Monaco GP

Anyone have any thoughts?

I don't it's as difficult as everyone is making out to overtake at Monaco. Seen it plenty of times in the past, so this is by no means an easy one for Mercedes. Not to mention the strategy that can come into play.

Having said that, if someone like Raikkonen can one-stop - I think we might have a winner.

 

I would like a brit to win it and it would be good if Hamilton did it.

 

Strategy the key. If anybody does a one stop its likely they will win. Lotus are most likely to do a one stop out of all the teams. Red bulls are good round here, I think webber has a chance. There's only a few over taking places on track, but its geared up for a good one.

 

It would be good but he's been shy of his team-mate all weekend.

Annoyingly, it'll probably end up being Vettel. Would like to take a bet on a Grosjean crash as well

 

The Mercedes haven't a chance. Even if they hold their positions after the start, which isn't guaranteed, their tyres will disintegrate in no time. I doubt if those behind will even need the pit stops to pass them. They'll be getting round them at the end of the tunnel.

So, a Rosberg Hamilton 1-2 then.

 

I'm a big Lewis fan, admittedly, so I'd like him to win. But I don't see the Mercs holding onto position.

I think one of the Red Bulls will win.

Rain would have added some spice to the race but it's forecast a decent afternoon.

 

I think the 80 odd year history of the suggests overtaking is difficult. Though I like you, would certainly give it a bash!

The Mercs have a fantastic qualifying set up but just aren't up to a race yet. They are going to burn out pretty quick but will still be hard to get round and I can see a very congested front field up until the first pit stops, which annoy the fck out of Vettel and possibly lead to a overheating of the brain. Good.

If either of the RBs gets a good jump at the start and can get to the front we might as well all go home, but I don't think they will and they have two very fast and wily old dogs behind them. Chances are good also for a silver German mobile chicane spoiling it for everybody.

But saying all that, Kimi for me, tomorrow and the championship. Hail the mighty return of Lotus!!

 

Yeah, Kimi for me is my favourite of all time. I really hope he can clinch another world title - deserves it.

This is one of my most fondest memories of him, what a lap! Funnily enough, this lap would still have been good enough for pole this weekend. It's also worth noting how much better they used to sound back then. Damn!

[video=youtube;nMc8qy6U1o0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMc8qy6U1o0[/video]

 

My thoughts...

Dull race as usual. At least the champagne will flow for the obscenely rich. Absolute disgrace that the French have long lost their GP yet this remains. There are plenty of street circuits and more in the pipeline so the 'closeness to the wall' argument doesn't really wash either.

Tyre wear is thought to be less of an issue this weekend so maybe Mercedes do have a chance.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Pah! Rich boys and their toys...never been a sport.

 

Re: My thoughts...

I sooo wish I was there paying way too much for …. everything and watching blurred adverts go past at 120mph. If I was really lucky I might spot Bernie Ecclestone with his smug, 'I've got all your money' grin. Ah well, I'll just have to settle for not watching it on TV then.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Monaco's a great event and entertains millions, surely that would get people over their envy of the champagne guzzlers?

 

Re: My thoughts...

Well put it's such an overated grand prix.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Monaco can be very exciting, it can also be very dull. It all depends on how the FIA want to play it. Unfortunately they go down the very dull and safe route far too often.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Couldn't agree more, Dreamboy. And I'm a big F1 fan.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Some really ill-informed supposed F1 fans on here. Missing the point of F1 completely.

Maybe it's my fault for posting about this topic on a footy forum but if you're not interested, just stay off the thread.

For those that are - I'm always happy to talk F1

 

Re: My thoughts...

Who has missed the point of F1? And what is 'the point' of F1?

 

Re: My thoughts...

I don't get that. Do you follow F1, super?

Any way, It's usually a great spectacle, Monaco. I'm just hoping the Beeb are showing it! We chat about F1 on here all the time, so I wouldn't be too concerned, it's not as if we are taking up footy space. Golf talk should be banned though. In fact just ban golf.

 

Re: My thoughts...

The highlights are on BBC later I think.

I follow F1, watch every race, qualifying and practice session on sky (sorry) but have never actually been to a race (too expensive) and don't pretend to know all the technicalities of the sport or why certain things work like they do.

What I meant was that F1 can be at its most exciting when there is a risk of crashing. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to see any injuries but I think with the brilliant design of the cars these days a crash doesn't automatically mean injury so I think you can reduce one without necessarily ruling out the other. At monaco for example the chicane after the tunnel has caught out a lot of drivers in the past and resulted in many crashes, now if you misjudge it you simply drive on through. The risk of an accident is gone and that causes sterile boring races. What is wrong with allowing more accidents there while making it safer so those accidents don't result in injury. I believe that actually HAVE made it so that anyone running into the end of the wall shouldn't be injured after somebody who's name escapes me went into it the other year. For me they should be concentrating on making sure that it is safer like this without removing the risk of having an accident.

Remove a wall completely allowing drivers to simply drive off the track and rejoin or make the wall much safer so there are no injuries but still a risk that it'll ruin your race? I know which I want to see.

The other reason I say that the FIA are making it too safe and too dull is the removal of refuelling which has not only removed an exciting part of the race where there is a risk of a problem occuring (a problem such as it not fuelling properly or of the hose getting stuck holding the car up, not a fireball, nobody wants to see that) but also led to boring races because of the extra weight putting pressure on the tyres and leading to drivers going slow to stop the tyre wear. Which leads me nicely on to tyres. It's pathetic that cars are running at 80% just to save tyres because the FIA have ballsed it up again, F1 should be 100% effort. Then there is the weather, the slightest hint of rain these days and the race is halted. Get them out there and get them racing. And don't get me started on safety cars every 5 minutes when they're not needed. That is my big worry at Monaco, that one little accident and the safety car is out for 10 minutes even though it is perfectly safe to send marshals onto the track under double waved yellows, especially ones as quick as in Monaco.

 

Re: My thoughts...

People saying that it's dull. No Grand Prix is dull to an F1 fan - especially not Monaco. Forget 120mph, these guys are doing at least 170mph into Casino square and are inches from death at every corner.

F1 is about the spectacle. The pinnacle of automotive technology, mated to the very best drivers in the world - taking themselves and the machines to the very limit. It's about the power and the noise that these cars generate and the balls it must take to drive one flat-out.

I worry that some people would just like to see more crashes and then class that as greater entertainment. It's only because the drivers are so good that they don't (cue first corner pile-up this afternoon haha).