2013 Monaco Grand Prix

[stefan_]

More importantly, what is the weather like in Monaco?

Just saw the Porsche Supercup race and it is sunny, completely different than what we had yesterday in qualifying.

[iotar__]

When Webber took 3 straight poles (and what looked to be three straight victories) from Catalunya to Turkey in 2010, people also got a bit caught up in the whole thing, thinking that he had now gotten the measure of Vettel. Whilst it was a very impressive stretch of form, Web didn't sustain it throughout the whole season.

All I am saying is let the whole season play out first before you say one driver is a better qualifier than the other. Definitely praise Rosberg for three consecutive poles, but a sample size of six qualifying sessions isn't enough to determine which Merc driver is the better qualifier.

More importantly, what is the weather like in Monaco?

Of course, we rarely get clear picture in F1, sample of races and circumstances played its part in this particular rivalry. I think it's more a case of L.H. being worried about his reputation than anything else and if Rosberg was 0,05 slower and Hamilton 0,05 faster yesterday we wouldn't be hearing about any "struggles" and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Breaking not Monaco news: Mercedes cheating with tyre test . No worries, Brawn's Ferrari buddy Jean Todt will help them like he did with illegal DDRS.

[SectorOne]

At Australia, Rosberg was noticably faster than Hamilton in the dry but ended up half a second slower in damp conditions in Q3. Same situation in Malaysia, Rosberg ended up 8 tenths slower in Q3.

These are the dry qualifyings so far:
China: Lewis -0.377
Bahrain: Rosberg: -0.432
Spain: Rosberg -0.254
Monaco: Rosberg -0.091

At China Rosberg was also half a second quicker in FP1 and FP2. He had hydraulics issue in FP3 and couldn't do his qualy simulation. I would say Rosberg has the measure of Lewis in dry conditions so far.

Also 3 poles in a row is something Lewis hasn't been able to achieve in his whole career yet despite usually driving best or second best cars

Sorry but it´s Q3 that counts. Not FP´s or Q2´s...
It´s totally irrelevant who´s fastest in those sessions.

[AnthonyG]

No worries, Brawn's Ferrari buddy Jean Todt will help them like he did with illegal DDRS.

Shame you had to write this.

[SiLo]

What's this about Mercedes and tyres tests?

EDIT**

Just found the BBC article about it.

[Neno]

What's this about Mercedes and tyres tests?

EDIT**

Just found the BBC article about it.

Nothing really much, they just tested with "permission" of FIA new tires from Canada. In time when all testing in season are forbidden and when one team from those test getting advantage from others as they devolop new suspension just for those tests. But nothing much really...

[korzeniow]

Except that they tested with current car. No other team had this privilage!

Now Pirelli will build the tyres up to Merc tyre usage specification.... That's huge advantage

[rkn]

Merc still can't accept that all other teams have managed to make cars that suit the tyres, so they had to have their own 1000km test, which is completely unfair. Point of the regulations is to have a formula that you build the car according to, and this formula applies to everyone. Mercedes have essentially built a car that doesn't suit the formula, and then want to claim a further advantage over other teams. They knew they had to much tyre wear last year, chose to not do anything about it and subsequently they were left behind. Atm, i think Ferrari and Red Bull has the best compromise between speed and durability (essentially the name of the game these days), hence they are at the top. Mercedes must adapt to the circumstances around them, not the other way around.

[SiLo]

Yeah it seems a little unfair, but then if it went through the FIA there isn't much the teams can do really.

Predictions for the race? I reckon Rosberg and Hamilton will be line astern with Vettel all over them for a number of laps, before someone pits early into a bit of space and makes use of it.

[the user]

Except that they tested with current car. No other team had this privilage!

Now Pirelli will build the tyres up to Merc tyre usage specification.... That's huge advantage

On Sky Lauda said that one other team than Mercedes had already done a similar test with Pirelli. After that Brundle said the rumour is that was Ferrari after Bahrain.

[TheRMVR]

Yes Ferrari did so but they did it with a 2010 car, not the current one.
Mercedes tested 1000km over three days, with their current car. RedBull have formally protested just now and Ferrari is demanding clarification... the beginning of a big row..

PS: Its not illegal to test when Pirelli requests it but to be conform the FIA regulations of no testing during the season apart from a young drivers test or straight line test, you have to use a 2010 car, like Ferrari did. That is what all the fuss is about, not the fact that the test happened. Mercedes just had 1000 km in-season test with the 'new' Canadian spec tires on their latest 2013 car...

[SectorOne]

Merc still can't accept that all other teams have managed to make cars that suit the tyres, so they had to have their own 1000km test, which is completely unfair.

That´s not really true. You make it sound like Mercedes asked Pirelli to do some tests when in reality it was the other way around.

Pirelli asked Mercedes.

[myurr]

Mercedes say that they ran it past the FIA though and were given the green light. Also they didn't pack up their kit after the race like everyone else, instead preparing for the test. It should have been obvious to the other teams even if they weren't officially told.

[Neno]

Merc still can't accept that all other teams have managed to make cars that suit the tyres, so they had to have their own 1000km test, which is completely unfair.

That´s not really true. You make it sound like Mercedes asked Pirelli to do some tests when in reality it was the other way around.

Pirelli asked Mercedes.

I still wonder that, specialy when you see Toto Wolf negotiating with Hembrey in Spain, as Hembrey sweating under his pants. It could easly be that Wolf asked Pirelli to ask them officaly to be that team to test, but Mercedes betrayed that deal and brought 2013 car instead 2010. In this i can see why this test was in secret not public

[Blanchimont]

Can anybody remember in which practice session it was when a slowmotion of Raikonnen going through the swimming pool section was shown? The slomo showed a huge amount of sparks and you could see how every single one of them disappeared in a small explosion, it was very impressive and I'd like to see it again.

Anybody captured a video of it maybe?