Fisico maximus

Sometimes, no matter what a driver does, things just don’t fall his way in a race. It’s what happened to Fisi last weekend in Monaco…. Fisico arrived in Monaco full of hope for a strong showing. The R26 was flying on Thursday and Saturday, and he really felt in the groove around the narrow streets. But then, qualifying just didn’t come together for him.

His first flying lap in Q3 saw him hit traffic, the second was spoiled by the yellow flags in Rascasse, and then a retroactive penalty was applied that deleted his best times from Q3 and left the Italian tenth on the grid – to become ninth after Michael Schumacher was put to the back. Without the penalty, Fisico would have started fourth – ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya, who went on to finish second…

“Fisico started the race in the worst possible conditions,” explained Denis Chevrier, Renault’s Head of Trackside Engine Operations. “He had a fuel strategy that had been designed based on a qualifying position at the front of the field. Then he was put amongst cars that were heavier fuelled – and who had a clear strategic advantage over him.”

As he went to the grid, Fisico had a steely glint in his eye. He knew that it was going to be a long afternoon, but also that he had the opportunity to do something special by driving an aggressive race. He would be in traffic for much of the Grand Prix, but his fate was in his own hands. If he could make things happen for him, then maybe he could score points, and overcome the disadvantage of his starting slot. The Italian knew that he would have to work hard just to hold his position by the flag.

The first signal of intent came as he exited Ste Devote on lap 1 – and elegantly disposed of Jarno Trulli on the run up the hill, a move to be replicated by Kimi Raikkonen one lap later on Mark Webber at the front of the field. After that, the first stint saw him holding station, pressuring the cars in front without ever quite being able to pass them. But in the second part of the race, he cut loose – disposing of Rosberg, Coulthard, Villeneuve and Liuzzi in the space of just over ten laps…

Alas, much of it was for nought when the Safety Car came out on lap 49, allowing the one-stopping cars to continue as Fisico dove for the pits –negating the advantage he could have built up in the ten laps he still had left to race before he would have pitted for the second time. But even so – it’s not every day you knock down a myth, and in Monaco, Giancarlo did just that. Overtaking at Monaco is impossible? Not any more…!

“It was a pretty special afternoon,” grinned Fisico after he had completed 78 gruelling laps. “To overtake just one person in Monaco is an achievement, but five is something I am quite proud of to be honest. I think people saw on TV when I got Coulthard and Villeneuve into the chicane, but the cameras missed the move when I got Rosberg on the entry to Mirabeau – and also Liuzzi, when I went round the outside in Rascasse! It was pretty adventurous out on the marbles, but the line seemed to work quite well…”

In football, people like to talk about “bouncebackability” – the capacity of a team to deal with the knocks and come back even stronger. Fisico has it in spades – and on the way to sixth place and three valuable points, he treated the fans to a spectacular display of F1 driving as well. He, for one, can’t wait for Silverstone. He loves the track and its high speed sweeps – and the R26 ran well there in testing. “We know we will be quick. We want both cars on the podiums,” concluded a determined Fisi as he left Monaco on Sunday evening, third in the drivers’ championship and hungry for more.