2014 Formula 1 Report:  USA Edition

Drafting the Circuits

Week 21

Grand Prix                          Date                   Tire Compounds      

Grand Prix of Canada        June 6-8            Supersoft/Soft

Grand Prix of Austria        June 20-22

British Grand Prix             July 4-6

 

Drivers’ championship:

 

1.  Nico Rosberg                  122

2.  Lewis Hamilton            118

3.  Fernando Alonso          61

4. Daniel Ricciardo            54

5.  Nico Hulkenberg          47

6.  Sebastian Vettel            45

7.  Valtteri Bottas               34

8.  Jenson Button               31

9.  Kevin Magnussen          21

10.  Sergio Perez                  20

11.  Felipe Massa                 18

12.  Kimi Raikkonen           17

13.  Romain Grosjean          8

14.  Jean-Eric Vergne          4

15.  Daniil Kvyat                   4

16.  Jules Bianchi                 2

 

Constructors’ championship:

1.  Mercedes                       240

2.  Red Bull                         99

3.  Ferrari                           78

4.  Force India                   67

5.  McLaren                       52

6.  Williams                       52

7.  Lotus                             8

8.  Toro Rosso                  8

9. Marussia                       2

 

Monaco

The Grand Prix of Monaco lived up to its billing as a mega show rivaling the Boonta Eve Pod Race on Tattooine.

aGL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nico Rosberg won his second consecutive Monaco Grand Prix as he stretched into victory leaving Lewis Hamilton to battle with a charging Red Bull emerging star in Daniel Ricciardo. Rosberg took over the Drivers Championship by a mere four points in what is shaping up to be a great battle between teammates.

Nico Monaco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But this was no podium love fest.  At this point, Nico and Lewis are barely on speaking terms.

In addition to the lavish yachts and celebrity, can ya see me parties, the F1 paddock exploded with drama as the Merc pilots engaged in a soap opera that will be the story to follow throughout the rest of the 2014 season.

Gadgets and “boys will be boys”!

Seems like the Mercedes drivers have been playing with the engine settings on the steering wheel.  In Spain, Hamilton kept his settings on high against team protocol and in Bahrain, reports indicate the Rosberg did the same thing.

So this has been boiling in the last few races between the Mercedes aces and it absolutely blew in Monaco.  With Mercedes providing a bullent proof entry, this Drivers Championship may come down to who has the strong mental character, or as Lewis has been saying, who is hungrier.

On of the most gripping aspects of F1 qualifying is the final moments of a session as the checkers fly and a few drivers are still on flying laps.  It is here that poles are often won and each driver wants that final chance to master the track and secure the top spot.

Hamilton was on track to gather up the Monaco pole  in the final minutes of Q3, however a late session yellow flag ended that chance.

The flag was brought out when teammate Nico Rosberg aborted his final flying lap with a trip into the escape road at the Mirabeau corner.  This brought out the yellow and ended qualifying.

The question is, did Nico deliberately stop Hamilton from grabbing pole by causing that final yellow flag?

Both parties looked at the telemetry and landed on different pages.  Lewis said is was obvious from the data and the kwanky steering inputs that Rosberg did this on purpose.  Rosberg gave the schoolboy answer of how could you even ask me if I did such a thing….look at the telemetry!

The FIA sided with Nico and Lewis was pissed!

tension

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was under this brooding sky that the race in Monaco was run.  Lewis was on edge.  Rosberg got a great start and held the lead into the first corner of Sainte Devote followed by Hamilton.

Rosberg was able to control the race from the top of the chart and was set up for a final assault from Hamilton which never came.  Hamilton seemed to be managing his fuel better than Rosberg who was told to coast into corners and save whatever fuel he could.

The late charge finally arrived, however it came from the Red Bull RB10 of Daniel Ricciardo.  And instead of Hamilton attacking Rosberg, it was Ricciardo attacking Hamilton for second.

Hamilton essentially lost his chance when something impeded his image and he could not not see out of his left eye.  He lost his chance at catching Rosberg, and instead, allowed Ricciardo to close the gap and make the final laps interesting as he fell only .4 seconds short of catching Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel after a good start, again, experienced problems with his Red Bull machine.  He retired after only 5 laps with a mechanical turbo failure.

Kimi Raikkonen had perhaps the best start of the race, but a puncture from contact with Max Chilton’s Marussia during a safety car period lost Kimi  track position and a chance for a positive result.

And speaking of Marussia, a huge day for them as they scored their first ever Formula 1 point.  Jules Bianchi brought the Marussia car home 9th and picked up 2 Championship points.  Well Done!

f1-marussia-p9-inline

 

 

 

 

 

 

So in a season where the Drivers Championship seems to be the only trophy up for grabs, the Mercedes boys are giving us plenty of heat to sustain us.  Niki Lauda has already stated that the drivers have gone to far.  Niki would know.  His battles with teammate, Alain Prost are legendary.  So for now, everything is revolving around Mercedes!

Pos  Driver             Team/Car

1.  Nico Rosberg             Mercedes

2.  Lewis Hamilton         Mercedes

3.  Daniel Ricciardo        Red Bull-Renault

4.  Fernando Alonso       Ferrari

5.  Nico Hulkenberg       Force India-Mercedes

6.  Jenson Button           McLaren-Mercedes

7.  Felipe Massa              Williams-Mercedes

8.  Romain Grosjean     Lotus-Renault

9.  Jules Bianchi             Marussia-Ferrari

10.  Kevin Magnussen   McLaren-Mercedes

11.  Marcus Ericsson      Caterham-Renault

12.  Kimi Raikkonen       Ferrari

13.  Kamui Kobayashi     Caterham-Renault

14.  Max Chilton               Marussia-Ferrari

Retirements:

Esteban Gutierrez          Sauber-Ferrari

Valtteri Bottas                Williams-Mercedes

Jean-Eric Vergne          Toro Rosso-Renault

Adrian Sutil                    Sauber-Ferrari

Daniil Kvyat                   Toro Rosso-Renault

Sebastian Vettel            Red Bull-Renault

Sergio Perez                   Force India-Mercedes

Pastor Maldonado       Lotus-Renault

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