AFTER the thriller in Canada, it was always going to be difficult to follow for any circuit on the calendar, let alone the most dullest and pointless track of the season. The European Grand Prix in Valencia produced its usual lacklustre affair, and although there was some intense fighting down the field and the frontrunners stayed in close formation throughout, there was a lack of show stopping drama that the fans have been expecting throughout the season.
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| VIABLE: Alonso has been great for Spain, but are two races viable now? |
I think it is time for Bernie Ecclestone to consider the future of having two races in Spain. There can be no doubt of Fernando Alonso’s impact on the sport and the massive adrenalin it has on the Spanish fans. However, there are currently 21 races on the 2011 calendar, and presuming Bahrain returns next season, a race will have to go. Istanbul remains the favourite, due to its lack of promotion, but do we really need two events in Spain? We only have one in Germany; and it seems like that has sorted out the financial difficulties of both Hockenheim and the Nurburgring. I honestly think Spain should follow suit. Valencia may be a beautiful place to visit and the weather is gorgeous, but the race circuit looks like a supermarket car park, not a high-class venue. I think it’s pretty shameful when you think of the world-class facilities in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai and the top circuits such as Suzuka and Spa.
The championship race is all over bar the shouting after Sebastian Vettel’s dominant weekend in Valencia. Questions were raised by the media after Vettel’s last lap slip-up in Canada last time out, but he answered all those doubters in stunning and flawless fashion. Once he got into the first corner first, there was little doubt that Sebastian was going to win the race. Scary to think that if he had been on the right tyre strategy in China and not made that error in Montreal, he could have easily won all eight races so far this season. He looks almost impossible to beat and if Mr. Optimistic himself, Alonso has ruled himself out of catching the German, you can understand why everyone else has him down as a double world champion now. The engraving of his name might as well begin now. In fact, give him the championship now; he doesn’t need to wait until the annual FIA Gala dinner in Monaco before Christmas to collect his prize!
Arguably, they have had the fastest car in the last three races, but McLaren’s race pace went missing in Valencia. It became a familiar theme in the race; Lewis Hamilton would pit early, set some searing quick lap times and then fade away with poor grip levels from the option Pirelli tyres. In the end, Lewis salvaged fourth, whilst Jenson Button was a lonely sixth, losing a load of time behind Nico Rosberg in the early exchanges. Both drivers seemed disheartened afterwards and a radically improved Ferrari was not on their gameplan. Silverstone will offer a fair reflection on the pecking order and with Red Bull so far infront, the Woking team won’t want to drop behind Ferrari too.
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| UNWANTED: At least Karthikeyan now has a place in the records! |
On Sunday morning, I predicted that all 24 cars that started the European Grand Prix would finish the race and I was proven right. I wonder how Narain Karthikeyan feels to finish 24th in a Grand Prix! It is only the third time this has happened in the sport’s history (discounting the six-car farce that was the 2005 US Grand Prix.) Technology has improved radically and reliability is now incredible. However, I do agree with Jarno Trulli’s viewpoint that it is becoming a bit too robotic now. If a car retires now, I almost react with shock! The days of 10/11 cars finishing races are well and truly over now. Of course, we all want the drivers to be safe and well and no serious accidents, but I miss the spectacular engine blow-ups, the shearing of driveshafts and the explosive clutch failures. Retirements from races should be part and parcel of the game and maybe FOTA need to look into this, especially if drivers like Trulli have these viewpoints.
Two drivers who I was delighted to see in the points in Valencia were Jaime Alguesuari and Adrian Sutil. Alguesuari made a two stop strategy work to perfection and finished a fighting eighth, matching his best career result. For the third consecutive race, he went out in Q1, but more performances in the race like this will mean that Daniel Riccardo’s chance at Toro Rosso will have to wait. It’s interesting to see that Alguesuari is now ahead of Sebastian Buemi in the drivers’ championship, despite Buemi outperforming him on a regular basis this season. Sutil has also had a tricky season, with personal problems and the possibility of a court case hanging over him, following a nightclub incident after the Chinese Grand Prix in April. However, he looked up for it on the streets of Valencia and for the first time this season, led the way in the Force India team, having been overshadowed all season by the plucky Paul di Resta.
Mercedes GP had another dismal weekend and having looked threatening in China and Turkey to the frontrunners, the team has fallen behind the top three teams again by a considerable distance. Although they are pulling away from the likes of Renault and Sauber, the gap is increasing between themselves and Ferrari. Rosberg finished seventh, which was the best he could hope for. Finishing 100 seconds behind race winner Vettel tells its own story. After his Canadian exploits, Michael Schumacher made another rash overtaking attempt on Vitaly Petrov, and as in Turkey, came off worse. Michael admitted fault after the race, although Ross Brawn seemed to hint that it was Petrov’s fault. Sorry Ross, but what do you expect Petrov to do, drive into the barriers or vanish into thin air! Heavy rear tyre wear is Mercedes real issue and it seems like a problem that won’t go away for them, definitely in the short-term.
Finally, time to give out my Driver of the Weekend and Driver of the Day awards. Vettel is the clear winner of Driver of the Weekend, whilst I give Alguesuari the nod over Vettel and Alonso for Driver of the Day. Hopefully, the hustle buzz of F1 2011 will return at the British Grand Prix next week.
NOTE: DUE TO AN IMPENDING WORK PLACEMENT IN LONDON, THERE WILL NO FINISHING STRAIGHT BLOG FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX DUE TO A LACK OF TIME. THE SILVERSTONE WEEKEND WILL HAVE JUST A RACE REPORT. I WILL RETURN FOR THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX AT THE NURBURGRING WITH A RACE REPORT, FINISHING STRAIGHT BLOG AND MY HALF-TERM DRIVERS REPORT.
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