Don't you just hate that. I wrote a fairly long blog and it somehow all got deleted. Urgh. Here we go again.
The Monaco Grand Prix was fairly good fun in places. Lewis being chased very closely by Max in the latter stages had shades of Senna keeping Mansell behind him in 1992.
It all started with Charles LeClerc. I was a huge fan of his "I'm going to overtake and race hard or crash trying" attitude, after his awful qualifying session. He was clearly pumped up and driving angry and made a couple of balls out overtakes before he pranged.
Talk about the spirit of Gilles Villeneuve, driving back to the pits with the back tyre falling off all over the place.
This in turn was the event that kicked off a safety car period. All the leading cars came in and Max jumped to second with a clearly unsafe pitstop release, hence his 5 second penalty.
It was quite a dramatic race late on, especially when Max made a lunge on Lewis and they touched.
A tip of the cap to Lewis Hamilton for a truly stunning win, it has to be said. And, have a look at a 360 camera on the front of his car during his qualifying lap here - quite terrifying actually and reminds you just how bloody talented he, and indeed the entire grid, are - to go through these tight streets, at those speeds, so close to the walls. Unbelievable.
Big shout outs to Carlos Sainz finishing 6th in the McLaren and the Torro Rosso pair in 7th and 8th.
Niki Lauda
Many people have said many touchingly eloquent things about this absolute legend of F1.I was desperately sad to hear the news last week, and instantly texted my esteemed F1 colleague (the guy I started this blog with).
I watched Rush again a couple of days ago. What a film, what a rivalry, what a friendship and what a portrayal of Niki.
I just love the bit where he and his future wife flag down the two Italian chaps in the countryside somewhere in Italy. They completely ignore her and walk up to him with a huge hug..."NIKI LAUUADDAAA!!!". Brilliant.
To me and many, he was the hardest, bravest and most courageous chap in F1 history. After his crash in Germany in 1976, he was near death and yet returned just over a month later to race to 4th place in Monza. Absolutely astonishing.
Perhaps, arguably, equally as brave was him parking his car after the first lap in a rain soaked Japan that same year. He knew the risks of driving in F1 and wasn't prepared to go a certain percentage beyond that. So for the title showdown, he was his own man and simply parked because the risk of crashing fatally in that horrid downpour was too great to him.
To be a champion, you have to really believe it. You did Niki, and we all know you are and always will be an F1 icon.
The title race and Ferrari
Ferrari aren't in the title race I hear you ask? You're right. They are nowhere near it.Aside from the certain victory that mechanical failure snatched away from LeClerc, they just haven't been anywhere near Mercedes all year so far. Not good enough.
The car isn't good enough and I have no idea why they are making team orders an actual thing. The whole "how will Seb cope with LeClerc?" isn't really a thing for me now, as they are both faffing about for 4th and 5th usually.
I kind of agree with Eddie Jordan, in that when something goes wrong they immediately chop and change and there is no real consistency at the top of the organisation (where there is at Red Bull and Mercedes).
Bottas is hanging onto Hamilton's coattails still in the title race, but I fear Lewis will start to pull away a bit now - he is nearly one race win clear, with Canada coming up where Lewis is always strong.
To Canada we go next - good memories :-).
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