Remember 2014, Monaco GP? This was where we saw the potential greatness of a driver so cruelly taken away from us during that horrific day in Suzuka, but let’s try to remember what he did before in Monaco that year.
Having qualified 19th, the first of the ‘new’ backmarker teams, Jules then was demoted to the back row due to a gearbox change penalty. Incredibly he finished the race 9th despite having two time penalties to serve (without the second one he would’ve placed 8th), an astonishing feat in a Marussia!
His original 8th place, before the post-race time penalty was imposed, saw him finish on track ahead of Romain Grosjean, then driving for Lotus, and the Frenchman will be paying tribute to his departed compatriot by sporting a special helmet in tribute to Jules this weekend.
My helmet with a design tribute to Jules Bianchi #R8G #F1 #JB17 #NeverForget #MonacoGP @adripaviot @BsDesignsHelmet pic.twitter.com/5Pj8G6CXDe
— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) May 23, 2016
Would kimi still be at ferrari had Bianchi not suffered that accident? I don’t think so.
Some drives are truely memorable,senna at donnington , Schumacher’s drive at spa but to me when a driver puts a car in a place it has absolutely no place to be is epic. Hill did this in the arrows at Hungary and then we have Jules in Monaco. Thanks for the reminder Judge
+1
A cruel world.
Well, to be fair the 2014 Monaco GP was a race of attrition, with 8 retirements/DNSs of frontrunning cars and only 14 classified cars. To put things in perspective, Ericsson in his Caterham and starting from the Pit Lane finished 11th, in front of Räikkönen who started 6th. So while it was a spanking performance and hats off for putting the Marussia in front of the Lotus at the finish (and of course the utterly undeserved and unnecessary 2nd 5-second penalty after having served the first one, as per FIA’s rules), the Marussia’s and Caterham’s performances that day weren’t fully on merit…
You’re absolutely right, but I’d submit as an aside that the overbearing reliability of the cars these days is one of the bigger problems with the sport.
The regulations to limit the number of engines available each season was supposed to mix things up as the units getting towards the end of their life threw the odd leg out of bed, lunched a turbo or fried their black box. It’s hard to believe the manufacturers are screwing every last bit of power out of their PUs when they complete multiple race distances in a day at race pace during testing. Hardly on the cutting-edge.
Efficiency, predictability and reliability are great for road cars but as boring as baths!t in racing. The cars are just too competent, the drivers too drilled & professional and the teams too robotic. There’s very little character on show, i.e. flawed but lovable traits.
It’s tailor-mades vs. rollies. Sure, the shop-bought item is easy, convenient, reliable and flash looking, but they’re worse for you in the long run. Rollies are a bit unpredictable but, ultimately, a more satisfying, engaging and contemplative indulgence.
*Jeez. A bit off topic in the end there – lol.
O/T, yes, but an interesting simile
Pmsl..never compared f1 to my favourite smoke before but I fully agree,this is meant to be prototype racing at the edge of what’s possible
Yep, yep and yep.
Agreed. This is also why customer cars can’t work these days, compared to days of yore. In years of piss-poor reliability a customer Haas could score as well as an independent Sauber could score, given random failures. These days however, a Sauber will stick to 0 all year long unless freak races occur…
RG’s helmet: Did the rule on only one design get lifted?
It seems Monaco has some dispensation
“In order for drivers to be easily distinguished from one another whilst they are on track, the crash helmet of each driver must be presented in “substantially the same livery at every event during a championship season” “the move will put an end to drivers using special helmets for certain event, as had become increasingly commonplace for some races, notably the Monaco GP”.
Weren’t there other drivers tweeting a helmet last year and not driving with it? (Can’t remember)
Monaco Does have all kinds of exceptions…
If I remember correctly, the rule states that only a certain percentage must stay the same. I forget what it is, but possibly RG’s helmet is somehow within that amount.
The restriction is still there, but I believe it is only a monetary fine, so as long as someone is willing to pay drivers can change their helmet design.