Jenson Button had a lucky moment in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, as a drain cover was sucked up off the road off Nico Rosberg’s car and whacked into the front of Button’s car. Fortunately, the heavy metal piece struck Button’s tire and not the middle of the front of the car, but it wrecked Rosberg’s wing.
Normally, these drain covers are welded shut for street courses, but this one somehow wasn’t secured. Either way, Button told that he was grateful the manhole cover didn’t cause more damage, either by flipping up towards the cockpit or striking the front of the car head-on:
We were lucky in the way it damaged the car, it stayed quite low on the ground, which is good — that’s all I’ve got to say about it.
Qualifying just wrapped up for the Monaco Grand Prix, which is set to take place on Sunday. Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo is on pole for the first time ever. Not a Mercedes on pole! I repeat: not a Mercedes on pole!