What an amazing race !
Do you remember a few years ago, how it was all really dull
and boring. Vettel would get out into the lead and we’d watch him tool around
for lap after lap, nothing would happen.
Then Webber would get a bit close and the team would be all like, “Now
now, know your place lad” and we’d all go back to counting down the laps.
That’s how you don’t win fans. Alright it’s how you win
world championships, granted. But it’s dull and no one really likes you for
doing it. The fans feel a bit robbed,
the winner is viewed with a suspicion that he was gifted the win, that he wasn’t
really trying and anyway he waves that finger around like he’s special or something.
When you let your two driver “have at it” when you let them
go wheel to wheel, they demonstrate who is the best, they right man wins. There is danger, excitement, they might take
each other off, you know this means something to them and honour is at stake
... and a shed load of cash too, oh and points and bragging rights, but yeah
honour is involved.
And you’re watching two drivers at the top of their game;
Nico and Lewis know they are fighting for the world championship here. Not to
be the best of the rest behind a Redbull anymore. They have a car that is two
seconds a lap faster than anyone else, no other team is even on the same page
as them. Unless someone comes up with something
incredible in the next few weeks, one of the Merc drivers is going to lift the
world championship crown in November. Imagine the pressure that sort of knowledge
brings, these two are in their own private battle to be recognized as the best of
the best.
And best thing about it is, we get to watch it each race.
The days of the Vettel dull-a-thon are over, Mercedes made it clear (for now)
they are going to let their drivers race each other for the title, to allow talent
and desire to win the day, not national pride and favoritism.
But for every Bahrain, there is last weeks Malaysia. You
have to sit through years of Malaysia’s for that one Bahrain race. But when it
turns up, it reaffirms everything you love about this sport, proper actual racing
and not just for the win. All the way through the pack there was wheel to wheel
action, dicing, talent, skill, brave moves and half chances grabbed. Markers
laid down and points proved. Max having a blinder .. even Perez growing a pair
and actually demonstrating he can race, he can drive with some passion and look
he wants it.
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| oh I done goofed again .. sorry everyone |
And there’s Maldonado, there’s always Maldonado to bring the
whole thing down. He’s like the anti
race driver who is purely there to annoy me I think. He got a 10 second stop and go for attempting
to kill Gutierrez. Then at the end of the race the stewards handed him a 5
place grid penalty for China and 3 points on his licence. Personally, I’d make him stand at the end of the pit during
first practice with a sign round his neck saying
“Honk if you think I'm
a fucking liability”
Then have all the other cars fitted with a horn for all the
drivers to use as they go past him. Lotus should also be deducted points for
employing him. Not that they have any points.
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| Attempted murder earlier today! |
Anyway, he’s an idiot and almost robbed Lewis of a fantastic
win. But as it was it just underlined how brilliant Hamilton is. Winning is
what counts in the end, beating the team mate with same car who’s faster than
you and still you win. That’s how
championships should be decided.
Hamilton first
and I think it’s one of his very best victories. Because he didn't have a
faster car than Nico and he knew it, he had to fight for this win it wasn’t gifted
to him with team orders. The drivers
always say the races where they dominate the whole weekend are the best, the
ones where they get the pole, the fastest lap and the win, where they are
untouchable and mighty and it’s really boring to watch. But I think the best
drives are the ones where they have to go and get the victory, sitting back
and cursing to the line is easy if you have the best car, just ask Vettel. No, Nico
was faster all weekend, yet Lewis still beat him. It’s what I, as a fan, want to see. It the
sort of thing i can show to non race fan and say “look, this is what it’s all
about”
Nico was second
and that is in no way a disservice to him. Both Mercedes driver could have won
this and both would have deserved it, both showed grit and determination to
drive the cars to their limits. The last ten laps with Rosberg on the soft
tyres, Lewis on the hard, should be shown to aspiring drivers and just as
importantly pit wall crews and told “Look okay, this is what it’s all about, and the other one too, both of these. That's what its all about”.
Perez with third
and you know what, he actually deserved that! He was outstanding during the
race sticking it to Hulkenberg, Bottas, Massa and Ricciardo, a whole bunch of drivers
that I would normally tip to make mince meat of the dull Mexican driver. But no
he was aggressive, fast and used his head for once. I was genuinely impressed by the move he made
to overtake Hulkenberg, that was almost top draw stuff, the sort of thing he
hinted at back in the Sauber days of old.
Ricciardo was
fourth and he was faster than Vettel. You know, I'm pretty glad he got this after the disappointments of the last two races. He’s
taken his opportunity with both hands and he’s been impressive. He didn’t look
all that awed by Vettel when the team gave him a chance to shine as the German
hit problems and off he scampered. I was convinced he’d fail to do anything with
this ride when it was announced last year, but in three races he’s been up at
the sharp end of the grid and looked impressive. The team robbed him of quality
results in the first two rounds so this is a sort of vindication; let’s see if
it leads to more results.
Hulkenberg was
fifth and was most defiantly second fiddle to Perez all weekend. He was out
qualified, out raced and out smiled by the Mexican. The fact both Force India’s
were vying for a podium finish will have cheered VJ and the team in the garage.
This was a great race for the team if not for the Hulk.
Vettel was sixth
and didn't look at all like a four times world champion. Okay he got the bad luck this time with a
broken DRS flap in the race. But he qualified badly and was always on the back
foot during the weekend. Could it be that having a team mate that is allowed to
race him is upsetting his normally calm German exterior? Let’s hope so J
Massa in seventh looked
for all the world like the driver of old at times this weekend. Okay he fumbled it a bit at the end, whether
it was the team or him I'm not sure, but a podium was there for the taking from
either William’s car. I think they were unlucky and maybe underestimated the
speed of the Force India cars.
Bottas was eighth
and once again got beaten by Massa. He needs to do something about this soon, because
it’s starting to look like he doesn’t have the talent we all thought he had. I
mean, okay Massa was one point away from being a world champion (with a lot of
aid from the FIA) back in the day, but he shouldn't be showing Bottas a clean pair of heels like this and he shouldn't have to rely on the team to get passed his team mate. Nico and
Lewis demonstrated how its done, and Valtteri needs to up his game unless he
wants the paddock to think he’s a second rate driver behind Felipe.
Oh look , its the Ferrari duo! Alonso ninth, yes ninth and Kimi was tenth. They were nowhere all weekend; they didn't have the speed or
the grip. Coming in to this weekend hey thought they were up there with the Redbulls ahead of the
customer Merc teams but from pretty much the first 10 minutes of the first
practice session they where limping along trying to find some balance or
performance. It’s a complete mess over there right now and I don’t see it
changing any time soon. I suppose it could be worse, they could be McLaren who have gone from best of the rest to zero's in three races. Ron is most definitely NOT happy.
And in last place its Max ............... no wait ............ What’s this !!!!!!! I've just
been handed the latest report and it seems Max wasn’t last. Bloody hell fire!!! No, this time it’s Bianchi’s turn
to be the last placed Marussia driver (yes I know the FIA say it was Jenson, but
he was in the pits when the flag dropped so we don’t count him). Max it appears
was ahead of Maldonado (who should have been stopped and ordered to get out of
the car anyway), Kobayashi and Bianchi. And wasn't his little face a picture after
the race .. ahh bless.
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| Look at his happy little face, isn't he adorable. |
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