The dramatic Korean Grand Prix (Part 4)
After a dramatic start due to a number of delays as a result of heavy uncertain rain, the track was flooded with water but after an hour and 5 minutes of the official starting time, the race was set to restart once again as the teams were done with 3 laps
of the race and were expected to begin their fourth lap.
Finally, the wait was over and the race resumed behind the safety car to begin the fourth lap of the 55 lap Korean Grand Prix. The safety car led the field to the long straight and there was still an enormous amount of water flooding the track. There was
very limited visibility after taking a look from the onboard camera with the leading drivers.
Hamilton told his team that the conditions were much better than before and he was keen to get up to the speed now. The field came through to the twisty section of the circuit and towards the end of the fourth lap.
Meanwhile, Vettel was not so keen to race yet due to the conditions as the safety car led down the long back straight into the fifth lap. Button told his team that it was getting a “little bit better but still very wet” as the race progressed. Lucas di Grassi
came in the pits for a tyre change and skipped back 24th place that is the last position in the grid.
The drivers had to face serious visibility problems as seen on the onboard pictures, no matter what speeds they were travelling at. Sakon Yamamoto went off the track at Turn 5 but managed to make his way on the extra asphalt run-off area and joined the track.
After racing for 6 laps behind a safety car, Liuzzi told his team Force India that the track was extremely wet on the straights and he could not see the car ahead of him. The official Formula 1 radar showed that the rain was in its final phases and the conditions
were expected to get better with due time.
The circulating cars cleared some of the water that flooded the track mainly near the racing line as the safety car conditions were still intact. The lights slowly began to fade slightly keeping in mind there was still an hour left for sunset.
Red Bull driver and race leader Sebastian Vettel told his teammate over the radio that the water level on the straight was decreasing and started to get slightly better. Hamilton echoed the race leader’s statement and told his team that he was very keen
to race as the conditions were stabilizing.
Michael Schumacher slid wide at Turn 3 and took his car onto the extra asphalt run-off area in order to save his car and continue the race. There was clearly no grip level on the field and Schumacher was able to lose the rear of his Mercedes as a result
of under braking at low speed.
The rain kept falling lightly as Mercedes’ mechanics laid some strips of absorbent material in the pitlane to make the pit entry as smooth as possible for their drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
After 10 laps in to the 55 lap race, the cars were still behind the safety car as the concrete apron in the pitlane became a concern for the teams all weekend and things became very slippery when the drivers headed in. The rain began to fall harder once
again and it seemed that these uncertain developments might delay the decision of bringing in the safety car.
Webber was told by his team on the radio about Hamilton’s eagerness to race but the championship leader felt that the conditions might not allow him to do so.
As the conditions kept getting worse, the drivers were now getting quite frustrated and so were the teams. However, the race continued behind the safety car until further notice.
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