Race 5 - Monaco GP

I cannot believe it took me two weeks to get to this review, because this might just be the one race where hardly anything happened but I have simply too much to be happy and excited about.

Such is the life of a Ferrari fan these days. Heh.

Going with my tradition of breaking format, let's go by team this time!

Mercedes: 

Oh Mercedes, what did you do? They were amazing in Spain, but it seemed like they left their luck back in Barcelona and travelled light to Monaco. Right from Free Practice, Lewis was way off the pace. Valtteri seemed to be better, especially during Qualifying. In the race however, literally all hell broke loose for the German team. First, the crappy pitstop strategy for Lewis. And then the most disastrous pitstop yet for Valtteri... I mean not even the tail enders have such a disastrous pitstop failure these days causing the driver to retire the car. This makes Sakhir 2020 look like a small boo-boo. Well, after that there wasn't much else to see in Mercedes. Lewis finished only a tame P7. 

Redbull:

Redbull looking better and better this season. They were fast in Monaco, with Max leading the race comfortably and making it look like an easy win. It isn't easy, it never is in Monaco, so kudos to him. Sergio had his quali spoiled by a red car who we will talk about in a bit, but managed to finish a respectable P4. If Monaco hadn't been such a bad overtaking track, I can believe he would easily have finished P2, but it is what it is.

Ferrari:

Charles, Charles, Charles. I mean, he has to be one of the if not The most entertaining driver in F1 right now, yes? He gets an absolutely mega lap in to end up P1 in quali but crashes immediately after that to cause a red flag and an end to the quali, spoiling everyone else's run. And then his car stalls in the formation lap and he is unable to even start the race. It speaks to what a person he is, to see the number of drivers that came around to give him a consolidatory pat on the back, and also him staying around till the end of the race to celebrate his fellow drivers good fortunes. Luckily for the ferrari fans, Carlos made up for it and got his first podium in F1 as a Ferrari driver, finishing P2! A Ferrari pole and a Ferrari podium already in the season - who would have thunk it!

Other mentions:
Lando Norris on the other hand did NOT have the best car for the race, and still ended up on the podium in P3 - his third podium in his third year! And alongside his two closest mates in Formula 1! His joy lit up the paddock for me.

Sebastian Vettel had a Mega race, finishing in P5 ahead of Pierre in P6 - another mega race - and Lewis in P7. The other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll ended in P8 making it a double points for the team. So glad this car is coming back to consistent points and Seb seems to have lucked out with his strategists this year because that was a beautiful pitstop he had to overcut both Pierre and Lewis. A refreshing change for him from last year, surely.

Overall, a good game of strategy. F1 fans who are not fans of passive strategy and look forward to more overtakes must have found this race to be boring, but I quite enjoyed it to be honest. I dearly hope Baku will continue the Ferrari form, being another street circuit, although the loooong main straight has got to be a disadvantage. Nevertheless, we have a new Championship leader - both driver and constructor - for the first time in years and years so looking forward to the battle! Till then - Salam!