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Australian Grand Prix – Race Report

POSTED ON March 28th, 2010

Australian Grand Prix – Race Report

Mark had to settle for ninth place in the Australian Grand Prix after what turned out to be an incredibly frustrating race at Albert Park. The day started with a Red Bull Racing lockout of the front row – Mark qualifying just 0.1s behind pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel – but the Aussie’s RB6 was the only one to cross the finish line.

“Until the rain fell on the starting grid, we’d had a great weekend,” says Mark. “The car was really fast in practice and qualifying, and we were very confident for the race. But the wet weather made the race a lottery; if you put a fox in the hen’s nest, all hell breaks loose.”

The entire grid started the 58-lap race on intermediate tyres and there was a lot of jostling for position on the run to Turn 1. Mark got too much wheelspin away from the line and dropped a place to Felipe Massa, but almost immediately the Safety Car was deployed following a shunt in the midfield.

“By the time the race re-started on lap five,” says Mark, “a dry line was beginning to appear. Jenson [Button] made the call to pit for slicks immediately and that decision won him the race. Sebastian and I were at the front, so we had more to lose by making a risky pitstop call, but we ended up being far too conservative. It was an error; the situation has been addressed and it won’t happen again.”

Mark eventually pitted at the end of lap 10, having stayed out on intermediates four laps longer than Button. He then lost three seconds at the exit of the pitlane when a gearbox glitch stopped him selecting second gear, but there was no stopping him after that. On lap 17 he was 0.5s per sector faster than any other driver – yes, you read that correctly.

“I was taking quite a few risks,” says Mark. “There was still quite a lot of moisture around, but I just had to get on with it. There was still a lot of the race to run and I wanted to climb as far up the order as I could. Turns 4, 5 and 6 were quite tricky, but I threw caution to the wind.”

On lap 32 Mark pitted for a fresh set of option tyres. He dropped to seventh, but quickly put his new rubber to good use. On lap 34 he passed Nico Rosberg for sixth and was onto the gearbox of Lewis Hamilton soon afterwards.

“I had a good dice with Lewis,” says Mark. “Initially he wasn’t holding me up; he was using a lot of road and evidently trying hard. When we caught the Ferraris, and our pace dropped substantially. I bided my time, waiting for an opportunity, but ended up getting too close to Lewis. He was trying to find a way passed Fernando at Turn 13 on lap 56 and I wasn’t expecting him to come back across me: I lost downforce and couldn’t stop myself hitting his right rear. It was a shame, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

After two races, Mark lies 10th in the world championship with six points and Red Bull Racing are fifth in the constructors’ standings.

“As a team, we live by the sword  and we die by the sword,” says Mark. “We have great days together and we have bad days together; today was one of the latter. F1 is about adapting to the conditions and Jenson did the best job today.”

// ends

Comments
Graham POSTED April 02nd, 2010

Great effort, Mark, but how sad is it that drivers can be 2 sec a lap quicker, yet not able to overtake! Spec rules have to change.
Good luck in Sepang.

rob hill POSTED March 31st, 2010

good race rb pitwall loused up a bit i wish people would stop with the blue flag for the ferraris though they were racing for postion they had not been lapped its for other drivers to try and get past them if they can

Peter Evans POSTED March 30th, 2010

I agree RB strategy was poor, even more so when you consider that this is your home event.
Also the Blue Flags should have been out on the Ferrari’s.
Great effort though Mark and thanks for the wave at Turn Three.
Pete from Perth

Ivan POSTED March 30th, 2010

mark,one of your best drives, shame about the result but it was great to watch.lets get back on the podium in Malaysia, good luck.

ciao POSTED March 30th, 2010

With Hamilton going deep around the outside to find clear air under brakes and he found a few more metres past your inside apex to pull up while in your blind spot. Could it an RBR option if it is a higher speed corner even if you’re unloaded just before you start making the dive. Better you than me Mr! But you’re our man.

Phillip Molly Malone POSTED March 30th, 2010

Bad luck on the day. Nothing really went right for you but I am sure this will just firer you up to do better and better as the year goes on!
I can see a win around the corner for you!

Andrew Corbett POSTED March 29th, 2010

You drove a fantastic race Mark and definitely blew the cobwebs away that were left during Bahrain!…Here’s to seeing you spraying the sparkling grape juice from the top step in Malaysia!!

Victor Jenkin POSTED March 29th, 2010

That was a good attempt on your part. It’s a pitty your crew always seem to use the wrong stratergy. I’ve always thought you to be a better driver in the wet than most of the field, so I’m scratching my head why you say the rain at the grid made the race a lottery ? Maybe for the other places, but I believe it would of been a race between yourself and Schumacher. Better luck next time….

David Italy POSTED March 29th, 2010

I think that the problem of all was the first pit stop. Mark wanted to think well ahead of his audience. a little too impetuous …

James K POSTED March 29th, 2010

Mark, your driving was brilliant! If anything i’d have liked to see a more agressive attempt to pass Hamilton earlier. If the wet had have returned (and made passing possible) you’d still have had a chance to win. Congrats on a very exciting race!

Ed Hewer POSTED March 29th, 2010

Maybe they should have a look at the blue flag rule and see if they can make amendments to it to ensure faster cars get passed. (Perhaps the lead car has to prove it can put in a quicker lap than the last couple it took for the follower to catch up…sigh…I can only hope.)

Ed Hewer POSTED March 29th, 2010

Mr Webber lets look at the positives! The motor held together, you got some points, the lead point scorer isn’t out of sight, you got FTD, the media circus is over, and Malaysia coming up. You have put your car on the front row there before so head down, bum up!

Thanks for being so competitive this past year and for making a go of this last race – it put some nice attendance figures into the Melb GP for a change.

You and Lewis had to do something considering your cars were almost two seconds faster than Alonso. Maybe they should enforce the blue flag rule given the previous laps speed differential? Hehe, we can only hope.

Front row at Malaysia and pit first. I am barracking for you as always.

Glenn POSTED March 29th, 2010

Bad luck mark was dissapointing outcome but was thrilling watching you drive better luck for the rest of the year look forward to see you on the podium .Glenn from greensborough

Jason Tilgals POSTED March 29th, 2010

Good fight-bloody Melbourne weather!!The pressure was incredible and i think it got you a bit!!-Dont listen to D Beaties crack about Vettel “giveing you the race” when he went off,was a stupid comment,2010 can be yours..

Mark Warner POSTED March 29th, 2010

Mate, you drove a great, aggressive race. Red Bull strategy let you down !

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