This is going to have to be in two parts.
Because the non-Ferrari part is reasonably coherent, it's the Ferrari part that descends into wailing and gnashing of teeth. Well, half the Ferrari part.
Let's begin with the non-Ferrari part.
Whatever my personal feelings, the season needed a Verstappen win more than it needed a Ferrari win. This, and the possibility of a similar result in Baku, are the only things that give me any hope that this season will be different from the last few years where Mercedes romped away to an early victory in both championships.
I am amused by the amount of excuses the commentators were making for Hamilton not getting past Gasly. It was ridiculous. They made it sound like Gasly, who has won a Grand Prix in an Alpha Tauri, doesn't know what he's doing and just got lucky to keep Hamilton behind him, which isn't true. It also completely ignores that Vettel went from 8th to 5th and Perez went from 9th to 4th, both of them getting past Hamilton and Gasly. Please can we give Perez some of the respect he deserves for that drive! (Singling out Perez because Vettel was awarded Driver of the Day)
Bottas's run of bad luck has reached the stage where you wonder if a curse is involved. Because really, a shredded thread on a wheelnut in a multimillion dollar car. How does that happen?!
Discussing cursing, the updated Ferrari diagram is below.
I know, that's a large number of changes.
Let's take them in descending order of happiness.
The smiley face is for Carlos Sainz jnr*, and Carlos Sainz jnr (and his side of the garage) only. Well done. You did what you were supposed to do and made no mistakes all weekend.
The cookie is for Leclerc. Who might actually be cursed at his home Grand Prix. Apparently he's never managed to finish a race at Monaco. This time he didn't even start the race.
The red card is for Leclerc. It's Monaco. You grew up here. You know that the track limits are ... severe. You know better than this.
The black card concept is pinched from fencing, it means complete exclusion from a competition. It is for whichever dimwit at Ferrari passed that car as roadworthy on Saturday evening. Even a 10 place grid drop would have been better than that nonsense. I know Binotto is saying it might be an unrelated problem, but I also recognise a face-saving excuse when I hear one. Learn from this. Don't do it again.
*He is jnr. His father is a world champion. It matters.
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