Monaco GP

Re: My thoughts...

I want to see more crashes but I want to see more because people are driving to the limit and because the circuit design doesn't 'play it safe' with run off areas everywhere. In my opinion the run off areas means that drivers don't have to be as good as they should be. I've lost count of the number of times this season I've seen a car go through a run off and carry on like nothing has happened, in previous years that would have been a crash and out of the race. By allowing them to make these mistakes without any punishment it is allowing them to be sloppier than previously. I also don't think that drivers are driving flat out to the limit using the best technology anymore, because of the FIA's involvement they are driving at around 80% with drivers regularly begging to be allowed to go faster and teams saying 'sorry old ****, we've put you on half power, don't even think about trying to go fast'. For me that makes it very dull because it isn't racing.

None of that is really specific to Monaco although I feel that Monaco was special for its risk of you not finishing and largely that has been eroded by changes.

 

Re: My thoughts...

I know what you mean. I often think the FIA are making up for decades of neglect in safety. And they can't risk upsetting the sponsors by tainting their products with death. Lewis said recently he would rather race in Senna's day when the sport had more of an edge.

TV coverage has become too good for it's own good. They track the cars so well it actually lessens the sensation of speed. The in car cameras look like video games, whereas in the old days you could feel them visibly melting and it added to the excitement. Also, the crash bang fast edit presentation sequences are actually more visually stimulating than the race itself. Which is okay for West Yorkshire tv zombies, but is one reason people find it boring.

Give me the old coverage any day. Calm before the storm. Static camera looking down the grid, heat haze coming up from the track, scurrying pit crew - hushed respectful tones of Murray Walker and posh boy 'no fools allowed' straight talking of James Hunt. I think I'll just get on youtube and go retro today.

 

Re: My thoughts...

It was watching the 1996 Monaco race that got me hooked on F1, something like 6 cars finished and Olivier Panis won. Since then Monaco has become one of my least favourite races to watch, very little over-taking so it's probably all going to be done on pit stop strategy...it's exciting when someone inevitably piles it in to a barrier but then you get 10 laps behind the safety car...yawn.

Canada is probably my favourite track, wish they all were all like that.

 

Re: My thoughts...

Good point about the TV coverage, I was watching practice the other day and was quite frustrated by the camera work. I'm sure I used to remember seeing a car come out of a corner, get followed by one camera all the way down the straight in a long sweeping fashion and then cut to a second camera for the next corner and so on. On friday I counted the number of camera's used in a 20 second clip, there were 16. 16 chuffing camera's in 20 seconds following one car. And the car was only in view for about 9 of those 20 seconds as they were more focused on showing the track before the car got to it and as soon as it appeared they cut to the next one and so on.

 

Re: My thoughts...

That was the most exciting race I ever saw. Actually only 3 finished with every car that made it to the end getting on the podium

 

Re: My thoughts...

It was, any race which is more or less 50/50 wet/dry is usually brilliant.

I don't know how places like Bahrain are still on the calendar - not a very interesting track, a very high margin for error with all the run off areas and zero chance of rain.

 

Re: My thoughts...

I think I can consider myself an F1 fan. I've been watching the races on TV for well over 30 years and I've seen a fair few British Grand Prix live at both Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Unless I've been out of the country on holiday, I don't think I missed watching a race on TV for 25 years until the BBC stopped showing every race last season. I don't have Sky.

However, I've seen a number of extremely boring Monaco Grand Prix where virtually nothing has happened. I've seen a number of good ones too, but I reckon at least half of them have been a procession from lights to flag. Yes, it takes an incredible amount of skill to drive the Monaco circuit at such speed and yes the cars get extremely close to the barriers, but once you've seen that a few times it's very easy to become blasé about it. Every few years the camera technology is developed and we see new, exciting, on board pictures that really illustrate how fast the cars are moving and how close to the barriers they get, but you soon grow accustomed to that.

I can't say I speak for everyone, but I like to see high speed racing and for me that means a lot of overtaking. That's what's exciting about F1. The majority of the time you simply don't get that at Monaco. That doesn't mean I think it should be removed from the calendar, I don't, for the history of it if nothing else, but it's not the Grand Prix I most look forward to and it's far from the most exciting on the race calendar.

 

Re: My thoughts...

I think the thing about the drivers not being able to push any more is being exaggerated. Drivers have never been able to push 100% all the way through a race - maybe not to do with tyres but something else. I think that its nothing more than RedBull propaganda because they're not winning as easily as usual.

 

Re: My thoughts...

I agree it's far from the most exciting, and I think most people who watch all the races would agree. It's a weird one though as I'd imagine for a lot of casual F1 fans it's one of the only races they watch.

On the whole I think something needs to be done to breath a bit of life back into F1 though, it's not quite as bad as it was when Michael Schumacher was winning every race and not much else happened behind him. The teams should be allowed to do more testing in season as it seems that if their car isn't competitive at the start of the year, then there's little opportunity to turn it around.

I also think this Hermann Tilke guy should be removed from the FIAs payroll as he seems to have designed every new track over the last 20 years and they are all rubbish!

 

Re: My thoughts...

Woeful spectacle

 

Re: My thoughts...

I didn't watch the race, but noticed that Kimi was 16th with only five laps to go, but still finished 10th... How did that happen?

 

Re: My thoughts...

I can't see the FIA letting Mercedes keep these points. Even if they don't strip Nico of the win, a penalty points deduction will in effect. Additional tyre testing is such an advantage and even with a less wearing circuit the have clearly overcome the degradation problem to an extent. That itself is enough, going behind the FIA's back is something else and that will piss them off more that the actual misdemeanor.

I didn't mind the race, dragged on a bit. I always get on with something else while it's on though. Thanks for paying for my free stream sky subscribers!!

 

Perez tried the banzai manoeuvre on him

They collided. Both cars continued, amazingly, but Kimi had a rear puncture. He rejoined and against all odds managed to get back into the points to continue his run.

A Finn missing a motorsport event? Isn't that grounds for deportation?

I admit I think I have a twenty odd year dislike for Monaco because of THAT race in 92 where Mansell was couped up behind a much slower Senna for lap after lap. Then there were the years when we had no pit timing because the authorities wouldn't allow sensors in their roads! I don't necessarily want Monaco struck from the calendar as I do respect history, however maybe it could be moved to every alternate year or something. The French do deserve a GP with their history, three drivers (soon to be two I suspect) and engine supplier. I know Magny Cours was unpopular but I'm sure they have something to offer.

There was incident yesterday but it was mainly negative stuff. Perez's antics highlighted the problems all too clearly. When the only real opportunity for passing is to commit to an inescapable move where you hope the other driver will take evasive action and subsequently have to relinquish his place, there's something wrong.

The only time I got excited was when Princess Charlene made an appearance. By eck.

Regarding the new circuits, I don't know if Hermann Tilke is really to blame. There's a reason the old circuits are better. They're tried and tested, have been selected over the years as being the best and have been steadily modified to improve them. When looked at this way, it's easy to see why it's a big ask to make new circuits of comparible quality. I understand why F1 is expanding into new territories but it does make for some inferior races.

The tarmac run-offs are of course a response to ineffective gravel traps where the car pitches into the air but sometimes, not only do they suffer no disadvantage, they actually gain an advantage from going wide.

I can see why Zemaj would think I'm missing the point of F1 what with all the whinging (don't get me started on the current tyre situation or the elitist nature) but underneath I assure you I do love the sport. It's simultaneously brilliant and completely garbage. A bit like football.

 

Re: Perez tried the banzai manoeuvre on him

For ****'s Sake...IT IS NOT A SPORT!!!

 

Re: Perez tried the banzai manoeuvre on him

They're talking of scrapping Spa...

Unreal. One of the best circuits ever.

Looking forward to the next race, though. Montreal is always decent.

I understand the moaning about Monaco, but I still enjoy it. Even though I was slightly ****** off that Lewis dropped a bollock and then couldn't get past a slower Webber. And I still hate Vettel. The lovely person.

 

Re: Perez tried the banzai manoeuvre on him

Montreal is indeed a cracker, even if it kicks off at 03:30 on Monday morning for me. "Sorry boss, I'm feeling a bit badly today."

Scrapping Spa? Bernie will get lynched. Thing is though, he wants cars to race where people are, not trees. Out with Eau Rouge and in with Times Square.