Paul Henman formula1 Monaco Grand Prix – Practice

Monaco Grand Prix – Practice

Another busy weekend means I’m catching up on the Grand Prix after the fact again 🙁

My GridBids picks: SV, JB, LH, FA & MS – surprised I could get all these guys within my budget.

Remember the post-race decision from the Spanish GP: “Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher has been punished by the Spanish stewards for his collision with Williams’ Bruno Senna during Sunday’s Barcelona race. Schumacher receives a five-place grid penalty for the next round in Monaco.” [source: FIA]

Hopefully the Williams pit crew are back to normal after the fire in their garage after the previous race.

Tyres for this weekend: prime = soft (yellow band), option = super-soft (red).

Free Practice 1
Air temperature 22°C, track 28°C, wind 1m/s
HK first on track, followed by JV
30mins left; KR only one yet to set a time
Lotus working on steering set-up for HK
Red flag – HK stopped on track; car smoking as he came through the tunnel
Session ends under red flag
FA was fastest (1:16.265) followed by RG, SP, LH, PM

Free Practice 2
Air temperature 23°C, track 31°C, wind 1m/s
KK first on track
Radio for NR say they’re expecting rain soon
Forecast for Saturday’s Qualifying session is rain too, so this could actually work out well for the teams
LH cuts across the chicane as he tries to improve his braking point
Helmet cam sported by SV gives some great footage
SP working frantically and on course for a very fast time but catches up to an HRT
JB is the first to check out the options (super-soft compound tyres)
It’s raining now, and Speed report they can see lightning
15mins in to FP2; JB fastest (1:15.746) followed by RG, FM, FA, PM, NR, MW, KK
Radio from DR complaining that tyres are not digging in to track surface
Track is empty as everyone waits for the rain to stop, or to come down hard enough to use wet tyres
Radio for HK telling him rain likely to continue for about 20 mins
Rain’s eased up; starting to see action on track
JB out on inters but everyone else on dry tyres … as Speed report it’s just started raining again
30mins left
Both Toro Rosso cars (JV & DR) on track on inters – track looks greasy
Timing chart looks like a rainbow with some cars on inters, one on full wets (TG), and the rest shown as options or primes from when they were last on track (and each compound is shown in a different colour)
BS cuts across the chicane – too slippery even on inters
BS slides off down the escape road at Mirabeau … then reverses onto the track!
PM follows his teammate’s trick and uses the escape road … but spins the Williams around in the escape road – that’s a tight fit!
15mins left; order still JB (1:15.746), RG, FM, FA, PM, NR, MW, KK
SP off at Mirabeau too
FM starts to lose the tail into Mirabeau – decides to use escape road rather than risk hitting to tyre wall
HK’s turn to go off at Mirabeau; can’t select reverse; turns Caterham’s engine off
Chequered flag
Fastest was JB (1:15.746), RG, FM, FA, PM, NR, MW, KK

Free Practice 3
Air temperature 18°C, track 18°C, wind 6m/s
Red flag with only about 3.5mins left of FP3 – PM hit the barrier on the inside of the exit at Casino; apparently PM also hit SP at Portier
Just like FP1, FP3 ends under a red flag
Fastest was NR (1:15.159) followed by FM, SV, FA, RG, JB, LH, MS, SP & MW

3 thoughts on “Monaco Grand Prix – Practice”

  1. PM given a 10 grid spot penalty for deliberately driving in to SP in FP3. Surely if he deliberately hit another driver he should be suspended or worse?

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