The Brazilian Grand Prix Formula 1

Previously on Formula 1... Hamilton wins! Rosberg takes the chequered

flag. Incredible! The greatest moment of my life. Race 18, Sao

Paulo, Brazil. Brazil is my home and it's where

I've got my soul. One thing I have got clear, motor racing is exciting,

motor racing is a sport that brings people to the limit, men and

machine. The desire to go faster and faster all the time is part of it.

Fear is a very important feeling, a fundamental feeling of self

preservation. It determines your limits. We expose ourselves to the

edge, we are used to being at the edge.

If you are a head most of the time, if you are on pole position more

than anybody by far, if you are leading raises more than anybody by

far, you always focused. -- races. We have to do what we believe is

right, not what other people would like you to do because they are

competition, they are not on your side.

You have two aim for what your heart tells you. If you believe in

something, if you have principles, you go to it right until the end.

The reason for it is only one, to succeed, to win.

The philosophy of a Brazilian legend. It took him eight attempt to

win here and today Lewis Hamilton will aim to emulate his hero and

take his first victory at Interlagos, his ninth attempt to

achieve his ambition. Championships have been celebrated and

commiserated here but the racing is always breathtaking and of course

this was the home for triple world champion, the late, great Ayrton

Senna. Welcome to raise Day in Brazil, the sun is shining, David

and Eddie are here and we are standing at Turn 1, the top of the

Senna S and what a glorious backdrop it is for the Grand Prix. It is one

of those races that catches you because it is in the centre of Sao

Paulo and you mentioned about Carlos Pace and Ayrton Senna but we must

also remember Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi who are part of

the history of Formula 1 but this place is the epitome of it. The

people are so passionate, a great track. You got a win, so did you,

Lewis hasn't. Can he achieved it? Of course, he has a winning car but he

has his team-mate between him and the chequered flag. You consider how

many victories he has had, the won his first world championship here,

so do not win here. He said it didn't really matter what was going

to be the case after winning the World Championship but I have to

believe he wants this. This is a special place in the Formula 1

calendar and the fans are extraordinarily passionate. They are

passionate and we will probably see some of them, it is a couple of

hours away from the start and they are excited. What I think Grand Prix

racing has done for this part of the world, we know they are so good at

football and they have been bought years, they are going through a bit

of a low turn in motor racing, Massa not winning the championship was

disappointing and they are waiting for the next bunch of great drivers.

And what about this place? Could this cause problems? This has been

the scene of some great passing in Formula 1, also Alain Prost crashed

out here losing the chance of victory, so many incidents. It will

be crucial at the start, if you can get track position, that is so

important and we have that ever present weather at around Sao Paulo.

We have had some thunderstorms this weekend, not expecting them but the

weather can rise up. If you missed qualifying yesterday, here is a

quick reminder. Fernando Alonso had a second engine

failure of the weekend which gave him some time to work on his tan if

not his grid position. Jenson Button also went out in Q1 but before going

back to the miscarriage, they took time to savour the podium, something

that both world champions have not done for a while -- going back to

the garage. Felipe Nasr was told he was

surrounded by cars on slowing down laps but Massa was not and he had to

take action which resulted in Nasr getting a free place grid penalty.

Nico Rosberg looked more comfortable than Hamilton throughout the

sessions and he put it a great early lap to take provisional pole which

he acted again. Hamilton was flying but just missed out on his 50th pole

position by 81 hundredths of a second. I tried to better the lap

afterwards and it is such a fine line, so difficult to pull it out.

On the last lap, I was already down a out of Turn 3. I got as much back

as I could but it means an exciting race tomorrow. One of the big things

that helped him win the championship was beating me in qualifying all the

time so it is important and it looks like I made progress which is good

to see. Nico Rosberg get his fifth than 60 pole position and Mercedes

set a new single-season record for the most front row start with 31.

The Ferraris are behind, Hulkenberg is fifth, fiat is alongside him.

Bottas comes out in seventh after his penalty. Local hero Massa is the

highest placed resilient and then come the Toro Rossos. Perez has

never started in the top ten in this Grand Prix, then come the two Sauber

cars. Romain Grosjean is ahead of his team-mate who gets his highest

start position, Maldonado. Then the Marussia cars, Daniel Ricciardo used

the new upgraded Renault engine but it was slower than the old one and

he had to take a ten place penalty for the change. Alonso is alongside.

To go, Rosberg and Hamilton left the Garrard to go out onto the track --

the Garrard should -- garage. Eddie, it is five consecutive pole

positions for Nico Rosberg. Shades of last year permit has got his mojo

and his speed back so what is the difference? He looks comfortable. He

seems much happier and content and he is more focused. He realises that

people were talking about him maybe being replaced if not next year then

the year after and that catches your attention. Nothing to do with Lewis

winning the championship because the run started before that.

Psychologically I think he is in a good place, he is still unhappy he

did not win in Austin, that was a silly mistake and he should have

won. Let's see if he can put on back-to-back wins after Mexico. He

has the best chance, the best tyres and track position. They have got

great pace, almost with them? Unless something

remarkable happens, I don't think so. We want a great race between

them out front. There was a upmarket in the sand in Mexico, they

neutralised the raced -- Mark in the sand. I am sure that has been

discussed and it will be interesting to see if it is a case of follow the

leader or you have a chance to push and make something happen late on.

Only time will tell. Tom has some news. There is no news in terms of

people being in trouble and if you are a McLaren driver that is good

news because they have had a torrid time. As for strategy, Daniel

Ricciardo has been saying he will investigate a one-stop

Ricciardo has been saying he will looks a step

Ricciardo has been saying he will try to do two stops and if tyre

degradation is too high, you can try to do two stops and if tyre

always revert to three. Working on the assumption that everybody does

two, that could spice things up at the front. Maybe Sebastian Vettel

can go for the under attack -- undercut. We have seen plenty of

occasions that the Ferrari is kinder to its tyres than the Mercedes.

Thank you. We would like to mention that the Formula 1 paddock is deeply

saddened by the tragic events in that the Formula 1 paddock is deeply

Paris two days ago. All of the drivers and officials are wearing

Paris two days ago. All of the black armbands in tribute to those

who lost their lives and many of the teams are displaying messages as are

mark of respect. Let's take a look at the

championship standings. Nico Rosberg increased his chances

of taking second place with victory in Mexico last time out.

Williams are well prepared to celebrate their victory over Red

Bull today, securing third spot. celebrate their victory over Red

in Russia. You are celebrate their victory over Red

pictures and this is Carlos Sainz, that is obviously a problem for Toro

Rosso. He has had a fair bit of misfortune having qualified rather

well. I thought we would see a big fight between himself and

Verstappen, that would be disappointing. We talked yesterday

about Max Verstappen. Do you think this track

about Max Verstappen. Do you think like him to take opportunities?

He is not daunted by taking on the big names and passing them. I see

more of the same here. He has that swagger and that style and looks as

if he is destined to be an Ayrton Senna, a Michael Schumacher. He is

emerging at the moment. The makings of a world champion. They had quite

a good chance to close the gap tool DEFRA. So important for them to take

a good chance to close the gap tool those positions. One point here and

there, it is just amazing when you added by the end of year the amount

of money it means in terms of TV and income revenue for your team to be

able to spend and money you have to develop your car next year depends

on what you round this year. Bottas had a grid penalty of three places

for crossing on a red flag in free practice. He is so calm. He does not

look like a racing driver but he has that very strong finish attitude.

Everything is very mellow and mild and he has an ability he can do

amazing things. He is absolutely a man who knows he has a long-term

future with this man who knows he has a long-term

can move up and he knows where he can make the passes. Massa not

really on the game. Welcome to Brazil if you are just joining us.

It is race day and Hamilton was not on pole position yesterday. It was

stolen by Rosberg by eight one hundredth of a second. It was very

close. The second row has Vettel and Raikkonen. It looks as if it is

going to be a wonder. . David Coulthard is on the grid. It is

early. The cars are not here. A number of them go through multiple

runs. Part of that is they want to get as much heat soak into the car

as possible. The start finish line is slightly behind where the

proposition men are so that is all that matters this afternoon. We have

quite a transition in elevation. If you look down towards the back where

we are going to have Alonso and Ricciardo, they are going to be able

to set without covering the brake. That is the flattest point of this

grid. As you work your way back up to where I am standing, this is

starting to rise up. They have to where I am standing, this is

cover the brake to make sure they to where I am standing, this is

not go backwards. It means you get a slight offset in the starting

procedures. A rather bottlenecked procedure to get onto the grid

because the start finish line is somewhat lower

because the start finish line is racetrack itself. Hamilton comes

forward. Bernie Ecclestone is here. Is it possible to have a word? Yes.

Some fantastic developments going on. You must be happy. Yes. It is a

little bit late. We were going to do this five years ago. Better late

than another. We seem to this five years ago. Better late

did dominating the weekend. From an entertainment point of view, I will

move you back, it would be a brave driver who would run you down. Let

us wait and see. It would be nice. Be nice. Predictions? I think Nico

is going to win. You no better than anybody mimics the best start here.

Proposition is not a good place to start. Thank you. Raikkonen has been

promoted up to fourth in the grid after a penalty to the Williams car.

This might be a small moment. What other we need to look out for? We

are waiting for Nico in the background. I think he wants to

speak to BBC before RTL. It is good to know that Nico wants to

prioritise the BBC. This is his best qualifying for sometimes years set

up for bid opportunities this afternoon. The Force India fastest

in a straight line. Daniel Kvyat just getting out of his car. I am

going to wait a moment before I wander off. I am going to see if I

can get some of the other drivers. They are under pressure.

can get some of the other drivers. grid procedure before they have to

line up. We can check out this funky outfit while we are waiting. The

most colourful man in Formula 1. Apparently Eddie Jordan uses him as

inspiration. He is also one of the greediest men

inspiration. He is also one of the comes to answering questions. He has

just winked at me! You had a great qualifying. Yes. We are set for a

great afternoon. The car performed really well yesterday. Quite

confident that they should be OK as well. You can get stuck in around

Raikkonen on the first corner. I do not know. I will try. From there on

it is racing. We have a few quick cars behind us and we have to try to

keep behind. Good luck. Bottas has served a three place penalty for

undertaking over a red flag. I can see Daniel Kvyat over there as well.

We have Max Verstappen lined up. I am not sure how long this

conversation is going to be. It is important the driver touches base

with his engineer. What they might want to do is validate where are. We

can see the armband of remembrance which Bottas is putting on. Your

thoughts ahead of the Grand Prix? Frustration and terms of getting the

penalty. The pace seems to be good. I am not worried about the penalty.

Starting seventh, everything is possible. We have good pace on the

prime tyres. Looking forward to changing to that one. We wish you

luck. I will not take much of your time. I can see Max Verstappen. I

really enjoyed the inside to your reflecting on your season earlier in

the weekend. Another good top ten qualifying. An opportunity to get

yourself finishing in the top ten. Any concerns? It will be very

difficult with the tyres and to see how many stops you have to do. It

will be two or three. It will be a very tricky race to manage the

tyres. You are pretty good at managing tyres so that means you

will do two? We will try, but we have to anticipate what other people

are doing. Who can you get in amongst? The Lotus cars will get to

the front but normally we should be close to the Force Indias. I am

going to hand you over to Martin. He knows about racing. I am hearing

that Sainz has been towed back into the pit lane. That is not so good

for him. Sainz is being towed back into the pit lane. For Red Bull that

is not a good start. It is a shame for him. I think he is going to do

have to start from the end of the pit lane. It sounds as if he

stalled. It is not usually driver's fault. Daniel may be vulnerable to

the volume's. For sure. Hopefully we can get a good start because I think

we have the pace in the middle sector if we get a clean first lap.

It is getting pretty busy down this end of the grid. We have everyone

moving to the front. We have about a minute before we are going to go to

a minute's silence for the wildly of remembrance for more traffic victims

and that has become a combined minute of silence for those who

tragically lost their lives in Paris. Emotions will start to rise

and the drivers will try to maintain their focus. Making their way to

show the drivers lining up in position. We can hear John Todd is

embracing Raikkonen. We can see their black armband being warned by

John Todd. This is a very important moment for all of the drivers coming

together to pay their respects. We will leave you with your thoughts.

BRAZILIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS anthem.

Moments of reflection on the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix as the

drivers must put on their helmets and get ready for the race ahead. We

know the championship has been won by Hamilton but it does not change

any of the attitudes of the drivers. They still have the same competitive

element, second place is still up for grabs and Lewis does not want

Nico to beat him. No. In the forefront of his mind is getting a

win in Brazil. His all-time hero Ayrton Senna, it took him eight

attempts to do it and he won. Lewis is on nine attempts and he still has

not done it. It is the one circuit that seems to have eluded his great

dominance in recent years. That is enough incentive for him to get out

and win the race. We can hear from someone who has won the race, Massa.

and win the race. We can hear from It is always such a special race for

you. How are you feeling? It is always a special place and a special

race for me. I will try as hard as I can. What would be the best result?

I am going to try for the podium. He seems to have been struggling this

weekend. Why? Bottas is no slouch. He is fantastic, a potential

champion of the future, so Massa is up against that, his team-mate is on

the case, recent podium. Both of them have had two podium apiece, so

Williams are going well and they have a job on their hands because

they are going out to finish third in the championship. I hope Massa

does a job for everyone who has turned up. Nasr, a big day for him.

We were talking about strategy. Strategy is going to be critically

important. Between two and three pit stops and an extra pit stop is about

23 seconds of time loss. The teams and drivers are going to have to

think about the tyre temperatures and the thermal issue especially

here. The track is split into three sectors with two distinct things.

Sector 1 is a very high speed. Sectors be coming back to the start

and finish line is a long uphill section but that middle sector, the

average corner speed is only 80 mph. Especially at Turn 8, turn nine and

turn 40 mph. When you are accelerating out of Turn 10, you get

a lot of wheel spin. As the cars dropping to the very fast

left-hander at turn 11 the rear tyre is on the limit and sometimes, as we

saw with Hamilton, that can catch them out. For any driver to be able

to achieve a two stop strategy here, they are going to have to be

thinking very clearly on those rear tyre temperatures.

The track temperature is now 48 degrees so tyres could play a part.

They will play a huge part. Daniel Ricciardo was talking about one

stop, I am not sure where he is clued into. As the temperature

rises, we are looking at three stops. The drivers at the front will

keep pushing and the two stops becomes on the limit. They want to

be in the best condition to fight at the end so I guess it will go to

three stops. We can take a closer look at the track and see what it

takes to be on pole position, on board with Nico Rosberg from

yesterday. Qualifying for the Brazilian Grand

Prix at Interlagos, a 4.3 kilometre track, 800 metres of elevation.

Hamilton on the right, Rosberg on the right, Rosberg, left, going into

Turn 1, they both have the same line but Rosberg carries a bit more speed

to the apex. Both tidy through 2 but Nico has already opened up a small

gap. Great commitment from Rosberg on the power sees him open up a gap

which ultimately he never loses. Along the back straight, a good

opportunity for overtaking in the Grand Prix, Hamilton will be

thankful for that. Through the fast Turn 4 and the elevation changes as

they rise up into Turn 6, a double apex blind corner, huge amount of

speed in the Mercedes car. Less curb use through ternate because they

have raised the kerbs -- through Turn 8. You can see that Nico is

maintaining the gap. They both avoid locking up which was an issue in

previous runs. Great commitment through 11 and into the final corner

with Nico quite aggressive and that allows Lewis to start coming back

but it is a huge climb up the hill through 13. 14 seconds of 100%

throttle. Coming across the line, Nico Rosberg takes his fifth

straight pole position of the season and his 21st of his career to

scupper the dreams of Lewis Hamilton of winning the Brazilian Grand Prix.

That is the way to do it, Nico gets the psychological advantage. They

are still working on the problem with Carlos Sainz and he will have

to go from the pit lane. A quick word on the other, a new engine but

slower than the old one. word on the other, a new engine but

does that happen? We have all been led astray, manufacturers see the

car works will include or the engine, it is given to the team with

great expectation, put it in the car and it doesn't work. That is where

testing used to be so vital but there is no testing, it is different

ball game, you have to take the risk but it has not gone well for Red

Bull. You can overtake here, it is a smaller track so they might have

thought he could move forward. Who else is out opposition anything from

Hulkenberg, Bottas? -- out of position. Hulkenberg won at LeMond

's but he has been outshone by his team-mate -- Le Mans. Perez has been

outshone by his team-mate. Hulkenberg needs a podium. Great

scenes as the fans are ecstatic around this circuit. Leeds and Tom

scenes as the fans are ecstatic The big question, can Lewis Hamilton

emulate his hero Ayrton Senna and finally win in Brazil?

The 2008 Formula 1 world champion! It was a dream to come here and

race. It meant so much and I really felt his presence. It took him a

long time to get the win. Ayrton Senna achieves is ambition of

winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. To win in front of the Brazilian fans

as he did would be something special.

COMMENTATOR: Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a track laid out on a

hillside amid a vast city, today posting the penultimate race of the

2015 calendar, 71 laps of a relatively short track before the

season finale takes us to the Middle East. This track has steep inclines

and drops, particularly in the first sector. And powering along that

first straight to -- towards Turn 4. It goes over the hill and drops and

climbs remorselessly through the final sector to the start finish

line. Overtaking is possible, there are two DRS zones. But it is not

easy as Lewis Hamilton discovered last year when he was beaten by Nico

Rosberg. This is one of the few events missing from his winning CV

and with his third world title in his pocket, its promises an all out

attack from second place on the grid to turn the tables on last year.

Conditioned look good at the moment, overcast and warm but not as hot as

we have seen. The track temperature is 40 degrees, similar to 12 months

ago. The soft tyre is expected to hold up a bit better on this

ago. The soft tyre is expected to than last year. Sebastian Vettel

starting third with his Ferrari, can he put the Mercedes under pressure?

They have shown good race pace but he put the Mercedes under pressure?

probably not enough to match the Silver Arrows upfront. Hamilton

starting from second, he has had ten victories this season, can he match

his tally of last year and make it 11? Starting on pole position is his

team-mate Nico Rosberg. Kimi Raikkonen has had an engine

change but the engine was pre-used so he does not lose a place. Bottas

with the penalty starting in seventh.

There is a gap where Carlos Sainz should be, he will be starting from

the pit lane. Marcus Ericsson can perhaps take advantage. Keep an eye

on Romain Grosjean with the strong Mercedes engine.

At the back of the grid it is Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso.

what is the situation with Carlos Sainz? I am looking at his car, he

is in the pit Da Ros -- garage, hoping to start from the pits but

they are very anxious, hoping to start from the pits but

tried four times to stop the engine and it keeps cutting out so they

will have to get it going very shortly. It is the same problem he

had in Melbourne but nothing like that since. It cut out when needed a

practice start going to the grid and they are still scratching their

heads also we know which style is -- which tires everyone is starting on.

Carlos Sainz was meant to start on the medium tyre. Everybody around

him went for a new set of the soft tyres apart from Pastor Maldonado so

it is only Maldonado who is a bit out of sequence. I thought we might

see some of the others on the medium compound because Hulkenberg used it

well last year but it seems not. It would suggest they believe the

tie-up will not go that far and they will spend the majority on the

prime-time. And little to be gained other than a bit more grip on the

start line. -- on the prime tyre. Everybody will be targeting two

stops and you will go to three if you have an issue. I don't see it

working otherwise in terms of gaining track position. What can

work well is the undercut. We could see the second stops quite early

with a long final stint which is when the track is well rubbered in.

In the last few starts, Nico Rosberg has dropped positions on Lap 1.

Hamilton has not lost any places at all, excuse me, one position, since

Hungary eight races ago. The drivers know that, and what works for Lewis

that does not work quite so well for Nico Rosberg. That will give Lewers

supreme confidence at the start. -- Lewis. Alonso will be the last to

move away in the McLaren Honda and he does so. Carlos Sainz does not

get to do the formation lap. And in the last few years, position two on

the grid has been the favoured position, four out of the last six

years, the driver starting second as won but Rosberg won from pole last

year. There is the Toro Rosso garage. They have

year. There is the Toro Rosso close the gap on Lotus in the

constructors but not if they don't get their car out. Lotus are out of

the points positions at the moment but Toro Rosso will be desperate to

get the engine fired up. They are still relatively young in the

development cycle of these new hybrid formula. They have these

development tokens and you bring those into tried to find performance

to close the gap to Mercedes. But the risk when you introduce

something extracting more horsepower you get a bigger bang for your buck

in the cylinders. It can put things on the limit. And with Sainz, that

sounds like a software issue. As we know, every piece of software in the

world has some little bug that annoys you at some point and Formula

1 cars are no different. The two Sa cars are together on the grid in

12th and 13th but with that gap where Sainz should have been ahead

of them. Nico Rosberg has brought them down a bit more promptly than

on some occasions, sometimes he brings them slowly but he is not

quite so worried. Sebastian Vettel is twice a winner of this Brazilian

Grand Prix, in 2010 and 2013 and also wrapped up the title with a

sixth place finish in 2012. Rosberg is looking for back-to-back wins in

Brazil and also this season after Mexico where he dominated. You have

to bet that Hamilton will try everything on the run to the first

corner, Ira B short distance, but he will try everything. -- a relatively

short distance. The back of the grid have been taking their time line it

up. Getting ready for the start, Lewis Hamilton chasing his 44th

career win, Sadie 's 44th win and at the track he is yet to conquer. Best

Mercedes. Rosberg against the track he is yet to conquer. Best

Sebastian Vettel get away but Rosberg is in front, Hamilton on the

outside, wheel-to-wheel for a moment. Rosberg has the advantage.

Vettel, Raikkonen in fourth. Lotus running wide. Force India had a

wobble. A chance to pass Daniil Kvyat. That is Hulkenberg who lost

some places but is coming back. A little lock-up from Nasr. Rosberg

made a great start. That little lock-up from Nasr. Rosberg

going wide. Bottas is chased by Kvyat and Hulkenberg, Massa and

Verstappen who has got a good getaway, Perez in 10th. Felipe Nasr

in the blue and yellow Stade. It must have been Alonso going deep --

blue and yellow Sauber. must have been Alonso going deep --

Carlos Sainz. The rear axle is completely locked. Whatever the

issue was, it has seized the rear end. RADIO: I have no power. It has

all gone horribly wrong for Carlos Sainz in the opening stages but Nico

Rosberg is leading. Will they be able to recover that car which is

still partially on the track? If the rear axle is locked and they can't

release the clutch, we may need a safety car. Perez that link with

Verstappen. Trying to see if Grosjean has made progress, he is in

11th so a reasonably good start for him. Maldonado in 15th, on board

with Verstappen. Rosberg leading from Hamilton, they are all passing

the stricken car Carlos Sainz. One Toro Rosso out of the Grand Prix

already and that does not help them close the gap on Lotus but the other

Toro Rosso is currently in 10th place so in the points with

Grosjean. Perez holding onto ninth position.

The two Ferraris pulling away from the next group which is headed up by

Bottas. Good start by Button who has got himself just ahead of another

an. There pace around here has been better. We could see a tasty battle

happening there. What happened to Ericsson? He is 18. It may have been

Ericsson that ran wide at the first corner. I thought it was one of the

Lotus cars. It was not a bad start from Hamilton but Nico ace did.

Hamilton coming in behind. You see Hamilton comes in behind Rosberg and

picks up the slipstream and goes to the outside. Bottas around the

outside. Hamilton tries to get around the outside, airing on the

side of caution. Relatively clean through two. Able to run two abreast

through terror and three. to do with the difference in speed.

Vettel's getaway was initially to do with the difference in speed.

but he gets out powered. He defends the Exide lane but he is defending

fresh air because Raikkonen will be under strict instructions to play

nice. Not able to capitalise on the good qualifying position, Bottas.

Almost contact once good qualifying position, Bottas.

battle between the men from Finland. Once again very close between them.

The Cardinal is heading into the pits. That is very early to be

coming in. He was coming into 13th before the pit stop. We can hear

each year from the crowd. We do not know what that is. We presume it is

a Brazilian overtaking someone. Going for it with the DRS. We do not

expect these tyres to be on for long. No question of extending the

life of them. He will no Rosberg has the prime call about who gets to

stop first. Rosberg has a narrow margin over his team-mate.

You chased by Verstappen. A little gap

to fill a pain other. We assume there is no issue with Daniel

Ricciardo's car. No point trying to run round in the dirty air. It looks

as if we're about to see one of the first DRS passes of the afternoon.

Here comes Grosjean. Nasr made a mistake at the final turn. That was

just enough for Grosjean to take full advantage and use the DRS and

the Mercedes horsepower up the hill. That puts Grosjean on the verge of

points. He still has the move up one more. He will go chasing after Max

Verstappen in the tussle between Toro Rosso and Lotus. He positioned

himself perfectly in the slipstream and was able to capitalise on the

overspeed coming from that being open. Keep pushing. Nasr had been on

the radio asking how he gets more straight line speed. They have given

himself the different setting. The Russian holding on to sixth place

ahead of the Force India of Hulkenberg. As ever the Red Bulls

are struggling on the long fast fiction up the hill where it is

lacking horsepower and that is where Hulkenberg has been particularly

strong. Hulkenberg was quick and qualifying through the sector so he

will be looking to close that gap, but it is still early days in the

Grand Prix. Only on Lap 6 out of 71. Rosberg has opened up the gap on

that last lap. He has managed to put himself out of DRS range. Perez is

in front of the Sauber. himself out of DRS range. Perez is

catching them. Good info. This himself out of DRS range. Perez is

looking great. Keep pulling away from Kvyat behind. This is working

well. I have been watching on a separate screen and Hamilton appears

to be running off his front tyre slightly relative to Rosberg so it

could be either a thing with this car is being packed with fuel. It

looks as if Rosberg has been able to capitalise running the car faster

through that middle sector. Hamilton had the benefit of DRS in that first

sector which has helped him close the gap slightly but he has dropped

out of that position. Barton and Alonso are running 13th and 14th.

Alonso overtook someone a moment ago. That is a bonus for McLaren

hand-out. Oldenburg has said he is pretty happy with things. He says

the car feels consistent. He is currently running seven. He seems to

be settling in for the long haul. How long will it be before the pit

stops? It was How long will it be before the pit

stops. It looks as if we are going to see the soft tyres go deeper this

year. It seems the track has evolved. The oils have come out. It

was fresh tarmac. The degradation is higher on the soft tyre but not as

bad as Bees last year. We can expect them to go a bit longer but it is a

question of how far? Strategically Rosberg has the upper hand and that

ability as a driver. If you are splitting the race into the rhetoric

the fastest race distance you want to be able to get to around 15, 16,

which allows you to split the two instances to 27 laps apiece. I would

expect that the spent maybe longer to try to get track position because

the power of a new tyre, the prime tyre, there is no issue about

getting a new set of tyres on. Hamilton still not close enough to

get in DRS range of his team-mate. Rosberg leads. Hamilton is in

second. The two of them pulling away from Vettel. Look how close Grosjean

is to the back of Max Verstappen. This is crucial because of the four

points gap between Lotus and Toro Rosso. Just one race to go after

this one. Grosjean trying to catch up. Maldonado is not really helping

this one. Grosjean trying to catch in 15th. 24 seconds behind Rosberg

is so if Rosberg was the pit he would come out just in

is so if Rosberg was the pit he Maldonado. It was the cleanest top

from Mercedes and they have been consistent. Alonso was 23 seconds

behind, Jenson Button is 22. Three or four cars in your window. As soon

as that window opens up to about 23 seconds, just in front of Nasr, that

allows Mercedes to make a clean stop. They have incredible

straight-line speed and if you catch the current the right time they will

blast past them. Looking at the last corner that leads up the hill, the

last proper corner. It is flat-out through this section. Rosberg is

across the line once again. He is maintaining that distance over

Hamilton. A similar battle to last year so far in

Hamilton. A similar battle to last controlled things from the front and

Hamilton. A similar battle to last it was around the pit stops that

Hamilton had the opportunity to make the difference but he threw it away

when he spun at Turn 4. Hamilton will be aware that he made a mistake

here last year that perhaps cost them a shot advocate in the

anti-will be full cost on getting it right this time. Grosjean closing

up. He had a poor qualifying session by his standards but he is trying to

make up for it. Within DRS range. Good amount of horsepower from the

engine against Verstappen, Good amount of horsepower from the

engine is less powerful uphill. Consistent points scorer in this

latter part of the season, Sergio Perez, including in Mexico. Need to

do this quickly. Ricciardo being asked to get through as quickly as

possible not to lose any time behind them. He is by Will Stevens. He

nearly rammed into the back of them. He was not prepared for how slow the

Manor is. It should not be a big surprise because that is Rossi

locking massively as he rolls the car into Turn 10. This is really bad

news for Daniel Ricciardo. He has spent the best part of quarter of a

lap behind. Quite an early stop on the Force India on Lap 10. Should

still be able to make it a two stop. He is just leaving the pit lane and

will be able to cover it in front of Daniel Ricciardo. Daniel going for

the past. Even with DRS, it is obvious. I think Hulkenberg will be

out in front. My mind was on a previous season then. That was

probably a strategic move for them. We are hearing that a number of

teams are reporting that tyres are OK and feeling consistent.

Hulkenberg was one of them. Box this lap. Massa being brought in next.

What do you have? The predicted life of the prime-time is 30 laps so that

gives him 30 laps and 30 laps for the rest of the race, will bang on

prediction. It looks as if pretty much everyone is going with two

stops. We have plenty in. Massa is N. Perez. So is Grosjean. Grosjean

was involved in a tight tussle with Verstappen. It looks as if it is a

clean stop. Back out once again. Perez is still going to be in front

of Grosjean. Where will they both be relative to Verstappen who has

stayed out? That will be interesting at the lower reaches of the top ten.

Lotus trying to undercut Verstappen. As he made use of it with fresh

tyres? Good stuff. He manages to fend off

tyres? Good stuff. He manages to both on the limit. Hulkenberg, that

was a very useful miniver. He keeps him up ahead of Daniel Kvyat. It

will be hard work for Daniel Kvyat chasing after him because the Force

India is pretty rapid through this section and has good straight line

speed. A moment ago get protect past the other, Rossi. He has got past

both of them and is on his the other, Rossi. He has got past

try to pick up more places. Having made the early pit stop. Bottas is

N. See if he has a trouble free stop, he does. That looked superb.

Not the best of the season but nonetheless effective. Verstappen is

in it. It will be nonetheless effective. Verstappen is

where he comes back out. All having to react because they know there are

fresh prime tyre gives them the opportunity to Bouchard. Coming out

in front of Hulkenberg. It is going to be close with Grosjean. He is

making his way through the exit of Turn 3. We will keep you updated

once they go through the first sector. Verstappen is just in front

of Grosjean. I think Verstappen has held onto that position. But it

would work for Lotus to go for the earlier stop. You can see the

disappointment on the faces of Toro Rosso because it has not. They will

be happy, sorry, because they are staying in front of Lotus. Ferrari

are coming in. We'll Mercedes react? Raikkonen is in the pits. Hamilton

has aged the gap. Dirty air, that would suggest he has the speed, but

he is being neutralised like in Mexico. That continues to highlight

the importance of qualifying are getting out of the first corner

first. We will expect the Mercedes deemed to be moving fairly soon. We

expect that to be Rosberg because he will get the advantage of

expect that to be Rosberg because he Raikkonen. Box. Remember the

left-hand magic. Raikkonen has rejoined. He has plenty to play with

their head of Bottas. This could be another dice between the two. Not

much separating them in the championship. Bottas's troubles are

Maldonado has not been in yet. This Maldonado has not been in yet. This

is a genuine race. He Maldonado has not been in yet. This

medium compound tyre. Rosberg, the race leader, comes in. That has to

be a clean stop for Rosberg. This is where Hamilton has an opportunity if

he can get a quick lap. Yes, but it is going to be difficult. He

he can get a quick lap. Yes, but it able to go slightly faster. That was

a slow stop. Hamilton's fate could lie in the power of the stop.

That could be crucial time. has been running slower than the

Mercedes, it is closer than what we saw in some of the practice

sessions. The Ferrari is showing a bit more pace than a practice times

would suggest. Bottas has got past Maldonado, important to get that

done quickly and not be held up the kind the Lotus that started on

done quickly and not be held up the medium tyres. He will go deeper into

the race before stopping. Hamilton is leading. He is coming in. He was

not quicker on any sector. If Mercedes can deliver a 2 second pit

stop, he has a real chance. That was how Bottas got past Maldonado, all

relatively straightforward. Hamilton comes in as Rosberg begins to set

the fastest times. It was a good stop, let's see the static time,

3.6. He gained a little bit but not enough. Rosberg is coming past us

now. Lewis as to enough. Rosberg is coming past us

this inner pit lane area much slower and the gap is going to be about the

same if not slightly more because Rosberg has aged the middle sector.

-- aced. Hamilton still close behind and plenty of time left in this

Grand Prix, Lap 15 out of 71. Hamilton has to come up with a plan

not to be beaten in back-to-back races by his team-mate. What can he

do here? Let's have a look at that stop. Was it simply waiting for

Vettel that delayed him? Looking at the likes, he is waiting for them

and it was Vettel that got in the way. -- waiting for him. He can push

and the if he can push Rosberg into a mistake. If they are marginal on

the tyres, he is going to be compromised running behind him. Tom,

we should be in pretty good territory in terms of looking after

this medium tyre, a track temperature of 46 degrees. And what

is significant is that we have a new rear construction compares to last

year which has given the teams are more even tyre wear pro full --

profile. Not as much of an issue this year as last year and

cooler track temperatures will help. Hamilton has had a good out lap and

taken a bit out of Rosberg. Verstappen is in 11th place. Some

people have not stopped but he is still chasing Perez. And they have

Rossi ahead of them in the Marussia. It looks like, he might get a clean

run at it. This is one of the wonderful corners on this track.

Still quite heavy with fuel but catches the apex nicely. Another

hairpin and the elevation change, you feel like you are on a

roller-coaster. Will Stevens is just on his way out of the pits.

roller-coaster. Will Stevens is just has crossed the line exactly one

second ahead of Hamilton. That DRS range is one second. Hamilton

throwing a lot at reducing the gap. It was just over one second as you

can see from the graphic so he is not quite within DRS range. Perez

maintained his 10th place ahead of Verstappen, Grosjean is in 12,

Ricciardo is 13th. Button is 14th and Alonso is 16th. Maldonado is the

only man not to stop, he has done his own fastest lap, running in

sixth. He might be trying to get away with one stop. He is a couple

of seconds off the Mercedes pace. One area where Mercedes have

innovative in pace, the kerbs have been raised and when you are able to

run more downforce because you have more horsepower, it gives you

stability. If you raise the car, it can change the airflow and lose

downforce but the drivers will do that if they feel it is a shorter

route through the turn. They can carry that extra downforce and

through the practice sessions, that was giving them an advantage over

Ferrari but Vettel is still running two or three tenths slower than

Mercedes so the Ferrari pace is better than imagined. Hulkenberg

straightforward past Maldonado. Maldonado does not rarely fight.

That takes Hulkenberg into sixth place but ahead of him is Bottas.

The first stint from Williams was great, they had that with the

penalty. But Bottas is now fifth. Our plan is to extend this stint

slightly and we will go longer than planned. Raikkonen will be looking

after his tyres. This was Hulkenberg. He carried the speed.

With DRS, not much that could be done. A small attempt at defending.

But really you just pick up dirt on your tyres. Verstappen has been told

to control the gap to Grosjean behind him in this long stint.

Hamilton has caught Rosberg, the gap has come down to half a second.

Whether there was a mistake somewhere on the last lap by

Rosberg, I don't know but they are closer. And then it opens slightly

after that long Turn 3. Hamilton is not getting the same clean air as

Rosberg and Rosberg knows that. Lewis is trying quite hard. Which

means he might be playing with engine settings and will have a

certain amount of crime engine settings to use during the Grand

Prix and Lewis may be using more of them. -- prime engine settings. They

might have ten push to pass is available which runs at the engine

closer to its maximum potential but the downside is you use more fuel

and don't have it available for later.

and don't have it available for coaching. Within the words, they

will know what they mean. It probably does mean something

significant. We can take it that they are all trying hard. The gap

has gone back up to 0.8 seconds but Hamilton is still within the RS

range. Putting on a charge trying to close the gap -- DRS range. Hamilton

got pretty close on that previous lap. The downside of carrying speed

is it compromises your line. Even if you are not looking directly in the

mirror, you can pick up things in your peripheral vision. You are

consistently aware of being able to see the profile of your rear tyres

and changes of colour. The advertising hoardings, all of those

things reflect into your mirror in the same way as when you drive your

road car. Rosberg is repeating what he did last year, controlling the

race from the front as these two continue to pull away from the

opposition, 5.8 seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettel who is their

closest pursuer. Vettel has a good advantage, six seconds over his

team-mate, Raikkonen. A slightly deeper approach into the corner from

Rosberg. It is giving him a better line and because Hamilton is

arriving with overspeed, it gives him some margin if he locks up. You

are closer to the limit of the braking. They are

are closer to the limit of the and lose as a team but for the

purposes of strategy at everything, there are two teams within the

team. That comes down to the team manager, Toto Wolff, to make the

calls. The race engineers have to do the right thing for their driver,

make the call they want to go with and take the instructions from the

senior management. That is the danger of running close behind, his

tyres might lose life. My tyres are not going to last this race.

Confirmation from Hamilton, tucking in behind the other car, sliding

across the surface more and heating them up more which means they will

not last as long as perhaps the man in front. DRS in operation allows

them to close up but not enough to have a chance of overtaking and for

the moment, Rosberg is perfect and soaking up the pressure. He is but

he will know that his tyres will be in better shape. He pitted lap

earlier but Hamilton has taken more energy out of them. He is hoping for

Nico to succumb to the pressure. In fairness to Nico, he has aced the

qualifying for the last five races, just by enough to get this

position. You sense just by enough to get this

has that instinctive pace in the races and if a gap opens up he will

be in it. He is the sort of man races and if a gap opens up he will

do that. Felipe Massa is races and if a gap opens up he will

after Maldonado. Kvyat has already gone past, Maldonado has lost two

places in the space of a few corners. That dropped him back down

to ninth place. Kvyat is seventh and Massa is eighth. Lewis's Tyre

service temperatures will be going through the roof. One of the unique

things about this track is that most of the corners are in a

things about this track is that most kilometre stretch in sector two. The

tyre temperature goes up and you tend to slide more and with another

car in front, you can't get the tyre tend to slide more and with another

to recover. That is tend to slide more and with another

leaders still close together, not much of a gap between Rosberg and

Hamilton. Coming up to one third distance pretty soon, we have seen

one car going out and that was problems even before the grid for

Carlos Sainz. He is talking to us. What a shame, tell us about the

problems. Was it the same on the outlet and in the race? Yes, I went

to do a practice start and the engine turned itself off. We pushed

it back and I was starting from the pit lane and when I left the pits to

the race, the engine lost power and broke itself. It was like in the

go-karting days when the brakes lock the tyres completely. Let's see if

we don't get a penalty and we can have a normal end to the season. And

flashbacks to the Australian Grand Prix? Yes. And Flash forward as well

because it is a season we are having infinite problems on the card and in

the engine. -- on the car. It infinite problems on the card and in

difficult to take on your rookie season because you want to finish

the races and learn and I am stopping before even one lap. You

are due some good luck so hopefully it comes in Abu Dhabi. It looked

like Rosberg made a store all that smack a small stake in Turn 4. Lewis

looks very low on all cars on degradation. The tyres are holding

up well, that is what they are saying to Lewis Hamilton. He is

definitely closer. This was Nasr going down the inside of the McLaren

but a big lock-up. Jenson was very fair and left the door open. If you

are going to overshoot, I will come back at you. I'm two arrears to know

how the Mercedes engineer would know that the degradation is low on all

cars -- I am curious to know. He can only be assuming that. Hamilton...

Rosberg looks like he has got a problem. Hamilton is getting in

there, tucked in behind the slipstream of Nico Rosberg, into the

second DRS zone, will he make an attempt? A tough place to overtake,

it can be done, we saw Juan Pablo Montoya doing it on Michael

Schumacher in the past. This is putting Rosberg under more pressure

than last year. Impossible on this track. Hamilton says it is

impossible to follow. It is the nature of Formula 1 that it is

terrible difficult with the loss of downforce, just like Mexico last

time out. It is proving difficult for Hamilton. The track has not

changed in many years. You are racing against like-for-like

machinery and it will be as close as human engineering will allow.

Rosberg starting to struggle with traction, we have seen Hamilton

taking a shower lower line on most corners. -- shallower line. A wide

taking a shower lower line on most line puts you more at risk of

getting close to the dirty line but it gives you a better drive off the

turn soap Hamilton taking more out of his front tyres by turning in

earlier and using the front tyre to slow the car down. No signs of any

front graining, it seems to be the rear which is marginal.

This is an exceptional drive from both, but for Lewis to consistently

run behind Rosberg is quite extraordinary. It has taken a lot

out of his tyres. Rosberg is resilient and oppression at the

moment and too good to be broken. We are riding with Max Verstappen

chasing after Sergio Perez. He has managed to keep Grosjean behind him.

A medium stint of 26 managed to keep Grosjean behind him.

race. Everybody will easily be able to get through this race with one

more stop. That was Daniel Kvyat lapping Rossi ahead of this group.

Perez, Verstappen and Grosjean. Desperate to find a way past through

that Toro Rosso. Six points behind the two teams. Lotus banged Toro

Rosso in the constructors' championship. Any points could be

capitalised on next time out. There's only one Toro Rosso in this

race. We lost Sainz. There are still two Lotus cars. Maldonado still not

in a position to score for the team. Rossi ahead of his team-mate Will

Stevens. They have to get out of the way because they are being lapped.

Not on the same rap as earlier when Daniel Ricciardo came past them. He

is currently 13. In the red bill. Having a quiet time. Whether you

will be able to make progress we will have to see. But Anand Alonso

in 15th and 16th. A tight little battle tucked in behind Nasr and

unable to do anything about it. In the middle of that is Daniel

Ricciardo. It is unlikely we are going to see the Hondas undertake

anyone in a straight line. A tight little battle. There has been a

radiocommunication from Lewis Hamilton saying converting to plan

be a bad idea because of the Ferraris. Hamilton is saying, get me

on a different strategy, as King for something else from the team to give

him a chance of winning this race. He is not going to get it. You can

understand the position of Mercedes. They have a duty to the

shareholders, the board, the fans, to deliver. Rosberg has found the

purple patch the last few Grand Prix and it is giving him the upper hand.

Hamilton needs to deliver on Saturday to have the advantage on

Sunday. We are not going to see them do something as was demonstrated in

Mexico. Not something that compromises the chance of them

getting a 1-2-mac. It is a shame, to put it bluntly, because we are

seeing a neutralised race, but Hamilton dropped back to 1.6

seconds. I think he has taken respite on those tyres, giving them

a chance to cool down. The option to protect the P2 or go for the win, we

would still be on the same tyre but different tyre range. That is

perhaps a little bit of something they can try that that means he is

going to have to look after their set. That is his engineer doing the

best for Hamilton. The other engineer for Rosberg bobble that and

he can make the call went they make the stop. Lewis's engineer cannot

bring Lewis in until Nico has said he is not coming in. It can be a

late call but Nico's engineer does not give that information until too

late every time they can completely controlled the race and Nico will

make the first stop. They are so controlled the race and Nico will

ahead of the opposition, eight seconds total distance to Vettel,

they do not quite have seconds total distance to Vettel,

we expected or what they had in Mexico but enough margin over the

chasing Ferraris. Grosjean moving out of the slipstream of Verstappen.

Not a proper attempt to overtake. Hamilton just poking their noses

into the mirrors affectively. Verstappen issuing a good turn of

--. Daniel Ricciardo has come into the pits. He has gone into a second

set. I wondered if he can get to the end. He might just be able to do it.

He would have to do 40 laps. Perhaps it is achievable for Raikkonen to do

so. This was Ericsson a moment ago making a move on the McLaren

Fernando Alonso and there was very little Alonso could do about it.

Alonso has had all sorts of engine problems. They had to put in a new

engine, the 12 internal combustion engine. They are supposed to use

four engines for the entire season and that is what Mercedes have

Hamilton and Rosberg's cars but Hamilton and Rosberg's cars but

Alonso is on his 12th which goes to show the reliability problems as

well as the performance difficulties that that team have had. Perez

crosses the line in ninth place. This is about the bottom end of the

top ten. It is a bit of a stalemate with Grosjean not quite able to use

the DRS and the slipstream to power past that Toro Rosso. Hamilton has

opened a gap or drop the gap to 2.5 seconds, allowing Vettel to come

back at him slightly. Vettel just over six seconds behind and matching

Hamilton's times. A slip from Mercedes. Vettel could be that ?2.

Raikkonen a further ten seconds behind Vettel. Those two guys

qualified side-by-side and run from the start of the race in their team

orders. Vettel has consistently opened up that gap over Raikkonen.

Everyone would love to see the moment that Raikkonen

Everyone would love to see the that raw speed he had

Everyone would love to see the of his career but he has

consistently not been able to did at the moment. Carrying

consistently not been able to did at Verstappen. The good thing for a

Verstappen is he is getting the DRS off of the Mercedes powered Force

India so this is pretty much ideal in terms of protecting his position

from Grosjean behind because he is getting sucked along that

from Grosjean behind because he is He is getting close enough to even

think about having a go at passing humid think but he does not go for

it. It is helping him hugely. That will give anything from 15-20

kilometres an hour. This is will give anything from 15-20

position for him, that letterbox will give anything from 15-20

style flap can open. The downside is you take more energy out of the

tyres because you do not have clean air flow over the wings. The gap to

Hamilton is up air flow over the wings. The gap to

feel that Hamilton threw everything at the early laps to put pressure on

Rosberg and you feel he is either pretending he is down and out...

Keep Verstappen under pressure if you can. I

Keep Verstappen under pressure if Grosjean is not giving up the fight.

He has never scored in this Grand Prix and he is not on target to.

Back on board with Verstappen. Toro Prix and he is not on target to.

Rosso is a part of what has been so impressive with him has been his

consistency during the races and his ability to look after the tyres

despite it being his ability to look after the tyres

That was a good exit. It was. A ability to look after the tyres

of oversteer and he did not get great early drive so that allowed

Verstappen to get into great early drive so that allowed

slipstream. This is unlike opportunity and Perez knows it. Here

comes Verstappen. Giving each other opportunity and Perez knows it. Here

only just enough space, and he is through. He has done it again. It

has allowed Grosjean to come through as well because Perez lost so much

momentum. Grosjean is going to have a go. Too far back. That is the mark

of a champion, backpass. Nobody does that. He did not give the position

up. It would have been easy to think this was marginal but he is prepared

to take the risk. And stay on the road. Vettel has come into the pits.

We have seen the McLaren of Jenson Button stop and go back out onto the

circuit so he has had a pit stop. He is going on to the soft tyre. A

different strategy from Ferrari. They run the soft tyre longer than

most other teams on Friday. It made you wonder if they would do

something different. He is going to come out in front of Bottas who is

his only real challenger, Raikkonen is going to be naturalised by the

team. Vettel is clearly faster. You can see Bottas arriving. Still a

healthy margin. This is this fantastic pass road the outside. He

gets himself into position but he is not a head. He is being squeezed.

How does he do that without losing his front wing? That was amazing.

Perez must have thought he had this corner. He got squeezed out as a

result. Brilliant. First class driving. Can you imagine if we see

him in a car running in front? The race leader comes in for a second

pit stop on Lap 33, relatively early. He is on his way once again

and they have called it quickly for Rosberg. What will be interesting if

Hamilton comes in straightaway we can assume he has burned these tires

out. Will he regret letting the gap grow to three seconds if he stays

out? Rosberg's side of the garage now they have given themselves a

bigger safety margin than now they have given themselves a

first stop. Rosberg has made his stop. That is very interesting. It

is going to have to be quite a long stint but it is achievable.

Raikkonen did a similar long stint last year. Hamilton has traffic

ahead, Stevens and Rossi. He is probably going to be in a situation

where McAfee runs another lap he is going to lose lap time. Normally it

would be clean air ahead of him. Box. Going to respond straightaway.

I think with the traffic he had no choice. The perfect strategy for

Rosberg. Incomes Lewis Hamilton. From what was briefly the lead but

is going to be back into second place. He is going to be chasing

after his team-mate once again. Is he going to be frustrated once again

in Brazil? He has the pace but cannot get close enough to put the

attack on Rosberg. Rosberg comes down through the first corner. It is

very similar to the down through the first corner. It is

Look at the Ferrari that is going to come out. Hamilton is going to be

behind Raikkonen. That is not what he wanted to see, and the traffic,

Fernando Alonso in the McLaren. Not able to use the tyres. It never

rains but it pours. That is the further chink in the armour for

Hamilton to try to get on the back of Rosberg. Still compromising

Hamilton on his approach. Alonso being lapped us to get out of the

way whereas Raikkonen does being lapped us to get out of the

to get out of the way because he stayed out and he is fighting for

position. Raikkonen currently in third. Vettel is the fastest man on

the track. Looking at Maldonado on the Sauber of Ericsson. There was

contact. That is how it can go wrong. It did not go wrong with

Verstappen and Perez. That is what is so impressive with Verstappen.

Other than the coming together in monocle which was clearly an error

of judgment... Hamilton looking to make his way past. This should be

straightforward. That gets him back past the Ferrari. The term on

incident is under investigation. We just saw that on the replay. The

collision. We have not just saw that on the replay. The

fault it was. Maldonado, it looks as if he has run into the side of

Ericsson who was slightly ahead. I cannot stress enough what a nice guy

Maldonado is in the paddock. We are going plan B. What happened to

Lewis? He could not keep the pace. Both struggling a little bit. Does

that mean another pit stop? If they were not maintaining the pace on

that kind of lap distance it would imply that they are going to have to

make a third pit stop. Yes. I think you're right. They have realised

that the pace from Vettel, who has done the fastest lap of the Grand

Prix last ten, he was matching Rosberg leading, so the gap between

them is not a great deal. Ferrari, where have they found this place

back? They have been hiding it well. Sometimes they can make a particular

tyre work on the day. It was effective in Malaysia where they got

a victory. Conditions on the day they nailed it. The fastest lap of

the day has gone to Hamilton so he is going quicker than Vettel.

Looking at the battle between Nasr and Maldonado. The Lotus is still

running. There has been contact between Maldonado and Ericsson and

little while ago but he is up against Nasr. Running intense and

11. Sauber desperate to get some points in these closing two Grand

Prix. No more desperate than Lotus who want to close the gap to Toro

Rosso. A lot at stake. Looking at the fuel amounts,

Hamilton on the lower end, so is what Assen who is having a quiet

time in fifth place with Kvyat in sixth. -- so is Bottas. What we can

state... That was Grosjean making a move on Perez. That is for 12th

place. I don't know if Perez had a go at getting it back, maybe that is

what we picked up. There has been a pit stop, that is why they were so

close. Maldonado had pit stop, that is why they were so

Crime against option. -- prime. On the fuel thing, since the hybrid

element came into Formula 1, they use around 40% less fuel per Grand

Prix than they used to sew a definite step towards saving the

environment. That was a simple and straightforward pass on Perez.

Hulkenberg is in eighth, there is Nasr in ninth and Maldonado right

with him. Surely an opportunity with DRS. This time it should be Mission

with him. Surely an opportunity with accomplished well before he turns in

and that brings Maldonado into ninth position chasing after Hulkenberg. A

bit of a gap, he is up ahead in the Force India, it was about 2.5

seconds when they crossed the line. Hulkenberg started well but

seconds when they crossed the line. dropped back down a bit. This group

we can see, in the background is Rosberg so he has some traffic to

get through. A faster lap time again than Hamilton, the gap is 3.5

seconds but the gap may enable and or inspire Hamilton to get back onto

him. It seems that Lewis has mentally thrown in the towel a bit.

You have Perez up against Ricciardo and Perez has said he is losing

power on the straights. He is not happy with the power delivery in his

Force India and it is allowed -- allowing Ricciardo to be behind him.

That group is close to give up ahead. He could gain several spaces

in a short space of time. That is Vettel onto the back of Raikkonen as

well, who has only done one stop. He overtook him here. Raikkonen

dutifully lifts overtook him here. Raikkonen

through. Keep an eye on Raikkonen's second stop, no sign of the Ferrari

mechanics in the pit lane. We have heard that Felipe Massa and his crew

will have two seedy stewards after the Grand Prix because of a tyre

pressure issue -- will have to see the stewards. The pressures are

checked just before the Grand Prix begins. There was a scare

checked just before the Grand Prix with this and we gather that

Williams will have two the stewards. There is also a naughty on Maldonado

for causing a collision. Ricciardo being overtaken by Rosberg. Sad to

say that Maldonado, it is standard operating procedure for the

stewards, operating procedure for the

change the name with the penalties in anticipation of him getting

involved. Daniil Kvyat is in the pits. Looks like a fairly

straightforward to stop for them even though Mercedes are switching

to three stops -- straightforward two stop. Grosjean side-by-side with

Verstappen and he has gone past him this time. Romain Grosjean has got

his Lotus passed the Toro Rosso. They have been fighting for a long

his Lotus passed the Toro Rosso. got past. That is crucial for

his Lotus passed the Toro Rosso. final point. Rosberg picking his

places and lapping Perez. final point. Rosberg picking his

just picked it as well. There is Hamilton and the gap is that much

bigger, 2.8 seconds between the leaders. It is yo-yoing around as

they go through the traffic. Verstappen goes defensive and

Grosjean manages to get the car stopped. One more opportunity after

this to impress his Lotus team before he heads off to Haas next

year. Max is saying that they are clipping to early. That is the point

at which the hybrid energy, the battery pack that delivers

electrical energy through the rear axle, is effectively retarded and

you are no longer able to use it. axle, is effectively retarded and

You have about 30 seconds of electrical energy they

You have about 30 seconds of giving them about 160 horsepower and

they use it strategically around the track with the best place normally

off a slow corner. The faster you can move the mass of the car to its

terminal velocity, you will gain the biggest amount of lap time. They can

decide not to use it at certain places in the Grand Prix to give

themselves more power of that energy to strategically defend or attack

against another car but you will lose lap time off the optimal way of

using that energy. Rosberg leading upfront,... Can I stay out a bit

more. Sebastian Vettel liking the feel on his tyres as Bottas comes in

from fifth. He stays with the harder, medium compound tyre.

Joining us from the pit wall, Red Bull team principal Christian

Horner. Talk is through the various strategies, and your Kvyat has just

been in, looks like a conventional two stop but maybe Mr Davies are

going with three? -- Mercedes. That's it. Briatte is running a

standard two. -- Kvyat. Ricciardo is That's it. Briatte is running a

going for a probable three. Any That's it. Briatte is running a

surprises in the tyre performance competitive in practice? Not too

much, the degradation has been a bit higher but not dramatically so it is

not too different. I know you are watching your own team, but I have

been surprised by the pace of the Ferrari and battle

been surprised by the pace of the Mercedes. He has been impressive so

far. Interesting strategy to go on to be softer tyre at this stage.

Interesting if a pace car came out now, that would bring it alive. That

would be fun. What do you reckon for Daniel's opportunity to score

points? It is always a chance but it is tight because he is fighting with

Perez. Still in the offing. Thank you for joining us. We are on board

with Ricciardo I think. He is tucked up behind Perez. Daniil Kvyat has

recently gone past Maldonado. They are entering Turn 1 as his

team-mate, on a different strategy, losing massive speed as they come

across the line. Perez has been complaining about a lack of power

but he still gets to the apex and that is crucial. This is where the

Red Bull is performing better and you can see the gap open out again.

DRS will help neutralise it slightly. That is Sebastian Vettel

just behind Daniel. Raikkonen, him and Maldonado are both on one-stop

strategies. They are looking for longevity in their tyres. Different

strategies employed at Ferrari between their drivers but the same

one between the race leaders, Rosberg and Hamilton. No change

upfront, the gap is 2.8 seconds. Ricciardo is hoping he can find a

chink in the armour of Perez but he will have do let Vettel through

because he will be lapped by the Ferrari. They were team-mates at

last year at Red Bull which proved a difficult season for Sebastian

Vettel that he is enjoying himself more at Ferrari. On board with Massa

who is closing up to Maldonado. Massa on home turf, double winner of

this Grand Prix. Vettel going past Ricciardo I think. That is Raikkonen

coming through and it was Vettel lapping Ricciardo. Felipe Nasr, the

other Brazilian in the race, he is down in 16th place. Both Sauber cars

are behind the McLarens at this stage. Rosberg has a fairly steady

stream of traffic ahead of him. Massa and Maldonado the head. Such

is the pace advantage for Rosberg and Hamilton, it is amazing they are

lapping them. They would have assumed an offset in lap time and

fuelled accordingly. They know their race pace is only good enough to

effectively be a lap behind. race pace is only good enough to

could find yourself short fuelled but everything in engineering is a

calculator and risk. Maldonado comes in now. Lap 46. Let's see what tyres

he goes for. Hamilton has got a bit of clean air and he can see Rosberg

has the traffic ahead. Maldonado has gone into the pits. Rosberg and

Massa will be fairly straightforward, Williams will not

get in the way of Mercedes. Hamilton throwing down the gauntlet with a

get in the way of Mercedes. Hamilton 15.3. He has not given up on taking

victory yet. Maldonado is back out on the medium tyres. We will see how

he gets on. I don't think he has run the soft tyre yet. Maldonado will

need a late pit stop. An impressive lap from Hamilton. We hear that

Massa's Fire blanket may have been as much as 27 degrees to heart. For

it to be that much difference in temperature, I can imagine the right

rear is the issue, I can only imagine there has been a

rear is the issue, I can only issue. To be able to be 27 degrees

over is an impressive amount of temperature. We know that Mercedes

were able to argue the case with the stewards and were found to be within

the regulations and it might be the case for Williams as well. It sounds

like a thermostat has gone wrong. Ferrari are getting ready for a pit

stop which presumably will be Raikkonen. He comes in now. Watching

Ricciardo but the other Raikkonen. He comes in now. Watching

coming into the pit lane. Third and fourth would be a good result for

Ferrari. The tyres must be starting to lose some performance. We know

that Raikkonen, that was a fairly healthy stint on those prime tyres.

Ferrari have taken a gamble to mix it up with the soft tyre and it

hasn't worked out because he is losing time to Hamilton but we

expect them to do another stop. Ricciardo still cannot get past

Perez at the moment. DRS is helping him up the hill but not getting

close enough to the back of the Mercedes powered Force India. Box,

Sebastian. This will be a third pit stop for battle but we expect

Mercedes to do the same -- for Vettel. Will they finish the race on

the medium tyre? We have 23 laps to go. They are going for the medium

tyre with the extra life and away he goes. Slightly slow stop from

Bychenok but quicker for Sebastian Vettel -- from Raikkonen. He wanted

to outscore Nico Rosberg to get into second place in the championship but

Rosberg right now is doing enough to secure second in the championship,

if he were to win with Hamilton second and Sebastian Vettel in third

then Rosberg were better than league finish runner-up in the World

Championship. Box, box. Third stop coming up for Mercedes. Of course,

things can go wrong on pit stops so there will be some anxiety.

Let us listen to the process. Absolutely perfect. No mistakes.

Here is a lunge from Absolutely perfect. No mistakes.

the outside of Perez. I think he has made it stick. If he has the exit he

should be good for the next straight. DRS, let us see if he

comes back. He has an opportunity. He is going to have to go to the

outside. Brake dust coming off the front of Perez's car. Very close. Is

he going to have another go? Box. Not in the end. Hamilton is being

asked to comment into the pits. We are into the closing stages of this

race. Whether Lewis Hamilton are into the closing stages of this

really launch an attack on his team-mate or is it all done and

dusted with a clean stop from Rosberg? Jenson Button has been told

to let Alonso passed. He has said OK but he seems a long way behind.

Alonso is 1.7 seconds behind. We believe Alonso

Alonso is 1.7 seconds behind. We his. We

Alonso is 1.7 seconds behind. We Rosberg. A mark on the tyre. He must

have locked up on his attempts to try to take everything out of it.

Rosberg once again is going to go past our commentary box position. It

is pretty much where it was last time. Hamilton will be slower as he

exits the pit lane. We have seen that price below, where they are

exits the pit lane. We have seen parallel to each other, one on the

pit lane and one on the circuit. Vettel has just that the fastest lap

of the Grand Prix. Looking to put some pressure onto the of Hamilton.

The gap is fairly consistent. Vettel has some traffic. A lot of traffic

to get through. We want to keep the gap to Lewis. Rosberg has Perez and

Ricciardo ahead of him. Neither of those are going to get on the way as

they are being lapped but the Rosberg has defined his way

through. Slightly awkward for Rosberg to get around the outside of

Perez. That has allowed Hamilton to catch up a bit. Rosberg dealt with

it. Something Hamilton is good at, fighting his way through traffic.

They do not really have to fight their way through. It was much more

difficult in the old days. These days with blue flags they have to

get out of the way. As he stopped? He has stopped and is

get out of the way. As he stopped? behind. You are racing to the flag.

You are both on the same set of tyres effectively, same tactics all

the way to the end. It is the question of who is going to emerge

in front and take question of who is going to emerge

Brazil. Can Rosberg made back-to-back victories or is

Hamilton going to snatch it away in the closing stages? A race he so

desperately wants to win to add to his CV, one that has been missing

throughout all of his attempts to win it. It is going to take

something special but we know he can do that. What can he do in the

closing stages? That he has not been able to do earlier. They have burned

off the fuel saw the car, it is like dropping a passenger off. That will

enable him to feel the car more. He is trying hard, so push at the same

pace. Given the rules on information that thing from engineer to the

driver, not suppose to be any assistance in their ability to go

racing, there can be so much written into that. Gets away with it on that

shall line into one. The fastest lap. Still a little bit of what we

saw last year. 1.13. Track has changed in terms of kerbs and that

has cost them some time in qualifying and in the race. Rosberg

is next up, sorry Verstappen is next up to Rosberg and in front him is

Grosjean. All sensible drivers who will have been well warned of the

traffic coming. They will get a blue light flashing at the top of their

dashboard. We have seen a lot of traffic on this short track and they

have all behave themselves. It has allowed Hamilton to get closer. 1.07

is the gap. Is it a good place? Stick with target -4-mac. Stop

talking to me in the braking zone. You need to speak to me in the

straight. Gently getting upset about where he is getting the radio. He's

going to lose out through three, Verstappen will not let him past

until they on the straight. Hamilton losing out in the dirty air of

Verstappen. You can see how it makes it difficult for him. It is

important for Verstappen not to lose place either. It has not cost

Hamilton too much time. Jenson Button has come into the pits after

not being too happy on the radio. Perez has made a third pit stop.

That has released Ricciardo into irrelevance. It is going to be very

tight for those final couple of points. -- 11th. Total wolf looking

a little bit anxious. Looking to the camera to say I would like to see

the track action. Stop filming me! Let us see what happens in the

closing bar to the race because Rosberg has controlled the entire

race distance, taking the pole position by 800th of a second

yesterday and it has proved to be decisive, but can Hamilton derive

something extra, some passion, from the spirit of the Brazilian fans on

a track that he watched his hero Ayrton Senna win in 1991? Can he

find something to close the gap? Rosberg got DRS which will

find something to close the gap? in that first sector. Hamilton did

not. Ricciardo is going to come out back pain Perez once again. It is

going to be tough for him to score points. Grosjean's present a

Hamilton is to hold him up through six, seven and eight. Hamilton will

be frustrated by this. You six, seven and eight. Hamilton will

see this, but unfortunately the real important battle is that the front

and we are watching something down the back. A big lock-up for

Hamilton. He got badly treated by Grosjean unfortunately who helped

him up and that has allowed Rosberg to get an extra second. This battle

in the middle of the pack entertaining audiences around the

world. Nasr against Malden angle. Interesting how many have gone for

the third stop option. We saw many would do it on two. Raikkonen will

be the leading car on two. Maldonado heading closer to the back but not

enough to have a go at getting past him. He got past him earlier but

that was before a pit stop. Verstappen has come back out again.

We will see a where years when he gets to the pit exit. No change in

the battle for 10th position. Verstappen is behind these two lie

little distance. Getting darker. Hulkenberg reporting that maybe he

is going to see some showers. There are some showers forecast for later

in the day but we have not seen evidence of them yet. This was

Grosjean not making it particularly easy for Hamilton, and frustration

coming through as he locks up. Damage being done to his tyre. Last

time around it was 15-1 apiece. That is not the way to SEC later. I think

I have damage to my floor. This could be off the high kerbs. Are we

seeing any signs of damage? Maldonado and Nasr side-by-side.

Does not happen, or does it? Maldonado and Nasr side-by-side.

get DRS activation. Nasr is going to have to be defensive. Maldonado down

the outside. Nasr will not let him through. Good stuff from the

Brazilian, fending off the Venezuelan for the moment. He ran

wide. It a wheel over the kerb. That is great stuff from Nasr. Under

wide. It a wheel over the kerb. That pressure from Maldonado. And all of

the uncertainties that go with wheel-to-wheel racing. He managed to

make it stick. It is these opportunities that you have to give

every indication to the top teams that you are a race. That is what we

have been seeing from Verstappen. All about the final point for those

two. Still watching Grosjean. That is Verstappen on Maldonado. Sorry,

Grosjean. This is on board with Maldonado. Can he get Nasr? He is

down the inside. Yes. Very straightforward in the end. Massa

has made a late pit stop. That is going to hurt him as he tries to

make it to going to hurt him as he tries to

Prix. Grosjean and first up and come through in 11th and 12, out of the

points the moment. Do not talk any more. Rosberg is

points the moment. Do not talk any is doing. The gap is 1.4 seconds,

matching each other. The work he forgot was please. I do not think

there is much time for that. This is how he got past Nasr. Fairly

straightforward. Nasr was defensively couple of times and in

the end the door is wide open. Maldonado does a good job. He has

that five seconds additional time to be added. No damage to his car from

the contact with Ericsson earlier. We think he probably served the five

seconds that his second pit Dobson that should mean that where years is

exactly where years. Data looks fine. No problems.

exactly where years. Data looks about floor damage but he has been

told everything is OK. getting past Nasr. Nasr struggling.

He has only done two pit stops. These guys have done three.

Important for Lotus if they can get Maldonado and Grosjean in the

points. Crucial. Ahead of Rossi Maldonado and Grosjean in the

Verstappen getting close to the back of the Sauber. Lining up to try

Verstappen getting close to the back get over

Verstappen getting close to the back down the inside. Nasr was wise to

that. A big lock-up up ahead of them and he is going to look on the

inside. That was nearly contact. I think his front wing might have

clipped the rear tyre. We do not know houses that have these are two

punchers. It was incredibly close. Into the final chicane at Spa, they

punchers. It was incredibly close. did not give each other enough room,

but that was marginal. Might have a chance because he is coming up the

main straight. He is going to go round the outside again. He did this

in Perez earlier. He knows how to make it stick. He is through. If

that boy a biscuit. Fantastic. Two opportunities taken. In the end it

is fairly straightforward as Grosjean gets passed Maldonado.

Everyone has to make their way but it is almost a shame that Verstappen

is in amid great car. Can you imagine what he could do upfront? It

would be fantastic to see that. He is driving beautifully again. He is

not quite in the points. It looks a little bit darker. What is the

weather? It should be dry. A little bit overcast. We have 11 laps to go

and it looks as if it is going to stay dry. This is where you try to

go down the inside. Is that the smallest amount of contact? I think

he clipped his rear tyre and got away with it. Then there's great

pass. He knew exactly what he needed to do. He heads the throttle and

Nasr gives them the space. Great driving from both of them. Perez is

going past Nasr. Nasr on a two stop strategy dropping through the field.

Perez is in 13th. Rosberg is 1.6 seconds ahead of Hamilton. A very

quiet race for Williams. Still quite a good tussle between Hulkenberg and

Daniel Kvyat. Straightforward down into Turn 1,

Hamilton running 0.6 seconds find Rosberg. Rosberg won the race by

only 1.4 seconds last year so it is pretty much a replay. There is an

opportunity, Rosberg is behind Hulkenberg. And after Ericsson, they

for Hamilton to get that bit closer. are pretty much clear so two cars

for Hamilton to get that bit closer. What is encouraging, Sebastian

Vettel is 15 seconds behind the leader. Last year it was a Williams

in third, Massa, who was 41 seconds behind. It has been great to see. It

could be down to track temperature, 41 is eight or 9 degrees cooler than

it yesterday. We know that the Pirelli tyres are very sick to do

that macro very sensitive. Felipe Nasr has nothing to fight with

because all of the guys around him have fresher tyres. In 13th place.

You can see the clouds they were talking about. There is nothing

Rulli Toulouse in 13th from putting on another set of tyres and getting

into a more competitive feeling car. -- nothing re-election to lose --

really to lose. The gap was two seconds. It is 2.09 at the moment. A

good first sector by Rosberg. Maybe that benefited him and hurt

Hamilton. It is looking tough for Hamilton who is 13 seconds ahead of

Sebastian Vettel who is 22 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who is on a

different strategy. Ferrari did this last year as well. Alonso did three

stops and Raikkonen did two stops. It did not go as well as this. It

proves once again their boost in performance this year which has been

consistent all season, 12 podiums for Sebastian Vettel. It was a

struggle for a long zone last year. Hamilton completing another lap, 62

completed. He is running out of time and options if he is to finally win

in Brazil. It is not looking very promising right now. He lost three

good as a second on the last lap as they go through traffic -- three

quarters of a second. He has had such a fine run of victories around

the world. And this track probably means as much as any other than

Silverstone and Monaco. He has just not had a good run here. Maldonado

being chased by Verstappen. This could be interesting. Verstappen

being chased by Verstappen. This closing on Maldonado whose tyres are

a bit older. Nine laps is the difference in life between them.

Maldonado on the prime tyre hoping Thursday ahead of Verstappen on the

soft tyre. But the soft tyre has more degradation on it. Towards the

end, Verstappen might find it harder. Your pace is better than

Verstappen and Maldonado ahead of you. Can he do anything with it? He

also has to keep an eye out behind. It has been like that throughout

four Verstappen. That is a bit of engineering license. Last time round

Perez did 816.6 and Verstappen at 16.3. -- did a 16.6. 2.8 seconds

between Rosberg and Hamilton are cross the line. Sebastian Vettel

still in third, Raikkonen in fourth, Bottas,.

Massa is in eighth, it has not been a shining one for him but he has

just been told that he is two seconds faster than Hulkenberg and

will catch him on the final lap according to the Williams strategy

crew. He did 15.8 and Hulkenberg did 16.9. Maybe it was the previous lap

or a bit of enthusiasm. As has to get past creat. -- Massa has to get

past creat. There have been a number of things

he is aware of and able to analyse in comparison with his team-mate.

Keep it clean. What he has been able to do as we know from talking to

Christian Horner yesterday, he confirmed he will be in the car next

year so he has done enough despite being in the wake and shadow of the

great success that Daniel Ricciardo had in his first season. With that

pressure of Verstappen, part of the Red Bull family as well. It looks

like he will be confirmed for another year at Toro Rosso. We also

know now another year at Toro Rosso. We also

be on the grid next year. another year at Toro Rosso. We also

the engine for sure? I don't think they do! But they will be on the

grid. Let's make sure we bring it home. Fernando Alonso currently in

16th place so they just want to finish. Button is ahead of Alonso

16th place so they just want to 15th. Luckily for

16th place so they just want to is not shining so no need for Alonso

to pull up and do some sunbathing. Those images of him just kicking

back and reflecting on a sunny day rather than driving his car. He has

become a bit of an Internet rather than driving his car. He has

overnight fame! He has already had that for a long time. Verstappen is

close to the back of Maldonado. DRS was in operation, this could be

exciting with the rapid rookie up against the tough Venezuelan. The

final point is on offer and it is Lotus against Toro Rosso in the

constructors points as well. They could both put mad at the beginning

of their name if they were wrestlers!

Verstappen but he is

Verstappen the right position. Jenson

Verstappen told not to warrant. It could be

Nasr ahead of him. -- Synchronised locking, Ricciardo and

Perez, Ricciardo gets through. Perez is going to come back at him. He

will cut back slightly but does he have enough momentum? DRS wide open.

Holding the inside line, Perez forced out wide, there is not the

grip he needs and Ricciardo has made the move. Verstappen still trying to

get past the Lotus but well positioned by Maldonado, making it

difficult. We have seen people locked up and run into the car ahead

of him. Maldonado in all sort of trouble with the tyres and

Verstappen getting those options to work for him, all over the back of

Maldonado. The trump card that Maldonado has is the Mercedes engine

but look how slow he is through 11. They had a big race together in

Austria earlier in the year and Maldonado had one of the saves of

the year towards the first corner. Now Verstappen is looking to return

the favour and he has got the slipstream, you will go for it on

the inside this time. Maldonado will try to fight it but he has not got

the grip and Verstappen moves into 10th place to claim up .4 Toro Rosso

and take one away from Lotus -- declaimed a point four Toro Rosso.

This was a replay of the pass. Maldonado decides not to defend.

Much excitement for Toro Rosso. Hamilton looks to have thrown in the

towel, the gap is 5.3 seconds to Rosberg. I am sure he will say he

tried everything but could not find a way past.

tried everything but could not find what he was doing earlier in the

year and ace qualifying and he will be back in the winner 's circle. It

will be painful for Hamilton. The tyres have gone off. Front tyres

going off, he only has a couple of laps to bring the car home so he

should be able to do that in second place. Rosberg looks set to finish

second in the World Championship with this result. It would mean that

Sebastian Vettel cannot beat him. Meanwhile, I mentioned the gap

between Toro Rosso and Lotus, Verstappen, his next car to chase is