Italian GP – The good, the bad and the ugly

Race winner Sebastian Vettel (2nd right) of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing, second placed Fernando Alonso (left) of Spain and Ferrari, third placed Mark Webber (right) of Australia and Infiniti Red Bull Racing

How would you describe a race driver who wins half of the races in the season? Dominant.

How would you describe the team and the car he drives? Brilliant.

Yes, that’s exactly how the season has progressed for Sebastian Vettel and the Red-Bull Racing-Renault.

The story was no different in Monza at the Italian GP. The race win meant Vettel and his team are headed for another double this year, unless something goes terribly wrong or the rivals (Ferrari, Mercedes) get a set of wings like Red-Bull.

Something of that sort really happened last year when Vettel was trailing Alonso at one point and he was able to leap frog him, thanks to the wins in all the four Asian races. The message is loud and clear from Red-Bull – ‘catch us if you can’.

Here’s a look at the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of what transpired at the Italian GP.

Ferrari and Alonso keeps the Tifosi happy

Fernando Alonso celebrates on the podium in front of the Tifosi after finishing second at the Italian GP

While the Red-Bulls continued another whitewash of sorts at Monza, the home team Ferrari couldn’t have done much given the circumstances.

They probably could have, had it rained in the two-hour race duration, but it didn’t and the Tifosi had to be content with a 2/4 finish. Not to forget the obedient teammate in Felipe Massa who first helped Alonso with the towing trick in qualifying and then gave him a relatively easy pass through in the race.

On the track, that wasn’t the only thing involving Ferrari. Fernando was involved in an incident that was blown out by the media. Apparently, he had called his team ‘idiots’ and then used the word ‘genius’ with sarcasm on the radio.

Off-track, there was talk of Kimi’s return to Ferrari and some people believed the deal was already sealed (which we now know is confirmed). It was an interesting turn of events for the Maranello team. Guess there’s not much spice at the Italian GP if Ferrari have nothing to talk about.

Competition goes off-track

Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen

Just when everyone thought the Drivers’ Championship could go down to the last race with a probable four way finish, it now virtually remains a tussle between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.

The remaining two drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton seem to have fallen by the way side. Both the title contenders were left wanted for a car that could see them surge ahead in the qualifying and later in the race.

Hamilton finished ninth after some fight, while Kimi was left struggling at eleventh place. Kimi’s two consecutive non-points finish at Spa and Monza meant he was stranded in fourth position with an 88 points deficit to catch Vettel.

Lewis Hamilton also has some distance to catch up, with his 81 points gap to Vettel. The fans though would be hoping the trio of Alonso, Hamilton and Kimi can win a couple of races and keep their hopes alive to deny Vettel his fourth title.

As they say, it isn’t over till you cross the chequered flag.

The boos continue

Sebastian Vettel was booed at the podium by the Tifosi

If there’s any indication of how agonizingly boring it is to see Vettel on the top of the podium race after race, the boos are the proof.

That’s just one aspect of it though. The other one being the fact that ‘Multi 21’ has come back to haunt the three time Champion again.

But that’s how it has been at different races and venues (Silverstone, Montreal, Belgium). That goes to show how unpopular Super Seb has become. He though shrugs it off and is trying to use it as a motivation.

But let’s face it. Which champion wants to get on the wrong side of the fans who help keep the sport alive. He’s a talented champion alright, but he needs to be careful with his attitude both on and off the track.

It will be very interesting next season to see his tantrums as he gets a younger teammate in Daniel Ricciardo. Whether he mentors him or bullies him needs to be seen.