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Chinese Grand Prix comes to abrupt end after flag waved one lap too early Chinese Grand Prix comes to abrupt end after flag waved one lap too early
(about 7 hours later)
The Chinese Grand Prix was not particularly exciting, admittedly, but it hardly required the drastic action taken by the man wielding the chequered flag who brought the race to an end one lap early. The Chinese Grand Prix was certainly not the most exciting race – but it hardly required the drastic action taken by the man wielding the chequered flag, who brought the race to an end one lap early.
Lewis Hamilton was leading at the time and was as mystified as anyone by the turn of events. "I thought I was starting my last lap and I glanced up and saw something waving and realised it was the chequered flag," the Englishman said. "I lifted [the power] and lost about a second and a half but the team said: 'No, no. Keep going.'"Lewis Hamilton was leading at the time and was as mystified as anyone by the turn of events. "I thought I was starting my last lap and I glanced up and saw something waving and realised it was the chequered flag," the Englishman said. "I lifted [the power] and lost about a second and a half but the team said: 'No, no. Keep going.'"
His Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, with whom Hamilton is going neck to neck for the world title, was 18sec behind him in second and the Englishman said: "If the radio had failed or something and I had slowed down and Nico came past, that would really have sucked. Thank God, it didn't. It was very, very strange. I was thinking: 'Am I seeing things?' But it was good to do another lap." His Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, whom Hamilton is trailing by four points in the race for the world title, was 18sec behind him in second and the Englishman said: "If the radio had failed or something and I had slowed down and Nico came past, that would really have sucked. Thank God, it didn't. It was very, very strange. I was thinking: 'Am I seeing things?' But it was good to do another lap."
Luckily for the red-faced organisers the shortening of the race made no difference to the points scorers at the sharp end. But it did mean that Caterham's Kamui Kobayashi was relegated to 18th, having pulled off a last-lap overtaking manoeuvre on Jules Bianchi's Marussia for 17th. Luckily for the red-faced organisers, the shortening of the race made no difference to the points scorers at the sharp end. But it did mean that Caterham's Kamui Kobayashi was relegated to 18th, having pulled off a last-lap overtaking manoeuvre on Jules Bianchi's Marussia for 17th.
The race should have ended after 56 laps but Hamilton saw the flag waved at the end of the 55th. Under the arcane regulations that govern Formula One (article 43.2) the classified race results then had to be backdated to the end of the 54th lap.The race should have ended after 56 laps but Hamilton saw the flag waved at the end of the 55th. Under the arcane regulations that govern Formula One (article 43.2) the classified race results then had to be backdated to the end of the 54th lap.
The regulation reads: "Should for any reason the end-of-race signal be given before the leading car completes the scheduled number of laps, or the prescribed time has been completed, the race will be deemed to have finished when the leading car last crossed the line before the signal was given."The regulation reads: "Should for any reason the end-of-race signal be given before the leading car completes the scheduled number of laps, or the prescribed time has been completed, the race will be deemed to have finished when the leading car last crossed the line before the signal was given."
Fortunately for Hamilton there was no disputing the winner. It was his third chequered flag, however controversial, in succession this season and leaves him just four points behind Rosberg in the standings.Fortunately for Hamilton there was no disputing the winner. It was his third chequered flag, however controversial, in succession this season and leaves him just four points behind Rosberg in the standings.
"I'm in the happiest mood I can remember being in," said Hamilton. "I can't believe how amazing the car is, and with how hard everyone has worked; the results we are getting are because of that. It feels incredible to get three wins. I have to shout out a big thank you, thank you so much to the team, for embracing me into the team and for all the hard work and them continuously pushing forward." "I'm in the happiest mood I can remember being in," said Hamilton. "I can't believe how amazing the car is, and how hard everyone has worked; the results we are getting are because of that.
Hamilton and his team now head to Spain knowing that Renault in 2005 were the last team to win the first four races of a season: an omen perhaps, as Fernando Alonso – currently third in the standings – went on to take the title for the French team. "It feels incredible to get three wins. I have to shout out a big thank you, thank you so much to the team, for embracing me into the team and for all the hard work and them continuously pushing forward."
Hamilton and his team now head to Spain knowing that Renault in 2005 were the last team to win the first four races of a season: an omen, perhaps, as Fernando Alonso – currently third in the standings – went on to take the title for the French team.