Quite the entertaining Qualifying session, unless you’re a Ferrari fan maybe. Yet more strategy problems and a couple of mistakes from VET meant Red Bull were able to focus on challenging Mercedes for pole.
Provisional grid: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, GAS, MAG, RIC, KVY, SAI, ALB, HUL, NOR, GRO, RAI, GIO, LEC, PER, STR, RUS, KUB
Since Quali, there have been a couple of penalties: “Traffic management is often the biggest problem during Monaco qualifying – and two drivers falling foul of the stewards this year were Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Red Bull’s Pierre Gasly, with both drivers receiving post-qualifying penalties for impeding their fellow drivers.” [FIA]
GIO and GAS were each given a 3-grid-spot penalty, and GAS was also dinged with a penalty point on his super-license.
Revised grid: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, MAG, RIC, KVY, GAS*, SAI, ALB, HUL, NOR, GRO, RAI, LEC, PER, STR, GIO*, RUS, KUB (*penalties applied)
Nice to see all the drivers wearing red caps in memory of Niki Lauda. And the Mercedes team too.
It’s funny how people say things like “Monaco is Monaco” instead of “it’s an outdated circuit where it’s impossible to pass”.
Forecast is 90% chance of rain during the race
Air temperature 22°C; track 33°C; humidity 54%
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
The top 10 have to start on their Q2 tyres (all softs); behind them, most are on the medium compound except RAI, GIO and GRO
01/78: HAM cleanly away
Good start from VER but BOT stays ahead
RAI tags STR in the hairpin
02: HAM, BOT, VER, VET, RIC, MAG, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, HUL, GRO, NOR, LEC, STR, PER, RAI, KUB, GIO, RUS
LEC takes P13 from NOR on
Race control: Turn 1 incidents noted (many people cut the corner at the start) but no investigation necessary
03: HAM fastest lap 1:17.129
DRS enabled
05/78: BOT f/lap 1:16
LEC almost pushing GRO round the hairpin
07: RIC 13secs behind VET – that’s a big gap
08: VET f/lap 1:16.278
LEC shoves his nose inside GRO at Rascasse and steals P12
09: LEC tries it again inside HUL; LEC part-spins but keeps going
LEC has a rear right puncture
10/78: BOT f/lap 1:16.146
LEC’s destroying his Ferrari’s bodywork because he’s trying to push back too quickly
LEC pits; mechanics don’t seem too concerned; rejoins P20 but he’s between P4 and P5, so he’ll get blue flags almost immediately
11: Safety Car deployed because of LEC’s debris
A lot of people pitting
Unsafe release of VER – hits BOT but they both continue down the pit lane
Radio from BOT – “he pushed me into the wall”
12[SC]: BOT pits again; hard tyres go on
13[SC]: SC ending
HAM backs everyone up, preparing for the restart
Still no mention of the stewards investigating VER hitting BOT in the pits
14: GIO inside KUB at Rascasse; GIO hits KUB, causes him to spin; blocks the corner as more cars arrive
17: Incident involving VER and BOT under investigation
LEC pits; soft tyres go on
18: LEC pits; retires
19: Incident involving GIO and KUB under investigation
20/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, NOR, STR, RAI, RIC, MAG, PER, HUL, RUS, KUB, GIO; retirements: LEC
22: Sky Sports report spots of rain
VER given 5sec time penalty for unsafe release
24: Radio for HAM – “light rain possible in about 5mins”
25/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, NOR
Radio from VER asking is everything is ok; told about the penalty
26: GIO given 10sec time penalty for the collision with KUB
Those penalties seem back to front
28: GAS pits; mediums go on; rejoins P9
Radio from SAI reporting rain
29: VER is pushing HAM to pick up his pace
HAM is concerned about his medium tyres; VER is on hard tyres
30/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, GAS, NOR
33: KVY pits from P6; mediums go on; rejoins P9
SAI f/lap 1:15.891
34: VER’s tyres are starting to degrade, so maybe the hard tyres won’t go to the end of the race after all
35/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, ALB, GRO, GAS, SAI, KVY, NOR
38: RAI inside STR at the hairpin but STR closes the door; contact; both continue but RAI complains over the radio
40/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, ALB, GRO, GAS, KVY, SAI, NOR
STR pits
Incident involving STR and RAI under investigation
41: ALB pits from P5; rejoins P9
43: VER still pushing HAM
44: ALB f/lap 1:15.607
45/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GRO, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, NOR
46: HAM catching up to the tail enders
48: STR gets 5sec penalty for cutting the chicane
HAM laps STR
49: Radio for VER telling him to lift and coast – presumably a problem with brake temps
50/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GRO, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, RIC
Radio from HAM – “We’re in trouble – front left is dead”; “We aren’t going to box now”
51: GRO makes his first stop; drops from P5 to P9
VET closing on VER
52: A few more spots of rain on the camera lens
53: KVY locks up; runs straight across the chicane
54: Incident involving PER and MAG under investigation
55/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, RIC
Radio from HAM complaining that the front tyres are completely done
59: Radio from HAM complaining about the tyres again
60/78: HAM, VER, VET, BOT, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, RIC, NOR, MAG, PER, HUL, RUS, STR, RAI, KUB, GIO; retirements: LEC
61: HAM visibly struggling to slow and turn in
63: GAS pits from P5; rejoins still P5, about 5sec clear of SAI
64: VER starting to put his nose alongside HAM’s rear wing
66: BOT f/lap 1:15.163
67: Surely HAM could let VER pass if he has to – that 5sec penalty should keep him P2 or P3 (he’s currently effectively P4 behind BOT)
GAS f/lap 1:14.567
69 = 10 laps left: VET falling back a bit from VER
Radio for VER telling him Mode 7 (extra power)
Radio for HAM telling him he can using more power too; HAM sounds totally unimpressed
70/78: VER looks for a way round at the hairpin; HAM defends well
71: VER lining up again for a move
VER cuts the chicane!
73: GAS f/lap 1:14.279
74 = 5 laps left: GRO given 5sec penalty for crossing the pit exit lane
75/78: HAM, VER, VET BOT, GAS, SAI, KVY, ALB, GRO, RIC
76: VER attacks into the chicane; hits HAM’s rear left; both cut the chicane
Looks like HAM and VER are undamaged
77: Incident involving HAM and VER under investigation
78 = last lap: VER is still harrying HAM
HAM takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: HAM, VET, BOT, VER, GAS*, SAI, KVY, ALB, RIC, GRO; NOR, MAG, PER, HUL, RUS, STR, RAI, KUB, GIO
DNF: LEC
*Fastest lap for GAS
HAM holds his tribute helmet up and points to Niki’s name on it
Interviews:
HAM – “hardest race”; “hope it wasn’t too boring”
VET – “a tough race to manage”; “struggled with my rear tyres”
BOT – “Max got me in the pit lane”; “a bit of a Sunday drive in the end”
All three drivers wearing Niki hats on the podium rather than the official sponsors caps
HAM leaves the podium and chases his team down the track
Lewis Hamilton on Monaco 2019: ‘I think it’s the hardest race I’ve had’
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/48416363
“Max Verstappen has been given two penalty points on his licences for the incident with Valtteri Bottas in the pit lane during the Monaco Grand Prix.”
“The stewards also investigated the contact between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the end of the race. They ruled neither driver was at fault and took no action.”
https://www.racefans.net/2019/05/26/verstappen-given-penalty-points-for-failing-to-avoid-contact/
“Kevin Magnussen has been relegated from 12th to 14th place in the final result for the Monaco Grand Prix following an incident with Sergio Perez during the race.”
“Magnussen has also been given a penalty point on his licence.”
https://www.racefans.net/2019/05/26/magnussen-drops-to-14th-after-penalty-for-perez-incident/
Stroll received five seconds – which did not impact his 16th place – and one penalty point for gaining an advantage when he jumped the chicane early in the race, with the stewards noting that he “subsequently took no actions to mitigate this”.
Finally for crossing the pit exit white line after his stop, Grosjean received a five-second time penalty, dropping him from ninth to 10th, along with one penalty point.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/143685/magnussen-penalised-for-perez-chicane-incident
“Max Verstappen spent all of his second stint driving in his ‘start’ throttle map because he forgot to deactivate it after his pit stop.”
“Verstappen forgot to deactivate his after his pit stop as he and the team were distracted by his collision with Valtteri Bottas in the pit lane.”
“Drivers cannot deactivate the mode once they are at racing speeds, and Verstappen didn’t return to the pits for the rest of the race.”
https://www.racefans.net/2019/05/26/verstappen-was-stuck-in-start-throttle-map-for-most-of-race/
“Sergio Perez thought he had injured a marshal after he returned to the track following his pit stop in the Monaco Grand Prix. Perez had to take avoiding action after he arrived at turn one to find two corner workers standing in the pit lane exit.”
https://www.racefans.net/2019/05/26/i-nearly-killed-him-perez-reveals-near-miss-with-marshals/