Kimi Raikonnen an enigmatic champion from the past tossed a lucky coin while driving past Casino Square in Monaco and was rewarded with a pole position that has been eluding him since 2008! Some drivers are adored because of their achievements and some just for being who they are—a character. From his exploits as a Vodka guzzler to being a brilliant exponent of the art of race car driving, his exploits are legendary. F1 needs a few more Kimis to keep this sport ticking along and bring in more energy to a sport devoid of charismatic actors.
Ok; so he has only qualified to be first on grid and as we know that it isn’t over till the fat lady sings tomorrow!
The municipality of Monaco is perhaps the only circuit that had ring-leader Bernard Ecclestone on his knees by refusing to pay the hosting fees of an estimated 40 million dollars which most other circuits shell out, telling him bluntly that he needed the iconic venue more than it did him. But the creator of F1 who is notorious for his bargaining skills and guile persuaded them to at least give him the berthing rights for the super-luxury yachts of the rich and famous which park around the circuit for four days. Estimated parking fees? A whopping 17 Million! The lesson to be learnt is simple—never underestimate a former used two-wheeler sales man! Legendary!
Season so far
The past five F1 races have breathed life back into a sport that was struggling for TRPs and absence of spectators to a large extent. Regulations that allow for quicker cars and close racing have helped to a certain extent. The extended width of the 2017 car may make overtaking a little tougher in some narrow circuits. That’s a down side for sure. In Monaco a car doesn’t have enough space to go through on its own even! Drivers who were not precise enough to thread a needle got a taste of a brick ‘sand’wich!
The first three F1 events of 2017 were really but just a pre-cursor for the real action to come and a sort of shake-down for the brutally quick new machines that are seeing lap-times tumble as races progress. The last two events in Russia and Spain could be indicative of performances that can be seen to be genuine and consistent through the rest of the long season still to unfold.
There is not much to spot as to who the Top Gun driver currently is since the talent pool is brimming with drivers that are extremely talented! From current championship points leader Sebastian Vettel down to 10th placed Carlos Sainz, they are all quick.
It won’t be long before one of the iconic teams head hunt for Force India’s Sergio Peris. He has arrived in style and his consistency in a factory-equipped engine is note-worthy as is his team’s ability to hold its own against formidable money power. The 4th and 5th positions in Spain were no flukes.
While Ferrari has edged marginally ahead of its rival Mercedes at this stage, the championship is tantalizingly wide open. The top ten players till date will fight their private wars as will the bottom ten. That’s the way it has been historically and so it shall remain. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Qualifying for Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2017
Results:
1. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari
2. Sebastain Vettel / Ferrari
3. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes
4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing
5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing
6. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso
7. Sergio Perez / Force India
8. Romain Grosjean / Haas
9. Jenson Buttom / McLaren
10. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren
Drivers’ Championship leaders so far:
Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari 104 points
Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes 98 points
Valterri Bottas / Mercedes 63 points
Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari 49 points
Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing 37 points
Constructors’ Championship leaders so for:
Mercedes 161 points
Ferrari 153
Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer 72
Force India Mercedes 53
Toro Rosso 21
Forecast
The Monaco Grand Prix is the one race of the year that every driver dreams of winning. Like the Indy 500 or Le Mans, it stands alone, almost distinct from the sport from which it was born. A combination of precision driving, technical excellence and sheer bravery is required to win in Monte Carlo, facets which highlight the differences between the great and the good in Formula One.
The qualifying favours Ferrari totally since arch-enemy Hamilton gets off the grid to an ominous 13th place. It will take more than a miracle for him to slice through the mid-runners to catch up with championship leader Vettel. It may be possible in most other circuits but in Monaco he has a snowball’s chance in hell. Bottas (3) on the grid is a tenacious driver in the other Mercedes and is capable of pulling off an upset. All that is required is an inspired pit strategy from his seasoned team to get him on top step of the podium.
Verstappen (4) and Ricciardo (5) on the grid are hungry, young and capable of launching a surprise attack when the lights go off to signal the start of the GP. Factors such as deployment of safety cars have also been commonly known to influence results and hazarding a guess at the actual winner would be futile in Monaco. If Kimi has a perfect start with Vettel behind him playing shotgun even for a few laps it would decisively put the race in Kimi’s favour.
