Sunday was not a good day for the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari fans – it’s easy to understand why.
Met with a chorus of boos on the podium, the tifosi had to watch as a man who is not unfamiliar with breaking their hearts wrested control off Sebastian Vettel of the 2017 season. Forty seconds up the road from their hero, it probably didn’t help that he stuck the boot in afterwards.
Really though, what else could the tifosi do but boo? The rain that mixed up yesterday’s qualifying nowhere in sight, this was the realisation of the Hamilton-Mercedes combo they had feared heading into the weekend, with the car in conditions that allowed it to be as otherworldly as he was. It doesn’t matter how many flags you wave, against Mercedes, Monza is Ferrari’s own worst enemy.
That, if anything is the silver lining for Ferrari fans in the wake of Sunday. Lewis Hamilton may be three-points ahead, but the next race in Singapore is a much more friendly track for the Scuderia. Still, it’s hard to bet against Hamilton anywhere in his current form.
Ricciardo’s storming drive keeps things interesting
Let’s be honest, with the foregone conclusion out front, it wasn’t the most intriguing Italian Grand Prix ever. Thank god for Danny Ric.
Love him or… love him, Sunday showed exactly why Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most highly-regarded drivers on the grid.
Even in a year where he has been regularly bested for outright pace by teammate Max Verstappen, the Australian’s star continues to rise, and it’s easy to see why with his consistently masterful performances in races. Sunday’s might have been his best yet, coming back from 16th on the grid to 4th at the flag with a lethal mix of skill and flair. Whether it was the clever switchback move on Sergio Perez, the exquisite lunge on Kimi Raikkonen (who deserves credit for cooperating also) or his “I like ‘em vulnerable” comment on team radio, Ricciardo managed to keep the fans entertained.
Of course, Ricciardo would much rather be racing two cars for wins than twelve cars for podiums, but performances like Sunday’s are only possible with Red Bull struggling, and as long as that remains the exception instead of the rule, it’s not the worst thing in the world. Still, let’s Red Bull’s current state doesn’t persist into 2018, and Ricciardo gets the car he deserves.
Quick Hits
If you were wondering why Kimi Raikkonen was retained by Ferrari for 2018, the answer was abundantly obvious today – clearly, he’s willing to play the role of a number two driver.
Sorry Max, but this Sunday’s misfortune was all your own doing. A little patience goes a long way.
Unsurprisingly, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll weren’t quite as competitive as they were yesterday, but both were still very solid in finishing P6 & 7, respectively.
Valtteri Bottas won’t earn many plaudits having endured a quiet afternoon, but the Finn did well to rescue a sub-par start and quickly slot into second.