Paul Henman formula1 Monaco Grand Prix – Race

Monaco Grand Prix – Race

Better late than never – I was out with Toronto Trails yesterday so I didn’t get to watch the race live, but here are my belated notes.

Grid: MW, RK, SV, FM, LH, NR, MS, JB, RB, VL, NH, AS, SB, VP, PdlR, KK, JA, HK, JT, TG, LdG, BS, KC & FA*
(*FA is starting from the pit lane as his car wasn’t ready in time for Qualifying yesterday)

The mechanics step aside but it’s a very narrow track as MW leads everyone away on the formation lap
MW seems to be setting quite a quick pace but he’ll have a long wait for the tail enders to take their starting position
NH has dropped to the back of the grid – why? Did he make a mistake on the warm-up lap?

01/78: MW leads into Turn 1, followed by his teammate
Yellow flag – NH has crashed at the exit of the tunnel

02: Safety Car deployed
MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, RB, MS, NR
FA has pitted after 1 lap and swapped from hard to soft tyres
Replay shows NH went off-line in the middle of the tunnel, ran wide and smacked the barrier

03[SC]: JB is jumping out of the McLaren at the pit lane exit – looks like the engine’s let go
BBC say they think a panel was left in one of the radiator ducts!

04[SC]: Marshals are moving NH’s Williams along the track, so the Safety Car will stay out for another lap or two
Pit-car from MW telling the stewards there’s still debris in the tunnel

05/78[SC]: JB has walked back to the pits
SC in at the end of this lap

06: Green flags – we’re racing again

07: Gap opening between LH (P5) and RB
Yellow flag … gone again very quickly

08: FA pushing LdG but the “new boy” isn’t going to let him pass

09: FA clearly getting frustrated

10/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, RB, MS, NR, VL, AS; retirements: JB, NH
FA is all over the tail of LdG – is he going to try to dive past?
LdG out of shape coming out of the tunnel and FA takes advantage – moves up to P19

11: MW has a 2.4 sec lead over his teammate

12: JT lets FA pass with little effort

13: MW’s lead now 3.7sec

14: FA now pushing TG for P17

15/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, RB, MS, NR, VL, AS; retirements: JB, NH

16: FA’s next target is HK in the Lotus

20/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, RB, MS, NR, VL, AS; retirements: JB, NH
FM pits from P4
MS pits too … as do VL and RB

21: The pits stops mean FA is now up to P13
SB pits
TG cuts the corner coming out of the swimming pool complex

22: LH is being held up by JA – will he (JA) pit soon? … yes

23: MW laps LdG
SV pits from P2
FA is up to P8
Long pit stop for PdlR

24: MW pits from P1 – rejoins still in P1, ahead of NR who hasn’t pitted yet
PdlR is pushed into the garage
White flag (slow moving vehicle) for TG – looks like he’s broken something in the tunnel
TG finds a safe spot and parks the broken Virgin

25/78: MW, NR*, SV, RK, KK*, FM, LH, FA, MS, AS; retirements: PdlR, JB, NH
(*NR & KK yet to pit)
RK pushing SV for P3

28: Very slow stop for JT – the tyre gun was stuck on the rear right – the mechanics thumping it and struggling to get it off
LdG slows and pulls off track
NR finally pits – rejoins behind his teammate

30/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, RB; retirements: KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH
JA locks up into Turn 1, uses the escape road, spins around and rejoins

31: VP slowing touring into the pits
Safety Car deployed – RB is facing the wrong way in a 3-wheeled Williams!
Replay shows RB’s rear left wheel failed, spun his around a couple of times, bouncing off 2 barriers
That’s both Williams cars out

32[SC]: Replay shows RB throw his steering wheel across the track and almost immediately it was hit by a silver car – was that LH? That should definitely be a penalty for RB … and he should know better after how bad he felt when something broke on his car and hit FM last year!

33[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap

35/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

36: MW is starting to open a gap again

37: Pit-car for LH tells him his front brake wear is high so either adjust the balance or look after the front brakes – he replies “I’m not even half way through the race yet – what the hell? Do you want me to race these guys or look after the car?”

39/78 = half distance
VP cuts the chicane coming out of the tunnel

40/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

43: Safety Car deployed again – that’s the third time

44[SC]: Race Control report “drain cover loose at Turn 3”!

45/78[SC]: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH
SC in at the end of this lap

46: Green flags

50/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

54: Another fastest lap for MW – 1:15.999

55/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

58: Everyone’s in their rhythm again

60/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

65/78: no change

67: HK & BS both in their garage

68: MW backed off a little but had to pick up the pace again as SV & RK continue to push

70/78: MW, SV, RK, FM, LH, FA, MS, NR, AS, VL; retirements: HK, BS, RB, KK, LdG, TG, PdlR, JB, NH

73: SV closing on MW

74: JT made a stupid move on KC – ends up driving over the top of the HRT car in Tabac

75: Replay shows KC putting his hand up to his helmet as JT drives over him!
They were only a couple of car lengths ahead of MW
SC deployed

76[SC]: JT’s Lotus had a small fire so now there’s fire extinguisher foam on the track as well as a lot of debris
VP pits for a third time … and he’s pushed into the garage

77[SC]: The marshals are trying to clear the track but there’s only 2 laps left

78[SC] = final lap: SC in at the end of this lap, but there’s just one corner between the pit entrance and the finish line
SC pulls in to the pits and MW punches it … and takes the chequered flag
Looks like MS budged past FA between the SC line and the finish line!

P1=MW, 2=SV, 3=RK, 4=FM, 5=LH, 6=MS*, 7=FA, 8=NR, 9=AS, 10=VL
*The stewards have announced they’re investigating MS’s overtaking move just before the finish

MW remembers to pass the pit lane entrance and drives round to the finish line … unlike JB last year 🙂

One thought on “Monaco Grand Prix – Race”

Comments are closed.

Related Post