Publications
Partners
MELBOURNE, Australia - Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg won the first race of the 2014 Formula 1 season here on March 16 to become the first F1 winner of the new V6 hybrid-car era.
With new car rules, including a 100kg fuel limit, the new V6 engines which seemed to be troublesome during pre-season testing proved to be a tough challenge for most camps.
What started out as a dramatic race later became almost incident-free towards the finish, with surprising results. If one thing is certain, this is going to be a very long race season.
Rosberg was in control throughout the race, without any incidents or mistakes.
ROOKIES TAKE PODIUM
Red Bull's and home-boy Australian Daniel Ricciardo took his first podium as the new driver (and perhaps new hero?) forreigning champion team Red Bull with rookie Kevin Magnussen of McLaren third.
Will 2014 become known as The Year of the Rookies?
Reigning champion, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, started 12th on the grid of the 5.3km Melbourne circuit, Fferrari's Kimi Raikkonen started at the back and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean started the race with a drive-through penalty - so gave chase to the pack from the pits lane.
The race start was almost immediately aborted with a car stuck on the grid. A second formation lap followed and a second start saw Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg take the lead as radio messages streamed in from several drivers about the engines running smoothly… Vettel's being one of them.
Caterham’s Kamui Kobayashi locked up down the straight and hit the back of Williams' new boy Felipe Massa, taking them both into the grave and out of the race. An investigation has been scheduled.
CYLINDER MISFIRE
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was told to retire on Lap 2 to “save the engine” then told to “stay out and keep rolling”. He eventually stopped on Lap 4. Niki Lauda reported that Hamilton’s engine was not running correctly from the start - Hamlton later said a cylinder was misfiring.
Red Bull’s new driver Daniel Ricciardo was second, McLaren’s 21-year-old Kevin Magnussen was third.
By Lap 9 Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was fourth, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso fifth and Raikkonen sixth. Vettel was seen walking away from the pits lane and out of racing gear - he too had retired.
On Lap 10 Williams’ Valterri Bottas hit a wall, broke the rear right rim, and left it and a mashed tyre lying mid-track. He made it back to the pits, picked up new metal and rubber, and rejoined.
'HIT THE BEEPS'
McLaren’s Jenson Button came in on Lap 12 for a tyre change while the safety car was out and Bottas’ tyre was picked up on the track. By Lap 13 most teams had changedto soft rubber – 10 laps earlier than predicted.
After the safety car Rosberg was still in the lead, Button sixth, Torro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne seventh but Raikkonen down to eighth.
Lap 15 and some light rain was reported on Turn 3 and the two Marussian drivers werer still driving on Lap 16 with Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi.
Riciarrdo was told on Lap 19 he had not needed to save fuel and "could hit the beeps” - rev until the computer beeped to upchange.
Just a mention about how much quieter the 'power units' run - the commentators agreed that tyre squeal could be heard over the hybrid engines. Cheering spectators’ were heard over the cars during qualifying on Saturday.
SECOND CATERHAM OUT
By Lap 24 the positions had not changed and Rosberg was still in the lead but he had complained about his tyres on Lap 27.
On lap 29 Caterham lost its second car when Marcus Ericsson was told to stop due to zero oil pressure. On Lap 32 Pastor Maldanado's Lotus pulled off the track, taking the number of retirements to seven.
Button was told to pit on Lap 33 to change from soft to medium tyres. Bottas got a lucky pass on Lap 36 as Raikkonen’s car locked up and took him on to the artificial grass.
Alonso pitted on Lap 35 and had a bit of a tussle on Lap 36 with Hulkenberg, keeping him at bay and unable to pass the Ferrari driver.
With five laps to go, teams were told to hold back and give it horns in the last two laps.
What did you think of the first hybried F1 race? Will you watch the next one? Email us and we'll publish your thoughts or use the Readers' Comments section below...
With new car rules, including a 100kg fuel limit, the new V6 engines which seemed to be troublesome during pre-season testing proved to be a tough challenge for most camps.
What started out as a dramatic race later became almost incident-free towards the finish, with surprising results. If one thing is certain, this is going to be a very long race season.
Rosberg was in control throughout the race, without any incidents or mistakes.
ROOKIES TAKE PODIUM
Red Bull's and home-boy Australian Daniel Ricciardo took his first podium as the new driver (and perhaps new hero?) forreigning champion team Red Bull with rookie Kevin Magnussen of McLaren third.
Will 2014 become known as The Year of the Rookies?
Reigning champion, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, started 12th on the grid of the 5.3km Melbourne circuit, Fferrari's Kimi Raikkonen started at the back and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean started the race with a drive-through penalty - so gave chase to the pack from the pits lane.
The race start was almost immediately aborted with a car stuck on the grid. A second formation lap followed and a second start saw Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg take the lead as radio messages streamed in from several drivers about the engines running smoothly… Vettel's being one of them.
Caterham’s Kamui Kobayashi locked up down the straight and hit the back of Williams' new boy Felipe Massa, taking them both into the grave and out of the race. An investigation has been scheduled.
CYLINDER MISFIRE
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was told to retire on Lap 2 to “save the engine” then told to “stay out and keep rolling”. He eventually stopped on Lap 4. Niki Lauda reported that Hamilton’s engine was not running correctly from the start - Hamlton later said a cylinder was misfiring.
Red Bull’s new driver Daniel Ricciardo was second, McLaren’s 21-year-old Kevin Magnussen was third.
By Lap 9 Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was fourth, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso fifth and Raikkonen sixth. Vettel was seen walking away from the pits lane and out of racing gear - he too had retired.
On Lap 10 Williams’ Valterri Bottas hit a wall, broke the rear right rim, and left it and a mashed tyre lying mid-track. He made it back to the pits, picked up new metal and rubber, and rejoined.
'HIT THE BEEPS'
McLaren’s Jenson Button came in on Lap 12 for a tyre change while the safety car was out and Bottas’ tyre was picked up on the track. By Lap 13 most teams had changedto soft rubber – 10 laps earlier than predicted.
After the safety car Rosberg was still in the lead, Button sixth, Torro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne seventh but Raikkonen down to eighth.
Lap 15 and some light rain was reported on Turn 3 and the two Marussian drivers werer still driving on Lap 16 with Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi.
Riciarrdo was told on Lap 19 he had not needed to save fuel and "could hit the beeps” - rev until the computer beeped to upchange.
Just a mention about how much quieter the 'power units' run - the commentators agreed that tyre squeal could be heard over the hybrid engines. Cheering spectators’ were heard over the cars during qualifying on Saturday.
SECOND CATERHAM OUT
By Lap 24 the positions had not changed and Rosberg was still in the lead but he had complained about his tyres on Lap 27.
On lap 29 Caterham lost its second car when Marcus Ericsson was told to stop due to zero oil pressure. On Lap 32 Pastor Maldanado's Lotus pulled off the track, taking the number of retirements to seven.
Button was told to pit on Lap 33 to change from soft to medium tyres. Bottas got a lucky pass on Lap 36 as Raikkonen’s car locked up and took him on to the artificial grass.
Alonso pitted on Lap 35 and had a bit of a tussle on Lap 36 with Hulkenberg, keeping him at bay and unable to pass the Ferrari driver.
With five laps to go, teams were told to hold back and give it horns in the last two laps.
What did you think of the first hybried F1 race? Will you watch the next one? Email us and we'll publish your thoughts or use the Readers' Comments section below...
