Well, I’ve named this post “Race” the same as I do for every race-day post but Monaco is usually more procession than race; it would be great to see on-track battles and overtaking, but my expectation is pretty low. That means Qualifying well is essential, so it’s understandable when people are frustrated when the session is cut short. I don’t believe LEC did it deliberately, but Schumacher did it 15 years ago and fans remember him intentionally parking his Ferrari across Rascasse after he set the pole time. [FIA]
“Ferrari confirm Leclerc will start on pole in Monaco after giving his gearbox the all-clear” [FIA]
So no gearbox change for LEC, which means he’ll remain in P1 for his home race
Grid: LEC, VER, BOT, SAI, NOR, GAS, HAM, VET, PER, GIO, OCO, RIC, STR, RAI, RUS, TSU, ALO, LAT, MAZ, SCH
HAM starts P7, the first time he hasn’t qualified in the top six since he started 14th at the German Grand Prix in 2018 (although he won that race). He tweeted yesterday, hoping for rain in the race.
Green lights; pit lane is open
LEC leaves the pits with the gearbox he used in Quali; Ferrari say it didn’t need to be replaced; will it last the race distance?
Radio from LEC, “No, no, no, no”
He limps back to the garage
Ferrari mechanics have the rear cover off, and the tyre blankets are on – LEC’s going to sit there a while
30mins before the start and now the pit lane is closed; LEC will not take his pole position
Radio from Ferrari confirming to the stewards that “We have an issue, we are not going to the grid, we try to fix it here. We will not make it to the grid.”
Stewards confirm to Red Bull that everyone will start in their Quali positions, i.e. VER will be in the P2 spot and P1 will be empty
LEC is out of the car – that doesn’t mean it’s terminal, just that he doesn’t want to sit in the car for 30mins – presumably he’ll head to the front of the grid (on foot) for the anthem etc.
Oh, Ferrari have confirmed it IS terminal and LEC won’t race
LEC joins the other drivers for the #WeRaceAsOne gesture
Air temp 21°C; track 42°C; humidity 61%
VER leads 18 cars round on the formation lap; no LEC (he’s out) or SCH (he’ll start from the pit lane)
RAI very slow through Rascasse – I thought he was stuck but he managed to get to the grid
01/78: VER very aggressively across the track to block BOT
02: VER, BOT, SAI, NOR, GAS, HAM, VET, PER, GIO, OCO, STR, RAI, RIC, ALO, RUS, LAT, TSU, SCH, MAZ; out: LEC
04: VER fastest lap 1:17.298
05/78: VER, BOT, SAI, NOR, GAS, HAM, VET, PER, GIO, OCO
BOT f/lap 1:17.154
SCH inside teammate MAZ for P18
06: VER f/lap 1:16.892
07: BOT f/lap 1:16.863
08: VER f/lap 1:16.722
09: NOR f/lap 1:16.655
10/78: VER, BOT, SAI, NOR, GAS, HAM, VET, PER, GIO, OCO, STR, RAI, RIC, ALO, RUS, LAT, TSU, SCH, MAZ
Closest battle is TSU behind LAT (P16) – he’s the only one with DRS
12: VER f/lap 1:16.265
13: PER f/lap 1:15.949
14: Black and white flag shown for MAZ for exceeding track limits
PER f/lap 1:15.881
16: VER f/lap 1:15.818
17: VER f/lap 1:15.760
19: BOT f/lap 1:15.7096
PER f/lap 1:15.638
Black and white flag for NOR
20/78: VER, BOT, SAI, NOR, GAS, HAM, VET, PER, GIO, OCO, STR, RAI, RIC, ALO, RUS, LAT, TSU, SCH, MAZ
22: Radio from BOT reporting the tyres are dropping off
24: VER laps MAZ
25/78: Order is unchanged
30/78: Order is unchanged
HAM pits from P6; hard tyres go on; rejoins P8
31: BOT pits from P2; they can’t get the front right wheel off; they try a different wheel gun – still can’t get the wheel off
32: VER f/lap
VET pits
STR hits the barrier but seems to be ok
HAM fuming on the radio asking how he’s behind VET
BOT has been pushed into the garage
[video of BOT’s pit stop]
33: SAI pits from P2
PER f/lap 1:14.552
34: HAM still asking questions
35/78: VER pits from P1; hard tyres go on; rejoins P2, just behind teammate PER
Radio for HAM telling him they’re under threat from PER, “sorry”
36: PER pits from P1; rejoins P4
37: RIC pits, as does OCO
40/78: VER, SAI, NOR, PER, VET, GAS, HAM, STR, RAI, OCO, GIO, ALO, RIC, LAT, TSU, RUS, MAZ, SCH; out: LEC, BOT
41: SCH shown the black and white flag
44: RAI pits; hard tyres go on; rejoins P12
45/78: VER, SAI, NOR, PER, VET, GAS, HAM, STR, OCO, GIO, ALO, RAI, RIC
LAT pits
47: ALO pits; softs go on; rejoins P13
50/78: VER, SAI, NOR, PER, VET, GAS, HAM, STR, OCO, GIO, RAI, RIC, ALO, TSU, RUS, LAT, MAZ, SCH; out: LEC, BOT
52: NOR (P3) laps teammate RIC (P12)
55/78: Order unchanged
57: HAM has closed up on GAS
59: STR pits from P8; softs; rejoins still P8
60/78: Order unchanged
63: STR under investigation for failing to keep to the right of the line at pit exit
65/78: Order unchanged
PER closing on NOR
66: PER now has DRS to help attack NOR
TSU pits – his first stop; drops from P14 to P16
67: Race control: no further action for STR crossing the pit line
68: HAM pits from P7; softs; rejoins still P7
TSU f/lap 1:14.037
70/78: VER, SAI, NOR, PER, VET, GAS, HAM, STR, OCO, GIO, RAI, RIC, ALO, RUS, LAT, TSU, MAZ, SCH; out: LEC, BOT
HAM f/lap 1:12.909
73: TSU locks up into Rascasse
75/78: Order unchanged
77: Black and white flag for TSU
78: Time to wake up, it’s the final lap
VER takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: VER, SAI, NOR, PER, VET, GAS, HAM*, STR, OCO, GIO; RAI, RIC, ALO, RUS, LAT, TSU, MAZ, SCH; out: LEC, BOT
*HAM fastest lap
“Ferrari say failure that led to Charles Leclerc’s retirement caused by qualifying crash”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/57235622
“They did not see a fault with the driveshaft, and the hubs were not inspected as they would not normally be expected to fail in such a situation, the team said. However, they admit the incident has been “a lesson learned” and the team will instigate new procedures in the future to try to avoid such a situation arising again.”
A few post-race funnies:
