Canadian GP 2015

JUNE 7, 2015

Race Notes - Hamilton wins Canadian 1-2 for Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton, Canadian GP 2015
© Active Photos

 

Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian GP in his Mercedes GP, ahead of his team mate Nico Rosberg in second place by 2.2 seconds

Valtteri Bottas in the Williams-Mercedes finished third, 40.6 seconds behind the winner.

The win is Hamiltons fourth at the Canadian GP and his 37th career victory.

Kimi Raikkonen (45.6s) in the Ferrari finished fourth, followed by his team mate Sebastian Vettel (49.9s) was fifth after starting from 18th place, Felipe Massa (56.3s) in the Williams-Mercedes was sixth, Pastor Maldonado (66.6s) in the Lotus-Mercedes was seventh, Nico Hulkenberg (1 Lap) in the Force India-Mercedes was eighth, Daniil Kvyat in the Red Bull-Renault was ninth and Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus finished in the final points position in tenth place.

Before the start the weather was clear, but there was some doubt as to if it would hold through the afternoon.

Button, who will start last will have to serve a drive-through penalty in the first three laps of the race for installing a new power unit. Verstappen starts 19th and will serve a time penalty for his collision with Grosjean in Monaco two weeks ago.

Hamilton starts on pole with his team mate Rosberg alongside. Raikkonen and Bottas start on the second row, Lotus drivers Grosjean and Maldonado start on the third row, Hulkenberg and Kvyat start on the fourth row, and Ricciardo and Perez round out the top ten.

The question today is whether a one-stop or two-stop strategy will win the day, with the yellow-sidewalled soft compound tyre or the red-sidewalled super soft tyres.

Massa, Button, Stevens, Verstappen and Merhi starting on soft compound tyres.

The grid clears and the cars start on the formation lap.

The lights go out and the race starts with Hamiltin taking the lead over Rosberg, Raikkonen and Bottas/

After the first lap Hamilton leads his team mate by 1.0 seconds. Button pits and serves his drive-through penalty.

On lap 2 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m19.511s.

On lap 3 Vettel passes Sainz for 14th place. Massa passes Alonso for 12th place.

On lap 4 Vettel tries to pass Alonso at the hairpin but overshoots. He then passes the Spanish driver on the next straight.

On lap 5 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m19.101s.

On lap 6 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m18.687s. Massa is closing on Ericsson in 11th. Vettel pits and switches to soft tyres, with a slow stop.

On lap 8 Massa gets past the Sauber to take 11th place.

At lap 10 Hamilton leads Rosberg by 2.7 seconds, followed by Raikkonen (4.7s), Bottas (6.6s), Grosjean (12.1s), Hulkenberg (14.8s), Maldonado (17.2s), Kvyat (21.6s), Perez (22.6s) and Ricciardo (24.6s) in tenth place.

On lap 11 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m18,700s. Red Bull tells Kvyat that his rear brakes are over-heating.

On lap 14 Massa passes Ricciardo for tenth place.

On lap 17 Massa chases Kvyat in seventh place.

On lap 18 Maldonado pits and switches to soft tyres. Verstappen passes Alonso for 14th. Vettel tries to pass Alonso as well at the last chicane but cant pull it off. Vettel says he made contact with Alonso.

At lap 20 Hamilton leads Rosberg by 3.7 seconds, followed by Raikkonen (8.7s), Bottas (11.8s), Grosjean (22.9s), Hulkenberg (31.7s), Massa (28.0s, Kvyat (40.7s), Perez (42.8s), and Ricciardo (44.6s) in tenth place.

Vettel finally passes Alonso.

On lap 22 Vettel passes Verstappen as well.

On lap 24 Ricciardo pits and switches to soft tyres. Vettel passes Sainz as well. Perez pits.

On lap 26 Vetel closes on Maldonado. Raikkonen pits from third place, switching to soft tyres. On his out lap Raikkonen spins but continues.

Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m17.970s. Bottas pits from third place, maintain his position. Hulkenberg pits as well.

On lap 29 Hamilton pits from the lead, switching to soft compound tyres, Rosberg takes over the lead. Rosberg pushing hard runs wide at the hairpin but continues.

Rosberg pits the next lap and switches to the soft tyres.

Maldonado runs wide at the final chicane and Vettel passes him for sixth.

Perez passes Verstappen for 11th.

On lap 35 Vettel pits from eighth place for a new set of soft tyres.

Grosjean passes Massa for fifth place. Massa pits the next lap for another set of soft tyres. Vettel sets fast lap at 1m17.481s.

Ricciardo overshoots the final chicane but continues.

At lap 40 Hamilton leads Rosberg, Bottas, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Vettel, Massa and Kvyat in tenth place.

On lap 41 Verstappen and Raikkonen both pit onto super soft tyres. Mercedes GP tells Hamilton that he is worse on fuel than his team mate, but that Rosberg is having problems with his brakes.

On lap 42 Raikkonen sets fast lap at 1m16.987s.

Rosberg cuts Hamiltons lead to 1.3 seconds.

On lap 43 Vettel dives down the inside of Hulkenberg at the final chicane, the two nearly touch and Hulkenberg spins but then continues.

Button makes his first stop of the race for tyres, switching to super softs.

On lap 48 Alonso pits and retires.

On lap 49 Grosjean passes Stevens coming into the final chicane, the two touch and then both pit.

At lap 50 Hamilton continues to lead Rosberg by 1.5 seconds, followed by Bottas (24.7s), Raikkonen (37.0s), Maldonado (48.3s), Vettel (52.3s), Massa (58.3s), Hulkenberg (68.5s), Kvyat (74.3s) and Perez (76.3s) in tenth place

On lap 53 Vettel closes on Maldonado in fifth place.

The stewards of the race hand a five-second penalty to Grosjean for the incident with Stevens.

On lap 56 Vettel passes Maldonado to take over fifth place.

On lap 58 Button retires in the pits as well.

At lap 60 Hamilton continues to lead Rosberg by 1.4 seconds, followed by Bottas (31.0s), Raikkonen (39.0s), Vettel (49.6s), Maldonado (56.1s), Massa (57.5s), Hulkenberg (76.1s), Kvyat (1 lap), and Grosjean in tenth place.

On lap 61 Merhi runs slowly.

On lap 62 Massa passes Maldonado for sixth place.

Hamilton asks ºhow is the other car on fuel?¹ and the team responds ºcant comment¹.

Hamilton pulls out his lead to 2.6 seconds.

Hamilton holds the lead to the flag and wins over Rosberg and Bottas in third.