Formula 1 Extravaganza

A super mixed up top 6 is good news for tomorrow.

Looks like the usual suspects to me.

Sagrilarus wrote: Looks like the usual suspects to me.

On a track that produces fairly predictable/ boring races . I think 2/3 of the last 20 races were won from pole.

Merc with both cars in the top six is pretty new for this season, but I think Sax was referring more to the fact that there's no locked-out row, so fewer team-orders blocking shenanigans. Those six all have to look out for themselves.

I think this is the first time Ricciardo has out-qualified Lando this season as well, he's had a dismal start.

Seeing Haas, McLaren, Alpine and even Alfa running so close it seems like all the real action is going to be down there again.

The high tire deg that was on display yesterday, may mean some interesting pit stop strats. Although Ferrari got pole, the way they have been going through tires in typical conditions will likely mean they will finish behind Max at least. Merc overcoming the major porpoising from the early races should throw a spanner into the works for Ferrari and Red Bull. Max did have a shadow of the power/cooling gremlin during quali yesterday, but it may not come out in full.

The real question is where will Latifi spin?

Happy to see one go the distance without a pace car. That needs to happen now and again to keep people honest. Had LeClerc stayed in, whoa boy, that would have been quite an interval.

Sort of curious with Hamilton easing at the end, when he kept driving well after the flag came down. I suppose hindsight is 20-20. He just sounds depressed. I realize we’re just getting highlights.

Apparently Hamilton was totally amped up at the end of the race saying that he could have won with their pace today and was happy the team pushed back against him wanting to retire.

I think the team orders were very rough on Perez today. I think Verstappen should have had to actually demonstrate his tire advantage to win since his DRS wasn't working. I'd regret a couple things today as Perez.

Yeah, Perez was kicked to the curb. He could have just as easily won this. I was half expecting Verstappen to drive off the course he sounded so angry. Perez could be the lead driver on a team very easily.

And apparently Hamilton’s problem was heat, not fuel. So both Mercedes were running too hot.

And by the way, Perez would be tied for first place if he had been allowed to run.

Oh, and by-the-way number 2, I am so happy to have F1.com and not have to listen to that screamer that covers it on ESPN. Everything I hate about game announcing.

I despise Croft and Martin Brundle's off topic prattling while something is actually happening. I've thought about doing f1tv just for the other commentary feed.

I really like having F1 TV. The coverage is great and fun switching to driver cameras.

I don’t have cable so it was a no-brainer for me. But a nice upgrade too.

Brundle is well past his sell by date and needs to put to pasture. His pre race grid walks are cringeworthy. Replace him with Jensen Button or Paul di Resta.

Despite the arrival of rain to possibly spice things up, a timid Race Director and Monaco's track conspire to produce a relative snoozer.


Fuck me they seem determined to never have a standing wet start anymore. WTF. Not just the first start, but a fucking rolling start after the red flag and the track is pretty much dry ?? Brundle theorized that one possible reason for the second rolling start was that one side of the pit straight was damp and would disadvantage the cars on that side. But as he commented, 'that's the way the cookie crumbles" and he's absolutely right.

edit - I read today that apparently the rain shorted out the start line light system. All the money in Monaco and they can't keep a few wires dry ??


Ferraris pit wall throws away a front row lockout. Christ. LeClerc made no mistakes and drove perfectly. On the other hand props to Sainz for lobbying to stay out. Why they went to Hards on the restart is baffling. Even if the Red Bull tires go off, we saw how hard it is to overtale in the dry - remember the year Ricciardo lost 175 HP and stil held off his pursuers ?

Mick Schumacher's car....yeah that'll buff out

If this isn't enough to convince Liberty to drop Monaco I don't know what is. The new rules have increased overtaking at most other tracks so far but this track is still pretty much a processional outside any pit lane screw ups ( like Ferrari ) . Watching Alonso stymy Hamilton for 15 laps is all the proof you need. Fuck tradition, it needs to go.

Yes, this race drove me crazy. I thought it was just fine to wait to start given how insane the rain became, they would have had to red flag it anyway. As you said, all you need to know about Monaco was Alonso's strategy in the second half of the race. This race needs to be put down. I understand why they do it for the rubes, but them pretending that Sainz was *this close* to passing Perez with graining was laughable. Alonso was driving around the track as slow as possible for like 20 laps and Hamilton, a great passer in a much faster car, couldn't pass him. Fuck this race.