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Random Observation
Full disclosure: I am a big Felipe Massa fan. I have been for a decade. When Michael Schumacher stepped out of the big seat in Ferrari, Massa filled the role of team leader beautifully. It was on this very podium 9 years ago that Felipe Massa became World Champion…only to lose it moments later when Lewis Hamilton was able to gain one more position within a few hundred yards of the finish line and re-take the points lead. Massa’s emotion was visible, but he lost with grace and humility. In 2009, after a rocky start, Massa was working his way back into the title picture when he got hit in the head with a spring from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn. The spring knocked Massa out almost instantly and almost ended his career right there. He returned in 2010, but was never the same. It is slightly fitting that his final win was that Brazil race in 2008 when he was on top of the world. He would always be close to wins again, but never quite taste victory. Despite the ups and downs and the cruel fate of the racing world, Massa has always held the high ground. He does not bad mouth teams or teammates, even when the odds are clearly stacked against him. He wears his emotions on his sleeves, so you know when things are not right, even if Felipe refused to say it. The flip side of that is when Felipe is ecstatic, you also know it. So to close, let’s relive that glorious moment one last time: those brief few minutes where Felipe Massa was the 2008 Formula 1 World Champion.
Post Race
Valtteri Bottas should have won in Brazil. He had the car, he had the pace, but he was still missing something. Hamilton easily carved his way through the field, but Bottas stayed planted to the back of the Ferrari all day long. Really, there isn’t much of an excuse for Bottas losing this one. The look on his face sums up how Bottas and Mercedes should feel about this weekend, especially after sealing both championships in the races prior. Bottas is quickly running out of excuses for his continued lack of performance against his teammate. Losing to Ferrari after being so close all race long isn’t going to cut it at Mercedes.
Hamilton has claimed he wasn’t going to fall into a “post-championship hangover” again, but crashing in Q1 isn’t exactly sticking to that claim. His run through the field at least made up for his mistake and made the race far more entertaining. This was Mercedes’ first real “off” race since Monaco. In Monaco, at least they had the excuse of their long wheelbase W08 being unhappy with the tight, twisty Monaco streets, but Brazil is a track that should have been a standout for the Silver Arrows. So it was indeed surprising they could only manage 2nd and 4th. Ferrari should see a nice boost in morale after finally breaking through again and picking up on Mercedes’ poor luck. At least Mercedes had a decent result, unlike Haas who had an even more abysmal weekend, with both cars wrecked and one penalized. 2018 cannot come soon enough for the American team. They are still in the hunt for 6th in points, as are STR and Renault. STR currently has the spot, but a mere 6 points separate the three. It’s all up for grabs in Abu Dhabi.
And yes, in 2 weeks, the season finale will be hosted in Abu Dhabi, putting the 2017 season to a close. Yas Marina Circuit will likely suit the Mercedes cars once again, but don’t rule out a Hail Mary from Ferrari or Red Bull. It has been a hectic season and while we will miss the racing, the calm before 2018 will be welcome. After all, 2018 brings the potential of four major teams fighting for the front. Red Bull is back and McLaren, if a Renault indeed solves their problems, will be back where they belong. But that is many months away, for now, we will be back in 2 weeks to wrap up the Formula 1 season!
