ContinueThis weekend was the Monaco Grand Prix, arguably the one race that everyone looks forward to. Whether you're an avid watcher of Formula One, or just an occasional viewer, the glitz and glamour of the blue riband event pulls in the viewers.
Despite not being a track for overtaking, we were offered some great racing, ending with a six car train all battling for the victory come the end of proceedings.
As per usual, here are a handful of points worth mentioning.
Webber Shows He Still Has Worth At Red Bull
Over the last year Mark Webber has looked increasingly like a surplus driver at Red Bull. The affable Aussie has been forced to play second fiddle (rightly or wrongly) to Sebastian Vettel, who last year could not put a foot wrong as his team-mate often appeared out of sorts.
However, during the winter he promised that this would change, that he would prove that he is still the man for the job and that talk of him keeping the Red Bull seat warm for the rumoured arrival of Lewis Hamilton was nonsense.
Two years ago Webber gained the moniker as a one lap specialist, grabbing five pole positions in the season. Now it appears as though he is slowly gaining the title of the modern day Monaco specialist, having twice won the race in three years, and perhaps more importantly for Red Bull, ensuring that it is now three times in a row that they have claimed top spot in the principality.
Webber may not be setting the grid alight, but he brings a calming reassurance to Red Bull, who have appeared uncertain at times this season. His cool head during the closing stages of the Grand Prix, where he led a train of six drivers for the last ten laps, was nothing short of impressive.
It may not have been as nail-biting as Senna and Mansell's duel in 1992, but it certainly had you interested, and showed Mark as a very worthy winner.
His age and experience will prove invaluable to Red Bull as the season unfolds and it may just be the reason for giving him a new one-year contract.
Schumacher's Poor Fortune Continues
Love him or hate him, at times it's hard not to feel a little sorry for Michael Schumacher.
Since returning to Formula One he has consistently been out performed by the impressive Nico Rosberg, and when he looks like showing glimpses of his brilliant past, something crops up to ruin it.
A fortnight ago, I did slate the seven-time world champion for pointing the finger of blame elsewhere too often, but on Sunday I couldn't help but to feel a little gutted for him.
Admittedly it's his own fault that he was handed a five place grid penalty from Spain, which ultimately denied him pole position, but there was a feeling that given the lack of overtaking around Monaco, Schumi could well have been looking at his first win since returning.
After spending a fair chunk of the race tucked up behind Kimi Raikkonen, his race was compromised, and while he did look better after finding some clear air, this time the racing Gods cut his afternoon short with mechanical failure.
Better luck next time Michael.
Hamilton's Frustrations Will Not Help Anyone
Let's get one thing straight. Lewis Hamilton is a fantastic driver, world class even. But his moaning is starting to wear a bit thin.
He's not had the easiest of runs this season, but has still managed a handful of decent results despite the best efforts of his team. Pit stops have not been McLaren's forte this year and have been the difference between victory and runner-up for the British driver, but to be quite blunt that's just racing.
It would be unfair not to acknowledge Hamilton's gripes, but it would also be fair to point in the direction of his former team-mate Fernando Alonso, who admitted the Ferrari he was handed was awful, but just got on with the job of outperforming it.
His luck will change, but with McLaren rumoured to be offering Hamilton a new £100 million, five-year contract, the question of whether he is worth it begs to be asked.
Caterham Show They Deserve To Be On The Grid
First they were Lotus Racing, then they were Team Lotus and now they are Caterham. The tumultuous few years of Tony Fernandes' team hasn't offered the perfect platform for growth, but you've got to hand it to the guys from Norfolk.
Lesser teams may have folded, but Caterham have stuck it out, proving to everyone that they deserve their spot on the grid, and now their performances are starting to pay dividends.
Vitaly Petrov's arrival may have brought some financial stability, but it is the work of Heikki Kovalainen on the track which has been the biggest positive this year for the team.
His solid thirteenth place around Monaco marks his best result for the season, and shows a level of progression the team would be encouraged by. Now with a working KERS system and a more than capable Renault engine powering the car, Caterham look like breaking into the midfield sooner rather than later.
Kovalainen's fending off of Jenson Button was a particular highlight and showed that the Finn can still mix it with the rest with a half decent car under him.
Is This A Golden Generation For F1?
Just before the season began, I asked the question whether this was the strongest field in Formula One history? Six races and six different winners later, it looks like that could be answered emphatically.
A brief look over at the drivers' championship sees 17 points separating the top five. And while it is still pretty early in the season, there is a clear indication that this could certainly be one of the tightest seasons in recent memory.
Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that Pastor Maldonado would be a grand prix winner, that Sergio Perez would be challenging for victory and that Nico Rosberg would start to show the sort of form he has promised ever since entering F1?
This season marks thirty years since Keke Rosberg won the championship with only one victory, and while the nature of a twenty race calendar make that increasingly unlikely, it is not unfathomable to think that a driver could win three races and claim the title.
The unpredictability of Formula One this year will naturally be met by those loving it and hating it. It may not be a vintage year for driving, but whichever camp you sit in, one thing is for certain, it's pretty exciting.
