Monaco GP 2008

[donskar]

Monaco should be a race where driver talent emerges as the deciding factor. Rain, fewer driver aids, extremely tight circuit: all add up to a chance for Alonso, Kimi, and Hamilton, and possibly a young gun to shine. Unfortunately, it's also an excellent place for DC's antics. Let's hope for an exciting and injury-free race.

I don't expect Ferrari to go from Zero to Hero this weekend, but I hope they do. They certainly have not shone at Monaco for the past few years. Wonder if BMW will pull a super-light qualifier in order to get the pole? They might take a gamble on being able to dictate the race if they can lead into turn 1.

I assume Massa is feeling less pressure after his recent performances, but this weekend could help establish him as a more complete driver than he has shown in the past. Or start the clamor for his head again.

[Ray]

Unfortunately, it's also an excellent place for DC's antics.

Jesus I hope not. The only one that wasn't his fault was Spain. Remeber how he cut off Heikki last year? I expect more of the same from him this weekend. And if it doesn't happen I'll be surprised.

I'm kinda bummed cause I won't see it till the following weekend. Going on a road trip to see my Dad next week, so I'll have to stay away from you guys this coming week.

[Ciro Pabón]

Jarno Trulli is good at Monaco. He has beaten his team partner 11 times in Monaco.

I hate the track but I love the race. The memories I have of JPM victory there are unforgettable: I was watching the race at 5 am maybe when my son woke up. He sat on my knees and we watched the race in silence, without any sound (I had muted the TV because my wife was asleep). When Stefania gave JPM the flowers for the winner he asked me who the girl was. I'll never forget the look in his eyes when I said she was a princess. Since then, he always complains about the lack of princesses in Bahrain and Catalunya.

Good luck, Ben, take the camera, watch the girls. Have a nice trip, Ray, say hello from us, tell your dad we think he educated you well...

Vamos, Alonso, a por lo tuyo.

[Shi Ruan]

Extreme wets or intermediates?

Either way, there is going to be ALOT of safety car periods.

Maybe this is Fernando's chance?

Chris

Yeah, but what about the tyres?

*rimshot*

[Ray]

Have a nice trip, Ray, say hello from us, tell your dad we think he educated you well...

Wait wait wait. Hold the phone! Who said I was educated? But seriously I do brag to him all the time how much I like this community. You guys are great!

[freedom_honda]

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg_5Q3Ore ... re=related
i know this has nothing to do with monaco.
but i dont think this worth having a new thread.
so just a quick question.
can they say that bridge wing is a movable aero device?
because its angle of attack does change a little at high speed.

[WhiteBlue]

this is pretty much what they crucified Ferrari for in 2006. Renault have a strut between the nose and the wing to prevent this. I recon there will be protest soon.

[rkn]

There alreay was protest last year after Barcelona when McLaren introduced it, but it was still deemed legal...

[vyselegend]

can they say that bridge wing is a movable aero device?
because its angle of attack does change a little at high speed.

I remember Laffite on french TV saying that after an enquiry it has appeared that the movement wasn't beneficial at all, actually it mess up its aero behavior, and there is a sensible drop of performance coming from that. So it would be better for Mac Laren to add a little strut, but this is there own problem as they don't gain anything from letting it free.

I'm not sure what to think about it honestly, adding a strut seems so easy, they must have a reason not to do it...Jacques Laffites isn't a very reliable source anyway.

I'm happy to see Williams is in good shape here. Rosberg's pace on soft was impressive, and on board views of his car on the prime compound showed a very stable and clean behavior. The car felt comfortable from that view. Nakajima's 9th time isn't ridiculous too, I guess the team have had their set-up good right from the beginning. I reckon they'll be a force to count with this week end, especially Nico.

Torro Rosso seems to discover in pain that you must have a good knowlege of your car to set it up correctly round the Monaco city track. I know they had the Ricard test, but on the radio Vettel litteraly said he was totally lost, they tried some totally differents directions and none seemed the least bit workable. He's last on the sheet, and Bourdais 18th time isn't very promising either. A difficult week end in prospect for the STR outfit...

[Scotracer]

Watching the Free Practice sessions, I am worried about tyre wear. I noticed, especially for Hamilton, that the cars are almost always breaking traction under acceleration and at the end of some of the runs, the tyres almost looked like slicks. This was quite apparent on the Renault of Alonso (before he binned it ) that rear tyre wear was very high, even on relatively short runs. This was on the Prime tyres too, which makes me even more worried about the Option.

Back onto Hamilton; even though he was fastest in 2nd Practice, the Mclaren does seem to be struggling for traction, accelerating the wear.

I'm keeping an eye on it.

[WhiteBlue]

I think the tyres will be pretty safe. Perhaps they will wear very quickly and teams may have to restrict the stint on the super soft option to just a few laps.

I thought the practise was very entertaining and it is good to see the cars sliding. it is exciting and not very dangerous due to low speed where they slide.

[scarbs]

From the live web feed, Kubica’s engineer was heard to say the option tyres would not last three laps, thus the prime tyre was going to be the race tyre.

However the track is only just rubbering in, Which is why everyone had so little traction and so much understeer. If no rain falls the softer option tyres might come into their own for teams that can manage tyre wear. Mac have a particular issue with rear tyre wear and so do Red Bull, its clear one lap pace on soft tyres is not going to foretell the whole story on story, overtaking at Monaco notwithstanding.

[Scotracer]

I think the tyres will be pretty safe. Perhaps they will wear very quickly and teams may have to restrict the stint on the super soft option to just a few laps.

I thought the practise was very entertaining and it is good to see the cars sliding. it is exciting and not very dangerous due to low speed where they slide.

Oh yes, it was brilliant to watch...especially Glock's big slide out of the swimming pool and Alonso lighting up the rears before going into the pits during FP2

[myurr]

From the live web feed, Kubica’s engineer was heard to say the option tyres would not last three laps, thus the prime tyre was going to be the race tyre.

However the track is only just rubbering in, Which is why everyone had so little traction and so much understeer. If no rain falls the softer option tyres might come into their own for teams that can manage tyre wear. Mac have a particular issue with rear tyre wear and so do Red Bull, its clear one lap pace on soft tyres is not going to foretell the whole story on story, overtaking at Monaco notwithstanding.

I was watching the timing board quite closely alongside the video feed and I don't think Hamilton has a problem. On the prime tyres he was faster than the Ferraris on almost every lap during some quite long runs, and even on the option he was faster over a couple of laps even if the longer run pace was a little slower - but not massively so.

[myurr]

Oops quoted the wrong post. Never mind.

Anyway gives me the chance to add one other point, which is that Hamiltons long run pace on the prime seemed faster than Ferrari on either tyre. Could prove decisive if he can qualify at the front.