STR Places A Losing Bet In Monaco

One would have to imagine that the prevailing sentament in the Scuderia Toro Rosso garage after the Monaco GP was over was; "If only...". STR took a gamble on the weather which, if it worked, could have put them comfortably in the points - possibly even on the podium: But the weather didn't cooperate, and the team came up short on their bet.  

The day started with Daniel Ricciardo in the 15th grid spot and Jean-Eric Vergne in the 16th: Both drivers having advanced one spot aftera  post-qualy penalty was handed down to Williams driver Pastor Maldonado. Daniel got the better start of the two, but would damage his steering column later on in the race, forcing his early retirement. JEV would slide backwards at the start, then slowing work his way through the mid-field contenders.

By late in the race Vergne was in the top ten, but his tires were shot. With rain threating to pour down at any moment, the team decided to gamble on switching to Intermediate tires, hoping that the Frenchman would be able to carve his way through the top of the order. Unfortunately, the rain held off until after the GP was over, leaving JEV to gingerly pick his way around the course, losing positions as he tried not to destroy his tires: He would ultimately finish in the 12th position.

Here are STR's post-race comments:

Daniel Ricciardo:

"I had a good start after which I had to avoid an incident ahead of me but I was able to make up a couple of positions from that. I was behind Di Resta who was running the Prime tyre on a different strategy to me on the Option. We had good pace and I tried to attack, but I couldn’t manage it. I tried to stay out as long as possible on the Option tyre but then I started to lose pace, so I came in for the Prime, hoping to run to the end of the race. I came out in clear air and got into a rhythm before ending up in a train behind Kovalainen and Button. I tried to pass the McLaren but it was not so easy. Then I clipped a kerb at Turn 15. At the time I did not feel anything, but one lap later the steering felt very loose so I came into the pits as the car was no longer safe to drive. Despite all that, from a driving point of view, I really enjoyed myself until my retirement."

Jean-Eric Vergne:

"After the start, lots of cars in front of me cut the corner at the first turn and I found myself behind the Marussia and I was losing a lot of time. I was on a one stop strategy and to try and get me out of the traffic, we made an early stop. From then on, I ran at a very good pace, which I am happy about and I was as high as seventh. I was lapping quickly and consistently. But with around 14 laps to the end, my tyres were completely gone and I had to come in for the Intermediates, but the rain was not strong enough. It’s a real shame about the laps I lost in traffic at the start because without that I could have been comfortably in the points today. I am looking forward to Canada, as it’s a track I particularly like even if I have not been there and I will go there really hungry to get a good result."

Franz Tost (Team Principal):

"The heavier rain that finally arrived as Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber was on the podium celebrating a great win came too late to keep Jean-Eric in the points. Because he found himself towards the back of the field in the early stages after several cars got ahead of him on the opening lap by cutting the chicane, we brought him in early to switch to the Soft tyre with which he would go to the end of the race on a one stop strategy. Unfortunately, the tyres we fitted on lap 17 were therefore not in the best condition when some very light drizzle began to fall. As he had very little grip on the worn tyres, we brought him to fit the Intermediates on lap 71, but the rain which would have helped him fight for tenth place did not come soon enough. Rain, or the lack of it, also affected Daniel’s strategy. We kept him out late on the Supersoft in the hope we would call him in for rain tyres, but it did not happen and, as those around him picked up their pace, when he left the pits he therefore found himself at the back of that same group. In the end, we elected to retire his car in the pits after impact with a kerb appears to have damaged the steering."

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My appologies for the tardiness of this report and for not posting a qualifying recap. I was at the Indianapolis 500 this past weekend and did not have timely access to a computer. I promise that will be more punctual through the rest of the season.