Monaco Grand Prix – Race

May 22, 2005 by paul
Filed under: Uncategorized

Grid: KR, FA, MW, GF, JT, NH, DC, MS, JV, RB, FM, VL, PF, CA, TM, JM, NK*, RS
(NK has had an engine change but was already in P16)

That’s interesting – Jenson Button is standing with the other drivers for a moment of silence for Prince Ranier (which TSN continue to talk over!) before the race. Apparently JB is joining the ITV-F1 commentary team.

Track temp 27°C; air temp 22°C; wind speed 0.4m/s; humidity 65%; pressure 1016.2mBar

Formation lap: KR’s team pushed him back a couple of feet and he really lit up the tyres as he leads everyone away.
Most drivers expected to pit just once

01/78: Everyone through the first corner OK
MW got a poor start – down to P5
JPM already up to P12

02: KR, FA, GF, JT, MW, NH, DC, MS; JV=10; RB=11; JM=12; RS=17

03: KR sets the first flying lap time of 1:17.548

04: KR f/lap 1:17.108

05: KR f/lap 1:17.063
RS has passed TM & CA for P15

06: KR f/lap 1:17.052 – gap to FA 2.3s
RS putting in fastest sectors too

07: FA f/lap 1:16.885
KR, FA, GF, JT, MW, NH, DC, MS; JV=10; RB=11; JM=12; RS=15

08: KR f/lap 1:16.811

10/78: : KR f/lap 1:16.562 – gap to FA now 3.2s
RS now passed PF for P14

11: NK pits from P18/last … got to be a problem because he had a new engine yesterday and therefore should be full of fuel

12: NK pits again … they’re changing his front-right wheel

14: KR f/lap 1:16.495
ITV-F1 reports NK’s first problem was a pneumatic valve and then they noticed he’d hit the barrier, hence the new wheel

15: It’s as processional as usual for Monaco – it’s an awful circuit – almost no chance of passing

17: Both Jordans (NK & TM) have been lapped

18: CA lapped too
NK not letting JT past – he’s going to be penalised soon!

19: KR f/lap 16.414

20/78: KR, FA, GF, JT, MW, NH, DC, MS; JV=10; RB=11; JM=12; RS=14

21: KR f/lap 1:16.265; gap to FA 5.4s
NK pit stop #3 – both front wheels off – changed just the front-right (again) … and then he stalled it

22: NK very slow in to the tunnel – a McLaren (KR?) had to react quickly to miss him!

23: NK pits again … when will they retire it? … now!
FA f/lap 1:16.708

24: CA has spun it and blocked the circuit – about 6 cars backed up – MS nudges DC as they all have to stop, and he’s lost his nose cone

25: MS pits .. DC pits and he’s very slow leaving the box
Safety Car now deployed … after CA’s car has been moved!?
Almost everyone’s in the pits
DC is out … and I’m not even going to say that was MS’s fault, because he was trying to stop at CA’s spin

26: SC still out … why?
The race computer is all over the place as everyone pits and then shuffles behind the SC!
ITV-F1 report: DC’s rear wing broken, difuser broken

27: Behind the SC: KR, JT, FA, MW, NH, FM, JV, GF; RB=9; JM=10; RS=12; retirements = NK & DC – CA is running again
(GF now in P8 because he had to wait behind teammate FA in the pits)

28: SC in at end of this lap
(Who pitted? FA, MW, NH, FM, GF, RS, MS)

29: Green flags at last

30/78: FA looking slow compared to MW, who closes to 0.2s behind him

31: ITV-F1 talk to DC – disappointed but not blaming anyone

32: PF lost it coming out of the tunnel, spins and smacks the barriers – he’s out
Yellow flags out for PF, although he’s off line at the chicane

33: KR’s lead over JT ~13.8s

34: KR f/lap 1:16.222 – he must be coming up to a pit stop

35: KR f/lap 1:16.046

36: KR gap now 17.7s

38: ITV-F1 believe GF is fuelled to the end; he’s 27.1s behind KR in P3
JV pits – long stop

39/78: KR about to lap TM … who pits
JT pits from P2 – rejoins behind teammate RS for P11

40: MS f/lap 1:15.995 from P13 … that’s unexpected

41: KR f/lap 1:15.921
MS f/lap 1:15.842

42: RS pits from P11
KR pits from P1 – no changes – rejoins still in P1

43: Only RB, JM and VL (P6, 7 & yet to pit

44: MS putting in fastest sectors again

46: RB & VL pit
RB stalled it! He screams out of the box (no limiter?) looking pretty angry (at himself?)

47: CA messes up Turn1 and takes to the escape road
JM pits – the last man to do so

48: “Drive through penalty for car 2 (RB) for speeding in the pit lane”

49: RB comes in for his penalty … but he couldn’t drop much further down the order anyway
FA’s rear tyre looking tired

50/78: ITV-F1 are expecting MW and NH to pit again

51: FM pits from P5 – that’s early for a 2nd stop

52: FA short shifting? Trying to conserve fuel?

53: KR, FA, MW, NH, GF, JT, FM, JM; JV=9; RS=10; MS=11; RB=13; retirements = NK, DC & PF
Revisionist history from James Allen talking about how MS “had his nose knocked off” (making it sound like someone else did it!)

54: KR lead is 15.1s to FA, who has MW just 0.8s behind him, with teammate NH just 0.8s behind him

55: FA gets it wrong into Swimming Pool, but there’s no way MW can pass him
MS has a go at passing him brother but gets it wrong and dives across the chicane

56: This is why Monaco is a bad circuit – anywhere else MW would have been FA by now

57: FA closing in to lap TM – that could be MW’s opportunity

58: NH pits from P4

59: MW pits from P3 … rejoins … he loses out to teammate NH
MS pits from P11

60: MS struggling to pass VL (for position)
ITV-F1 reshows MS leaving the pits – he crossed the yellow line, so he should get a penalty

61: VL has a rear right puncture – was that contact with the barrier or MS?
ITV-F1 pit team says VL’s car has other damage too – it’s retired

62: A train of cars from GF (P5) right back to RS (P10) – just 2.2s cover them all!

63: JV had a run at teammate FM in to Turn 1, taking them both out of position
JV’s lost his nose cone, but FM rejoins unscathed

64: JV pits
JT passes GF in the hairpin, forcing GF wide, letting JM through too
JT struggling & slowing – he damaged his car!

65: JM passes JT after being squeezed

66: JT pits – tyre change – a shame to see him lose out after a brave move

67: KR, FA, NH, MW, JM, RS, RB, MS; JV=12

68: Is RB going to let MS past? (Should that be “When is…”?)

69: FA’s rear tyres looking quite slick

70/78: FA’s rear red light flashing – that’s usually only used in poor visibility or when the pit limiter is on!

71: RB still the meat in the Schumacher sandwich

72: NH makes a brave move past FA in to the chicane … and makes it stick
MW is now all over FA’s rear wing

73: MW tries the same move, forcing FA wide – FA cut the corner – will he be penalised if he doesn’t let MW past?

74: Same again – they both make it through – but did MW cut the corner?
Will they both be penalised, or will the stewards say it balances out?

75/78: KR, NH, MW, FA, JM, RS, RB, MS

76: JM is now right on FA’s tail – there’s no rest for Alonso today

77: RB has another look at passing RS, but backs off
RB locks up in to Mirabeau (sp?)
Can FA hold P4 for the last lap

78/78: KR wins … but what about the rest?
MS passed RB – no (illegal) team orders there then!
MS clips RS just after crossing the finish line!

Provisional points positions: KR, NH, MW, FA, JM, RS, MS, RB; JV=11; retirements = NK, DC, PF & VL

Replay shows MS passing RB in to the chicane.

Prince Albert not presenting the trophies?
KR cracks a smile as his national anthem starts
You’ve got to feel sorry for the police officers holding back the crowd and getting sprayed with champagne

So no penalty for MS crossing the pit lane line when rejoining the race? Thought not.
Will the stewards penalise FA and/or MW for cutting the chicane?
What about MS hitting RS after crossing the finish line?

Provisional results:

K. Raikkonen (McLaren)
N. Heidfeld (Williams)
M. Webber (Williams)
F. Alonso (Renault)
J. Montoya (McLaren)
R. Schumacher (Toyota)
M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
R. Barrichello (Ferrari)

9:FM; 10:JT … just in case of post-race penalties.

Interviews:
KR: didn’t pit after the CA spin because the safety car didn’t come out until after he’d passed the pits; promises a good pary tonight

Points:

F.Alonso	49
K.Raikkonen	27
J.Trulli	26
M.Webber	18
R.Schumacher	17
N.Heidfeld	17
G.Fisichella	14
J.Montoya	14
M.Schumacher	12
D.Coulthard	10
R.Barrichello	9
A.Wurz	6
J.Villeneuve	5
P.de la Rosa	4
C.Klien	3
F.Massa	2
V.Liuzzi	1