219 replies to this topic

[Lights]

The first free practice session in Monaco starts in 2 days and 18 hours - yes, that quick, isn't it?
So I thought it would be good to have a preview thread for this classic GP.

This race brings surprising results more often than not. Who will surprise this year? Does everyone think Red Bull will keep up dominating? Or will a different team rule in the streets of Monaco? And what information is there about the updates all teams will bring to this race? There's really no time to upgrade the cars, but for this specific race the car needs to adapt a lot or else it's completely useless.

[otoelpiloto]

ferrari won't bring the f-duct, instead they'll use a conventional engine cover and rear wing

[MadYarpen]

one thing I know. They should be racing every week!

[Alfisti]

Assumin git's dry then who th ehell knows? On paper you'd say RBR but they have struggled here over the past few years. Webber is a genuine gun at Monaco, hustling Minardi's, Jag's and the 06 Williams way further up the grid than they were at other races. On paper, he should have Vettel covered as he did last year. However, will the little voices start to get in Mark's head that he should beat Vettel at Monaco and the as the pressure mounts .... well .. not Mark's strong suit.

[Lights]

ferrari won't bring the f-duct, instead they'll use a conventional engine cover and rear wing

As far as I know, McLaren is going to do the same.

[Lights]

Assumin git's dry then who th ehell knows? On paper you'd say RBR but they have struggled here over the past few years. Webber is a genuine gun at Monaco, hustling Minardi's, Jag's and the 06 Williams way further up the grid than they were at other races. On paper, he should have Vettel covered as he did last year. However, will the little voices start to get in Mark's head that he should beat Vettel at Monaco and the as the pressure mounts .... well .. not Mark's strong suit.

He has indeed been very strong here on various occasions, but has a long list of retirements aswell IIRC.

At the moment, Webber might think 'I've nothing to lose' even more than Vettel.

[SSCC]

For Ferrari f-duct in monaco is a carzy idea. There's almost no straight that makes you're car faster and the pilots won't have time to move the hand from right to left.

[HMV]

I've already donned my shaman suit complete with nosebone piercing and ceremonial, 5 foot long gourd and I'm performing the Rite of Rain in Monaco.

[Fastcake]

I'm expecting (or rather hoping) for a surprise here in Monaco. The track can often give an advantage to some cars and drivers, and a outstanding qualifying lap here will certainly give a podium. Also, if there's going to be a crash into the barriers, probably from the back, during qualy, well several guys will end up caught out.

[Nustang70]

He has indeed been very strong here on various occasions, but has a long list of retirements aswell IIRC.

At the moment, Webber might think 'I've nothing to lose' even more than Vettel.

Yes, a bunch of retirements, but, according to wikipedia, they were all due to mechanical failures. However, Vettel did outqualify him by four tenths last year.

[gaston_foix]

i think Ferrari and RedBulls will be the cars to beat. I don't think McLaren will be too good on those slow and bumpy corners... but i could be wrong...

[BullHead]

I predict..... possibly Shuey on the front row. His comeback proper?

[MinT]

Boring - Valencia with added boats.

[BullHead]

oh, the enthusiasm!

[MortenF1]

Totally expecting pole to be contested between Webber and Hamilton, while Williams (Barrichello) should also figure higher than normal. I think maybe Ferrari will be a little less competitive and probably Mercedes too. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Kubica in the top six.

...all this, if it's dry. Then again if it is wet I would still expect to see Webber and Hamilton looking like the likeliest two for the front row.
As always I look so much forward to this one!

Edited by race addicted, 10 May 2010 - 16:48.

[George Costanza]

I predict..... possibly Shuey on the front row. His comeback proper?

Why not, he loves Monaco and won it 5 times... And should have won in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2003 and 2006...

[The Ragged Edge]

Most of the weather forecasts predict rain on Thursday and Saturday. Sunday is 40% chance of rain.

[apoka]

What about Kubica? Could he surprise in Monaco? He was 2nd two years ago (last year, BMW was a dog at Monaco) and good qualy pace is everything at this track.

[MortenF1]

Why not, he loves Monaco and won it 5 times... And should have won in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2003 and 2006...

2002? Pfft, he was beaten fair and square, what do you mean?

I'm not sure but I wouldn't be surprised to see Mercedes a little less competitive here. I'm not sure they'll be too good over the chicane-kerbs and through the swimming pool. In addition they might still not know all the tricks with their updated car yet.

[Alfisti]

What about Kubica? Could he surprise in Monaco? He was 2nd two years ago (last year, BMW was a dog at Monaco) and good qualy pace is everything at this track.

For all the talk of Monaco allowing drivers to make a difference, whilst it does more than an average track you still see patters in the type of cars that are suited to the track and when was the last time someone really threatened with an upper mid field car? Webber in 06 is the only one i can remember and Rosberg looked handy that weekend too from memory.

[PNSD]

2004???!!! his crazy saftey car driving in the darkness of the tunnel cost him!

[mclarensmps]

I think qualifying is going to be eventful and we will see at least two safety cars during the race.

[MortenF1]

What about Kubica? Could he surprise in Monaco? He was 2nd two years ago (last year, BMW was a dog at Monaco) and good qualy pace is everything at this track.

I've already mentioned him
I think he should do well. He's good round here (his Q-lap here in '07 was pretty sensational, matching Heidfeld with a lot more fuel on board) and my impression is that the Renault is relatively nimble.

Edited by race addicted, 10 May 2010 - 17:17.

[Muppetmad]

The Renault does have good traction, though, which is vital at Monaco. I would love for a surprise from Robert here.

[fat.monkey]

The Renault does have good traction, though, which is vital at Monaco.

AND... a short wheelbase.

[MortenF1]

For all the talk of Monaco allowing drivers to make a difference, whilst it does more than an average track you still see patters in the type of cars that are suited to the track and when was the last time someone really threatened with an upper mid field car? Webber in 06 is the only one i can remember and Rosberg looked handy that weekend too from memory.

Webber '06 is of course a good example. DC the year before was slowly catching Heidfeld who ended up second on a two-stopper while DC was on a one-stopper fueled to go to lap 50 or 51.

[George Costanza]

2004???!!! his crazy saftey car driving in the darkness of the tunnel cost him!

That was Montoya's fault, wasn't it?

[Lights]

That was Montoya's fault, wasn't it?

Ask Juan himself.

[alecc]

AND... a short wheelbase.

AND... lack of downforce...

[eoin]

The race could be a lottery with rain and SC's due to all the new teams/drivers. I think it will be much closer at the front this weekend but Redbull will probably still have a couple of tenths in dry conditions.

[fat.monkey]

AND... lack of downforce...

AND... you are right.

[wingwalker]

I really hope Kubica is going to get on podium here. He did exceptionally well in 2007 pace wise (I think he was 3rd fastest, but strategy didn't work out for him) and in 2008. R30 is said to have good mechanical grip, so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see fireworks from him.

edit: and d/f efficiency is not really that important in Monaco. Yes, cars are in highest d/f configuration that, but that due to the lenght (or lack thereof) of the straights.

Edited by wingwalker, 10 May 2010 - 18:41.

[Muppetmad]

AND... lack of downforce...

Downforce isn't critical at Monaco - whilst the race is run on low downforce, there aren't any major medium/high speed corners that require good downforce. Slightly worse downforce will cost fractions of a second, not a huge amount. We saw how Robert did at FP in Melbourne on a track which has more reliance on downforce - the only reason speed was lost later on was due to the cold conditions.

Edited by Muppetmad, 10 May 2010 - 18:28.

[korzeniow]

AND... lack of downforce...

You ruined the fun

[MortenF1]

Downforce isn't critical at Monaco - whilst the race is run on low downforce, there aren't any major medium/high speed corners that require good downforce. Slightly worse downforce will cost fractions of a second, not a huge amount. We saw how Robert did at FP in Melbourne on a track which has more reliance on downforce - the only reason speed was lost later on was due to the cold conditions.

Everyone sets their car up with maximum downforce. And you need that downforce sweeping through the Casino and certainly through the swimming pool section. Otherwise mechanical grip is of course at a premium.

[buzatlas]

I'm expecting dry all 4 days and qualifying will define positions - SC cars or not.

I'm betting on a fight Alonso-Vettel...and Webber (I remember he was once very fast on a Williams Cosworth).

[korzeniow]

I'm expecting dry all 4 days and qualifying will define positions - SC cars or not.

I'm betting on a fight Alonso-Vettel...and Webber (I remember he was once very fast on a Williams Cosworth).

Why Alonso?

[ButtonJ]

Why Alonso?

Have you not seen his Picture?

[hunnylander]

Downforce isn't critical at Monaco - whilst the race is run on low downforce, there aren't any major medium/high speed corners that require good downforce. Slightly worse downforce will cost fractions of a second, not a huge amount. We saw how Robert did at FP in Melbourne on a track which has more reliance on downforce - the only reason speed was lost later on was due to the cold conditions.

Monaco is a (very) high downforce track. You need as much as you can get.

It's only the efficiency of the downforce, the ratio between downforce and the induced drag, which is less cruical in Monaco, than on other tracks. This is because of the slow speed nature of the track.

[buzatlas]

Why Alonso?

F10 has a lot of mechanical grip and that suits Monte Carlo.

[korzeniow]

Have you not seen his Picture?

Yes, but I'm still hoping for an argument because I don't see Alonso in fight for the win mostly because I think McLaren is faster team now

[korzeniow]

F10 has a lot of mechanical grip and that suits Monte Carlo.

But in Span their S3 time wasn't so good. They were very good in quick S1 where Alonso was trading records with Red Bulls.

[Muppetmad]

Monaco is a (very) high downforce track. You need as much as you can get.

It's only the efficiency of the downforce, the ratio between downforce and the induced drag, which is less cruical in Monaco, than on other tracks. This is because of the slow speed nature of the track.

Whoops, sorry! I meant high downforce - I really ought to read what I write ;)

What you have written is exactly what I was trying to get at.

[Olabandola]

Why Alonso?

Well if anyone is gonna be a threat to the red bulls its either Alonso or Hamilton. Even though he has had some bad luck and his starts has been really poor his quallifying has been stellar and qualifyingis everything in Monaco. Hamilton has been spectacular in the races but his qualifying has been far from great.

[buzatlas]

At Barcelona (aero track) they had introduced a most imperfect f-duct (with room for development) and they will not run it at Monaco.

As for Mclaren they 'limo' will not help them much at Monaco.

[PNSD]

Webber verses Lewis imo.

[hunnylander]

At Barcelona (aero track) they had introduced a most imperfect f-duct (with room for development) and they will not run it at Monaco.

As for Mclaren they 'limo' will not help them much at Monaco.

The limo will be fine.

The F10 is also a limo, it has shorter wheelbase by only a couple of centimetres. And in overall length, the F10 is the longer because of its long nose and far back hanging rear wing.

[buzatlas]

There's also those famous bumps.

[AvranaKern]

Here is Spanish GP 3rd sector times (in qualifying):

6 M. WEBBER 27.681
5 S. VETTEL 27.761
3 M. SCHUMACHER 27.969
1 J. BUTTON 28.059
8 F. ALONSO 28.101
2 L. HAMILTON 28.114

I wouldn't write Schumacher off.

Edited by ali.ünal, 10 May 2010 - 19:59.

[carbonfibre]

Im just going enjoy the sight of seeing Michael Schumacher turning the wheel off a F1 car through the narrow streets of Monaco once again.

Just pure magic.