Well, we learned that it isn’t over till it’s over! Eventual winner Jenson Button (McLaren) taking over the lead from Sebastian (the finger) Vettel (Red Bull) on the last lap, Mark Webber (Red Bull) snaring third from Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) on the penultimate lap and Massa (Ferrari) nicking sixth from Kobayashi (Sauber) on the final straight.
We also learned that Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) hasn’t learned much following his repeated trips to the stewards room at Monaco. He continues to place his car in a situation where the other driver has to cede position, or be part of an accident. The stewards were correct in stating they would be investigating his thumping Webber and correct again that they were investigating his (terminal) crash with his team mate Button. They were also correct in not going further with the investigations after Hamilton’s car said “Enough is enough mate!”
The weather contributed much to the excitement that was the Canadian GP. The Safety car was deployed five times and even the Mercedes SLS got a little out of shape through the standing water on the track. Starting behind the pace car because of the rain, the race was red-flagged at lap 25. Bedraggled cars and drivers then sat on the grid, while the large crowd patiently waited. With Teutonic thoroughness, the Mercedes team had a tent which they erected on the straight while waiting to see if the gods were appeased and the rain might stop.
Eventually the rain eased and the Canadian drains worked and the cars took off behind the Safety car again. It was after this that the excitement really began. The big movers included Jenson Button, who had to serve a drive-through penalty for being too fast in a Safety car period, then come in for tyres, change again, come in for a puncture, come in for more tyres and then press on. At one stage he was last and finished first. Brilliant stuff.
The other movers were Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber who showed that they are still able to more than mix it with the youngsters, and Schumacher really slapped all his detractors with a splendid display of race craft and car control. Always the professional, Schumacher said after the race, “I would also like to send a big compliment out to the spectators who stayed with us in those difficult circumstances for so long and even cheered us up. That was impressive, and I am glad that I could play my part in entertaining them.”
From being a rather wild driver a season back, Kid Kobayashi (Sauber) has matured into being a real presence, at one stage being up to second, though finished seventh after being clouted by Rosberg (Mercedes) and later by Heidfeld (Renault – it is as much a “Lotus” as my Daihatsu) and then losing out on the drag to the finish with Massa.
The next race is in Valencia on June 26. This is usually a very boring race, so let’s hope for a bucket or two of the wet stuff!
