2015 Monaco Grand Prix - 21-24 May

[iotar__]

You can't read the times at all, Vasconia, even less than usual. It started to rain about 30m in, and went nonstop until the end of the season, so everybody was on even more different parts of the programme.

What different programs (honest question)? Apart from time constraints FP2 in Monaco is not really that complicated: first softs, then super softs, then some some heavy fuel runs, tyre degradation and strategy is not much of a problem. Most of them had the time to set their fast laps, results look normal, only Williams missing (their usual way or slightly slower?). Super softs and some set up changes could change the balance of course.

Why did they ruin the swimming pool section? It was the place for a driver to make a difference by risking and skills. I'm not buying "the exit is still tricky".

[Vasconia]

Merhi crash

http://www.gfycat.com/AgedTheseBaiji

Bad news, because he has been ahead of his teammate in a track where drive skills matter more.

[turbof1]

Merhi crash

http://www.gfycat.com/AgedTheseBaiji

That looks really bizarre. after he hits the barrier a first time he almost was standing still. Then suddenly he accelerates again, obvious to see what the amount of wheelspin accompagnied, which causes him to hit the barrier again. Looks like glitch in his car or something.

[LookBackTime]

[mrluke]

Merhi crash

http://www.gfycat.com/AgedTheseBaiji

That looks really bizarre. after he hits the barrier a first time he almost was standing still. Then suddenly he accelerates again, obvious to see what the amount of wheelspin accompagnied, which causes him to hit the barrier again. Looks like glitch in his car or something.

Maybe he was hoping it would point the nose away from the barrier, but when it just pushed the nose forward instead he hit the brakes?

[Nathanael F1]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFi7ac7UsAI6se6.jpg:large

Why are some of the numbers in bold?

[F1NAC]

resurfacing at the moment at Tabac

[Jordan44]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFi7ac7UsAI6se6.jpg:large

Any idea at all why Lewis has used another control electronics? That seemed to be the case throughout last year also.

[McMrocks]

Merhi crash

http://www.gfycat.com/AgedTheseBaiji

That looks really bizarre. after he hits the barrier a first time he almost was standing still. Then suddenly he accelerates again, obvious to see what the amount of wheelspin accompagnied, which causes him to hit the barrier again. Looks like glitch in his car or something.

Maybe he was hoping it would point the nose away from the barrier, but when it just pushed the nose forward instead he hit the brakes?

Don't think he was accelarating. The wheel started rotating as he lift the brakes (possibly to end the lock-up so that he could steer)

[BanMeToo]

Merhi crash

http://www.gfycat.com/AgedTheseBaiji

That looks really bizarre. after he hits the barrier a first time he almost was standing still. Then suddenly he accelerates again, obvious to see what the amount of wheelspin accompagnied, which causes him to hit the barrier again. Looks like glitch in his car or something.

I disagree. He is definitely not moving slowly after the first hit - you are being tricked by the extreme zoom level of the camera. Totally normal crash. What you call 'accelerating again' is in fact Merhi letting off the brakes. The tires stop sliding when he does that and vector the car in the direction they are facing.

When a camera is zoomed in so far like this it is way easier to see something move left or right than tell whether it is coming toward or away from you.

[tomazy]

There were only 3 long runs of 20+ laps in FP1 (soft tires), I know this doesn't mean that they had the same fuel on board or anything really, just throwing some numbers out there.

Rosberg:

23 1:43.976
24 1:26.267
25 1:25.661
26 1:23.395
27 1:22.425
28 1:22.104
29 1:21.715
30 1:22.022
31 1:21.273
32 1:26.340
33 1:21.442
34 1:20.642
35 1:20.459
36 1:21.006
37 1:27.249
38 1:20.939
39 1:20.768
40 1:21.105
41 1:22.358
42 1:25.396
43 1:20.528
44 1:21.186

Massa:

10 1:29.673
11 1:22.715
12 1:21.364
13 1:20.385
14 1:20.175
15 1:24.016
16 1:21.353
17 1:23.668
18 1:20.713
19 1:20.402
20 1:19.766
21 1:20.962
22 1:24.839
23 1:20.382
24 1:20.421
25 1:20.617
26 1:20.484
27 1:27.376
28 1:23.148
29 1:20.428
30 1:29.836
31 1:21.714

Bottas:

10 1:44.316
11 1:24.889
12 1:22.544
13 1:31.276
14 1:22.817
15 1:21.396
16 1:21.571
17 1:33.910
18 1:23.061
19 1:23.398
20 1:21.191
21 1:25.967
22 1:32.966
23 1:21.279
24 1:48.034
25 1:25.482
26 1:24.975
27 1:26.818
28 1:24.634
29 1:21.199
30 1:26.833
31 1:26.164
32 1:20.917

Massas and Rosbergs runs were quite consistant, Bottas was all over the place lap time vise.

Link to PDF lap data

[Nathanael F1]

resurfacing at the moment at Tabac

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFjIMUtUkAEjZdD.jpg

According to Sutton, it was caused by a sink hole. https://instagram.com/p/29OW9EpyqK/

[Miguel]

You can't read the times at all, Vasconia, even less than usual. It started to rain about 30m in, and went nonstop until the end of the season, so everybody was on even more different parts of the programme.

What different programs (honest question)? Apart from time constraints FP2 in Monaco is not really that complicated: first softs, then super softs, then some some heavy fuel runs, tyre degradation and strategy is not much of a problem. Most of them had the time to set their fast laps, results look normal, only Williams missing (their usual way or slightly slower?). Super softs and some set up changes could change the balance of course.

Why did they ruin the swimming pool section? It was the place for a driver to make a difference by risking and skills. I'm not buying "the exit is still tricky".

What I meant is I believe each team runs with different fuel levels, plus a semi-qualy simulation on FP1/2. With the reduced lap times we may have seen some teams already run their fast laps, while others may have been doing heavy car setup. To be fairly honest, and given that monaco is the shortest track with the smallest fuel usage and effect, it's possible those differences are eroded. Plus rain was forecast anyway. However, I still believe that leads to times that are somewhat less representative than usual. Not saying they're completely meaningless though.

And good freudian slip for the full season of rain

[SparkyAMG]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFi7ac7UsAI6se6.jpg:large

Any idea at all why Lewis has used another control electronics? That seemed to be the case throughout last year also.

I think the first one was ruined/faulty in Malaysia Free Practice. He's been on number 2 since then.

[ian_s]

That looks really bizarre. after he hits the barrier a first time he almost was standing still. Then suddenly he accelerates again, obvious to see what the amount of wheelspin accompanied, which causes him to hit the barrier again. Looks like glitch in his car or something.

Maybe he was hoping it would point the nose away from the barrier, but when it just pushed the nose forward instead he hit the brakes?

Don't think he was accelarating. The wheel started rotating as he lift the brakes (possibly to end the lock-up so that he could steer)

that rear left wheel definitely starts to spin slightly when he comes off the brake, and that sends him forward into the wall for a second hit. Whether he did that himself or it was the car trying to keep the engine running, I have no idea. i would have thought that if both rears are locked then anti-stall would have kicked in so the PU shouldn't be providing any drive at all?