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How do you go from 4th at Bahrain, to 18th and 20th at China?
I don't know what Hartley was doing but he dropped to 2nd last in the first 10 laps after starting 15th, even Gasly he had to let past despite being on new ultrasofts. Car damage or something? His poor pace didn't make sense. He made a pitstop on lap 11 and made up some time to come out ahead of the Saubers and Gasly, but was he going 40+ laps on one set of mediums? Gasly eventually caught him on newer tyres and then did that silly move into the hairpin. I don't know how the commentators can even discuss that not being 100% Gasly's fault, and Gasly's screaming on the radio about Hartley turning in on him? C'mon man show some class he's your team mate.
So with the SC Gasly got new tyres on during a 10sec penalty, but went nowhere with them anyway. Hartley had to come into the pits, maybe had a puncture after the contact and went a lap down and of course the lapped cars always get released so late that they can't re-catch the field so that was Hartley's race over - same thing happened in race 1. Gasly must have been passed by a second stopping Grosjean and somehow Ericsson as well in the last few laps. Hartley was keeping up with Leclerc (who was also unlapping himself) but couldn't pass him. Both were about the pace of the Saubers. In other words slow. I assume Hartley retiring with 3 to go was to save the engine. I hope they can find that Bahrain pace again.
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