It’s race two of a triple-header (Imola, Monaco and Spain) and people get so excited about Monaco but I think it’s usually the most boring race of the season. All the action will happen in Qualifying (as well as lots of drivers complaining about traffic) and then, because it’s virtually impossible to overtake, the result will look a lot like the grid… unless there’s rain!
The FIA have tried to make it more exciting (i.e. admitted Monaco is dull) by making it mandatory to use three sets of tyres (aka make two pit stops) in Sunday’s race.
Free Practice
- FP1: LEC (1:11.964), VER, NOR, ALB, PIA
LEC locked up and had to use the escape road at Mirabeau
But LEC’s day was about to get worse – STR moved aside at the hairpin to let ANT through but then retook the racing line, right in front of LEC; the Ferrari rear-ended the Aston Martin, causing a lot of damage to STR’s car and wiping out LEC’s front wing
However, LEC then went on to set the fastest lap
LAW complained about HAM being too slow through Anthony Noghes (the final turn)
HAM later caught two slow-moving cars as he came up the hill and into Massanet, then later launched the Ferrari over the kerb at the swimming pool
SAI had a huge lock up in Ste Devote and took to the escape road; NOR then did the same - FP2: LEC (1:11.355), PIA, HAM, NOR, LAW
HAD hit the armco going into the Nouvelle Chicane, removing his rear-left tyre; there was a short red flag period to clear up his debris
VER used the escape road at Mirabeau
LAW complaining about HAM again, feeling the Ferrari didn’t leave him enough room in the chicane (as if there’s any room in the first place!)
There were lots of other complaints about traffic, but that’s only going to get worse throughout the weekend
HAD hit the barriers again; this time his rear-left slammed into the armco coming out of Ste Devote
PIA slid nose-first into the tyre wall at Ste Devote, bringing out the second red flag of the session - FP3: LEC (1:10.953), VER, NOR, PIA, HAM
VER hated the medium tyres
STR continues to get in the way, this time blocking NOR
HAD caught a slow-moving TSU in the tunnel
HUL locked up heading into the final turn (Anthony Noghes) but stopped his Sauber just before the barrier
HAM hit the barrier on the outside of Massanet, bringing out red flags and ending the session
Penalties
STR was given a 1-place grid penalty for causing the collision with LEC in FP1
BEA received a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking SAI under a red flag in FP2
Qualifying
The Ferrari mechanics have been busy rebuilding HAM’s car after his FP3 incident
Air temperature 21°C; track 41°C; humidity 62%
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
As usual there’s a queue at the end of the pit lane, but at Monaco it’s even more important to find space on track
Alpine have sent GAS and COL out on medium tyres; everyone else is on softs
ALB 1:22.067
SAI 1:20.617
OCO 1:15.294
BEA 1:14.598
HUL 1:13.354
ALB 1:13.153
VER is still in the pits
LEC 1:13.063
LAW 1:12.946
STR 1:12.878
NOR 1:12.860
PIA 1:12.439
LEC 1:12.091
VER 1:11.920
NOR 1:11.596
STR impedes GAS into the Nouvelle Chicane, ruining GAS’ quick lap
Radio from STR suggests he thought he’d just let GAS through but that was HAM
5mins left; bottom 5 are LAW, HAD, HUL, COL, GAS
PIA 1:11.385
Radio from PIA reporting he’s hit a wall
Times continue to fall so only the top few are safe
LEC 1:11.229
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are LAW, BOR, ALO, STR, COL
LAW P9, GAS P16
ALO P7, BEA P16
BOR P15, HAD P16
Yellow flag – ANT’s in the wall in the Nouvelle Chicane – he clipped the front-left on the barrier on the way into the turn
HAD P11, BOR P16
Red flag
Back of the grid: BOR, BEA*, GAS, STR*, COL
*STR has a 1-place grid penalty and BEA has a 10-place grid penalty to be applied
Qualifying session 2
Start of Q2 delayed while they check the barriers after ANT’s incident
Replay of VER complaining about HAM; sounds like HAM was given the wrong info from his engineer
James Vowles says the Williams of ALB and SAI are fuelled to run the whole session, so we’ll see lap times drop same as in Q1
HUL 1:22.400
OCO 1:12.501
ALO 1:11.816
LAW 1:11.646
LEC 1:11.314
NOR 1:10.959 – that’s quicker than the fastest time in Q1
Yellow flag – RUS has lost power and he’s creeping through the tunnel
Radio from RUS says he lost power after hitting a bump
Red flag so they can recover RUS’ Mercedes
RUS tried to restart the engine but it looks like he’s getting out and the marshals are going to push the car out of the tunnel
Replay shows he was going up the hill towards Massanet when the problem started
RUS and car are now safely in an escape road
So the Mercedes duo will be P14 and P15 for the race
Q2 resumes with 10:08 remaining
The Williams pair are on medium tyres again; ALO’s on mediums too
LEC 1:10.581
5mins left; bottom 5 are HUL, OCO, TSU, RUS, ANT
NOR 1:10.570
ALB and SAI have pitted and switched to soft tyres
A tired-sounding ALO is excited to be told to box
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are TSU, HAD, HUL, RUS, ANT
HAD P6, SAI P11
SAI P11
TSU P12
Middle of the grid: SAI, TSU, HUL, RUS, ANT
Replay shows PIA put the tail out a little on that last lap and tapped a barrier
Top 10 shootout is between NOR, LEC, ALB, PIA, VER, HAM, HAD, ALO, LAW, OCO
Qualifying session 3
ALB’s at the front of the queue waiting for the green light
OCO and ALB are on mediums again
VER and LAW remain in their garages
PIA 1:10.531
NOR 1:10.464
Order after the first run: NOR, PIA, LEC, VER, HAM, OCO, ALO, LAW, ALB, HAD
ALB P6
PIA 1:10.140
NOR 1:10.125
HAM P3
LEC 1:10.063
VER P5
PIA P3
Chequered flag; order is LEC, NOR, PIA, HAM, VER, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB, ALO
NOR 1:09.954
ALO P7
ALB P10
LAW P9
HAD P6
Front of the grid: NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, VER, HAD, ALO, OCO, LAW, ALB
Radio for NOR, “Good effort, that’s pole” – what an understatement 🙂
Provisional grid: NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, VER, HAD, ALO, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, TSU, HUL, RUS, ANT, BOR, BEA*, GAS, STR*, COL
*STR has a 1-place grid penalty and BEA has a 10-place grid penalty to be applied
Post-Quali Penalties
STR was given an additional 3-place penalty for impeding GAS
HAM also received a 3-place penalty for impeding VER
Provisional grid: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAD, ALO, HAM, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, TSU, HUL, RUS, ANT, BOR, GAS, COL, STR, BEA
Race
Pit lane is open; drivers can make their way to the grid
Grid: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAD, ALO, HAM, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, TSU, HUL, RUS, ANT, BOR, GAS, COL, STR, BEA
Air temperature 22°C; track 43°C; humidity 55%
Poor old Martin Brundle (OBE) trying to do his grid walk but it’s just jam packed
Reminder: the FIA have made it mandatory to use three sets of tyres (i.e. make two pit stops) during the race
Looks like Ste Devote might be even more slippery than usual after oil was spilled by a collision in a support race
BEA’s under investigation for an unsafe release – Haas sent him out with a blower still attached to the car
NOR leads everyone away on the formation lap
There’s a real mix of tyre compound choices: top 3 are on mediums, then VER on hards, HAD on mediums, ALO and HAM on hards, OCO on mediums then LAW on softs – the first few laps could be interesting
01/78: NOR locks up but leads through Turn 1
Unlike the Formula 2 race, everyone’s cleanly through Ste Devote
Yellow flag – BOR in the tyre wall before the tunnel
02: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAD, ALO, HAM, OCO, LAW, ALB
TSU, GAS, BEA and BOR pit
VSC deployed
Terrible stop for BEA – the tyres weren’t ready
03[VSC]: Replay shows BOR passed ANT in the hairpin but left the door open for ANT to duck inside and reclaim the place at Portier
04[VSC]: Do the marshals need to adjust the tyre wall? If so, surely that’ll be a red flag
VSC ending
05/78: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAD, ALO, HAM, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, HUL, RUS, ANT, COL, STR, TSU, GAS, BEA, BOR
Hmmm, FIA timing chart shows LAW is now on mediums but he didn’t pit so was the data wrong at the start?
06: No further investigation into BOR’s incident
07: BEA (P19) is 3secs/lap faster than NOR! Presumably that’s tyre management from the McLaren
08: Yellow flag – GAS has destroyed his front-left suspension
09: GAS is dragging his broken Alpine back to the pits – that’s got to be a penalty for not stopping
There’s debris in a few places on the racing line – GAS deserves a huge penalty
GAS is now in the pit lane but he can’t stop – he missed the Alpine garage and ended up in the Williams box
10: Pit entry is closed due to GAS
Replay shows GAS ran into TSU’s rear-right as they approached the Nouvelle Chicane
11: Yellow flag removed and pit lane is open again
12: Unsurprisingly the incident involving GAS and TSU has been noted; it’ll be investigated after the race
13: HUL pits; hards go on; rejoins P19
15/78: HAD pits from P5; softs go on; rejoins P8 – that might explain why LAW had such a large gap ahead of him
Radio from LEC asking what the team wants him to do; “Plan B, stay with NOR”
16: HAD pulling away from LAW, who has a train of about 8 cars behind him
17: ALO and OCO pits from P5 and P7 respectively; they take on hards and mediums; rejoin P7 and P8
Radio from HAM also asking what the team needs; he’s told to push
18: Radio for ALO telling him to push, but he’s frustrated as he’s stuck behind HAD
BEA makes his second stop; mediums go on
19: HAM pits from P5; hards; still P5
20/78: NOR pits from P1; hards; P4
HAD pits from P6; hards; P8 as teammate LAW continues to hold everyone up
21: PIA pits from P2; slow stop; hards go on; P4 – he’s got to push hard on the out lap to defend against VER
22: LEC, VER, NOR, PIA, HAM, ALO, OCO, HAD, LAW, ALB, SAI, RUS, ANT, TSU, BOR, HUL, COL, STR, BEA; out: GAS
23: LEC pits from P1; hards; P3
24: Radio from PIA asking “what’s the plan now?”; he’s told to stay with LEC and keep the gap to HAM
25/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, ALO, OCO, HAD, LAW, ALB
26: Despite Whiny Spice denying it, having a team of four cars makes the strategy much easier for Red Bull
Radio from RUS, frustrated that SAI is backing off to open a gap for his Williams teammate
27: BOR and COL pit for the second stops; Haas have put BOR on softs but there’s 50 laps left!?
28: VER pits from P1; mediums; P4
PIA (P3) laps BOR; BEA tries to follow PIA but BOR closes the door
OCO pits; hards; P10
30/78: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAM, ALO, HAD, LAW, ALB, OCO, SAI, RUS, ANT, TSU, HUL, STR, BEA, BOR, COL
Radio from NOR asking why there’s no blue flags as he fights his way through the back markers
BEA launches the Haas over a kerb but keeps it out of the wall
31: SAI continues to hold up RUS, who is about to be lapped by NOR
32: Radio from LEC also frustrated about the lack of blue flags
It’s amusing that the commentators are saying it’s hard for the backmarkers to move out of the way when they’re being lapped because the track is so narrow. Yes, agreed – it’s a ridiculous circuit – the only reason they continue having a Monaco GP is $$$$$$
33: ALB pits; mediums; P10, into the big gap that SAI created
35/78: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAM, ALO, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB
The top 6 have only made one stop so far; in fact only HAD and OCO (of the top 10) have done both; down in P11, SAI, RUS and ANT have yet to make a stop
HAM effectively has a free stop because ALO is 26sec behind
37: BOR makes his 3rd stop
38: Yellow flag – ALO has parked in a run off area
Green flag
39: Ferrari mechanics getting ready, but it’s a dummy
40/78: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, RUS, ANT, TSU, HUL, STR, BEA, COL, BOR; out: ALO, GAS
When will Mercedes pit their pair?
41: Radio for NOR asking him to push if he can as LEC is only 4-sec behind
42: LAW and ALB pit from P8 and P9; hards for both; rejoin still P8, P9 – that’s the 2nd stop for both
44: NOR’s lead opening slightly, almost 6sec over LEC
ALB moves off the line to let teammate SAI through
ANT cuts the Nouvelle Chicane but didn’t gain an advantage
45/78: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, SAI, ALB, RUS, ANT, TSU, HUL, STR, BEA, COL, BOR
James Vowles says it’s not how he likes to go racing but it’s what the rules have created
47: HUL makes his 2nd stop; goes on to softs
48: ALB is doing what the team want – SAI is 15sec ahead
49: PIA pits from P3; hards; P4
Radio for VER telling him to push
50/78: LEC pits from P2; mediums; P3
Radio for NOR asking for “100% pace please”
RUS cuts the chicane and passes ALB – that could be a tactical decision to get clean track and take the 5sec penalty
51: NOR pits from P1; hards; P2
SAI pits from P9; mediums; P9
Radio from ALB saying RUS should get a bigger penalty for deliberately cutting the corner
52: Radio for RUS telling him to give the place back to ALB but RUS says he’ll take the penalty because ALB is driving erratically
53: RUS has been given a drive-through penalty
ANT cuts the chicane and passes ALB, but he gives the place back
VER cut the chicane
54: ALB (P11) has now been lapped twice
55/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, SAI, RUS*, ALB, ANT, TSU, STR, BEA, COL, BOR, HUL; out: ALO, GAS
SAI pits from P9; mediums; P9
RUS serves his drive-through penalty; rejoins P10
57: HAM pits from P5; mediums; still P5 – even though HAD is just ahead, he’s a lap down
58: I wonder if Red Bull will do a Flavio Briatore and arrange for a red flag?
60/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, SAI, RUS, ALB, ANT, TSU, STR, BEA, COL, BOR, HUL
VER has to make one more stop so will he hold up NOR in the hope that LEC can pass the McLaren?
61: PIA is catching up to LEC
62: RUS and ANT have to do 2 stops; VER, TSU and STR have to do one
Radio for SAI telling him they’ll swap positions (with ALB) towards the end
65/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, SAI, RUS
RUS pits (1st stop) from P9; mediums; P11 – that means ALB is now behind SAI, which makes it possible for the team-desired place swap
Radio from LEC complaining that NOR is slow
66: Radio for SAI and ALB telling them to swap places
67: SAI lets ALB take P9
STR pits; mediums; P18
68: LEC has DRS behind NOR, but NOR can boot it along the pit “straight” which is the only realistic passing place
69: Radio from VER reporting his tyres are dead
70/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI
Radio from NOR asking “Where’s Oscar? I need him to put LEC under pressure”
PIA is under 2sec behind LEC
71: RUS pits (2nd stop); hards; still P11 thanks to teammate ANT holding a gap
ANT has still yet to pit – will he do the required two stops on consecutive laps?
The FIA timing data is clearly wrong – it says ANT’s tyres are only 68 laps old
72: ANT pits (1st stop); mediums; P18
PIA has DRS behind LEC
75/78: VER, NOR, LEC, PIA, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI, RUS, TSU, BEA, COL, BOR, HUL, STR, ANT; out: ALO, GAS
ANT makes his 2nd stop; hards; still P18
Only VER and TSU yet to make their final mandatory stop
76: TSU pits; rejoins P17
77: VER will have to pit at the end of this lap
78/78: VER pits; softs; P4
NOR opens a gap over LEC, proving how VER was holding him up
NOR takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: NOR, LEC, PIA, VER, HAM, HAD, OCO, LAW, ALB, SAI; RUS, BEA, COL, BOR, STR, HUL, TSU, ANT
DNF: ALO, GAS
Post-race Penalty
Haas were fined €5,000 for the unsafe release of BEA before the start
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