We’re pretty lazy at The Gurgler, not only can’t we be bothered doing a review after every GP, we’ll only supply our thoughts in point form but points are currency in F1 though, so it’s all good.
So here’s our points of interest, not enough to make the podium but more than Luca Badoer ever scored.
A German Conspiracy?
So Lewis Hamilton was robbed of the GP win on Sunday by his team calling him in for a tyre stop under the safety car. Good plan, because Monaco is so easy to overtake on, escpeically at the front of the race. In fact it is hard to remember any overtaking manoeuvre for the lead after the first corner in Monaco for, well, ever.
So who profited from Lewis’ loss. Firstly Nice Rosberg who is German. Mercedes still wins the race – German. Toto Wolff – speaks German. So does Niki Lauda. Boss of Mercedes with the great moustache – Dieter Zetsche – German.
Then you have to remember the court case where Bernie had to pay multiple millions to the German banks to avoid jail.
The Gurgler has it on good authority that as part of that bargaining process Bernie also promised the German banks that a German driver in a German car would win this year’s Monaco GP. Since Bernd Schneider and Zakspeed were around in 1989 it had to be Rosberg in 2015. There are also rumours that it was used as a sweetener for German investors to revive the German GP again.
For this you’ll have to ignore Bernie telling Nico Rosberg he’s bad for F1, and the fact we have zero authority on any of this.
Is Verstappen the real deal or is F1 too easy?
Max Verstappen showed plenty throughout the Monaco GP, finishing in the top 10 in all sessions including second in P1. A big race awaited, and a long pitstop killed his chances of a high points finish, but a storming drive from way back was cut short after a crash at Ste Devote. It was an error that you would expect from someone of his years. His cheeky overtaking polarised F1 fans, but that is also a by product of youthful exuberance.
Was has been unexpected to a degree is how far up the gird the 17 year old has been this year, comfortably outpacing Red Bull in some sessions and races. He looks a special talent, and loads of ability, but is he showing such early promise because the cars are much easier to drive these. This is the question that will only be answered throughout the season. But he appears ahead of Vettel in a similar stage at Toro Rosso in 2008.
Kimi needs to do the math and the homework.
We love Kimi, he is something different, an anti modern day professional sportsman. He doesn’t care for the clichés, or anything to do with media, and that’s just the way we like it.
He is also fast, but keep underperforming in qualifying. He has been told to do some qualifying homework, and hopefully he gets that right and the math, as there will be tracks where Ferrari will match Mercedes coming up, and it would be nice if Kimi was on the dancefloor for the good times.
Hulkenburg – the forgotten man of F1
With Kimi looking tentative at Ferrari, there may be a spot opening up last year. But this vacancy like a few before them won’t go to Nico Hulkenburg who is destined to become one of those many F1 racers from 1980’s and 1990’s who couldn’t crack it for a top drive. Drivers like Robert Moreno (who finally showed what he could do in a Benetton for a few races, Pierluigi Martini and Stefano Modena.
It doesn’t take long to no longer be the new kid that everyone wants, and you just have to get lucky at the right time, like a Ricciardo or Kyvat who showed much less before getting his Red Bull call up.
Shame he doesn’t get the luck, once again in the only place a guy like him gets a chance to shine he tangles with Alonso.
Points for McLaren
Final point is the first points for McLaren. With Honda’s record of success, these pointless days will be looked back upon in the not so distant future, and everyone will be wondering how this combination took so long to get going.
Then just before the peak Honda will probably pull out again. For Alonso’s sake if they leave, could they leave him with a Brawn type farewell gift.
