Jenson Button remains unfazed ahead of his return to the track: McLaren has chosen him to replace Fernando Alonso in the Monaco Grand Prix, as Alonso is committed to the Indy 500.
"No driver doesn't want to race. It will be a great challenge, but that's why we're here: I don't feel the pressure".
It's unlikely that Button, 37 years old, with a lifetime in Formula 1 and the 2009 World Champion with Brawn GP, would be afraid. In fact, he uses irony about his return:
"What did I do when McLaren asked me to come to Monte Carlo? I asked my dogs if they could tolerate my absence for a few days, but I also asked my girlfriend, who told me to do what I wanted".
A romantic return to the fantastic setting of Monte Carlo, where Button triumphed in 2009:
"It's beautiful to be back here and see faces I haven't seen in six months. It's interesting to return to a Grand Prix, and the fact that it's in Monaco makes it even more special. I've driven here for seventeen years, won once, it's a great experience, but I don't feel pressure. I'll try to do my best, and I think we'll be reasonably competitive".
Button assures that he's not rusty:
"My preparation went well even though I haven't driven the car with the new rules. It's not ideal, but it would have been pointless to spend half a day in Bahrain because it's a different circuit. It was better to spend two days in the simulator. It was interesting; most things are the same, some details will be different, but it's still a racing car, just a little wider".
Then a little jab at Alonso:
"I'm surprised he chose to race in Indianapolis, but we're still drivers who love this sport. Personally, I've never been particularly attracted to Indycar; I'd prefer Le Mans, the great team atmosphere, but it will take the right opportunity. In the future, I'd also like NASCAR".
The closing remarks are dedicated to the tragic attack in Manchester:
"It's something horrible, and it's incredible that events like this are happening frequently worldwide, even more so in Great Britain. There are no big words to say, but it breaks the heart that it hit children going to a concert; it's the most frightening thing".
Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel rejects the favorite label for victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, despite leading the World Championship standings.
“Me, the favorite? I don't know. I think we have a very strong package; we are a very strong team and have nothing to fear. But in recent years, Mercedes has always been very strong here, and they are the team to beat”.
Compared to last year, Ferrari seems like a different team, as the standings indicate, but Vettel is not satisfied just looking at this season's start:
"We might have already won more races, but the season is still long. We have a good car, so I'm not worried. I think we've earned the points we deserve, but in some races, others have simply done a better job. Anyway, we always try to do our best. Sometimes it's easier, other times harder, but if we stay united, then it's possible. I'm happy with what we have, but we still want to improve".
One who will seek redemption in the Principality of Monaco more than anyone else is Kimi Räikkönen:
"My approach will always be the same as in any other weekend, trying to make the most of what we have. In the last one, we were far from the ideal result. This time, we will try to score as many points as possible and see how it goes".
In Monte-Carlo, Kimi has a good feeling with the track:
"I like this circuit; I've had some good races and spent some nice weekends here. I wouldn't compare this track to others. It's a great challenge, and there are many things to get right for everything to go the right way. When the car is good, and you have a good feeling, then it's enjoyable to drive here. But things can quickly take a bad turn, and then your weekend becomes very long. We need to do many laps, have a good feeling with the car, and try to make it work as we want. I hope it works out like in all the other tracks we've been to this year".
Nineteen curves among the narrow streets of the city, asphalt burning next to the sea, salt on the metal. The tires rubbing against the edge of the road, the tunnel swallowing the panorama with the harbor, skyscrapers, and the casino all down in the cavern. As Nelson Piquet said:
"In Monte-Carlo, it's like riding a bike around your living room".
In this room with a view of yachts, palm trees, and glitter, the Monaco Grand Prix returns to being the splendid and brutal postcard race. No matter how much the world has changed and what progress has been deposited on cars and around. It's F1, with its exaggerated technological level, adapting to the twisted geography of Monaco, its shortest circuit of all (3.337 km) but the widest in memories, myths, and feelings. Here, Ayrton Senna triumphed in his first race thirty years ago (with Lotus) to do it five more times, ascending to the throne of the most winning. No one has ever dethroned him. Against his physical and mental ramparts, the realm does not give up. Not even this year, which is different from all the others, with longer cars and wider wheels as a result of the regulation change. They will have to weave through the alleys, through the right (eleven) and left (eight) turns, including the narrowest in the entire World Championship (the Grand Hotel Hairpin, former Loews and Old Station) where the steering wheel turns more than 180°. A higher curb has been added to the Piscine turn. But apart from this, it will be the cars that need to narrow, in one way or another. Often, in another. That's why the saying still holds that winning in Monte-Carlo is crossing the finish line under the checkered flag. And also that getting pole position is equivalent to winning: in the last thirteen Grands Prix, ten times it has been so. Here, you don't overtake, you don't break away; the drivers feel the car that, in turn, feels the earth, the sails, the expensive perfumes of ladies on heels, the cheers of the people. Monte-Carlo, unchanging between its edges, reigns. Twenty-one centimeters and a half can make the difference. The Mercedes is the longest car (3760 millimeters), the Williams the shortest (3545 millimeters). The Ferrari of Vettel and Räikkönen is positioned in the middle (3594 millimeters). The German driver arrives in dark blue shorts, after a bike ride:
"You have to find the rhythm and have confidence in the car. It will be crucial to find the right direction for the setup; this year the cars are wider, and I think the track will feel a bit narrower than in the past. It will be interesting to see how we will pass through Rascasse and the Fairmont turn (formerly Loews), but the difficulties on this front are the same for everyone. Pole position? It's possible. Even though Mercedes remains the one to beat".
Vettel has a 6-point advantage over Hamilton, who has announced along with another dozen drivers that he will race with the hashtag #Manchester on the car for the victims of the attack (organizers also plan a minute of silence). But it is impossible to see here the battle that the two staged in Barcelona, side by side, wheel to wheel, feints and dribbles. The one Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, would like to see again, enthusiastic after the Mille Miglia:
"I understood this better from my journey through Italy, where motorsport is life: that F1 must return among its people, with its noise. I drove in traffic like a Neapolitan taxi driver".
On Thursday, May 25, 2017, the first day of practice closed with Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel in the spotlight. The German driver clocked a time of 1'12"720, also setting a new record for the Monaco circuit. An excellent performance that bodes well for the upcoming qualifying session, where starting at the front is a significant advantage. Vettel, the first driver ever to go below the 1'13"0 limit in Monte Carlo, outpaced Daniel Ricciardo by almost 0.5 seconds. Kimi Räikkönen took third place with the other Ferrari, trailing his teammate by 0.563 seconds. At the end of the practice, Vettel commented:
"I'm quite satisfied. With these cars, we are faster and having more fun. There's still something to improve, but we did better in the afternoon. Both Kimi and I are satisfied with the race pace. For the pole, it's early, but it's good to get into the rhythm and have good feelings".
Kimi Räikkönen confirmed:
"The long run gave good feelings. Now we need to improve something in qualifying, go faster. Anyway, we'll see on Saturday".
Behind the Finn, the two Toro Rosso cars of Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr. follow, ahead of the second Red Bull driven by Max Verstappen and the Force India of Sergio Perez. The Mercedes drivers are distant: Lewis Hamilton finished the first day of practice in eighth position, 1.153 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel, while Valtteri Bottas is tenth, 1.182 seconds adrift. Lance Stroll, making his debut in Monte Carlo, collided with the outer wall of Massenet corner, causing a brief interruption of the session. Jenson Button, back on the track with McLaren to replace Fernando Alonso, finished in twelfth position, with times very close to those set by his teammate, Stoffel Vandoorne. Esteban Ocon also lost control of his car after the Old Station turn but was able to return to the pits independently. Finally, Ericsson touched the guardrail at Casino, but without causing too much damage to the car. During the session, the engine on Jolyon Palmer's car failed. At the end of the practice, McLaren replaced the MGU-H and the turbo on Jenson Button's car, resulting in a penalty of 15 positions on the starting grid. Other planned replacements also occurred on Stoffel Vandoorne's car, who did not suffer additional penalties beyond those already anticipated for the incident in Spain with Felipe Massa. In the first free practice session, Lewis Hamilton had set a time faster than the pole position in the 2016 season, leading Sebastian Vettel by 0.196 seconds.
Despite damaging the bottom of his car by going over a curb, Max Verstappen had secured third place, followed by Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, and Daniil Kvyat, who used Supersoft tires. Romain Grosjean had a spin at the Sainte Devote corner, while Nico Hülkenberg couldn't complete timed laps due to battery issues with his Renault. Marcus Ericsson's session was also limited to just 3 laps due to a transmission failure on the Sauber. Meanwhile, FCA CEO and Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne, present in Maranello for the inauguration of the new spaces at the Ferrari Museum and the exhibitions Under the Skin and Rosso Infinito, spoke about Sebastian Vettel's future:
"We discussed it with Sebastian last year. He was very nervous because the car wasn't there. We try to find him a car that suits him, then the choice is his. He is happy in the car; if he likes that car, he can stay with me as long as he wants".
Responding to a question about whether he expected such a positive start to the season, Marchionne said:
"I dreamed of it; a really good team arrived: finally, in the team, we have guys who are heading in the right direction, they are working well, the drivers are there, the car is there, so...".
After the customary day of rest, on Saturday, May 27, 2017, Sebastian Vettel continued to dominate. In the third and final free practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix, the sixth race of the Formula 1 World Championship, the German Ferrari driver set the fastest time with a lap of 1'12"395, over 0.3 seconds faster than on Thursday. The SF70H seemed perfectly at ease on the Monte Carlo circuit, as evidenced by Kimi Räikkönen’s second-place finish, trailing his teammate by 0.345 seconds. Valtteri Bottas, with his Mercedes, is slower by 0.435 seconds, and is followed by Max Verstappen. Only fifth is Lewis Hamilton, the first of the drivers not to go below the 1’13"0 limit, and just over 0.8 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel. Completing the top ten times are Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat, Kevin Magnussen, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Stoffel Vandoorne. Esteban Ocon is again involved in an incident in the Piscine area, and the damage to his car raises doubts about his participation in the qualifying session. A few hours later, in Q1, all drivers use two warm-up laps before attempting the fastest performance. All drivers immediately face the trials to avoid traffic and possible accidents. The battle for the first place involves, in addition to Valtteri Bottas and the Ferrari drivers, also the Red Bull Racing drivers. Lewis Hamilton struggles and does not seem to be competitive, while Toro Rosso and McLaren drivers are. Romain Grosjean has a spin, but there are no consequences for the car and the driver. Eliminated at the end of the phase are the two Saubers, Esteban Ocon, Jolyon Palmer, and Lance Stroll. In Q2, all drivers go out on track immediately, except for the Red Bull drivers and Felipe Massa.
The two Mercedes drivers try to complete only one warm-up lap before setting the fast time, while others do two in a row. Lewis Hamilton's car continues to suffer from grip problems, while Romain Grosjean's car has another spin, this time at St. Devote. The Frenchman sets the sixth-best time but then hits the guardrail. With the last attempt, Lewis Hamilton tries to make it to Q3, but just before finishing his lap, Stoffel Vandoorne hits the guardrail at the Piscine corner: the display of yellow flags does not allow the Briton to improve, and he is eliminated from the decisive phase. Along with the British driver, Daniil Kvyat, Nico Hülkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, and Felipe Massa are also eliminated. The final phase sees only nine drivers competing for pole position, as Stoffel Vandoorne has irreparably damaged the right front suspension of his McLaren. Kimi Räikkönen takes the lead in the timesheets, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, 0.7 seconds behind. Sebastian Vettel also fails to improve his teammate's time after slowing down in the second sector. Shortly after, Valtteri Bottas moves up to second place, just 0.2 seconds behind his compatriot. In the last attempt, Sebastian Vettel sets the second-best time, only 0.043 seconds behind the time set by Kimi Räikkönen, while Valtteri Bottas is third, just 0.002 seconds behind the German driver. Kimi Räikkönen secures his first pole position in over eight years (the last was in the 2008 French Grand Prix), while an all-Ferrari front row in Monaco has not occurred since 2008.
The gap between the two pole positions for Kimi Räikkönen is the longest in the history of the World Championship, 8 years, 11 months, and 6 days, equal to 169 races. Max Verstappen, with his Red Bull, starts from the fourth position. And Lewis Hamilton? Missing. He doesn't pass the qualifying exams, is fourteenth after not making it through Q2, and will start from the thirteenth position due to Jenson Button's penalty. Shocking. Rather, an enigma. For the British driver, it was supposed to be a great day; he was chasing his 65th pole position, like his teenage idol, Ayrton Senna. Instead, the principality and his Mercedes become a prison. After the initial sessions with the fastest time, his car got lost due to problems he cannot explain. Uncomfortable with the faster tires, in Q2 Hamilton skidded, tried to tame the car without success. In the last available attempt to set the fastest time, three minutes from the end of the session after returning to the pits to change tires, he runs into the yellow flag waved for Vandoorne's McLaren ending up on the barriers in the chicane at the exit from the swimming pools: Lewis cuts the corner and effectively spoils the last chance. On the radio, he asks if his colleague is okay, then returns to his mechanics, putting his hands on his helmet. In the garage, he doesn't leave the car for over a quarter of an hour. He remains inside, incredulous.
The Ferrari believed in it, for days, that Monte Carlo would finally reward him after so much. Here where the Maranello team has won eight times but the last in the distant 2001 (with Schumacher) and indeed the pole had not been won since 2008, something, much, has changed. The two Ferrari drivers in reverse order compared to Sochi, but at the top of the class. The Finn Kimi Räikkönen, with pole number 17 in his career, did not start so far forward since the 2008 French Grand Prix, held at Magny-Cours with Ferrari:
"Great feeling, it was complicated to make this time because it wasn't an easy weekend, we fixed the car and here it's not easy to be fast. Difficult to find the right trajectories, you risk ending up on the barriers".
Instead, Sebastian Vettel is a bit disappointed but honest and clear:
"Surprising not to have secured pole position? Kimi did better than me. Until the last minute, it was very uncertain".
The German made a mistake in the first lap of Q3 and had to gamble everything on the last attempt. But despite an error in turn 5, he managed to thwart Valtteri Bottas's ambitions.
"But Valtteri is very fast. I don't know what problems Mercedes had".
Even Lewis Hamilton, who is still wondering.
On Sunday, May 28, 2017, at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen maintains the lead, followed by Sebastian Vettel, who manages to defend the second position from Valtteri Bottas' assault. Then follow the two Red Bull Racing drivers, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Romain Grosjean. All positions remain unchanged until lap 15 when Nico Hülkenberg (tenth) is forced to retire due to a gearbox failure. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas manages to reduce the gap between him and the two Ferrari drivers, slowed down by lapped cars, while Max Verstappen almost collides with the barriers at the Piscine corner. The Dutchman is the first of the leading drivers to make a pit stop during lap 32. Then, during lap 33, it is Valtteri Bottas's turn, and during lap 35, it is Kimi Räikkönen's turn. Daniel Ricciardo pits during lap 38 and returns to the track in third position, ahead of Valtteri Bottas, while Kimi Räikkönen recovers the second position. Sebastian Vettel, now in the lead, pits during lap 39 and re-enters the race in first position, ahead of his teammate. However, Lewis Hamilton, who started thirteenth, chooses to extend his first stint and only pits during lap 46.
Upon returning to the track, the British driver is seventh, behind Carlos Sainz Jr. As the laps go by, a dip forms on the asphalt at the first corner, making the track slippery. During lap 60, the cars of Jenson Button and Pascal Wehrlein collide at the second corner of Portier, and Wehrlein's Sauber flips, ending up against the barriers. The driver is unharmed, but the race director decides to deploy the Safety Car. During lap 64, under Safety Car conditions, Marcus Ericsson's Sauber crashes into the barriers at St. Devote, right where the asphalt presents problems. At the restart of the race, all drivers maintain their positions, except for Stoffel Vandoorne, who is overtaken by Sergio Pérez and ends his race against the barriers at Rascasse corner. A few laps later, again at the same point, the Mexican driver hits Daniil Kvyat's car, forcing him to retire. Sebastian Vettel completes the scheduled 78 laps and brings Ferrari back to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix after sixteen years. It is his 45th career win, the third of the season, and the first for Ferrari here since 2001. Sixteen years later, Ferrari is the queen in Monte Carlo.
"Thanks, guys, the car worked well. A great pleasure".
Seb says, escaping in the standings with a 25-point lead over Lewis Hamilton.
"Today is really a great pleasure".
The third seasonal victory for Vettel, who, interviewed by Nico Rosberg, comments:
"It's an incredible victory, at the end of an intense race. I hoped to start better than Kimi, but it wasn't possible, and I had to be patient. Then, in the first phase, the tires were slipping, and Bottas was catching up. In the second stint, the tires felt great, and I pushed to the max. I exploited the tires and ended up in front after the pit stop. Then, I controlled the race; after the safety car, it was all more challenging, but the team did an excellent job. A fantastic weekend".
Regarding Ferrari's strategy, Vettel says:
"There was nothing planned, just taking the most advantage over the others. Bottas, however, had a good pace, we struggled, but when he entered the pits, I had to react. I pushed as hard as possible for those two-three laps, and even I was surprised to come out ahead".
Looking ahead to the next race, Vettel jokes with Rosberg:
"Canada is a different track, for now, I just want to enjoy this victory. Then we'll think about preparing for the next Grand Prix. Where will I celebrate? I don't know yet, you're the expert here".
Lewis Hamilton remains stuck in the middle of the pack, just as he started after failing to advance in the qualifying session:
"We lost the battle, not the war. It was a terrible weekend, very unusual for me here in Monaco. I was downhearted, the team said the best I could achieve was tenth, and in the end, I'm happy with these six points. The car behaved strangely, and we need to understand why. It performs well on other circuits, so we have to make the most of this situation".
Seb's teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, finishes second on the podium, starting from pole position ahead of the German driver.
He leads until he encounters lapped cars, struggles to stay close, and ultimately succumbs to an overtaking maneuver by his teammate during a pit stop sequence. However, Kimi is not pleased with Ferrari's strategy and ascends the podium with a dark expression, showing no desire to celebrate the second place and the Ferrari one-two.
"It's hard to say if I lost it during the pit stop; I just know that second place is not a good feeling. We'll try next time, try to improve. I expected much more from this race".
As for Vettel, who pitted well past the midpoint of the race, a few laps after the Finn, he managed to return to the track ahead of Räikkönen, securing and maintaining the first position. A Ferrari one-two hadn't happened since 2010. Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, says:
"Let's move forward".
Moving forward from the others, excluding Mercedes. Daniel Ricciardo has a remarkable race: after securing pole position last year and the subsequent second place, the Australian driver is back on the podium, this time finishing third. It marks his second consecutive podium.
"I'm much happier than yesterday; today I had my chance when Max went into the pits, and I managed to set some good times".
Regarding the late-race contact with Valtteri Bottas' car, the Australian adds:
"Bottas tried to take the inside, and I had to widen. It wasn't a nice moment, but I managed to stay on track".
Valtteri Bottas' Mercedes finishes only fourth, suffering not only from the pace of the Ferraris, as expected, but also an attack from the Red Bull Racing cars.
All subject to the dominance of Ferrari on the 53 °C Monaco asphalt and its 78 infernal laps. Maurizio Arrivabene adds to his speech at the end of the race:
"I'm not relaxed, but yes, content, a beautiful day. Thoughts go to the guys working in Maranello and on the track. Hard work pays off, and we're very happy. Räikkönen’s early pit stop? We don't give team orders, for us, achieving a result like today is what the company wants, then the guys play it out on the track. Vettel was very fast on used tires and took the lead. Let me say, an incredible car. Räikkönen? Yesterday he got the pole, he's not with us just to contribute but to race his races. They both did well. A moment of emotion? After the race, we talk immediately with the engineers, it sinks in a bit later what happened, then after the race analysis, and right after, we think about the next one, in this case, Canada".
Also Sergio Marchionne, president and CEO of Ferrari, expresses his satisfaction:
“What we've been waiting for a long time has arrived. It was a race that will go down in our history. Not just a victory, but a one-two finish in a Grand Prix with such a great tradition like Monaco, where Ferrari last won in 2001, also with a one-two finish by Schumacher and Barrichello. Today was a truly exciting race where the true Scuderia Ferrari was on display. Congratulations to the drivers and, once again, to the entire team, both on the track and the hardworking team in Maranello who day after day contribute to this car that finally gives our fans the satisfaction they deserve".
Sebastian Vettel's engineer, Riccardo Adami, steps onto the podium in Monte Carlo with his fabulous boy. The German not only won in the Principality sixteen years after Schumacher, inheriting his enormous legacy, but also demonstrated that with this third victory in six races, with Mercedes struggling on the streets of Monaco, he has a spirit, a team, and a car that now seem to be the ones to beat. Adami explains:
“It's a track that hasn't favored us in the past, and yet here is Seb's success with Kimi on the podium. We started well from winter testing, organized ourselves to be in order with the regulation change. What do I say to Seb from the pit wall? We know each other well; the important thing is to understand each other between the driver and the engineer, only the essential is needed. I try to convey calm to him, but it's him who makes the difference".
A lot.
"Surely, it's one of the most beautiful days of my life. Sebastian was great in the race, those three extra laps before the pit stop were incredible and redeemed the slight disappointment of qualifying. Our car confirmed its competitiveness and suitability for this track, which is why we won. It's a joy because in the past, we weren't among the favorites in Monaco, so winning on Ferrari's 70th anniversary is special".
But it's only the sixth round of the World Championship, which will be long with its twenty stages. And the next one is on a very different circuit, the one named after Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Michael Schumacher also won in Monaco in 1997, sixteen years after Gilles Villeneuve. A thread connects drivers and Ferrari. But more than the suggestion of a possible coincidence, what convinces more is that at this point, after lean years, controversies, and long faces, Ferrari is back to being the winning team. With the reigning World Champion Mercedes, an emperor for the last three seasons, forced to chase. Mattia Binotto, technical director of Ferrari, says that the Monaco victory makes them happy.
"Because it's been sixteen years since we succeeded here, the satisfaction is there for those with us and for those working from home. A one-two like this is really beautiful, and the success confirms that the SF70H has the right cards to aim for something important. It already had them in Australia, and today we're here to reaffirm it".
It cannot be said yet that the Ferrari has truly surpassed Mercedes, but something resembling it a bit now, certainly the overwhelming superiority of the SF70-H over the W08 in Monaco was evident. A dominance that was not even imaginable last year, with the Anglo-German cars having established their technical power. In a winter spent working, with a compact team, Ferrari got to work, and from Maranello, a powerful, new, and well-suited car emerged for the rule change (wider tires, essentially). Everyone in Maranello on the same assembly line, with Binotto leading all engineers, Simone Resta as chief designer, and David Sanchez as the French aerodynamic creative. An Italian-made, modern, and prestigious car has emerged, just like those of the past. The ones that had to be beaten, as now. But watch out for Lewis Hamilton, who warns:
"Lost the battle, not the war".
The British pilot has just crossed the finish line. He is seventh. He removes the helmet that seemed like a shining armor for the most devastating race for the shining knight that he is. He has gained six positions and earned six points.
The night before, it was almost an unexpected result:
"The team told me that if I had finished tenth, it would have already been a great result".
His Mercedes suddenly stalled over the weekend, except for the initial tests, entangled in its own tires. A Diva, the team principal, Toto Wolff, called it. The car is capricious, shining one day and making you cry the next. Lewis had a rough night:
"I didn't sleep".
Many came to comfort him in Monte-Carlo, including his friend Lindsey Vonn. The American skier, on summer break, was accompanied by her boyfriend Kenan Smith, a football coach in Denver, and by the dog Lucy, who, rejected by the luxury hotel, stayed overnight with the Red Bull team, her sponsor. However, it's Lewis Hamilton who screams in Monaco. The defeated one. A title that might seem inappropriate for the kind of guy he is, but it is true: after two victories and the neck-and-neck battle with Sebastian Vettel in Barcelona, the British Mercedes driver must comment from the sidelines on the triumph of his rival. Sebastian Vettel now leads him by 25 points. Mercedes is second in the constructors' standings with 179 points, behind Ferrari's 196. Above all, Lewis is chasing Seb.
"Ferrari has clearly favored its number one, the leader of the standings, Vettel".
No beating around the bush.
"They did their best to ensure Seb got the best result from this weekend. In Monaco, if you start first, it's really difficult to be overtaken unless your team decides to favor the other car. Very clear".
It's not clear if it's a misstep or a small crisis. Lewis opts for the former:
"Coming seventh goes beyond our expectations in a nightmare and unusual weekend for me, so I can say I'm very happy. Unfortunately, in the first part of the race, I couldn't push as much as I wanted, but in the middle part, everything went very well".
Certainly, it all depends on where you start and what goals you have. Hamilton takes off his suit and puts on ripped jeans for the evening. But with his teammate fourth, mismanaged, overtaken by Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull, and him out of the game, this Monte-Carlo is not for toasting.
"Last night and this morning, I was really down, wondering how I could even take a few points. With the Ultrasoft tires, we didn't go very fast; the car was difficult to drive, while with the Supersoft, it was much better, and the performance allowed us to reach an unexpected position. However, we need to understand why we were not competitive".
They haven't been competitive since Thursday afternoon.
"I arrived this morning with terrible feelings, and leaving with points makes me happy and pushes me forward. I think I drove the race professionally; I could have had accidents and wrecked the car, but instead, I leave looking at the glass half full. Of course, I couldn't face another weekend like this. We need to work even harder as a team".
Meanwhile, in the United States, Honda betrays Fernando Alonso. The Spanish driver's great dream on the oval of MotorSpeedway ends 21 laps from the end while he was in seventh place. After managing to lead the Indy 500 a couple of times, ultimately won by the Japanese Takuma Sato, Alonso, on the track with the McLaren Honda #29 provided by the Andretti Autosport Team, founded by Michael Andretti, son of the great Mario Andretti and teammate of Ayrton Senna in McLaren in 1993, was forced to surrender due to an engine failure. Truly a pity for the Spanish driver, who had performed well despite it being his first-ever IndyCar race. Fernando Alonso's start, from the fifth position on the second row, had not been the best, finding himself in ninth place. But lap after lap, displaying a good race pace, Alonso had strung together a series of overtakes, also aided by the early pit stops, which saw him take the lead at the expense of Alexander Rossi. With the American, the winner of the previous edition, also driving for the Andretti team, a nice challenge of overtakes began, but Alonso retained the lead even at the time of the first yellow flag, displayed after the incident involving Scott Dixon and Jay Howard, and then after the second pit stop. Subsequently, the Spaniard couldn't maintain the pace of the first part of the race and slipped to fourth place when a new incident (Conor Daly) again slowed down the race. These setbacks put him in distress, forcing him repeatedly to make new comebacks. The Spaniard had the great merit of not giving up; he managed to reclaim the first position on lap number 131 before being pushed back again, and at the final pit stop, he found himself with eight drivers ahead with less than 30 laps to go. Then came the engine failure and the end of the adventure, while under the checkered flag, Sato of the Andretti Autosport team celebrated, followed by Castroneves and Jones.
"I saw the smoke in the mirrors and understood that the engine had gone. It was still a great experience, from the beginning; it was fun in the race, and it was a surprise for me to come here, participate in such a challenging race, and fight for the first place and for victory. Will I come back? It's too early to say, but if it happens, at least I'll know what to expect. It has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my career".
Alonso had skipped the Monaco Grand Prix (Jenson Button replaced him, also forced to retire) to compete in the Indy 500 and try to conquer the second piece on the road to the Triple Crown, an achievement only accomplished by Graham Hill. But, while waiting to one day compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Spaniard must, for now, be content with his two victories at the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1 (2006 and 2007).