The Malaysian Grand Prix 2016 was a great race, but who were the real winners and losers from the race? According to us anyway.
The Gurgler examines the race that was and hands out the Good, Bad and Ugly of the Singapore Grand Prix 2016.
And unlike Luca Badoer’s or Pedro Chaves’ F1 career, our review is in point form.
THE GOOD
DAN RICCIARDO
Finally gets the win he deserved. Possibly not from this race, as Max was quicker throughout the weekend, but he was owed from Spain and especially Monaco. The Shoe drinking celebration makes watching a podium celebration worth the extra loss of sleep. Rather Mr Moody McMood aka Hamtima.
RED BULL
For allowing the two young chargers to race like they did before Lewis Hamilton’s retirement. Everyone was rewarded with a great battle that didn’t end in tears. The holding position did make sense but was a little disappointing not to see racing all the way to the end, but the tension to whether Max would challenge or not was almost as interesting. Although happy to take the holding pattern as an Aussie.
LEWIS HAMILTON’S RACE PRE LAP 40
It looked all good. Good start. First at the first corner. In control of the race. Had Red Bulls squabbling over second. Then…..
MAX VERSTAPPEN
One thing you can’t say about Max is that he’ll die wondering. His overtaking pisses some off but is highly effective. His change in strategy during the Malaysian Grand Prix 2016 showed his flexibility. That helped him to a win in Spain. His keeping to the Red Bull request to maintain position showed class and respect as well.
DAYTIME GPs
The Malaysian Grand Prix 2016 is great because it is on in a time slot that doesn’t require energy drinks, extra coffee, or drugs to stay awake for. Pity it clashed with Grand Final in Australia.
GP2
We may mention this group of drivers each week, but what great racing. All the way down the grid. Cars were jostling for what seemed the whole, and one wonders how they can do it and F1 not.
JOLYON PALMER
Has had one of the worst seasons in a while (bad luck and bad track management), so a point is a nice present. Probably a farewell one as he won’t be back next year.
THE BAD
HAAS F1
A very ordinary weekend. You’ll lose the driver’s trust pretty quickly with cars that run out of brakes at 300 km/h, and have wheels fall off after pit stops. Have done a great job as a new team, but this weekend was a shocker.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
Knocked out at first corner, and doing it in the same style as Max Verstappen did in Spa, for which Vettel has plenty of nasty things to say. May have won the race if he had of survived the first corner.
LEWIS HAMILTON’S ENGINE
A certain Malaysian Grand Prix 2016 win has gone. His nearest rival scored another bag of points. And who knows what penalties await for his fiery failure.
THE UGLY
NICO ROSBERG
A very ordinary start, unlucky to pushed around by Vettel. He recovered well to finish 3rd and to have a good points lead after the race. The move on Kimi was poor though.
RESULTS
Driver | Car | Grid | Time/Gap |
Ricciardo | Red Bull | 4 | 1h 37m 13s |
Verstappen | Red Bull | 3 | +0:02.443 |
Rosberg | Mercedes | 2 | +0:25.516 |
Raikkonen | Ferrari | 6 | +0:28.785 |
Bottas | Williams | 11 | +1:01.582 |
Perez | Force India | 7 | +1:03.794 |
Alonso | McLaren | 22 | +1:05.205 |
Hulkenberg | Force India | 8 | +1:14.062 |
Button | McLaren | 9 | +1:21.816 |
Palmer | Renault | 19 | +1:35.466 |
Sainz Jnr | Toro Rosso | 16 | +1:38.878 |
Ericsson | Sauber | 17 | Lapped |
Massa | Williams | 10 | Lapped |
Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 15 | Lapped |
Wehrlein | Manor | 21 | Lapped |
Ocon | Manor | 20 | Lapped |
Nasr | Sauber | 18 | Retired (46) |
Hamilton | Mercedes | 1 | Retired (40) |
Gutierrez | Haas F1 | 13 | Retired (39) |
Magnussen | Renault | 14 | Retired (17) |
Grosjean | Haas F1 | 12 | Retired (7) |
Vettel | Ferrari | 5 | Retired (0) |
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 |
Rosberg | Mercedes | 288 |
2 | Hamilton | Mercedes | 265 |
3 | Ricciardo | Red Bull | 204 |
4 | Raikkonen | Ferrari | 160 |
5 | Vettel | Ferrari | 153 |
6 | Verstappen | Red Bull | 147 |
7 | Bottas | Williams | 80 |
8 | Perez | Force India | 74 |
9 | Hulkenberg | Force India | 50 |
10 | Alonso | McLaren | 42 |
11 | Massa | Williams | 41 |
12 | Sainz Jnr | Toro Rosso | 30 |
13 | Grosjean | Haas F1 | 28 |
14 | Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 25 |
15 | Button | McLaren | 19 |
16 | Magnussen | Renault | 7 |
17 | Palmer | Renault | 1 |
18 | Wehrlein | Manor | 1 |
19 | Vandoorne | McLaren | 1 |
20 | Gutierrez | Haas F1 | 0 |
21 | Ericsson | Sauber | 0 |
22 | Nasr | Sauber | 0 |
23 | Haryanto | Manor | 0 |
24 | Ocon | Manor | 0 |