2015 Monaco Grand Prix - 21-24 May

[hattrick]

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Media Kit .pdf

[godlameroso]

The changing of the barrier at the swimming pool won't really make the lap any faster, it just makes it easier to not clip the barrier with your rear tires. Maybe Maldonado will make it through unscathed.

[bill shoe]

You must take into account that Mehri is not a paying driver, for example in Barcelona he had to let Stevens overtake him with no reason.

http://formula1.autobild.es/noticias/ro ... anero-5163

Very skeptical that Mehri doesn't pay. Seems unlikely Manor could take a non-paying driver. Also seems unlikely that Manor regards Mehri as the very best available non-pay driver in the world.

The must-let-Steven-pass thing may be contractual, but it could be a matter of Stevens paying more or having a longer-term contract. My impression of the Mehri situation is that it is race-to-race because if another driver offers more money then he has no right to keep the seat.

To Mehri's credit, he seems to be showing well in a team situation that is obviously very difficult and struggling to qualify, etc. He seems to be doing as well as could reasonably be expected.

[zioture]

[mikeerfol]

As you guys said before, Hamilton will chose whether he starts Q3 in front of or behind Rosberg http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamil ... -monaco-q3

[Nathanael F1]

You must take into account that Mehri is not a paying driver, for example in Barcelona he had to let Stevens overtake him with no reason.

http://formula1.autobild.es/noticias/ro ... anero-5163

Very skeptical that Mehri doesn't pay. Seems unlikely Manor could take a non-paying driver. Also seems unlikely that Manor regards Mehri as the very best available non-pay driver in the world.

The must-let-Steven-pass thing may be contractual, but it could be a matter of Stevens paying more or having a longer-term contract. My impression of the Mehri situation is that it is race-to-race because if another driver offers more money then he has no right to keep the seat.

To Mehri's credit, he seems to be showing well in a team situation that is obviously very difficult and struggling to qualify, etc. He seems to be doing as well as could reasonably be expected.

I also heard that Mehri doesn't get simulator time - if so he really is doing fairly well.

[SamH123]

If there is a track where I expect Kimi to beat Vettel in quali it is here and at Spa.

Really? I had Monaco as a pretty weak track for Raikkonen

Since his return a few years ago, he hasn't done particularly well at Monaco/Singapore.
I thought that was something to do with not having a driving style to get enough heat in the tires maybe

[Nathanael F1]

If there is a track where I expect Kimi to beat Vettel in quali it is here and at Spa.

Really? I had Monaco as a pretty weak track for Raikkonen

Since his return a few years ago, he hasn't done particularly well at Monaco/Singapore.
I thought that was something to do with not having a driving style to get enough heat in the tires maybe

Didn't Raikkonen set the fastest lap last year?

[godlameroso]

Pirelli have introduced a new Super Soft tire for this year, apparently the tires last and have huge grip. A possible strategy could be to do quarter distance on the soft tires to start and then switch to super softs for the remainder of the race. Seeing as how the super softs can have comparable degradation to the softs that a one stop is feasible, you could still gain a significant advantage and maintain it by switching to the super softs at the right time.

You would have to pit so that your stint on super softs is the same length as everyone else's stint on super softs, but you would be starting on primes, so you would have to make your pit stop no later than 40% distance as a rough estimate. If you can work the primes you will only be a second a lap slower for about half of your stint and may even be faster than the other cars at the end of your stint, plus you may get lucky and fly in some clean air during everyone else's pit stops. You'll also have the added benefit of being 1 second faster than all your closest competitors for a good period of time. It's certainly a gamble but one that can certainly pay off especially as a midfield strategy.

We'll have to see how the tires perform on Thursday, and hope the weather doesn't throw us a wild card

[SamH123]

If there is a track where I expect Kimi to beat Vettel in quali it is here and at Spa.

Really? I had Monaco as a pretty weak track for Raikkonen

Since his return a few years ago, he hasn't done particularly well at Monaco/Singapore.
I thought that was something to do with not having a driving style to get enough heat in the tires maybe

Didn't Raikkonen set the fastest lap last year?

He pitted very late after an incident though didn't he, so it's irrelevant

in Qualifying

2012 Monaco +0.56 to teammate
2013 Monaco -2.6s but it was wet/drying so I assume Grosjean made a mistake in Q2
2014 Monaco +0.703 to teammate

2012 Singapore +0.732 (Q2 comparison because Kimi didn't make Q3)
2013 Singapore +0.701 (ditto)
2014 Singapore +0.263

some quite large gaps there

[Vasconia]

I also heard that Mehri doesn't get simulator time - if so he really is doing fairly well.

True, so I think he is doing a decent job. But it is not easy for him to end the race almost lapped but his teammate.

[Vasconia]

Pirelli have introduced a new Super Soft tire for this year, apparently the tires last and have huge grip. A possible strategy could be to do quarter distance on the soft tires to start and then switch to super softs for the remainder of the race. Seeing as how the super softs can have comparable degradation to the softs that a one stop is feasible, you could still gain a significant advantage and maintain it by switching to the super softs at the right time.

You would have to pit so that your stint on super softs is the same length as everyone else's stint on super softs, but you would be starting on primes, so you would have to make your pit stop no later than 40% distance as a rough estimate. If you can work the primes you will only be a second a lap slower for about half of your stint and may even be faster than the other cars at the end of your stint, plus you may get lucky and fly in some clean air during everyone else's pit stops. You'll also have the added benefit of being 1 second faster than all your closest competitors for a good period of time. It's certainly a gamble but one that can certainly pay off especially as a midfield strategy.

We'll have to see how the tires perform on Thursday, and hope the weather doesn't throw us a wild card

I hope too to see a dry thursday but I pray for a wet Sunday, I dont want another boredom! even If I love this track.

[raymondu999]

Pirelli have introduced a new Super Soft tire for this year, apparently the tires last and have huge grip. A possible strategy could be to do quarter distance on the soft tires to start and then switch to super softs for the remainder of the race. Seeing as how the super softs can have comparable degradation to the softs that a one stop is feasible, you could still gain a significant advantage and maintain it by switching to the super softs at the right time.

You would have to pit so that your stint on super softs is the same length as everyone else's stint on super softs, but you would be starting on primes, so you would have to make your pit stop no later than 40% distance as a rough estimate. If you can work the primes you will only be a second a lap slower for about half of your stint and may even be faster than the other cars at the end of your stint, plus you may get lucky and fly in some clean air during everyone else's pit stops. You'll also have the added benefit of being 1 second faster than all your closest competitors for a good period of time. It's certainly a gamble but one that can certainly pay off especially as a midfield strategy.

We'll have to see how the tires perform on Thursday, and hope the weather doesn't throw us a wild card

If you're pitting at 40% distance - why would you get clean air? The others would be stopping at the counter? 60% distance?

Hard to find clear air in Monaco though. I remember Button trying to do a 3-stopper which was the theoretical fastest strategy in 2011 but struggling to find enough gaps - even though there were indeed laps when he was just pulling away at a second a lap from Vettel.

[iotar__]

He pitted very late after an incident though didn't he, so it's irrelevant
in Qualifying
2012 Monaco +0.56 to teammate
2013 Monaco -2.6s but it was wet/drying so I assume Grosjean made a mistake in Q2
2014 Monaco +0.703 to teammate
2012 Singapore +0.732 (Q2 comparison because Kimi didn't make Q3)
2013 Singapore +0.701 (ditto)
2014 Singapore +0.263
some quite large gaps there

Wet qualifying + Permane 2012-... = sending one driver at the wrong time or into traffic

Going back to rookies, marketing tools found the new one, "new Senna" is limited and going stale and this one is vague enough and sounds good. Tost, Toro Rossi: "Kvyat has the champion gene". Weakly dose of self promotion as a substitute for driving. http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433 ... franz-tost

New super soft = old soft = same tyres at the start = one stop.

[Silent Storm]

Really? I had Monaco as a pretty weak track for Raikkonen

Since his return a few years ago, he hasn't done particularly well at Monaco/Singapore.
I thought that was something to do with not having a driving style to get enough heat in the tires maybe

Didn't Raikkonen set the fastest lap last year?

He pitted very late after an incident though didn't he, so it's irrelevant

in Qualifying

2012 Monaco +0.56 to teammate
2013 Monaco -2.6s but it was wet/drying so I assume Grosjean made a mistake in Q2
2014 Monaco +0.703 to teammate

2012 Singapore +0.732 (Q2 comparison because Kimi didn't make Q3)
2013 Singapore +0.701 (ditto)
2014 Singapore +0.263

some quite large gaps there

[/quote]
In Singapore 2014 he was faster than Alonso in qualifying but his car broke down so he could not do his final run.

And in Monaco 2014 Raikkonen was running 3rd after Vettel's retirement and was matching the pace of both the Merc.