Canada F1 GP Update – iSport F1 Pitstop: Canada F1 GP saw Ferrari and Fernando Alonso clinch a step on the podium. iSporter Maharshi Vaishnav tells us that it could have well been the top step.
The Canadian F1 GP over the weekend was a brilliant race….no doubts about that! I think this was the best race of the year so far.
It was heartening to see the way the race evolved at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. A sell out crowd as Formula 1 returned to Canada after a break of 2 years and with the weather being just about brilliant for some genuine racing, I was hoping for some pure action. And boy did it deliver!
Although as a tifosi, it pained to see that the victory morsel was snatched right out of Ferrari’s mouth not once but over and over again by some inconsiderate back markers.
I had mentioned in my pre race article that Ferrari’s practice pace was promising and they didn’t disappoint. Their pace was not just comparable but at various instances better than the Red Bulls and McLarens (Also read: Mclaren's Will Fight The Red Bulls Again). Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa had qualified a respectable 4th and 7th and with Mark Webber’s 5 place penalty for a gearbox change, a good result for Ferrari was confirmed. Alonso didn’t disappoint at all but Massa’s outing was definitely a let down.
Right from the start of the race, Alonso’s pace was scintillating. He drove a spirited race challenging McLarens throughout the race despite losing the race lead twice thanks to Sebastian Buemi and Karun Chandok. I personally think had it not been for his atrocious lap 27, we would have seen Alonso on top of the podium.
Massa on the other hand had another disappointing ride. After being shuttled between the Force India cars and Button, he drove some phenomenally quick laps to put himself in the contention for a top 5 finish. But a bizarre 20 sec penalty and a late shunt from Schumacher meant that he finished out of the points.
It was quite strange to see the usually biased stewards enforce a penalty on Massa when quite a few drivers’ antics went unpunished….chief amongst them Lewis Hamilton. He was let loose on the path of Fernando Alonso deliberately forcing Alonso towards the pit walls.
This brings me to my unusual title. Post race, while relaxing in Switzerland, Alonso mentioned that Ferrari’s progress and performance in Canada needs to be viewed as a glass half full. He insisted that Ferrari is back on track and he is looking forward to the season with more than half of it left. However, my contention here is that Ferrari still have a few niggling issues with aero and handling to address, Canada is an exception as far as flat out favorable circuits go, and lastly Ferrari needs both their cars / drivers to perform if they have to win the Championships.
Now, we all know that Ferrari’s version of the F-Duct has been a botched up attempt. The next hop Valencia isn’t the kind of circuit where Ferrari has done well…eg. Melbourne, Monaco etc. And while Alonso has been pretty good with all shortcomings, Massa has been struggling quite evidently. I am sure the Ferrari management has too many things on their mind to ponder upon.
Hope Ferrari gets their glass full real soon.
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