ContinueRound Eight and a trip back to Spain for the European Grand Prix in Valencia.
Valencia's tight street circuit draws parallels with that of Monaco, and similar to the principality, it is not traditionally a track suited for over-taking.
It was expected that the pole sitter would be able to run away with the race, and following Sebastian Vettel's blistering pole on Saturday that is exactly how it looked as though it would pan out. However, in a topsy-turvy season in which anything can actually happen, the script was thrown out of the window yet again.
As per usual, here are a handful of points worth mentioning.
Schumacher Finally Going In The Right Direction
Michael Schumacher's third place was exactly the boost his faltering season needed.
Two points from seven races is not the sort of form you'd expect from a driver of Schumacher's calibre, even if he is past the peak of his powers. But for someone like the seven-time world champion that sort of return is damaging.
That's why it was important for Michael's season that he scored well in Valencia, and a spot on the podium was just the remedy.
It's been a long time since Michael Schumacher was able to enjoy that feeling, in fact his last podium was the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix victory, and this latest one, the 155th of his career, will remind him what it is to be great again.
His quip in the drivers' post-race press conference that he didn't even know he finished third will make his achievement all the more sweeter, and hopefully, will rekindle the fire we have yet to see since his return.
Alonso First To Break The Two Win Barrier And He's Worth It
There will be many people who question whether Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton should already be on two victories this season, but against all odds it's Fernando Alonso and his troublesome Ferrari who has reached that landmark, and rightfully so.
Admittedly the Spaniard has rode his luck a lot this season, and in Valencia it was no different, but he has always consistently out-performed a car which at the beginning of the year had no right to be called a Ferrari.
Victory in Malaysia was a surprise, but in Valencia, starting from 11th on the grid, it was a near impossibility.
The city's tight street circuit is akin to that of Monaco, with little overtaking, but Alonso diligently worked his way through the field, and with the help of a safety car and the retirements of two of the leading cars, became the first man to win around Valencia from outside of the top three.
It is a just reward for a driver who has had to grin and bear it for the early part of the year.
Hard Luck Grosjean, But It Will Come
It's difficult not to be impressed with Romain Grosjean. I waxed lyrical about his abilities as a driver in the Canadian Grand Prix round-up a fortnight ago, so I'll keep this short.
We should be talking about his fourth podium (and possibly first win) of the season, but instead are left to praise him for yet another stellar drive in the Lotus.
Following Sebastian Vettel's retirement, victory was realistic for the Frenchman but for a cruel mechanical failure.
It will be a travesty if Lotus fail to win a race this season, and it looks increasingly as though Grosjean could be the man get it.
Nightmare Weekend For McLaren, But Silverstone Is Next
On aesthetics alone, McLaren have a great car. It is by far the best looking on the grid, and after the opening race of the season, looked like the front running machine.
Driver errors, pit-crew mistakes and mechanical hiccups have ensured that this has been a less than smooth start to the season for the Woking boys, but following Lewis Hamilton's victory in Canada it looked as though they had finally turned a corner.
And to be fair to Hamilton, who said on Saturday that he was surprised to have qualified as high as he did, he could well have built on his victory a fortnight ago if it wasn't for the mindless driving of Pastor Maldonado.
Hamilton was rightly frustrated, even though he refused to be drawn on the incident after the race, and his team-mate Jenson Button tried to put a gloss on a difficult weekend, by claiming that the car "feels good underneath me".
Luckily for the McLaren boys Vettel's failure to finish means that they are still in a reasonably healthy position in the drivers' and constructors' championships, and with a homecoming at the high down-force Silverstone you'd expect a better showing.
Valencia Proves It Can Be Exciting In An Unpredictable Season
After qualifying in ninth place on Saturday, Jenson Button dismissed any shocks or surprises in Sunday's race by claiming 'It's Valencia, nothing happens at Valencia.' While usually the 2009 world champion would be right, in a season with so many twists and turns, he couldn't have been more wrong.
Traditionally, the tight street circuit offers little for the spectator, as races are won on strategy and pit stops, but this year, the drama and incident was there for all to enjoy.
A handful of collisions, paired with a safety car incident and mechanical failures for two of the front-running cars just added to a race which saw excellent performances, notably from Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber and Nico Hulkenberg.
With Silverstone next up on the calendar, expect more of the same from a race which is usually plagued by the unpredictablilties of the weather as much as it's racing.
Read more blogs and articles by Simon Knights here. Follow Simon Knights on Twitter @SimonKnights
