Username
Password
Magnificent Monza Doesn't Disappoint!
By Emma Aitken September 16 2008
With such a shake up on the grid due to a very wet qualifying a huge gamble that back fired massively for the McLaren team, Monza looked set to be a thoroughly exciing race.Luckily for all of us, it was. Who would have thought that Hamilton would come within a whisker of race win; a win that would finally go to a Toro Rosso!

After all the nonsense that followed the Grand Prix at Spa I hoped for something exhilarating at Monza to pick the spirits up again and by God, I wasn’t disappointed. There’s nothing like a wet qualifying session to throw a few spanners in the works and mix things up a bit. With a Ferrari down in fourteenth, a McLaren just behind him and a baby Toro Rosso sitting in pole position we had no choice but look forward to an exciting race. And let’s face it, which one of us wasn’t praying for rain on Sunday afternoon in the normally sunny Italy? I thought so!

Once Lewis stepped up to the plate it was a sublime performance from the wet race specialist. Afterwards he claimed that he had decided to take it easy and stay out of trouble but I don’t buy that. He has never gone down that road before. Hell for leather would be his normal tack but who cares? A fire was lit under him several laps in and from there it was nail biting stuff from our title contender. It is staggering to think that had it not been for the need to change tyres, the guy who started from fifteenth in a race where the rain fell so hard you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face was actually shaping up to take the win. If the driver’s championship was won according to sheer guts, hard work and perseverance then Lewis would most definitely have it in the bag.

It was slightly amusing to watch all the drivers go so carefully over the chicanes. Everyone might have come out and said before the race that the stewards were right in their decision to penalise Lewis, but they were all super cautious to not get caught for the same foul themselves. They couldn’t have been more wary if they had of tried. I half expected them all to start leaping out of their cars at each corner, saying “After you old boy”, “no, no, I insist dear fellow, after you!”

I will just gleam over my next point but it does need to be made. What about Heikki? Why does that lad always seem to be in a race all by himself? Once the safety car tucked itself away for the day we never really saw the young Finn again. He had the pace to keep others at bay but why didn’t he have the pace to charge down on the Toro Rosso? The car must have the get up and go, we all saw that courtesy of Mr Hamilton, but Heikki does not seem to be able to race on in the same way as his team mate can. I don’t believe it’s a problem with inner drive though. Kovalainen’s countenance said it all afterwards in the press conference. He was not a happy camper with the way his race went so he certainly must want to go faster.

Kimi on the other hand didn’t look like he was the least bit interested in getting to the front of the pack for most of the race. By the time he sparked his race in to life it was way too late for him to do anything substantial with it. I’m bitterly disappointed in the world champion. I expected far more thrills and spills from him this season, especially without traction control. I thought he would thrive in the new driving conditions but he hasn’t at all. I was very surprised to hear his contract has been renewed to 2010. I really thought he was planning on retiring judging by the way his driving style has toned down.

Massa's form wasn't much to write home about either when you look at it. His qualifying had been lack lustre and a race that saw him start in sixth saw him finish in sixth too. Lewis seemingly thrashed the pants off him as far as race pace was concerned.

Without a shadow of a doubt though, it was a genuine pleasure to watch Sebastian Vettel take his maiden win. It was the race of his life. He never put a foot wrong, he wasn’t the lucky benefactor of an aptly timed safety car; he simply raced the race of his life and it was a joy to behold. Listening to the old German/Italian national anthems was very reminiscent of older days too. It’s been a while!

What with the plethora of young, up and coming talented drivers in this sport now the future should be looking rosy and highly exciting. Let’s just hope Formula 1 can rid itself of all the political wrangling and nonsense to ensure that it is all about what happens on the track, not off it.

I’ve got to hand the award for the most stupid question ever asked by a commentator to one Mr Steve (don’t mess up the hair) Ryder. Imagine asking Lewis Hamilton, with reference to Spa, how long the exhilaration lasted after a race like that? Er, possibly right up until the point when he had race victory taken away from him you absolute imbecile. Bring on the BBC quick smart, and leave that pompous idiot Ryder on the other side!    

Bookmark or share this story with: