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Author Topic: Monaco - since 1929  (Read 10276 times)

Offline J.Clark

Monaco - since 1929
« on: May 22, 2016, 05:09:36 PM »
Monaco, perhaps because of the rich (wealthy) society who occupy it, has been a prestigious jewel in the Formula 1 Crown of Champions.  It may very well be the most prized win a driver can claim.  Racing on the streets of the Principality has been going on since 1929; although, Formula 1 didn't exactly exist then.

Since F1 truly took form in 1950, it wasn't actually a F1 Championship race in 1949, but that race ended up being cancelled due to the death of Prince Louis II.

Actual race footage of Monaco was used in the making of Grand Prix, an iconic film about Formula 1 made back in the mid-1960s.  Technically speaking the movie was great and there have been documentaries about the making of it.  The movie feature Monaco's race and if you haven't seen it, shame on you.  You can read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Prix_(1966_film)

It has elevation change, some very high speeds for street racing, and 19 turns, all of which have cool names attached.  It has changed little over its long history.  Its current length is 2.1 miles, more or less.  The most wins by a constructor is 15 and goes to McLaren; although, I think they are an unlikely choice to win this year's race.  The most wins by a driver goes to Senna with 6.
On the current grid, the previous winners are:
Rosberg (3), Alonso (2), Vettel, Button, Hamilton, and Raikkonen.
The lap record of 1:14.439 was set by Schumacher in a Ferrari in 2004 after they dropped the number of turns down to the current 19.  In comparison, Hamilton's pole lap last year was 1:15.098, still a good half a second back.  With the aero advances and ultra-soft tire, that lap record may well be in jeopardy this year.


The 2015 race saw a nearly certain Merc 1-2 messed up by Vettel getting his Ferrari in the middle of them.  It was largely, again if my memory hasn't fallen off, due to tires and Hamilton pitting due to indecision between him and team.  I think it may even have been that it cost him the race, but I'm not sure.

Here is a nice clip from YouTube:

This will be the first race we get to see the Ultra-soft tires.  Looking at what teams have selected from the offerings of Soft, Super-soft and Ultra-soft compounds, the new tire looks a clear winner's choice.
Several team are taking on one set of Softs.  Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull are only taking 2 sets of Super-soft.  The majority of sets for all teams is clearly the new Ultra.  How will it wear, and how many pit stops will be made.  Tire strategy is looking like it will perhaps really be in play at Monaco.

There have been many controversies over the years.
Rain created a race in which, if memory serves, only six cars finished.
Montoya rear-ended Michael in the tunnel taking him out of the race.
Michael blocked qualifying efforts as time ran down by stopping on track at la Rascasse.
Rosberg did more or less the same thing at Mirabeau.
There have been accidents at the Grand Hotel Hairpin which many still argue over the blame and purpose.
Spectacular crashes at Sainte Devote.
Alonso and I can't recall which Ferrari or perhaps Red Bull when a race was stopped and tires changed . . .

Monaco has traditionally produced some fairly high drama, in spite of it being very difficult to overtake on track, with only one truly good place for it, that being the Nouvelle Chicane, and if a driver gets it just a tad wrong, it is usually a disaster.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2016, 11:26:52 PM by J.Clark »


Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Online Dare

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2016, 05:17:56 PM »
Despite the no passing usually making it a dull race
it's one of my favorites.One big change was the chicane
where Bandini had his fiery accident.

The Monaco racing scenes in Grand Prix have to be
the very best racing scenes ever captured on the screen.
Watch Monaco on a dvd with zoom and it puts you in
the car.I love Monaco
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2016, 06:41:01 PM »
The worst mod to the track was the building of the swimming pool as it eliminated the Rascasse as a possible spot to overtake. It was here that Rindt won the last race for the Lotus 49. In the closing laps of 1970 he chased down Brabham, setting a fast lap quicker than pole time. Brabham tried an ill advised pass of a backmarker on the last lap at the Rascasse and crashed into the Armco letting Rindt through for the win.

In keeping with the picture I posted, here's a bit of video from 1962:

Lonny

Offline F1fanaticBD

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2016, 07:55:01 PM »
It may be the party zone of the rich, but track layout is one of the most exciting, incredible, intoxicating, invitation to indulgence that only few other tracks can hope to match. Just playing simulation video games gives you a certain thrill, I wonder how does a driver feel when he actually picks up the checker flag?
Semi-automatic gearbox has made life a lot easier, because it is expected one has to make over a thousand gear changes during the period of racing in this track. Take away the parties, take away the royalty, and I am pretty sure Monaco still will be as beautiful as it is now, because it brings out the sheer pleasure in a driver for being a racer.

Special thanks to J.Clark for doing the pieces for the start of a grand prix. :good:
Keep running the fast cars, you will be never out of girls

Offline Scott

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2016, 08:50:19 PM »
I'm hoping for bad weather here so I can watch undisturbed this Sunday (plus we're close enough that sometimes we have the same weather, which would mean it might be raining there too  ;) ).  One of my favourite parts of watching the Monaco race is the in-car views.  To drive at those speeds within an inch or two of the walls or armco is fantastic to watch.  Gives a bit of credence to those of us who say an experienced F1 driver knows exactly where each corner of his car is at all times. 

 :yahoo: :yahoo:
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline F1fanaticBD

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2016, 09:44:30 PM »
Can't resist to share
Keep running the fast cars, you will be never out of girls

Offline Scott

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2016, 08:04:17 AM »
 :good: :good: :DD

I noticed Bernie doesn't know how a seatbelt works
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline J.Clark

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2016, 11:20:00 AM »
Thanks F1fanatic.  I like doing it, but sometimes I just can't find the time to make it as good as I would like it to be.
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Offline cosworth151

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2016, 02:06:40 PM »
Thanks for the pre-race report, J Clark. You always do a fine, insightful job.  :good:

A couple more recent incidents: When Montoya clouted Schumi in the tunnel, he did it behind the Safety Car. (Really!) Button had a major shunt at the Nouvelle Chicane in 2003. His BAR-Honda spun,squarely hitting the barrier between the course & the run off area sideways. Fortunately, he was uninjured.

Until the early 2000's, there wasn't enough room for all of the garages at the circuit. some teams had to work from grarages in the hills overlooking the circuit, driving or towing the cars down & back every day.

Here is a newsreel of the 1929 race. Notice how little most of the circuit has changed. The only real changes have been between Tobacconist and the current Start-Finish line.



Don't forget: In Monaco, Friday comes on Thursday! That is, the usual Friday schedule of FP1 & 2 is held on Thursday. This is due to Friday being market day.

In 1961, Sterling Moss gave fans an unusual insight into the workings of an F1 car. The side panel fell off his Rob Walker entered Lotus 18, exposing the inside of the cockpit.

Here are pix of Button's car after the 2003 shunt & Moss showing how it works.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline J.Clark

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2016, 02:09:47 PM »
I found this on YouTube.


Not everyone knows about this movie apparently.  I was talking with a friend a few days ago, who is old enough to have seen it, but who said he had never even heard of it.

I told him to look on YouTube, because a lot of old movies are there in  their entirety, frame by frame.  I noticed this is one of them.
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Offline cosworth151

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2016, 03:00:12 PM »
One of the best movies ever! It was originally released in "Cinerama," on a wide, curved screen. There was almost no in-car footage back then, so it was absolutely mind-blowing.

The DVD is worth getting as it has several extras about the making of the film, F1 in the 1960's and Brands Hatch.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline J.Clark

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2016, 11:33:21 AM »
Remember - Friday's schedule is run on Thursday in Monaco.

First Free Practice results:
1. Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 15.537
2. Rosberg      Mercedes   1m 15.638
3. Vettel      Ferrari   1m 15.956
4. Ricciardo      Red Bull   1m 16.308
5. Verstappen    Red Bull   1m 16.371
6. Kvyat      Toro Rosso   1m 16.426
7.Hulkenberg   Force India   1m 16.560
8. Perez      Force India   1m 16.697
9. Raikkonen      Ferrari   1m 16.912
10. Sainz    Toro Rosso   1m 17.130
11. Bottas      Williams   1m 17.562
12. Grosjean      Haas   1m 17.599
13. Alonso      McLaren   1m 17.838
14. Gutierrez      Haas   1m 17.909
15. Button      McLaren   1m 17.920
16. Nasr      Sauber   1m 18.187
17. Magnussen      Renault   1m 18.274
18. Ericsson      Sauber   1m 18.301
19. Massa      Williams   1m 18.746
20. Palmer      Renault   1m 18.871
21. Haryanto      Manor   1m 20.528
22. Wehrlein      Manor   1m 20.868
 
The top five are about where one would expect, but after those, not so much.
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

Offline cosworth151

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2016, 12:11:55 PM »
There are a couple of changes on tap for this week-end. First, drivers will no longer be allowed to throw visor tear-offs out of the car. The reason for this is that there have been incidents of the tear-offs becoming lodged in brake ducts. alonso has twice been knocked out of races due to this. I think it's a wise idea. I do question introducing it at Monaco, do to the already high driver work load during the race.

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/129985-silly-visor-tear-off-ban-arrives-for-monaco

Renault will debut it's new spec engine this week-end, in both Renault and TAG Heuer incarnations. Renault and RBR will each the new unit for one car only. K-Mag & Danny Ric will get the upgrade this weekend. The change over will be complete for Montreal.

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/129973-ricciardo-selected-for-latest-renault-engine
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline cosworth151

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2016, 01:17:21 PM »
There was an incident in FP1 that could have been much, much worse. Roseburg's Merc sucked a 20 pound drain cover up out of its mounting. Button, who was following Nico, struck the iron casting, destroying the right front of his McLaren. As David Hobbs pointed out on NBCsn, the flying drain cover could just as easily struck Jenson himself.

Charlie Whiting inspected the site. All such drains & manhole covers are supposed to be tack welded down.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2016/05/26/hamilton-heads-shortened-session-button-strikes-drain-cover/
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline J.Clark

Re: Monaco - since 1929
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2016, 03:00:15 PM »
Free Practice 2:
1.  Ricciardo   Red Bull   1m 14.607
2.  Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 15.213
3.  Rosberg      Mercedes   1m 15.506
4.  Verstappen    Red Bull   1m 15.571
5.  Kvyat      Toro Rosso   1m 15.815
6.  Sainz       Toro Rosso   1m 15.981
7.  Raikkonen   Ferrari   1m 16.040
8.  Perez      Force India   1m 16.120
9.  Vettel      Ferrari   1m 16.269
10. Button      McLaren   1m 16.325
11. Hulkenberg      Force India   1m 16.487
12. Alonso      McLaren   1m 16.723
13. Gutierrez      Haas   1m 16.782
14. Bottas      Williams   1m 16.849
15. Grosjean      Haas   1m 16.874
16. Massa      Williams   1m 17.286
17. Magnussen      Renault   1m 17.530
18. Ericsson      Sauber   1m 17.562
19. Palmer      Renault   1m 17.761
20. Nasr      Sauber   1m 17.999
21. Haryanto      Manor   1m 18.647
22. Wehrlein      Manor   1m 18.814

A few interesting notes:
Ricciardo making the most of the engine up-grade  :yahoo:
Ferrari struggling, especially Vettel crashing (twice I think).
Williams appear to have taken one giant step backward.
The two Renault factory cars are virtually neck-and-neck, in spite of Mags having the upgraded engine.

Tire degradation seems to be a none-issue for the new ultra-softs and Mercedes is saying they believe they can run half the race distance on them.  That is very surprising.
Life is short - live each day to the fullest.

 


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