Lap by lap coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix (Part 4)
The standings were pretty much the same after the first scheduled pit stop. However, Lewis Hamilton was able to gain a lot of ground as he was now up in 5th place after starting from 8th place on the grid.
By the 26th lap, Nico Rosberg was in eighth position with his teammate Michael Schumacher right on his gearbox in ninth place. The Mercedes drivers have already engaged in some tasty battles for position at earlier races and things were getting
even more exciting between the two. Webber stopped as Hamilton scored a rapid fastest lap of 1minute 35.675 seconds in the 26th lap.
Jenson Button was now in the lead on his hard tyres but was yet to pit. Kamui Kobayashi now ran in sixth position but was yet to stop, with Sebastian Buemi in seventh place. The Mercedes battle between Rosberg and Schumacher was for the eighth spot. Hamilton
was just 3.5 seconds behind Fernando Alonso who closed in on him over a second on that lap.
Schumacher moved to the left and then to the right behind Rosberg as they approached the Casio Triangle. Michael tried to make some vital moves on his teammate including one round the outside going into Turn 1 of the 28th lap, but Rosberg was
able to hold the German back to maintain his track position.
Hamilton scored the fastest lap of the race at 1minute 35.563 seconds for the 28th lap and was just 17.2 seconds behind teammate Button. This meant that he would surely clear the leader after he stopped. Hamilton's charge was slowed momentarily
by the traffic in the form of Yamamoto's HRT.
Returning to Schumacher, he was reminded by his race engineer on the team radio that there were no team orders, but that Rosberg would act sensibly if he tried a move. Timo Glock was still at the back of Yamamoto as they fought for the 16th position
with no change between these two over the last 10 laps.
Fernando Alonso responded to Hamilton's pressure and it seemed that the Spaniard was in heavy traffic when the McLaren was closing rapidly. Sebastien Buemi pitted from seventh position in the Toro Rosso while Alonso took the fastest lap,
pulling 4.1seconds clear of Hamilton.
Michael Schumacher was still close behind Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Buemi rejoined after a total pit lane time of 21.6 seconds. Jenson Button led, but was still yet to stop for a regular pit stop. Vettel was set to take over the lead as
soon as the McLaren went to the pits, with a 3.3 seconds advantage over his teammate Mark Webber.
Kamui Kobayashi lapped the battle between Yamamoto versus Glock at the 16th. Glock was unable to take advantage and remained on the gearbox of the HRT. Sebastian Buemi rejoined from his pit stop in 13th position and was now 8.2 seconds
behind his teammate Jaime Alguersuari.
Nico Rosberg was now promoted to seventh following Buemi's pit stop. Schumacher was right behind his teammate in eighth with Heidfeld 2.4 seconds behind them at 9th place. Webber and Alonso traded fastest sectors, with the Ferrari scoring the
fastest lap at a 1 minute 35.214 seconds.
Rubens Barrichello was 10th and had Sutil close behind him. Toro Rosso drivers Alguersuari and Buemi were at the 12th and 13th spots respectively. Hamilton faded from the chase of Alonso in the 33rd lap but still
looked on course to beat Button for the fourth place in case the leader stopped.
Webber was really charging who closed in 1.3 seconds behind Vettel. Kobayashi's tactic of going long for the first stint paid off once again as he took 10.4 seconds over seventh placed Nico Rosberg.
After a good 33rd lap, Lewis Hamilton almost matched Webber in terms of pace and was now just 15 seconds off the lead. The strategy did not work for Button up front as he was on the course to slot in fifth after his expected stop.
Tags: