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Rencken on Monaco GP

Here's a remarkable set of symmetrical statistics to prove Pirelli’s approach to Formula 1 has turned the sport on its head: en route to the Monaco podium victor Sebastian Vettel made a single tyre stop, runner-up Fernando Alonso pitted twice and third-placed Jenson Button thrice.

Yes, the picture is skewed by the red flag, which split the race on a 70/8-lap basis, with most bolting on a fresh set of tyres for the final dash, but had the race run through there was little doubt that Red Bull Racing’s Vettel and the Ferrari driver would have stayed out. In fact, post-race, they said just that.

Thus the order would have remained, with the McLaren driver on their combined tails. Or not, for just as Vettel was being hounded by an Alonso on better rubber, so the Spaniard was ducking everything Button threw at him as the Briton benefitted from the freshest rubber.

Such change would, of course, have required a passing move or two – at Monaco, of all places. Yet never was there doubt that such manoeuvres were possible in the closing stages of the most thrilling Monaco GP of recent times. Exceedingly difficult they may have been, but certainly not out of the question – despite this bumpy circuit’s tortuous nature, tyre-rubber marbles galore, and the undisputed danger of the place.

One need only examine the progress made by Vettel’s overshadowed team mate Mark Webber in the closing stages to realise overtaking is again possible. At one stage the plucky Australian languished in 15th - having started third – with his fourth-place finish proving conclusively that overtaking is back. Mark’s move on Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber in the final stages was one of the highlights of race.

MONACO CHAOS

If the feisty Japanese’s drive from 13th on the grid to fifth at the finish showed just how it should be done on the streets of the principality, Lewis Hamilton’s Sunday outing proved how not go racing in Monaco – or anywhere else for that matter, or how to conduct oneself in public.

The McLaren driver had his fastest qualifying time scrapped after jumping a chicane, dropping him from seventh to ninth on the grid. Then, in the early stages of the race, he made an exceedingly marginal move on Michael Schumacher before unacceptably squeezing Felipe Massa, a move which indirectly triggered the first pace car phase after the Brazilian’s damaged Ferrari crashed in the tunnel.

Not satisfied with his trail of destruction the 2008 champion then found himself embroiled in the race-stopping Jaime Alguersuari/Vitaly Petrov accident seven laps from the end which damaged his rear wing. To cap it all he torpedoed Pastor Maldonado’s Williams, scuppering the Venezuelan rookie’s first run in the points.

Having been handed a drive-through penalty for the Massa incident, the Briton was docked 20 seconds for the second incident. Later, on live TV, he intimated he was victimised "because I’m black" - a "poor joke" for which he later apologised. (He had attributed it to Ali G, an English comedian.)

Well, Lewis, the fact of the matter is that you have been called before the stewards in five of six races held to date this year. Not only do the stewards rotate, but each group includes a retired former driver with no axe to grind…

BRAINS OVER BRAWN

Seventh went to Adrian Sutil, he who was punted out of a fine fourth here by Kimi Räikkönen two years ago, with fellow German Nick Heidfeld taking eighth for Renault after a rather subdued race. The final two points’ paying places went to Rubens Barrichello (Williams) - providing Sir Frank with his first 2011 points - and Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso).

Thus a chaotic yet highly entertaining Monaco GP ended, further consolidating Vettel’s title defence while providing Ferrari with its best place of 2011. Button proved to his team mate that brains win over brawn every time by taking the final podium spot.

The weekend was also a sobering one: Nico Rosberg narrowly avoided high-speed contact with a protruding barrier after losing his Mercedes in Saturday practice then Sergio Perez’s Sauber hit it side-on at around 250km/h in qualifying.

That the Mexican suffered only concussion and an injured thigh is thanks to the sport’s safety standards; that the barrier, which in 1994 put Karl Wendlinger into a coma, caused Jenson Button to sit out the 2003 race and punished David Coulthard in 2008, is still in place proves F1 should never be complacent.

Pirelli can, though, rest on its laurels – but only for a fortnight, for it all kicks off again in Canada on June 12: another street race. Supersoft and soft compounds have again been specified…. 
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