Lewis Hamilton has managed to win at Monte Carlo after having won the race in GP2 only 2 year ago. Despite a mistake, he was able to profit from an excellent car and other's mistakes to comfortably lead the race as of the half way mark. Kubica is second while Felipe Massa ends in third place.
perhaps a chance to Heidfeld, Webber, Bourdais and Button to shine. it would be nice to have a new winner.
That woud be swell
It's still going to come down to quali'
If Kimi or Hamilton get the pole it's probably good night!
However if they are racing in drying conditions Ferrari may have an advantage
over McLaren We saw what Hamilton can do to a set of inter's
the Driving styles and the stratergies put to get together my predictions
1 kimi
2 hamilton
3 kubica
4 rosberg/massa
i have a feeling Hamilton will loose out on strategies in the race
axle wrote:If out right practice pace is anything to go by, a race compromised Rosberg could claim pole...
He could but I just can't see the Williams being consistent in terms of race pace so he'll have to either use the same strategy as the others and have lightning stops to stay in the lead or he'll rely on massive carnage when Massa realises there's no run-offs...whilst going through the armco.
We won't be here for the rest of the day. The news about the Monaco GP will be up a bit later than usual. In the meantime you can all entertain each other on the forum
The latest goss from the paddock in Monaco from Joe Sayward on Fernando Alonso - should we be surprised
Alonso signs for Ferrari
The word in the F1 paddock in Monte Carlo is that Fernando Alonso has just inked a deal to drive for Ferrari in 2010.
No confirmation is expected for a year, and there may be denials of any arrangement, as there would obviously be some serious knock-on effects for other parties in the F1 paddock.
Alonso went to Renault this year after splitting with McLaren unexpectedly at the end of last season. It was a stop-gap solution for the Spaniard, although it was dressed up as the big return to the team with which he won his two World Championships. This year the team's performance has been rather disappointing and Fernando has scored just nine points, while Nelson Piquet has failed to score and the team is languishing in seventh place in the Constructors' Championship. Unless there is a dramatic improvement soon the team will have no hope of finishing the year better than fourth in the championship and there have been rumours for some time that ING may be looking around at other opportunities.
Fernando has made no secret of the fact that he will consider other offers if they are sensible. He has been angling for a ride at Ferrari for some time. It may seem that is a rather premature move, but these days in F1 deals are being done much earlier than used to be the case. Kimi Raikkonen's deal with Ferrari, which began in 2007, was first reported as being done as early as October 2005. Alonso's 2007 deal with McLaren was announced in December 2005. Thus now would be the time that deals are being done for 2010.
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
It would not come as a big surprise. Keke has said that Kimi is going to call it a day when his contract expires.
Practise was intersting in the wet this morning. Alonso the quickest before Kubica.
Heikki fastest time was in the dry and is meaningless.
Quali will probably be thrilling.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
And Sutil proves he has something when things get skatey and damp - would be interesting to see him in a front line car - he'd probably fail but would be worth a look Webby is up there but Im not sure at what part of the session he was in when he set that time and how damp it was - gotta love Aussie TV i.e. none in the practice sessions and then we get to see qualifying at 5.30am tomorrow morning
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
The "New" (Schumacher/Post-Schumacher) Ferrari has shown a strong desire to maintain continuity through long-term succcession planning. Assuming Kimi bows out (a reasonable assumption) then Alonso would seem one of a VERY few drivers good enough to step in. Yes, there are excellent young drivers on the grid who have shown potential, but Alonso is a champion and has gone beyond potential to production.
IF it happens, good for Ferrari!
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill
What a great day of racing on tap tomorrow (Sunday):
Monaco
Indy
Charlotte 600 mile NASCAR
Monaco unmatched for glitz and glamor, but the actual racing usually is not the best; passing just too difficult (yes, yes, of course there are historical exceptions, but those exceptions just prove the rule). And, though I love F1 dearly, I can not get too worked up over a battle for 13th place. Now RAIN could change everything. In any event, I'll be up early to watch every second of it, rooting for Kimi/Massa and hoping Hamilton ends up in the Armco (uninjured).
Lots of press here in the states about Indy racing's best driver's defecting to NASCAR, too many to enumerate, but Danica Patrick looks primed to move to the big stock cars soon. Unlike F1, if it rains at Indy, no race. In the dry, we'll see the kind of close racing and frequent lead changes never witnessed in F1. Not the best drivers, and not the most advanced cars, but incredible speed, good RACING and great entertainment value. (And neither race ends with champagne . . .)
For close racing and frequent lead changes, it's hard to match NASCAR. And how "retro" - big heavy crude cars, with huge powerful lumps in front, barn door aerodynamics, and manly men wrestling them around within inches of each other for 600 miles. Shades of Fangio, Farina, and big swarthy guys in shirt sleeves and useless helmets. NASCAR is facing declining attendance and TV ratings, partially because (it's been said) of the artificial nature of the end game - seems in the last 50-100 miles of each race excessive yellows artificially close up the field.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill
I'm puzzuled by the up and down performance of the FW30. It was very good at Melbourne, vey slow at Sepang, at the end of the middle pack for the two following races, and now it is outpacing Renault at Monaco. Is it a coincidence, or is the car somehow "street circuit" biased? Both GP where it performed well are street races, whilst it had it worst perf at what I'd consider to be the track the most opposed to a street circuit, Sepang.
Btw, congratulations to Felipe Massa, clinching the pole on this particular track isn't easy, furthermore if you don't like it. I don't think fuel level has anything to do with pole here (consumption is only around 1kg per lap), although maybe Ferrari choose to qualy a bit lighter because of the high risk of rain tomorrow.
Monaco is always special donskar - lets hope it remains that way - Im hoping our boy Webber can shine like in previous years and get a podium - and he will hopefully if the wet stuff happens - Im not a red fan - Im of the old school Jack Brabham "damm those red cars" principle but all in good spirit. Im a Williams tragic from way back in the late 70s and before that Brabham and have no real driver affiliation except Alonso in the present field (and of course Webber).
The Indy 500 will be a cracker of a race I think - Ive watched it religeously for near 4 decades and last year I really thought our Aussie guy Ryan Briscoe couldve won it until the final rain closure - he just had all the speed and hes a real talent. This year well hes on the front row but I think his main competition will come from (not just Dixon whos a talent) but also Kanaan as well and maybe Wheldon but this race requires a lot of luck - we shall see.
The Charlotte 600 I wont catch but my mate who works for SpeedTV will send me the highlights - Im a superspeedway fan I love Tallegada & Indy with NASCAR - Im not a fan of the COT car
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson
Well, I guess THIS Ferrari handles OK at Monaco. With an all-red front row, tomorrow will be very interesting. Are the Ferraris running very light? One would be tempted to work out some "agreement" between Kimi and Massa. Not "team orders." NEVER that! [-X
Great to see Williams well placed. Hope they do very well.
IF the Alonso-to-Ferrari rumor is credible, what happens to Massa? Not likely Alonso wants a strong partner.
The last time I made a prediction, it worked, so I'll repeat it: whoever leads out of the first corner will win the race.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill
vyselegend wrote:
I'm puzzuled by the up and down performance of the FW30. It was very good at Melbourne, vey slow at Sepang, at the end of the middle pack for the two following races, and now it is outpacing Renault at Monaco. Is it a coincidence, or is the car somehow "street circuit" biased? Both GP where it performed well are street races, whilst it had it worst perf at what I'd consider to be the track the most opposed to a street circuit, Sepang.
I've been wondering the same. I think it may be that the FW30 has excellent traction (nearly on par with Ferrari) but has poor aero lift/efficiency (choose one). This results in a very competitive car in stop/go tracks and a truck in aerodynamically demanding tracks (Malaysia, Barcelona).
If this is true, Williams should be close to BMW in Canada, but awful in Magny-Cours (especially in sector 2). Silverstone will probably be as bad as Magny-Cours. All this, based on my non-engineer point of view and if the new engine cover doesn't fix Frank's cars.
Finally, I can't believe there's such a difference between Alonso and Piquet. And I'm an Alonso follower.
I am not amazed by F1 cars in Monaco. I want to see them driving in the A8 highway: Variable radius corners, negative banking, and extreme narrowings that Tilke has never dreamed off. Oh, yes, and "beautiful" weather tops it all.
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." Niels Bohr
Webby is up there but Im not sure at what part of the session he was in when he set that time and how damp it was - gotta love Aussie TV i.e. none in the practice sessions and then we get to see qualifying at 5.30am tomorrow morning 
