Without any real competition from Ferrari, today’s Monaco Grand Prix was a chance for McLaren to put on a splendid show, and they did. Alonso drove beautifully, and Hamilton continued the unprecedented string of performances that are causing people like Jackie Stewart to tip him for true greatness. They lapped all their rivals up to Massa in third place (and Massa himself lapped his team-mate Raikkonen), but they never eased off. It was fascinating to watch the difference in their styles: Alonso was absolutely consistent, lap after lap, while Hamilton was always seeking to push just a little harder, relying on his extraordinary car control to recover when he stepped over the limits.
Having said all that, this was Monaco. Passing is almost impossible. Alonso took the pole, led from the start, and only a mistake would have allowed Hamilton to come in first. But that didn’t stop people from moaning that McLaren had prevented Hamilton from getting the win. From the BBC:
“I’m sure everybody feels – and a lot of people will feel it in England – that there is favouritism or some penalisation that is given to either Lewis or Fernando,” Dennis said.
“We are scrupulously fair at all times in how we run this Grand Prix team.
“This circuit has to be addressed in a team way, and that is why we have won 14 races here.
Exactly. I’m confident that Hamilton is going to win a GP this season, and he has a good shot at the championship. Let’s not get melodramatic.
Speaking of melodramatic, WTF is happening to Ferrari? Paging Ross Brawn. And these super-soft tyres look like a really bad idea.
UPDATE: Oh dear, here come the FIA bureaucrats.
