Monaco Grand Prix 2011, Monte-Carlo - Race 6/19

[Glaucus]

Monte Carlo

Thursday 26 May
First practice: 0855-1035, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Second practice: 1255-1435, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Saturday 28 May
Third practice: 0955-1105, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 1210-1430, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Sunday 29 May
Grand Prix live: 1205-1520, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
F1 forum: 1520-1620, BBC Red Button/online
Highlights: 1900-2000, BBC Three

Standings:

Track:

Track Diagram

Track DRS

FIA agrees to Monaco tunnel DRS ban
Formula 1 drivers will be banned from using the DRS in the tunnel at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix after the FIA reacted to drivers' concerns on Monday, AUTOSPORT can reveal.




The FIA have confirmed drivers will be allowed to use their Drag Reduction System all the way along the start/finish straight during the race at Monaco.
The detection point will be shortly after they exit the Swimming Pool complex, and drivers may activate their rear wings as they exit Anthony Noghes.
This makes for a much shorter DRS zone than was seen at earlier races, and it remains to be seen whether drivers will be able to overtake into the following corner, Sainte Devote.

Circuit information
Length: 3.34km
Race distance: 78 laps / 260.520km

Car performance
Full throttle: 42%
Top speed: 286kph
Longest flat-out section: 8s / 510m
Right/left-hand turns: 12/7

Tyre wear: Medium
Brake wear: High
Downforce level: Very high
Gear changes per lap: 54

Strategy
2010 tyre compounds: medium (prime, no marking), super-soft (option, green markings)
2009 tyre compounds: soft (prime, no marking), super-soft (option, green markings)
2008 tyre compounds: soft (prime, no marking), super-soft (option, white markings)

Fuel use per lap: 1.723kg (source: Williams)
Pit lane time loss: 17.8s

Spain preview

Monaco preview quotes - Williams, Lotus, Renault & more
Having barely had time to catch their breath after a tense Spanish round, the paddock has a little over three days to pack up and shift operations to Monte Carlo for Thursday’s opening practice sessions around the punishing Monaco streets. They pose a challenge like no other on the Formula One calendar - and one that those involved relish…

- Team Preview
Pirelli
Cosworth Not uploaded yet


Red Bull Not uploaded yet
McLaren
Ferrari Not uploaded yet
Mercedes
Renault
Williams Not uploaded yet
Force India
Sauber
Toro Rosso Not uploaded yet
Lotus Not uploaded yet[/B]
Hispania
Virgin Not uploaded yet


Classic F1
Nick Heidfeld - classic F1 2011
Renault's Nick Heidfeld is the latest driver to choose his five favourite all-time grands prix for our new-look classic Formula 1 series.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Monaco Grand Prix 1988
Watch short highlights from the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix as McLaren's Ayrton Senna throws away victory and hands an easy win to title rival and team-mate Alain Prost.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1990
Ayrton Senna clinches the drivers' world title after he and championship rival Alain Prost spin off at the first corner in Suzuka.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix 2001
Watch highlights from the 2001 Brazilian Grand Prix as David Coulthard pulls off a brave move to beat Michael Schumacher at Interlagos while Nick Heidfeld claims his first ever F1 podium finish.

Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.
Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.

Classic F1 - Monaco Grand Prix 2010
Watch Mark Webber produce a scintillating drive to claim victory for Red Bull ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel in an incident-packed Monaco Grand Prix.













Technical Changes - Spain

Weather Forecast
Practice 1 Thu 10:00
Practice 2 Thu 14:00

Practice 3 Sat 11:00
Qualifying Sat 14:00

Race Sun 14:00

News

• Pirelli: Super-soft tyre strategy is key to Monaco win
  Pirelli have warned teams that working out the best strategy for the use of its super-soft tyres will be key to their chances of enjoying a strong Monaco Grand Prix, with the Italian manufacturer predicting the compound will last for less than 10 laps.
• McLaren: We need to topple Red Bull in qualifying
  McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has admitted that even though his squad seem to have excellent race pace, they have to stop Red Bull running away with qualifying sessions.
• Buoyed Hamilton looks to make a difference in Monaco
  Lewis Hamilton believes McLaren can increase the pressure on Red Bull at next weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.
• Struggling Ferrari make changes to technical team
  Ferrari have restructured their technical team after a disappointing start to the Formula 1 season.
• Ferrari not giving up on title yet
  Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali is adamant that the fact his team were lapped in the Spanish Grand Prix does not mean they should give up on their 2011 title ambitions.

Driver Chnages


The track and TV coverage starts


FIA Press Conference
FIA Wednesday press conference - Monaco
Drivers - Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Jenson Button (McLaren), Nick Heidfeld (Renault), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) and Jarno Trulli (Team Lotus).

FIA Thursday press conference - Monaco
Team representatives - Graeme Lowdon (Marussia Virgin), Vijay Mallya (Force India), Adrian Newey (Red Bull), Peter Sauber (Sauber F1 Team), Martin Whitmarsh (McLaren).

Thursday practice - selected team and driver quotes
Two-time Monaco winner Fernando Alonso is no stranger to success in Monte Carlo, and on Thursday he took the top practice honours, despite some stiff competition from McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg. Alonso, his rivals, and senior team personnel reflect on their early progress...



Technical changes Monaco


Practice 1

Practice One - Vettel sets the pace for Red Bull in Monaco
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso staged a great fight for fastest time in the closing minutes of the first practice session here in Monaco on Thursday morning, with Vettel finally triumphing over Alonso by 0.113s just when it seemed that the Ferrari driver had things in the bag.





Practice 2

Practice Two - Alonso leads tight top three in Monaco
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton finished Thursday afternoon’s second practice session in Monaco just 0.105s apart, as Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa all ended up in the 1m 15s. As track conditions continually improved, the times got faster and faster, with Alonso finally lapping in 1m 15.123s.

Highlights - Monaco GP second practice
Watch highlights from second free practice for the Monaco Grand Prix as Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leads the way with a stunning lap ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Iplayer The Monaco Grand Prix - Practice Two
Coverage of the second practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Practice 3

Final practice - Alonso tops disjointed Monaco session
Fernando Alonso continued to set the pace on Saturday morning in a final Monaco practice session that was book-ended by heavy accidents.

Nico Rosberg crash halts Monaco Grand Prix practice
Nico Rosberg smashes into the barrier with his Mercedes after exiting the tunnel during third practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The session is red flagged for nearly 15 minutes while the debris is cleared from the Monte Carlo track.

Qualifying

Qualifying - Vettel on pole in Monaco after Perez shunt
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was in the right place at the right time in a dramatic final qualifying session in Monaco on Saturday afternoon, to take his fifth pole of the season. Just after the world champion had gone fastest, the session was red flagged with 2m 26s remaining when Sergio Perez, who had done a great job to run ninth in Q2, lost his Sauber over the bumps exiting the tunnel.

Monaco Grand Prix - Top three drivers press conference
Sebastian Vettel is relieved to come out of qualifying on pole and joins second and third-placed drivers, McLaren's Jenson Button and Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, in sending best wishes to Sauber driver Segio Perez, who crashed in the final session.

Grid


Race

Race - Vettel victorious in red-flagged Monaco thriller
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel rode his luck for all it was worth in Monaco this weekend. He got the pole, then had it inadvertently safeguarded after Sergio Perez’s accident. Then on Sunday, just as he was under massive pressure on worn tyres from Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Jenson Button, a nail-biting race was brought to a temporary halt when Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari crashed in heavy traffic in the Swimming Pool, taking out Renault’s Vitaly Petrov in the process.


Monaco Grand Prix in 90 seconds
Watch short highlights as Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel claims his first win in Monaco after a dramatic race on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Highlights - Monaco Grand Prix
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins in Monte Carlo after a crash causes the race to be suspended and re-started with six laps to go. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari finishes second with McLaren's Jenson Button third.

Monaco Grand Prix - top three drivers
Winner Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button give their reactions after the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.


Standings

 

[Glaucus]

Thought they only have three sets of each.
So if they do 4 stops they have to use two hards.

start on softts, then two soft pit stops and that's there soft tire allocation gone.
Which is why I don't get why everyone including dc/mb where saying why have they all gone onto hard tires last race for two stints.

b) Eight further sets of dry-weather tyres will be allocated by the FIA technical delegate to each nominated driver, four of each specification, for use during the remainder of the Event. However, one set of each specification must be returned to the tyre supplier before the start of the qualifying practice session and may not be used during the remainder of the Event.

 

[Glaucus]

I expect some teams to try a 5 stopper.

Why? 3 sets of hards?

To me it seems to be either
4 stopper
Soft, soft, soft, hard, hard
Or 3 stopper
Soft, soft, hard, hard
Or 2 stopper
Soft, hard, hard

 

[Glaucus]

The out lap/in lap, formation lap, won't even count as two laps. They aren't under speed or load.

 

[Glaucus]

There is no way someone will only run the hards for 1 lap. They barely have enough tyres to last the race anyway, they need to make every set last as long as possible.

This.

Remember guys they only have 3 of each compound and they are for race and qauli.

 

[Glaucus]

Monte Carlo

Thursday 26 May
First practice: 0855-1035, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Second practice: 1255-1435, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Saturday 28 May
Third practice: 0955-1105, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 1210-1430, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Sunday 29 May
Grand Prix live: 1205-1520, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
F1 forum: 1520-1620, BBC Red Button/online
Highlights: 1900-2000, BBC Three

 

[Glaucus]

The FIA have confirmed drivers will be allowed to use their Drag Reduction System all the way along the start/finish straight during the race at Monaco.

The detection point will be shortly after they exit the Swimming Pool complex, and drivers may activate their rear wings as they exit Anthony Noghes.

This makes for a much shorter DRS zone than was seen at earlier races, and it remains to be seen whether drivers will be able to overtake into the following corner, Sainte Devote.

 

[Glaucus]

Nick Heidfeld - classic F1 2011
Renault's Nick Heidfeld is the latest driver to choose his five favourite all-time grands prix for our new-look classic Formula 1 series.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Monaco Grand Prix 1988
Watch short highlights from the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix as McLaren's Ayrton Senna throws away victory and hands an easy win to title rival and team-mate Alain Prost.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1990
Ayrton Senna clinches the drivers' world title after he and championship rival Alain Prost spin off at the first corner in Suzuka.

Nick Heidfeld's classic F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix 2001
Watch highlights from the 2001 Brazilian Grand Prix as David Coulthard pulls off a brave move to beat Michael Schumacher at Interlagos while Nick Heidfeld claims his first ever F1 podium finish.

Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.
Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.

Classic F1 - Monaco Grand Prix 2010
Watch Mark Webber produce a scintillating drive to claim victory for Red Bull ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel in an incident-packed Monaco Grand Prix.

 

[Glaucus]

So there will be DRS now. The zone is too short to do anything.

It was just the tunnel they banned. Not DRS outright

 

[Glaucus]

No, but it might allow the guy who is 1 second behind to move to being 0.5 seconds behind, and have a better chance elsewhere.

DRS does not work like that.

As soon as DRS closes, they regain the drag and if they can't follow due to dirty air will fall back to those limits within seconds. DRS does not and cannot allow a car to follow closer for any other parts of the lap.

Also due to double diffuser ban, the following distance is now around 0.5-0.6 seconds anyway as seen at every race track so far.

 

[Glaucus]

If they are within one second they can follow closely anyway and can stay on their tail, regardless of DRS.

 

[Glaucus]

I was imagining some massive leak, it's like a tiny dribble.

 

[Glaucus]

Practice One - Vettel sets the pace for Red Bull in Monaco
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso staged a great fight for fastest time in the closing minutes of the first practice session here in Monaco on Thursday morning, with Vettel finally triumphing over Alonso by 0.113s just when it seemed that the Ferrari driver had things in the bag.

 

[Glaucus]

I love Monaco, which they droped all the newer tracks and went back to some older tracks.

Or just get off the artsy band wagon and remove all the run offs, that would improve the newer tracks, get a bit of height change in them as well.

 

[Glaucus]

Love on board shots at this race.

 

[Glaucus]

Didn't someone do 20 laps on the super soft in p2.

It is a short lap and low speed.

 

[Glaucus]

Practice Two - Alonso leads tight top three in Monaco
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton finished Thursday afternoon’s second practice session in Monaco just 0.105s apart, as Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa all ended up in the 1m 15s. As track conditions continually improved, the times got faster and faster, with Alonso finally lapping in 1m 15.123s.

Highlights - Monaco GP second practice
Watch highlights from second free practice for the Monaco Grand Prix as Ferrari's Fernando Alonso leads the way with a stunning lap ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Iplayer The Monaco Grand Prix - Practice Two
Coverage of the second practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix.

 

[Glaucus]

FIA Press Conference
FIA Wednesday press conference - Monaco
Drivers - Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Jenson Button (McLaren), Nick Heidfeld (Renault), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) and Jarno Trulli (Team Lotus).

FIA Thursday press conference - Monaco
Team representatives - Graeme Lowdon (Marussia Virgin), Vijay Mallya (Force India), Adrian Newey (Red Bull), Peter Sauber (Sauber F1 Team), Martin Whitmarsh (McLaren).

Thursday practice - selected team and driver quotes
Two-time Monaco winner Fernando Alonso is no stranger to success in Monte Carlo, and on Thursday he took the top practice honours, despite some stiff competition from McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg. Alonso, his rivals, and senior team personnel reflect on their early progress...

 

[Glaucus]

The commentators on the practise sessions also said that Hamilton has asked the steward to pay special attention to Torro Rosso this weekend.

He is a bit daft sometimes.

In what way?
Got a link?

 

[Glaucus]

15 out of 26 GP2 cars is actually good.

Wasn't it years ago in an F1 race where only 6 people finished?

That was a brilliant race, bust cars where coming out the pits hopping to get enough laps in to get some points. Anyone remember what year it was? Would love to watch it. Can't remember how many finished I thought it was more.