2019 Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo, May 23-26

[djos]

The Renault's are looking respectable here at Monaco.

[tpeman]

So they won't drive for the rest of the practice?

No idea. Utter confusion but SKY are now saying it’s a lack of telem/radio.

It must be garage side though. Either that or one hell of a coincidence

Yeah, must be a pretty serious team radio issue then. Isn't the team radio an often issue in races though? Mercedes had a similar problem in 2017 (I think?). I remember when they reconnected it was something along the lines "Oh, Lewis, glad to have you back".

[Sierra117]

Lord, all I ask is for Paul to stop saying 'loud pedal' ...

[Phil]

Monaco will always benefit from more downforce, because downforce works at all speeds - the more you can add at low speed, the better, at Monaco.

Downforce increases with the square of the car's speed, so obviously, the amount is exponentially larger at higher speeds. Thus, on a track with the slowest corners of any track, the downforce difference is the smallest.

Optimizing tire performance is the key. You want maximum grip and want to be in the right temperature range at all times. This makes drivability equally important. Again; It's likely Mercedes will have the fastest package as they demonstratively showed that they understand the tires very well thus far and have a very good car, but it will likely not be a "slaughter" as S3 at Barcelona was. I'd imagine on a track like Monaco, driver insanity can make up (or break) quite a lot of laptime.

Arguably that is linked to driver confidence, which speaks for the Mercedes though.

[Restomaniac]

Lord, all I ask is for Paul to stop saying 'loud pedal' ...

Whilst he’s at it can he make him climb out of Ferrari’s backsides?

He seems unwilling to slam them for this season/car as he should. Others seem willing to do so.

[etusch]

I think agility is really something of the decider these past few years. Now that the cars are longer, this seems to affect the competitive order depending on how extreme you take it. Ferrari were fastest in 2017, then only 2nd fastest in 2018 when they switched to a long wheelbase car(which lost all its hyperagility from the year before), with Mercedes struggling both years with a particularly long wheelbase(even though we know they have great downforce). I would still put Red Bull as favorites this year for this reason, though it's possible Mercedes have simply upped their game enough elsewhere to overcome this disadvantage.

You're delluding yourself. Mercedes is on another league on the slow corners. Also, you brought out a common misconception that I often read on this forum(and in other places). The lengh of a wheelbase does not have an impact on the "agility" of a car, or it's low speed grip(Bottas almost got pole on 2017 with all the wheelbase difference). The only impact that longer wheelbases have is that you need more steering input for the same corner.

Mercedes, somehow, is extracting way more grip out the tyres(I think rear steering was speculated by amus on winter testings) and that will guarantee a confortable 1-2 on Q3. And if not, then it's drivers should feel totally ashamed for it.

İs 0.059 sec enough time for more steering input ? Mercedes has big advantage over rivals. This can bring them pole and win but it not cetain

[Juzh]

fp1

[bosyber]

How much later than Merc, Ferrari was Verstappens lap, and so how much time might be due to track evolution? (My f1tv didn't work, so only f1 app bbbc5live Radio to follow it)
It's good to see Verstappen split the Mercedes' but I think it best to keep some excitement in reserve for now.

Edit: also, what were Racing Point up to, did they actually run the hard Tyres, to be mixing it with the Williams'?

[Phil]

From the autosport ticker:

12:07 Ooooh, much better time from Verstappen now! The Red Bull pumps in a couple of personal bests in the first two sectors, then goes fastest of all in sector three to go second, 0.059s off Hamilton.

11:48 Yep... it changed. Hamilton goes back to the top of the times on a 1m12.106s - so times are now faster than they were in FP1 last year.

So... 19 minutes.

[Restomaniac]

How much later than Merc, Ferrari was Verstappens lap, and so how much time might be due to track evolution? (My f1tv didn't work, so only f1 app bbbc5live Radio to follow it)
It's good to see Verstappen split the Mercedes' but I think it best to keep some excitement in reserve for now.

Edit: also, what were Racing Point up to, did they actually run the hard Tyres, to be mixing it with the Williams'?

Stroll was certainly on the Hard Tyres as he was moaning like hell over team radio about it. He was pretty much told to shut up and get on with it as that was all he had to work with.

[SiLo]

So they won't drive for the rest of the practice?

No idea. Utter confusion but SKY are now saying it’s a lack of telem/radio.

It must be garage side though. Either that or one hell of a coincidence

Yeah, must be a pretty serious team radio issue then. Isn't the team radio an often issue in races though? Mercedes had a similar problem in 2017 (I think?). I remember when they reconnected it was something along the lines "Oh, Lewis, glad to have you back".

The team asked the FIA to black flag both drivers as they couldn't contact them to come back in the pits

[Jolle]

Bottas looks like he's trying to much this weekend.

[digitalrurouni]

https://imgr3.auto-motor-und-sport.de/V ... 590014.jpg

looks like Bottas was on Hamilton's Christmas list

Nice!! Good choice!! I love MVs!!

[bosyber]

...
Stroll was certainly on the Hard Tyres as he was moaning like hell over team radio about it. He was pretty much told to shut up and get on with it as that was all he had to work with.

Oh, did they take too few softs then?

Hm, yeah they are the only team that has two cars with both two sets of hard and two sets of mediums, leaving them with the least amount of softs of anyone (though shared with Williams who have three sets of medium, but that team isn't in the mix anyway).

Somewhat odd choice, for Monaco! Maybe they are trying to slow down Stroll initially, so that he doesn't take too much risk and crashes, but then, does Perez only get that same choice to not show him up too much?

[santos]

Unless some Mercedes crash, it will be an easy 1-2, saturday and sunday... again. Not even the qualy will be exciting.