[Official] Round 6: Monaco Grand Prix

[frostie]

This weekend sees the jewel of Formula 1’s crown, the Monaco Grand Prix, take centre stage as the race around the streets of the tiny principality form the most famous track on the Formula 1 calendar.

There is no greater challenge for a driver than racing on the tight and twisting public roads that are lined with barriers waiting to punish any mistake by the drivers with each corner littered with a history of past accidents by some of the greatest drivers of all time, whether it is Senna crashing going into the tunnel in ’88 or Schumacher at Porter in ’96 each corner has a history of epic proportions.

Monaco has historically been a car breaker with half of all cars finishing the race that have started. This has improved in recent years but even so only an average of 13 cars has finished in the last decade. This race will be exceptionally tough on the components of the cars and with the lack of in race refuelling it can be expected that teams will place a greater emphasis on durability rather than outright speed.

The Circuit

With its tight and twisting nature Monaco places a greater requirement on mechanical grip than almost any other circuit Formula 1 visits throughout the year. Melbourne places a similar requirement on the cars and Red Bull was the class of the field in the dry in Australia so the team will look to replicate that form this weekend. They will once more take the fastest car in the field to Monaco but will face stiff competition as there are five different previous winners challenging Webber and Vettel for victory. The past winners are Button, Alonso, Trulli, Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, long renowned as a ‘Monaco Master.’

Weather for the Monaco Grand Prix

Changeable weather is forecast for this weekend’s race but it is expected that most of the rain will pass the Rivera by the time cars roll out for practice tomorrow. The expectation if for it to be cloudy but there is only a 10% chance of rain on race day according to local stations.

Statistics

Obviously enough with the tight track configuration it is necessary to qualify at the front of the field to have a successful Grand Prix; the winner generally comes from the first three on the grid. Olivier Panis is the lowest qualified driver to emerge victorious having won the wet 1996 edition from 14th on the grid. This race coincidently was the second most mechanically challenging race ever with only 7 of 22 cars finishing. The 1990 race won by Senna was slightly more taxing on cars and drivers (7 of 26.)

Monaco was one of the races that formed the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship but due to financial issues the race was not restaged until 1955, since then it has had an uninterrupted presence in the championship.
Senna is the most successful driver to grace the principality with six wins ahead of Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher with five apiece.

What can we expect from this weekend?

The Red Bull’s will once more be expected to arrive in Monaco with the fastest car but the one thing that Monaco has always been able to provide is a shock result. This is one of the last circuits on the calendar that can allow the driver to make a massive difference and as a result it is generally more beneficial to look at past Monaco Grand Prix rather than this seasons race weekends to find the potential form for this weekend.

Lewis Hamilton will once more look to showcase his abilities on the streets where he won in 2008, but with Michael Schumacher looking more confident in the Mercedes from Barcelona he could be primed to spring a surprise this weekend. The raw pace of the updated Mercedes wasn’t all that impressive in Spain but the fact that Schumacher looked confident in how it would react and handle could make him a legitimate contender on Sunday.

BBC Schedule:
Thursday 13 May
Practice one: 0855-1035
Practice two: 1255-1435
Saturday 15 May
Practice three: 0955-1105
Qualifying: 1210-1430
Sunday 16 May
Race: 1210-1530

Roll of Honour

2009 Button

2008 Hamilton

2007 Alonso

2006 Alonso

2005 Raikkonen

2004 Trulli

2003 Montoya

2002 Coulthard

2001 M. Schumacher

2000 Coulthard

1999 M. Schumacher

1998 Hakkinen

1997 M. Schumacher

1996 Panis

1995 M. Schumacher

1994 M. Schumacher

1993 Senna

1992 Senna

1991 Senna

1990 Senna

1989 Senna

1988 Prost

1987 Senna

1986 Prost

1985 Prost

1984 Prost

1983 K. Rosberg

1982 Patrese

1981 G. Villeneuve

1980 Reutemann

1979 Scheckter

1978 Depailler

1977 Scheckter

1976 Lauda

1975 Lauda

1974 Peterson

1973 Stewart

1972 Beltoise

1971 Stewart

1970 Rind

1969 G. Hill

1968 G. Hill

1967 Hulme

1966 Stewart

1965 G. Hill

1964 G. Hill

1963 G. Hill

1962 McLaren

1961 Moss

1960 Moss

1959 Brabham

1958 Trintiqnant

1957 Fangio

1956 Moss

1955 Trintiqnant

1950 Fangio

Ten tenths chat
Local Weather

[skells22]

i better add this, if you are in Scotland due to a cup final on BBC Scotland 1 you will find F1 on BBC Scotland 2 on the time Frostie said.

[skells22]

i wonder how many red flags will we see on Q1,Q2 and Q3?

[Bononi]

Back to Monaco, here we are !

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by skells22

i wonder how many red flags will we see on Q1,Q2 and Q3?

Those Chinese tourists get everywhere!

It's going to be an interesting qualifying, of that there is no doubt.

I think we're more likely to see red faces than red flags, however.

Great intro BTW.

Casino square webcam.

http://www.webviews.co.uk/network/ca...inosquare.html

[broadrun96]

Rules and Regs question for those who may know.

If/when the sessions are red flagged, what's the rules on time limits for each session? Does the clock restart with the full remaining time for that session or will the clock continue to run? Just glad I'm off this weekend so I won't need to worry about adding enough time to the recording to get it all.

[JeremySmith]

I love this race...

[Dutton]

If I remember, the timer stops on a red. Then it restarts with however much time was left on the clock at the time of the red coming out.

I love it too, Jeremy. Racing modern F1 cars around Monaco is really quite bonkers when you take time to think about it. It is superb!

*******

OK, just bothered to actually check the regulations.

Originally Posted by 2010 F1 Sporting Regs

31.9

The clerk of the course may interrupt practice as often and for as long as he thinks necessary to clear the track or to allow the recovery of a car. However, only during qualifying practice will the session be extended as a result.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Dutton

If I remember, the timer stops on a red. Then it restarts with however much time was left on the clock at the time of the red coming out.

I love it too, Jeremy. Racing modern F1 cars around Monaco is really quite bonkers when you take time to think about it. It is superb!

*******

OK, just bothered to actually check the regulations.

Yes sir having been there I was just amazed that two bicycles could race around those streets let alone F1 cars..

When I stood at the exit of the tunnel, I was speechless Dutton I had to sit and take it all in mate..

I left Monaco shaking my head on the way back to Italy.. Gladiators those lads.

[Canada ALMS fan]

Anyone have a stream for practice 1? I can't find one at the usual suspects.

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Yes sir having been there I was just amazed that two bicycles could race around those streets let alone F1 cars..

When I stood at the exit of the tunnel, I was speechless Dutton I had to sit and take it all in mate..

I left Monaco shaking my head on the way back to Italy.. Gladiators those lads.

The Monaco race is one of those beautiful happenstances which has evaded all better sense and reason, and we're all the better for it. i am actually getting giddy at the prospect of this weekend...

[ECW Dan Selby]

Ahhhhh this time last year, I were there

Selby

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by Dutton

I love it too, Jeremy. Racing modern F1 cars around Monaco is really quite bonkers when you take time to think about it. It is superb!

You (and others) added one too many words to that sentence. The word is Racing.

Fairly sure that, usually, you see no racing at all. You do see lots of cars going round a twisty suburban road at ludicrous speed. But no racing. More of a conga than a race. Albeit a fast conga.

[Rgms320]

Deleted...

[Knowlesy]

Yeah it is great fun, and wouldn't miss it for the world, but a race it ain't.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

I love this race...

It is always awesome... separates the drivers from the steering wheel attendants

Potsie to win?

[neil_davidson2]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Yeah it is great fun, and wouldn't miss it for the world, but a race it ain't.

Completely agree and having walked the track back in the 80's I found the tunnel to be truly jaw-dropping in terms of the amount of time it took to walk through it compared to the speed of the cars through there.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Anyone else noticed the blatant advertising going through Portier?? Irking me a bit now i've noticed it....

The camera without fail has panned on that huge image of a woman. I think it's for Martini or something. Really annoying!!!

Selby

[Knowlesy]

I think it is a nice picture.

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Anyone else noticed the blatant advertising going through Portier?? Irking me a bit now i've noticed it....

The camera without fail has panned on that huge image of a woman. I think it's for Martini or something. Really annoying!!!

Selby

if it's the same or similar to last year, then it'll be very nice viewing...

[ECW Dan Selby]

Nice at a glance lol

What irritates me is this trend will eventually catch on, and we'll have the camera panning in on big avertisements on each corner. I just think it's so unnecessary!

Selby

[dyewat808]

Must say I'm personally amazed that Monaco hasn't disappeared off the calendar yet. If the race was introduced today, there would be no chance of it getting on the calendar at all.

Looking forward to it.

[frostie]

Originally Posted by dyewat808

Must say I'm personally amazed that Monaco hasn't disappeared off the calendar yet. If the race was introduced today, there would be no chance of it getting on the calendar at all

You always hear that at this time of year but F1 is getting clogged up with pretty crappy street races so in my mind there's no doubt Monaco would get into the calendar....money permitting!

[rocketracer]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

Nice at a glance lol

What irritates me is this trend will eventually catch on, and we'll have the camera panning in on big avertisements on each corner. I just think it's so unnecessary!

Selby

i was amazed nobody crashed upon distraction last year! i was sure it would be outlawed on safety grounds alone...

[steve nielsen]

it's not even december