End-of-day report. Post 14. I was not in Singapore. I read the stewards’ document the next day, at the kitchen table, with the thermos.
Last lap of the sprint. Turn 5. Two cars from the same team. The one in front did not expect to be overtaken. According to the document, it “noticed [Norris] on the inside and attempted to leave space”. It saw, it tried to leave room. Noted.
The one behind saw an opening. Its front axle was ahead of the other car’s mirror before the apex, according to its statement. It therefore expected room. Approaching the apex, the gap was tighter than expected. Inside kerb. Braking. Contact.
I redid it on the binder, with two biros. One biro that leaves room, one biro that expects it. They touch anyway. I had a thermos and a kitchen table. The heated room had forty-seven cameras. For once, we ended up in the same place.
The panel’s conclusion: neither is wholly or mainly responsible. “No further action”. At the post, we have a phrase for that: nothing to flag. I raise a flag when someone needs to know something. Here, both already knew.
After the race, the driver behind said he had the right to try. The driver in front said that fourth and fifth place in a sprint did not particularly bother him, but that there was a lot of work for the team to repair both cars. I keep the second part. At the post, after a day of rain, we repair two chairs as well.
Two team-mates, one corner, no culprit: your correspondent sees in this the most accomplished form of team spirit.
Another file, first lap, Turn 16. One car tries the inside, locks its wheels, and hits the one that was turning reasonably. Five seconds were planned, instead of ten, because of the conditions. The car retired. Five seconds do not usually become grid places. No penalty. I note that you do not penalise a car that is no longer there. At the post, we do not wave blue for a car in the garage either.
Nothing further to report.
It’s true, we checked: The Race.
