F1 Monaco: 3 Big Things
The story of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix was dominated by one thing, and one thing only. But I found two more to talk about, don't you worry.
#1
The Monegasque!
Charles Leclerc finally capturing the jewel of jewels in Formula 1 was immensely satisfying, even if the racing left something to be desired. Or a lot of somethings.
It's a tired phrase but this is a qualifying-centric weekend and Leclerc’s comments indicated that his mission was to take pole and win the race, not content himself with a podium.
Pole: check
Race win: check
It was a faultless drive from the Monegasque and it delivered the second near-universally celebrated race victory of the year after Lando Norris in Miami. He may have had tears in his eyes through the final laps but I have no doubt that was a common occurrence among race fans around the world whether they don the Ferrari red or not.
Speaking of Ferrari…
#2
Vasseur Special
There's something happening at Ferrari and it's impossible to ignore. This is a team that looks revitalized and re-energized. The mistakes are minimal if they exist at all. The drivers are maximizing their points even if they get a hell of a get-out-of-jail-free card (looking at you, Carlos).
On 252 points in the World Constructors Championship, this is Ferrari’s best start to a season in YEARS. Then comes Loic Serra and Jerome D’Ambrosio. Then comes Lewis Hamilton. And maybe, just maybe, the best living designer is on his way too.
If Ferrari thought 2025 was going to be the year best suited to breaking their streak of failing to bring home the biggest trophies, they may be surprised to have arrived a year early. It's entirely dependent on the Red Bull continuing to experience issues and have shaky weekends here and there, but the margin for error for the Austrian outfit has been reduced by some distance and they now have two teams capable of taking significant points off their champion.
Where one team rises…
#3
Action To Be Taken
Esteban Ocon did the one thing you absolutely mustn't do at Monaco. He put his car and his teammate’s car on the line, gambled, and lost. He did it at a circuit where an inferior car can keep superior cars behind better than any other track on the calendar.
If that were the long and short of it, I'd be hauling Ocon into my office for a very uncomfortable conversation that would end with apologies from Ocon to the team but his seat not under immediate threat. But there's more context and context changes things.
There was apparently a conversation had about what would and would not be acceptable in this race. There was an agreement. Ocon violated that, violated team orders, with the result of harming his team. He must sit. He absolutely must sit.
When the circus arrives in Montreal, I would put Doohan in the seat. I might put Doohan in the seat twice just to make a point. And I would announce that I'm putting Doohan in the seat twice before Canada. Something in me doubts Alpine will take it as far as even keeping Ocon out once. But they should.