Red Bull had mixed fortunes in Qualifying – RIC on pole, but VER had to appeal to the stewards as he didn’t set a lap time thanks to him hitting the barriers in FP3.
Revised grid: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, ALO, SAI, PER, GAS, HUL, VAN, SIR, LEC, HAR, ERI, STR, GRO*, MAG, VER*
*GRO dropped from P15 to P18 due to a penalty from Spain
*VER was also given a 5-place grid penalty for gearbox change but he was already P20
The top 10 will all be starting on the hypersoft tyres on which they set their fastest Q2 time
It’s not as warm as forecast, so will the rest of the field start on harder tyres?
There’s even been a few spots of rain – that could make for an exciting race!
Pit lane is open, so cars can now go round to the grid or pass through the pit lane for additional “sighter” laps
Air temperature 25°C; track 33°C; wind 0.7m/s; humidity 57%
Christian Horner concerned about the weather
GAS says the track is pretty dry
VER – “just finish the race is most important”
The grid is packed with people who are there just to be seen – the drivers struggling to get to their position in time for the anthem
RIC leads everyone away on the formation lap
Stewards spotted SIR didn’t have his wheels on 3mins before the start, so he’ll get a penalty
Track looks dry, and the grey clouds seem to have cleared
01/78: Everyone through Turn 1
VER already past GRO and MAG
Yellow flag
Radio from HAR – “I’ve lost my front wing”
02: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, ALO, SAI, PER, GAS, HUL, SIR, VAN, LEC, HAR, STR, ERI, VER, MAG, GRO
Yellow flag cleared
03: RIC fastest lap 1:18.135
DRS enabled
04: RIC f/lap 1:17.810
05/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, ALO, SAI, PER, GAS, HUL, SIR, VAN, LEC, HAR, STR, ERI, VER, MAG, GRO
RIC f/lap 1:17.796
VET f/lap 1:17.488
VER inside ERI to steal P17
06: Race control SIR under investigation for the tyres going on late before the start
SIR given a 10-sec stop/go penalty – ouch!
07: RIC f/lap 1:17.428
VET f/lap 1:17.321
Radio from HAM – right front tyre is graining a little
VER past STR and HAR – he’s now P15
08: RIC f/lap 1:17.074
SIR pits; serves his penalty
09: VET f/lap 1:16.998
HAM f/lap 1:16.988
10/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, ALO, SAI, PER, GAS, HUL, VAN, LEC, VER, HAR, ERI, MAG, GRO, STR, SIR
STR has a puncture – crawls back to the pits, just ahead of RIC
11: STR gets a new front wing and ultrasoft tyres
VET f/lap 1:16.659
VER all over the tail of local-boy LEC
12: HAM pits from P3; ultrasoft tyres go on; rejoins P6 between OCO and ALO
SIR under investigation for the team working on his car while serving his 10-sec penalty
14: RIC f/lap 1:15.562
HAM takes P15 from OCO coming out of the tunnel
15/78: RIC, VET, RAI, BOT, HAM, OCO, ALO, SAI, PER, GAS
16: No penalty for SIR
HAR under investigation for speeding in the pit lane
17: VET pits from P2; ultrasofts; rejoins P3, ahead of BOT
HAM harrying VAN
18: RIC pits from P1; ultrasofts; rejoins still P1
RAI pits too, followed by BOT
BOT has switched to supersofts
20/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, OCO, BOT, PER, GAS, HUL, ALO, VAN, VER, SAI, HAR, LEC, ERI, MAG, GRO, SIR, STR
SIR in the pits again
21: VAN pits
BOT’s supersofts working well – he just posted a personal fastest lap
22: PER pits; slow stop
23: BOT takes P5 from OCO
5-sec penalty for HAR for speeding in the pit lane
24: OCO pits
25/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, GAS, HUL, OCO, ALO, VER, SAI, HAR*, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR (*HAR has 5-sec penalty)
26: Radio from HAM – front left is graining “and I’m not even pushing”
27: VER reporting a problem downshifting; “rear locking
28: Radio from RIC – “losing power”!!
29: RIC is 0.5sec slower
30/78: Radio for RIC – “we understand what’s going on; just keep it smooth”
RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, GAS, HUL, OCO, ALO, VER, SAI, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR
31: Looks like RIC has picked up his pace again
BOT closing on RAI
33: Radio for HAM telling him everyone on the same tyre is having the same graining issue
34: Radio from PER saying ERI cut the chicane
35/78: Radio from RIC asking if he can change anything to help
36: White flag = slow car on track – it’s STR struggling back to the pits
38: GAS finally makes his scheduled stop; supersofts go on; rejoins P10
39: STR f/lap 1:15.478 – that can’t be right!?
BOT all over the tail of RAI
40/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, HUL, OCO, ALO, VER, GAS, SAI, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR
STR f/lap 1:15.322
41: Radio for HAM – “believe RIC has a power unit problem”; discuss whether to pit for new tyres
42: VET reports his screen has gone blank
44: Red Bull look like they’re getting ready for a pit stop – presumably VER as he’s not stopped yet
47: VER reports he’s losing rear grip
48: VER pits from P9; hypersofts go on; rejoins P11
50/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, HUL, OCO, ALO, GAS, SAI, VER, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR; no retirements yet
51: HUL pits – 1st stop; SIR pits – his 3rd
GAS all over the rear of ALO
53: GAS almost tags ALO in the hairpin
Radio from ALO – “don’t have power”
54: ALO pulls off down a run-off road and parks the McLaren
Marshals move ALO’s car under yellow flags
SAI holding up teammate HUL and VER
55/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, GAS, SAI, HUL, VER, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR; DNF: ALO
HUL past SAI up the hill, then SAI defends from VER
Radio from HUL – “thank you”
57: VER weaving, looking for a way round HUL
VER dives inside HUL into the chicane; HUL cuts across it and stays ahead
58: VER tries around the outside HUL into the chicane
VER cuts the corner of the chicane but goes ahead of HUL
59: Radio from VER – concerned about the gearbox
60/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, GAS, HUL, VER, SAI, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR
VER f/lap 1:14.846
61: Looks like Mercedes have left it too late to pit HAM
62: VER f/lap 1:14.260
STR pits again; he was already running last
63: HUL has caught GAS
64: Radio for HUL warning him VER is closing on him
65/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, GAS, HUL, VER, SAI, HAR, LEC, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR
67: HAR has a train of LEC, ERI, PER behind him
69: GRO (P17) lapped
Radio for RIC telling him “that should be it for traffic until the end of the race”
70/78: GRO pits; rejoins P17
Radio for HAR telling him they’ve got a 5-sec penalty for speeding in the pit lane
(HAR was given the penalty on lap 23)
72: OCO closing on BOT, who in turn is just over 1-sec behind RAI
LEC ploughs through the rear of HAR into the chicane
VSC deployed
73 [VSC]: Replay shows a puff of black brake dust as LEC starts to brake
VAN pits; hypersoft tyres; rejoins between RIC and VET (lapped by RIC but not by VET)
74 [VSC]: VSC ends
VET very slow to pick up his pace after the VSC ended
75/78: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, GAS, HUL, VER, SAI, ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR; DNF: HAR, LEC, ALO
76: Big lock up from VET
Radio for RIC; about to suggest something but told “I’ve got this buddy”
77: Close battle between VET, HAM, RAI and BOT
78 = final lap: VAN seems to be holding back rather than unlap himself
RIC takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: RIC, VET, HAM, RAI, BOT, OCO, GAS, HUL, VER, SAI; ERI, PER, MAG, VAN, GRO, SIR, STR
DNF: HAR, LEC, ALO
Great emotional reactions on the Red Bull radio
Christian Horner tells RIC “give Prince Albert a shoey” 🙂
Interview with David Coulthard – RIC says he only had 6 gears
Apparently it was an MGUK problem, which means less harvesting under braking, so his brakes had to work harder, which in turn leads to more heat in the brakes
Brendon Hartley failed to finish after being hit by Charles Leclerc. Speaking to Channel 4, he said: “It was a tough old race starting from 15th. Damaged my front wing at the start which was annoying but we were holding on, pretty happy with the race. I spoke to Charles and he said he lost the brakes. Pretty annoying but that’s Monaco.” [BBC]
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso criticised the Monaco Grand Prix – saying it was “not really racing” and “the most boring race ever”.
Hamilton said: “We were just cruising around from lap six, literally cruising. So it wasn’t really racing. “If that was exciting for you to watch, no problem.”
Alonso, giving his reaction to the race, said: “Extremely boring. This is probably the most boring race ever.”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/44274950
Race highlights = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lj6Q9gN4RQ