‘It’s good to see that the Monaco GP is still an important race and that the drivers want to go back there, even if it is an unusual and strange race. And as we saw today, Monaco can certainly provide spectacle. This is the crown jewel. However you look at it, Indy 500 is still going strong in IndyCar, Le Mans is still there in endurance racing. These kinds of special, iconic circuits could never be built these days, but you have to preserve them. This is Formula 1 and there is only one race like this one, so you have to cherish it.
Charles Leclerc was, just like in Barcelona, much better than the rest of the field. He was relaxed all weekend and had everything under control. That was to be expected here, of course, because his car is fast in the slow corners. But in the race I found it hard to understand. They didn’t want to take any chances with Leclerc. Not take any chances? This is a city that loves a gamble, with all its casinos. Not gambling in Monaco and playing it safe never pays off here. Both Sainz and Pérez took the right decision.
Leclerc is struggling, as he was clearly the strongest of them all for two races in a row. He is not making any mistakes whatsoever. He drove well [in Barcelona] and then he got mechanical problems, and here his strategy didn’t work. He wasn’t even on the podium and has again lost points to Max. Ferrari has lost momentum, they should be leading the field, including in the constructors’ championship.
Sergio Pérez is a candidate for the championship. He’s been fast all year, and doesn’t get blown away by Max. He is the only teammate who has not been left in the dust by Max. Sure, he’s a team player, but he’s also experienced and not very typically Latin American, in the sense that he doesn’t overreact and is not hot-tempered. Maybe that was different when he first got into Formula 1, but not anymore. His experience is helping him. He joined Max’s team knowing that Max is the king there, but he’s still trying his very best, is still going fast when needed, and then he goes and wins in Monaco. This is the most important victory you can have in your career, and he is a candidate for the world title. Why? At Red Bull they are in a battle with another team, so they will not always be able to issue team orders. Team orders come into play if you are in first and second place, but not if you are first and third, for example. So he has trumps in hand. It was different with Bottas and Hamilton, because they had no [external] competition and that made it easier to issue team orders.
Daniel Ricciardo’s time at McLaren is over. CEO Zak Brown is now saying that there are clauses in his contract, and that means that a decision has almost been made. It’s a way to put the pressure on the driver and prepare the media. Ultimately, he has been a highly-paid driver who has cost the team a lot of money. He doesn’t bring in any points and he doesn’t have the speed the team needs to develop the car. So he’s just costing them money. It would be cheaper for them to continue paying Ricciardo’s salary, let him sit on the couch at home and put another driver in the car. It’s a harsh reality, but that’s Formula 1.’
