Watched it live once it started, a bit tedious to begin with with all the yellows, but cracking last few laps, especially the last. More changes for the lead in that one lap than a full season of F1 (sadly). Pleased for Newgarden (who I wanted to win), but gutted for O’Ward, 3 in a row!! McLaren 2nd in both big races of the day.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
[Other Sport] F1 2024
- Thread starter Audax
- Start date
Yeah, for the last three or four years it has been fantastic racing, especially those final laps. They have a lot of strange rules over there but I nowadays prefer it to F1. The mix of motor speedways and more ordinary circuits is great fun. At first I thought it would be boring watching them just go round and round but it's fun! My race ended early, all three Swedes out around lap 30 or something, a nightmare! I had a feeling for Rosenqvist this time. Didn't go well... Would be fun to see O'Ward or Herta in F1, think they have what it takes ... except money maybe!?
- Thread starter
- #343
They were also 2nd in the Formula E race. So a hattrick.
In other news ... apparently Alpine are seriously considering benching Ocon for the Canada race, as punishment for ignoring pre race instructions to not race Gasly for position. Ocon made contact with Gasly twice on the first lap ... turns out he very nearly did the same thing to Gasly as KMag did to Perez heading up the hill, before then launching his race ending move at Portier.
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,796
As boring as the Monaco GP usually is, it is by far and away the best qualifying event of the season. You could do far worse than watch the Saturday, the first lap of the Sunday and snooze in-between the pit stops.
Give me that over a dust bowl like Bahrain every day of the week.
Give me that over a dust bowl like Bahrain every day of the week.
- Thread starter
- #347
Yeah but ... not really. The larger cars of today don't help, but there are plenty of historic examples of Monaco not facilitating overtaking. For example a much, much faster David Coulthard getting stuck behind a rather slow Bernoldi.
More recently, in 2018 (not historically small cars, but still smaller than today) - Ricciardo had an MGU-K failure on lap 28, leaving his car well down on power. Despite that, he was able to nurse the car home and still win.
As much as the cars of today are too big (difficult to see how they get any smaller, given most of the growth is due to safety improvements), it's always been true that Monaco doesn't have any definitive overtaking places (partly because none of the "straights" are actually straight) and as such overtaking is very reliant on the leading driver making significant mistakes.
In not very surprising news. Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season.
Any thoughts on where this leaves the driver merry go round @Audax ?
Any thoughts on where this leaves the driver merry go round @Audax ?
Esteban Ocon to split with Alpine at end of 2024 Formula 1 season
Esteban Ocon is to leave Alpine at the end of the year after five seasons with the French team.
www.bbc.co.uk
- Thread starter
- #349
Messy! Lots of rumours doing the rounds currently, that suggest we're awaiting the first domino falling and then we'll see it all tidy up - and it could result in Ocon not having a seat at all. There's some interesting rumours floating, whether or not they come true might depend on where Newey goes (looks like he's taking some time to weigh up between Ferrari or Williams).
Here are the seats that are still technically available:
Mercedes - 1 seat
VCARB - 2 seats
Sauber / Audi - 1 seat
Williams - 1 seat
Haas - 2 seats
Alpine - 2 seats
And currently strongly rumoured moves:
* Sainz to Williams
* Tsunoda to Sauber/Audi (would mean Lawson in at VCARB)
* Doohan in at Alpine (or maybe Mich Schu, Martins also possible)
* Bottas to Haas
* Antonelli in at Mercedes
I'll take a punt on this happening:
1. Antonelli in at Mercedes.
2. Sainz goes to Williams.
3. Tsunoda goes to Sauber / Audi.
4. VCARB slot Lawson in and retain Ricciardo.
5. Bearman goes to Haas. Other seat will be Bottas or Ocon. I'll go Bottas.
6. Alpine retain Gasly and slot in Doohan.
Last edited:
- Nov 11, 2009
- 11,967
The biggest story is where Newey goes.
Would he really go to Williams? Guess UK based is preferable, but they'd still be years from a likely winning car and just struggle to see how they can hit the very top as a non works team using the engines (Mercedes) of another works team.
Ferrari are a works teams and already close to Red Bull with Hamilton going too, you could see Newey being the difference in getting them to the top.
- Thread starter
- #351
The other possibility:
1. Antonelli in at Mercedes.
2. Sainz goes to Sauber / Audi.
3. VCARB retain both Tsunoda and Ricciardo. Marko wants Lawson in, but his power has waned and the VCARB leadership are talking up the current line up.
4. Bearman goes to Haas. Other seat will be Bottas or Ocon. I'll go Bottas.
5. Alpine retain Gasly and slot in Doohan.
- Thread starter
- #352
2026 rules reset presents an opportunity to short circuit what would normally take years and jump up the order, especially as the rules stipulate they cannot start 2026 car design until next year ... at which point Newey slots in immediately. The longer it takes for a deal at Ferrari to be announced, the more likely it becomes he's going to Williams IMO.
I don't see being non-Factory being an issue for him. McLaren are currently showing what can be done with a customer Mercedes, and the rumour is that the Mercedes 2026 power unit is looking very strong.
- Thread starter
- #353
Elephant in the room here - yes, I'm assuming Perez will be renewed at Red Bull. Rumour is that it's a done deal, just waiting an announcement.
- Thread starter
- #354
And it's announced. 2 more years at Red Bull for Perez. Conflicting reports on whether that's a straight up 2 years, or 1 year + 1 year option. We're now basically waiting for Sainz to make a decision, and it'll all move quickly after that for the remaining 2025 seats to be filled.
Flounce
Well-known member
- Nov 15, 2006
- 3,456
Is this the first weekend that Lewis is competitive at the sharp end in a Grand Prix since he was robbed of a world title?
Absolutely flying in Free Practice 3, currently .725 in front of Russell and fastest on the track
GO Lewis!!
Really hoping this isn’t a false dawn
Absolutely flying in Free Practice 3, currently .725 in front of Russell and fastest on the track
GO Lewis!!
Really hoping this isn’t a false dawn
That was all very interesting, Mercedes clearly doing well here while Ferrari well off it, another Perez disasterclass (not justifying his extension this week), Lewis only 7th
Flounce
Well-known member
- Nov 15, 2006
- 3,456
Conspiracy theories rife following Hamilton’s odd comments about not being able to beat George in qualifying this season, that he made at Monaco. His drop off in pace from FP3 was odd though…but the idea that Mercs are setting up Russell’s car based on Hamilton’s set up for quali and then dialling back Lewis’s engine is a bit “out there”!
Worried Man Blues
Well-known member
I wonder if Hammy is thinking Merc on the up again and so Ferrari may not have been such a good choice
Perkino
Well-known member
- Dec 11, 2009
- 6,036
This happened with McLaren when he signaled his intention to leave. But that moved worked out very well
60% chance of a wet race, including thunderstorms.
Let’s hope we don’t get Spa 2021 with the first two places reversed.
A wet/dry with strategy cockups is fine with me though.
Let’s hope we don’t get Spa 2021 with the first two places reversed.
A wet/dry with strategy cockups is fine with me though.