The Pirelli tyres are the hinge on which the entire of this season’s championship swings. The teams that have struggled to get consistent results from them, the Red Bulls and the Force Indias being two examples, have had a hard climb up the points table. On the other hand the constructors that have figured them out, notably Lotus and Sauber, have seen a resurgence.
I say this because the reason Lewis Hamilton was able to convert his weekend-long dominance into a race win was his excellent tyre management. It was a race in which only a few cars looked quick enough to win, and although Lewis dominated free practice and qualifying, the Lotus’s race pace is never to be underestimated. Staving off Kimi Raikkonen, who came charging through the field and finished close enough to Hamilton’s behind that he could smell it, Lewis was simply on a different level to the other drivers this week.
The MacLaren looked strong all weekend, and Jenson Button was only unable to finish higher through poor strategy choices and being unable to move through the pack on a track that isn’t generous with overtaking opportunities. The Lotus was also contending for pole position this weekend, and they managed to finish very strongly indeed. Romain Grosjean got a strong podium after some recent inconsistent performances and Raikkonen’s pace goes without saying.
There are increased murmurings concerning the future of Felipe Massa at Ferrari. His contract expires at the end of the season, and whilst Ferrari are being coy about any ongoing talks, it’s the world’s worst kept secret that they’re considering several replacements. Paul di Resta, Sergio Perez, Heikki Kovalienen and even Mark Webber have been touted, and if we’re being completely honest, I don’t see how Massa can save his career now. He needs race wins, fast, and he can’t even get race podiums with the car and abilities he has right now. It will be no surprise to anyone if Sergio Perez quietly slips into a scarlet racing suit and takes his place after the end of the season.