second training session to the difficulties with the track added the rain turned into a downpour. One by one the participants unfolded — Kimi Raikkonen, Sergio Perez, Jenson Button, Jolyon Palmer performed «Waltz», but fortunately without consequences for their vehicles.
For the next 45 minutes the track was empty — a quarter of an hour the rain poured, and then half an hour to dry the circuit. After the cars are back on track, but continued reversals — and distinguished fellow-team owner Red Bull runs Max Verstappen and Daniel Riccardo, as well as two German-namesake Nico and Nico Rosberg.
Both morning and afternoon workout finished with the best time is Rosberg. Another Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was second both times.
Because of all the difficulties encountered on Friday, on Saturday for the third training session participants had to work thoroughly in order to make up for lost time. But forty minutes after the start of the races there was another incident that resulted in stopping the session.
On dispersal after the next rotation of Nico Rosberg drove on the «old» and curb this reason, it did not survive the rear left suspension. I lost because of this management of the car spun twice and Mercedes crashed into a protective barrier — first the front and then the back part.
The impact was strong enough and although the driver was not injured, departure consequences were quite severe. The team had to replace the gearbox, and this resulted in a fine of five positions on the grid.
In the absence of Rosberg's best time in the final training session showed Ferrari drivers — Sebastian Vettel set a new track record, but Kimi Raikkonen lost its 136,000th result.
Saturday's qualification is also not without stops. Once again, the reason was the car with Red Bull sign on the side, but this time an accident was Daniil Kvyat.
In just two minutes before the end of the first segment of the Russian hit a curb, right rear suspension did not survive such an impact and again, viewers saw a repetition of the accident Rosberg — the car spun and thrown into the bumpers. Only this time the blows were much stronger and Toro Rosso was divided much more serious.
The qualifying heats stopped and continued after 16 minutes. What happened next? On the second Toro Rosso Carlos Sainz blown engine, then it started to rain and the riders pereobuli their cars in the intermediate tires. But then the rain subsided, the track began to dry and final attempt applicants to get into the top ten already carried out on slicks.
The best in the end turned out to be Lewis Hamilton, the second was Nico Rosberg (it was waiting for a fine of five positions), the third time Nico Hulkenberg, then Sebastian Vettel (he also changed the gearbox, which resulted in a fine of five positions), Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Riccardo, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Felipe Massa.
Daniil Kvyat on the basis of qualifications has been classified in the 20th position.
The race was calm — there were no accidents or incidents. And on the third round stopped Danya Kvyat — similarity in technique.
Took the lead in the race Lewis Hamilton pulled the race in the pits to replace the wheel to 21 range, but the mechanics lingered during the meeting, which is not allowed to leave the Briton before Nico Rosberg and save a potential first place in the wave of pit stops.
After Lewis pulled into the pits of his opponents — all except Sebastian Vettel. The German continued to move, but on lap 26 on the starting line right rear tire exploded, burying the hopes of the Germans to the finish and possible podium — blast povlёk for a flight and the impact of the bump...
On the track the safety car left, and cut the circle of riders in the pit lane — the rubble-strewn car Vettel starting line.
After restarting the struggle continued, but the main race event took place on the last lap.
After the second and final pit stop Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg got different rubber compounds — Briton set a rigid structure and a softer German. The leader of the race at this time was Max Verstappen.
Racers Mercedes rushed in pursuit and succeeded — Nico first and then Lewis left behind the Dutchman.
On the last lap Hamilton approached the car and Rosberg directly in front of the turn went to overtake. Remaining at the inner radius Nico maximally tightened with entry point in turn, pushed out and... Lewis hit the front of a Mercedes in the car of his teammate!
Most of all suffered from it himself German — he has fallen off the front wing, he dropped the pace and missed the course of the last lap, not only of Hamilton but Max Verstappen with Kimi Raikkonen. Rosberg finished the race itself is only the fourth.
And after the finish line judge called it the culprit collision and fined a gain ten seconds for the final result — but it did not change the position of Niko.
Fifth Austrian Grand Prix concluded Daniel Riccardo, then Jenson Button, Romain Grosjean, Carlos Sainz, Valtteri Bottas and collected the first points for himself and his team Manor Pascal Verlyayn.
The next stage of the Formula 1 will be held this weekend at Silverstone. It will be interesting…
Photo: XPB Images
