09/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Without wishing to put the mockers on things - seemingly an old Australian term for what might also be called the Murray Walker curse - today's race promises not to be classic.
Hopefully not in terms of 2011 in terms of delays, but with all of the drama.
After all so many teams and drivers have something to prove.
Mercedes, well if ever a team needed a break it's the Brackley mob, and this appears to be their best chance for some time. While George Russell starts from pole, surely Lewis Hamilton has something to prove.
Then there's Max Verstappen, seemingly on the cusp of losing his and his team's stranglehold on the titles, coming back to match Russell to a thousandth of a second. The Dutchman will be chomping at the bit to re-establish himself and continue cruising towards his fourth title, while teammate Sergio Perez will be desperate to prove that, contrary to what Helmut might think, it's not all in his head.
McLaren and its driver are probably the exception, as none seemingly have a point to prove, though Oscar Piastri would surely love to come out of his teammate's shadow... assuming the team allows him.
Daniel Ricciardo? Where do you start? Having already told Jacques Villeneuve to eat s**t, the Australian would surely love to serve the Canadian a dollop of the same on a silver platter, possibly accompanied by one of those silly medals they get now for finishing on the podium.
Fernando Alonso, well the Aston Martin hasn't been kind to him this year, and if ever a driver needed a lucky break it's the two time world champion, who revels in the sort of conditions we are expecting today. The same goes for teammate Lance Stroll, who also came in for some criticism from the 1997 world champion. A strong result in his home race would be just what the doctor (and Daddy ordered).
Ferrari? Again, where do you start. From heroes to zeros in a fortnight. If nothing else we can expect Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to want to battle their way to the front today, but the car really doesn't like this circuit. And surely, no offence intended, Carlos deserves better than Williams, so what better motivator.
Talking of Williams, Logan Sargeant has looked strong this weekend but is it too little too late. Personally, we think he's out of his depth, but perhaps he's a slow learner. Consequently today serves as a great opportunity.
With Oliver Bearman looking set to join Haas, the American team might well want to keep Kevin Magnussen on board as mentor. Then again - and we love his Viking spirit - would you want the Dane mentoring your young hopeful? On the other hand, Esteban Ocon, who takes a 5-place grid penalty and therefore starts from the back, is also linked with the American team.
Valtteri Bottas has also been linked with Williams - returning to the team that nurtured him - however his cause is not helped today by the fact that he and his teammate will start from the pitlane after changing their rear wings under parc ferme conditions.
So, lots to prove and lots of teams and drivers needing to do so.
As ever, the start will be vital, and while Russell will be desperate to fend off Verstappen, who has a great record in terms of starts, he will also be under attack from the McLarens.
We wouldn't dare to make any predictions other than this race looks set to be everything that Imola and Monaco were not... and that's without the (hoped for) interference from the Weather Gods.
Ahead of the start it is cool and dry, but there has been rain and there will be more - hence our keen anticipation of a decent race. Indeed, while the sun is currently shining, the track remains damp from the last downpour, and while there are dark clouds all around, it has been noticed that the track has dried remarkably quickly throughout the weekend.
The track which has been completely resurfaced since last year, is still very green - a fact not helped by the fact that the rubber has been persistently washed away - and therefore we saw very obvious evolution even during the course of Q3 when many drivers failed to improve on their previous bests.
This also led to significant graining, particularly with the mediums, which is the compound that almost everyone used for long runs.
Therefore, it is increasingly likely that, if we have a dry race, which is unlikely, the most effective strategy is a two-stop, the predominant choice being to use two sets of hards, which explains why seven teams still have two sets available for each driver.
The one-stop strategy, using a combination of medium and hard, is possible, but it's very marginal. Indeed, it's not impossible that someone might try to start the race with this in mind, while retaining the flexibility to switch to a two-stop.
However, should the Weather Gods decide to have some fun this would all go out of the window, as would be the case should Guanyu Zhou decide to put his Stake in the barriers for a third successive day.
Fifty minutes ahead of the start, it begins to rain again as Race Control confirms an 80% chance of further downpours during the race.
As the pitlane opens it is remarkably cool, with the air temperature a mere 16 degrees C, and track temperature 20 degrees.
As the drivers head out on wets, Piastri asks to switch to Inters as he believes it's improving.
"Our target is to win today," says Norris, "we are in a good position, we have a good car, we have had all weekend and for the last few races."
"More opportunities for sure, let's see what we can do," says Alonso. "One of those races you need to see the chequered flag.
"We expect rain in ten minutes, quite heavy," he adds.
As the clock counts down it has stopped raining, while there is a wastegate issue with Ocon's car.
Race Control ups its estimate of rain to 100%.
All are starting on Inters, bar Magnussen and Hulkenberg who are on full wets.
They head off on the formation lap, as Verstappen is warned of standing water at Turn 2 only.
"The cell of rain coming should last ten to fifteen minutes," Ricciardo is told.
The grid forms.
They're away! It's a cautious start, and while Russell has the edge on Verstappen, the entire field is struggling, particularly the Ferraris. As they nervously negotiate the opening complex the field disappears in a cloud of spray, at the back Gasly gets out of shape as his right rear tangles with Perez' left front causing the Frenchman to spin. They touch and some bodywork is shed... but whose?
At the end of Lap 1, it's: Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Hamilton, Magnussen, Ricciardo, Stroll and Leclerc. Hulkenberg is up to 12th while Sainz has dropped to 15th after making a mistake in the final chicane.
It is now raining heavily.
"This level of rain is the worst we expect," Russell is told.
Magnussen passes Alonso for fifth as his teammate passes Stroll for ninth.
Magnussen claims third rom Piastri, as Russell leads Verstappen by 2.6s, the Dutchman 2.2s clear of Norris.
On Lap 3, Magnussen posts a new fastest lap (36.134) as the rain starts to ease.
"We are seeing something strange engine-wise," Leclerc is warned. "We are looking at it, keep pushing."
As Magnussen closes on Norris, Hulkenberg is being held up by Hamilton who is right behind Alonso.
Lap 5 sees Verstappen post a new fastest lap, suggesting that conditions are coming to the Inters.
"People on Inter now going faster than those on Ex-wets," Leclerc is told.
Sargeant is off at Turn 6, thereby bringing out the yellows. He is able to continue.
Elsewhere, Alonso misses the final chicane while Hamilton misses Turn 1 and the Spaniard has a major tank-slapper exiting the opening complex.
"How much am I losing down the straights?" asks Leclerc. Quite a bit," he is told.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Montreal here.
Magnussen pits at the end of Lap 7, the Dane rejoining in 14th as the team didn't appear ready for him.
Ricciardo has been noted for a false start. Indeed, he is under investigation.
Alonso and Hamilton continue their cat and mouse scrap for 5th.
Still on wets, Hulkenberg is 3s a lap slower than Hamilton ahead. This will get worse as a clear dry line is emerging.
Russell is told to cool his tyres by keeping to the wet parts of the track.
Hulkenberg now heads a rain of Ricciardo, Stroll, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Albon and Sainz.
Closing in on the train is Magnussen on his fresher Inters.
Ricciardo passes Hulkenberg for 8th as Verstappen is warned of a further rain cell, lasting 5 minutes, in 15 laps.
Hulkenberg finally pits at the end of Lap 12, rejoining in 19th.
Norris has dropped 5.4s behind Verstappen who is 0.5s down on Russell.
Russell reports that it will be okay to switch to slicks in twenty minutes. "That's exactly when the rain is expected to hit," he is told.
"Look for water on the straights," Ocon is told.
The sun is now shining, but with further rain expected there is much discussion between the drivers and their engineers.
At the start of Lap 17, Verstappen has a wobble and runs over the grass in Turn 2 allowing Russell to pull away and Norris to close to within 0.434s.
At the same time, Norris posts a new fastest lap (26.553).
DRS is enabled on Lap 18 as Piastri posts a new fastest lap (26.412).
No sooner has Albon passed Tsunoda for tenth than the RB snatches the position right back again.
As Norris pursues Verstappen the sky is blue and the sun is shining, the trees casting shadows on the track.
Norris almost runs into the back of Verstappen at the hairpin, the McLaren driver finally passing the world champion on the run to the final chicane.
Meanwhile, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (25.298) as he drops to 1.1s behind Alonso.
Norris closes on Russell, and, like Verstappen a lap earlier, nails the Mercedes into Turn 1. Indeed, the Briton misses the chicane and rejoins just ahead of Verstappen who has to take avoiding action.
In one corner, Russell has gone from first to third.
Albon passes Tsunoda and this time it sticks.
In clear air, Norris posts a new fastest lap (24.429), as the stewards have noted the Russell incident.
After 23 laps, as Hamilton continues to harry Alonso, the sun is no longer shining, indeed the skies are darkening.
Oh dear, Sargeant is off again, but this time it appears terminal, as he has hit the barriers at Turn 4 and is left stranded in the middle of the track.
The yellows are waved and then the Safety Car is deployed. At which point it starts to rain again.
Norris has missed the pitlane but behind him Verstappen, Russel and the rest haven't.
Verstappen remains second, and like the rest he is on fresh Inters. However, the RBs remain on track, as do Ocon and Bottas.
Norris pits next time around, rejoining in the third, behind Verstappen, Russell and alongside his McLaren teammate who yields.
Ricciardo pits next time around, the Australian rejoining in 10th having served the 5s time penalty awarded for his false start.
In all the excitement, Hamilton has passes Alonso, while Tsunoda is up to seventh (but hasn't pitted) and Ocon (same) is ninth.
Drivers are warned of a recovery vehicle on track at Turn 4.
Leclerc pits at the end of Lap 28, just as the Safety Car is about to be withdrawn. He rejoins in 19th on hards, clearly unhappy. "We are not going to go anywhere," he moans, though the team informs him that an engine re-set should pay dividends.
The Safety Car withdraws and Verstappen lets rip. It's: Verstappen, Russell, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Alonso, Tsunoda, Stroll, Ocon and Ricciardo.
Leclerc runs wide in Turn 3. "Three laps of rain and then it will dry," he is told.
It is now raining hard as Albon passes Ricciardo and Ocon - both of them - in the final chicane.
On his hards, Leclerc is understandably struggling, but it should pay off. That said, he pits for Inters.
As they battle for 13th, Gasly and Sainz touch, the Ferrari losing a piece of bodywork.
After 33 laps, Tsunoda (7th), Ocon (10th) and Bottas (12th) have yet to pit.
Incidentally, Perez is still down in 16th and is currently 0.413s down on Magnussen.
"In the right conditions we're expecting to go medium to the end," Albon is told.
Hamilton is all over the back of Piastri, as Monaco winner Leclerc is being shown the blue flag as Verstappen closes in.
"I don't see anything behind," says Leclerc of the drivers about to lap him, "you'll have to tell me."
Having passed Magnussen, Perez remains under pressure from the Dane.
After 38 laps (of 70) Tsunoda heads a train made up of pretty much the rest of the field from 8th to 17th. Sainz and Gasly continue to battle for 13th. A dreadful weekend for Ferrari.
"It's Turns 1 and 2 again," says Russell, "they're still very wet, everywhere else is dry."
As he continues to pursue Piastri, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (23.880).
Gasly pits at the end of Lap 40, the Frenchman switching to hards. He immediately goes off, but is able to continue. Softly, softly...
A big moment for Norris in Turn 1 allows Piastri and Hamilton to close in, it also allows Russell to build a 0.97s gap.
Magnussen pits at the end of Lap 42, as do Bottas and Leclerc. However, for the Monaco winner it is to retire.
Next time around Hamilton pits, the Mercedes river rejoining in 7th on mediums. Ricciardo, Sainz and Perez also pit.
Gasly passes Magnussen as Norris posts a new fastest lap (23.671) as he closes on Russell.
As Piastri peels off into the pitlane, the three ahead of his stay put. Alonso, Tsunoda, Stroll, Ocon, Albon, Hulkenberg and Zhou all stop.
Verstappen pits at the end of Lap 44, with Russell following suit, however Norris stays out, posting a new fastest lap (23.569).
Verstappen rejoins in second ahead of Russel, while Piastri is fourth, ahead of Hamilton, Alonso, Tsunoda, Stroll, Ocon and Albon.
Opting to remain out for another lap, Norris is under investigation for leaving the track in missing the final chicane previously and gaining an advantage.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Montreal here.
On their out laps however, Verstappen and Russell were extremely cautious, which has played into Norris' hands.
Norris pits at the end of Lap 46, rejoining alongside Verstappen who duly takes the lead with his warmer tyres.
As Verstappen disappears up the road, Norris is under pressure from Russell and Piastri.
As Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (19.502), Verstappen complains about his ride.
Still struggling, Norris is unable to hold off Russell, while Hamilton has had a moment which allows Piastri to get away.
"I can't touch the kerbs or its knocks me out," complains Verstappen.
"No management," Alonso is told, "we're hoping the medium runners ahead will need management. Indeed Russell, Stroll and Gasly are the only other drivers on the white-banded rubber.
A mistake costs Russell dearly, he takes too much kerb and in the process allows Norris through. "Focus George, focus," Toto Wolff tells his driver.
Oh dear, Perez has been off and dislodged his rear wing. Replay shows the Mexican running too wide into the corner.
As Albon clouts the barrier at Turn 8, Sainz is off and on the grass. Replay reveals the Spaniard spun and Albon had to take avoiding action.
The Safety Car is deployed and Russell and Hamilton pit, as does Sainz, but like his teammate it is to retire. Russell is still on mediums while Hamilton has switched to hards.
"We don't see anything on the radar, but big showers are popping up," Norris is warned.
The field lines up behind the Safety Car, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Alonso, Stroll, Tsunoda, Ocon and Ricciardo.
The Safety Car is withdrawn at the end of Lap 57.
Ahead of the 'restart', Verstappen furiously work heat into his tyres. Game on!
In no time at all, Verstappen has a 1.9s lead.
DRS is enabled.
An incident involving Gasly and Hulkenberg has been noted, while Perez is under investigation for driving his car in an unsafe condition.
0.581s down on Piastri, Russell posts a new fastest lap (16.625), as Ocon passes Tsunoda for 8th, the Japanese clearly struggling.
On the run to the final chicane, Russell and Piastri as side-by-side, somehow the Australian holds off the Mercedes.
Asked if he thinks he might be able to take the fight to Verstappen, Piastri says he has his hands full.
Indeed, Russell makes a move into the final chicane, they touch and the Mercedes misses the corner and in the process loses position to his teammate.
Piastri may well have incurred damage, and Hamilton is just 0.9s behind.
On Lap 65, Hamilton nails Piastri on the run to the final chicane to claim third, posting a new fastest lap (15.074) in the process. Russell also closes on the Australian.
As Russell also nails Piastri in the final chicane, Tsunoda has a moment in Turn 9. Indeed, reply shows him going off onto the wet grass and almost being collected by Magnussen as he slid back on to the track.
Ricciardo passes Ocon for 8th, as McLaren is concerned at graining to the rears of both cars
As Russell nails his teammate in the final chicane, the Mercedes pair are told to "keep it clean".
A brave move which could have been very costly.
As Hamilton readies for a final attack,. Verstappen begins the last lap.
Verstappen takes the flag, ahead of Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Alonso, Stroll, Ricciardo, Gasly and Ocon, the seven-time world champion posting a new fastest lap (14.856) in the process.
Hulkenberg is eleventh, ahead of Magnussen, Bottas, Tsunoda and Zhou.
Verstappen wins, but surely Norris and Russell will be disappointed, the McLaren driver with strategy and the Mercedes driver with two needless mistakes.
"It felt like a missed opportunity to be honest," admits Russell, "we had good pace at the beginning on the Inters, made a couple of mistakes out there pushing the limits.
"To be back in the mix fighting for victory, that's what Formula 1 is about," he adds. "We'll take all the positives from this race, podium, pole. Close with Oscar, and Lewis as well. I think it was hard, fair racing."
"It was chaos, it was eventful," grins Norris. "To be honest I felt I drove a good race from start to finish. I had amazing pace, the Safety Car had me over but like it helped me in Miami, it had me over.
"These conditions, it is so stressful inside the car but fun as well," he admits. "Things were going beautifully but fair play to Max, he drive a good race."
"A pretty crazy race," say Verstappen, "lots of things happening and we had to be on top of our calls.
"The Safety Car worked out nicely for us, but we were managing the gaps quite well. Those kind of races, you need those every once in a while. It was a lot of fun out there."
An entertaining race, but more importantly sets us up for the forthcoming triple-header.
Yes, Verstappen won, but it wasn't easy. He is clearly still unsure of his car, and in many ways todays win had a lot to do with the mistakes of others.
We already knew that McLaren was closing in, however today we've seen Mercedes back on form also.
And then there's Ferrari, which quite simply had a nightmare of a race.
There remain a number of outstanding investigations, but whatever the outcome we have witnessed an entertaining race with no silliness.
As to whether, as we previously pointed out, those with points to prove, did so, only time will tell, but Sargeant certainly hasn't helped himself, and perhaps Perez should listen to Doctor Marko.