Grand Prix thread Official Not606 Monaco Grand Prix Chat and Predictions

Massa dumped it already.

 

Now seems like a good time to vote or Hamilton. So I have.

 

Ricciardo with the stinky finger hahaha.

 

That McLaren chassis looks good

Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso came to Monaco full of confidence, aware this was a great chance for significant points for McLaren. Honda even predicted competitiveness throughout the weekend. But they're down in 13th and 15th at the moment.
'It is their chance, but it's not looking like their chance at the moment.' says Paul di Resta.

 

2015 Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes) {Q3} 01:15.098
2014 Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes) {Q3} 01:15.989
2013 Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes) {Q3} 01:13.876
2012 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) {Q3 not pole} 01:14.301 WEBBER (RBR) {Q3} 01:14.381
2011 Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull-Renault) {Q3} 01:13.556***
2010 Mark WEBBER (Red Bull-Renault) {Q3} 01:13.826***
2009 Kimi RAIKKONEN (Ferrari) {Q2, not pole} 01:14.514***
2008 Felipe MASSA (Ferrari) {Q2} 01:15.110***
2007 Fernando ALONSO (McLaren-Mercedes) {Q2} 01:15.431***
2006 Kimi RAIKKONEN (McLaren-Mercedes) {Q2, not pole} 01:13.532***
2005 Kimi RAIKKONEN (McLaren-Mercedes) 01:13.644**
2004 Jarno TRULLI (Renault) 01:14.439*
2003 Ralf SCHUMACHER (Williams-BMW) 01:15.259*
2002 Juan Pablo MONTOYA (Williams-BMW) 01:16.676
2001 David COULTHARD (McLaren-Mercedes) 01:17.430
2000 Michael SCHUMACHER (Ferrari) 01:19.475
1999 Mika HAKKINEN (McLaren-Mercedes) 01:20.547
1998 Mika HAKKINEN (McLaren-Mercedes) 01:19.798
1997 Heinz-Harald FRENTZEN (Williams-Renault) 01:18.216
1996 Michael SCHUMACHER (Ferrari) 01:20.356
1995 Damon HILL (Williams-Renault) 01:21.952
1994 Michael SCHUMACHER (Benetton-Ford) 01:18.560
1993 Alain PROST (Williams-Renault) 01:20.557
1992 Nigel MANSELL (Williams-Renault) 01:19.495
1991 Ayrton SENNA (McLaren-Honda) 01:20.344
1990 Ayrton SENNA (McLaren-Honda) 01:21.314
1989 Ayrton SENNA (McLaren-Honda) 01:22.308
1988 Ayrton SENNA (McLaren-Honda) 01:23.998
1987 Nigel MANSELL (Williams-Honda) 01:23.039
1986 Alain PROST (McLaren-TAG/Porsche) 01:22.627
1985 Ayrton SENNA (Lotus-Renault) 01:20.450 2.058
1984 Alain PROST (McLaren-TAG/Porsche) 01:22.661
1983 Alain PROST (Renault) 01:24.840
1982 Rene ARNOUX (Renault) 01:23.281
1981 Nelson PIQUET (Brabham-Ford/Cosworth) 01:25.710
1980 Didier PIRONI (Ligier-Ford/Cosworth) 01:24.813
1979 Jody SCHECKTER (Ferrari) 01:26.45
1978 Carlos REUTEMANN (Ferrari) 01:28.34
1977 John WATSON (Brabham-Alfa Romeo) 01:29.86
1976 Niki LAUDA (Ferrari) 01:29.65 2.058
1975 Niki LAUDA (Ferrari) 01:26.40 2.037
1974 Niki LAUDA (Ferrari) 01:26.3 2.037
1973 Jackie STEWART (Tyrrell-Ford/Cosworth) 01:24.8
1972 Emerson FITTIPALDI (Lotus-Ford/Cosworth) 01:21.4
1971 Jackie STEWART (Tyrrell-Ford/Cosworth) 01:23.2
1970 Jackie STEWART (March-Ford/Cosworth) 01:24.0
1969 Jackie STEWART (Matra-Ford/Cosworth) 01:24.6
1968 Graham HILL (Lotus-Ford/Cosworth) 01:28.2
1967 Jack BRABHAM (Brabham-Repco) 01:27.6
1966 Jim CLARK (Lotus-Climax) 01:29.9
1965 Graham HILL (BRM) 01:32.5
1964 Jim CLARK (Lotus-Climax) 01:34.0
1963 Jim CLARK (Lotus-Climax) 01:34.3
1962 Jim CLARK (Lotus-Climax) 01:35.4
1961 Stirling MOSS (Lotus-Climax) 01:39.1
1960 Stirling MOSS (Lotus-Climax) 01:36.3
1959 Stirling MOSS (Cooper-Climax) 01:39.6
1958 Tony BROOKS (Vanwall) 01:39.8
1957 Juan Manuel FANGIO (Maserati) 01:42.7
1956 Juan Manuel FANGIO (Lancia/Ferrari) 01:44.0
1955 Juan Manuel FANGIO (Mercedes) 01:41.1
1950 Juan Manuel FANGIO (Alfa Romeo) 01:50.2
* 1 lap qualifying rules starting in 2003
** 2 laps aggregate qualifying rules starting in 2005
*** 3-tier knock out qualifying rules starting in 2006

 

We will definitely see some crazy times come q3.

 

Pretty Shocking:

Confirmation that it was a loose drain cover that Nico Rosberg drove over and subsequently hit Jenson Button. This session will not restart.

'It's unacceptable in many ways because these things should be checked,' says Johnny Hebert. 'They should be welded down.'
Charlie Whiting is down at Turn One looking at the drain cover in question. They'll need to get that sorted out before GP2, and Practice Two.

 

I thought the drain covers were welded into place as these things have happened in the past?

Is it just because a weld cracked, so they all need to be checked?

 

Well they should be, it seems strange that it would break or work free in the first session.

 

"Awesome Hamilton Dominates in Monaco

How quickly a driver can get to the limit at a track that is bounded by walls and run on normal city streets is always regarded as one of the best measures of the level of his naked talent. Hamilton's first flying lap was 1.472 seconds quicker than Rosberg managed on his second lap. Rosberg then went 0.1secs quicker, only for Hamilton to beat him by 1.839secs with a lap of one minute 18.302.

Their next laps, in succession, were:
Rosberg 1:19.129, Hamilton 1:17.381
Rosberg 1:18.585, Hamilton 1:16.588, Rosberg 1:18.480.
After a break, Rosberg did a 1:17.890, which Hamilton followed with a 1:16.097; Rosberg did a 1:15.835, then Hamilton a 1:15.537, before his team-mate finally got down to 1:15.638.

From Hamilton, it was the sort of performance that defines an image, that will be remembered down the years as illustrative of a towering talent.

He then made a couple a errors, cutting the chicane after misjudging his entry, and then going straight on at the first corner Sainte Devote, without any damage."

Benson at his finest!

 

Its true (even though embarrassing to read - especially the in depth detail), however Benson fails to acknowledge that at this stage it means the square route of fuk all!

 

Baldy Benson and Cocky Crofty need to share a room.

 

It could have been really bad - ironic considering the cockpit protection debate.

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...its-dislodged-drain-cover-during-monaco-gp-p1

 

Mark Hughes' Practice Pointers- Mercedes, though fast on the ultra-softs over one lap, is graining its fronts quickly - giving serious implications for the first race stint. Trying to improve.
- Watch ultra-soft comparison between Mercedes and Red Bull very closely. Could turn out to be key to victory on Sunday.

 

Might that actually make pole less important at Monaco than usual? Rather than start from pole on super softs and have to pit after 2-3 laps, sacrifice the front row of the grid to run on softs, bide your time until the SS-runners pit, then start to build a gap so the super softs can be ran right at the end of the race? Means a higher risk going into the first corner, and the ever likely safety car could screw your strategy, but it's not unworkable.

 

If its a Merc lock out it would make sense for RB or Ferrai to consider it.

 

Go on Danny lad!

 

Oh dear Eric! (They had a 1.4 Delta in FP2 in Spain)

In McLaren watch, Jenson Button is now their lead runner in ninth place - 1.7 seconds off the pace.
The team often look better in practice than is the case in qualifying, so will they perhaps be a little underwhelmed by their showing so far today?

 

Only problem is most teams have very very few Super Softs or Softs to use. The other thing is top 10 use tyres from Q2 so a team could use softs in Q2 and Ultra Soft in Q3 to get pole and still start on softs!
It will be interesting to see what the teams do.

 

Hamiltons replacement driver is going well, that'll teach him for stealing pictures.