Bridge Over Troubled Water

When it rains, it pours. On the Ile Notre Dame yesterday it poured, and poured and poured like you would not believe. The heavens opened and the safety car was in pole position for the start of the race.

The racing did get underway but before you knew it he was out again on lap eight, keeping the drivers firmly in their positions. Back in he went, then out he came again, this time on lap 20. This was all before the red flag emerged five laps later, keeping spectators and drivers on tentahooks. More than two hours later the race finally restarted. The day was already long but it was to feel much, much longer by the time the cars passed the finish line.

It was draining, hard to follow, hard to strategise; the rain threw up dilemma after dilemma. As the end of the race drew closer, things were looking good for LRGP. Very good in fact. Nick in fifth, Vitaly sixth, but with the German set to overtake Kamui Kobayashi, some high-end points beckoned.

Alas, it was not to be so perfect. Nick was highly unfortunate on lap 56 when he ran into the back of Kamui which promptly ended his race. Vitaly managed to sweep up 10 points for the team after finishing fifth, but there was a real sense that even more was possible. With a bit more luck, fourth, or even third were attainable.

Not today, not this time we sighed. Our result was far from a miserable one, it was satisfying but the day could have provided more. We have learnt lessons and moved on from Monaco, and our season now looks to be moving in the right direction once again. From that, there is comfort to be taken.

If we use points as an indicator, then it was a satisfactory day at the office, not a great one. As they might wish to phrase it in Montreal, pas mal.