should monaco be near,the end of the season ?

[foxystoat]

As we saw today no one was prepared to make an attempt at a pass despite the top 6 being line astern. I can't help thinking this was because they were all playing the long game making sure they just collect points and not risk crashing out. If this was say second last race and you are desperate for points this would make drivers minds up to not just stick for what they have and actually try to make a pass. I know it is difficult here but not impossible , where there's a will there's a way ! Just a thought ,anyone agree / disagree ?

[Robinho]

Its always been virtually impossible to pass at monaco, its only really an option if you are 2 seconds a lap faster, and even then its not easy especially if the driver in front is clever. The cars at the front were all very close in laptimes and no one made a significant mistake so there was never a viable passing opportunity among the leaders, maybe, just maybe if there had been a perez or someone not at the top of the standings they might have thrown one up the inside, but i bet it would have ended with 2 cars non finishing. Monaco could be first, last or middle race and the scene today would have been identical

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[steveaki13]

It wouldn't make much difference I don't think.

Monaco is a different challenge, its about finishing and not crashing as we have seen in the past.

On those days no one crashes it can seem a little bit tedious, but lets be realistic unlike at most races, crashes are key to making this race exciting. Normally I would never want a crash, but at Monaco with lower speeds and great marshalling, it is often this coupled with tyre wear or heavy fuel loads that create typical Monaco carnage

[Mark]

AFAIK Monaco has always been on this weekend and the rest of the calendar has changed around it. I can't see that ever changing.

[steveaki13]

AFAIK Monaco has always been on this weekend and the rest of the calendar has changed around it. I can't see that ever changing.

This

People may think it SHOULD be moved. But it NEVER will

[A FONDO]

Monaco should be OUT of the season.

[foxystoat]

I know what you are saying but are you telling me if Alonso needed to overtake the car he was following in one of the last gps of the season he wouldn't throw one up the inside. This is far more unlikely to happen in the 6th race when you are just gathering points . It should be near the end of the season or not in it at all as someone else suggested.

[christophulus]

Make it a non-championship race with a few million dollars for the winner? That surely can't be beyond the wit of Bernie and the FIA.

It has the bonus of removing a processional race from the competitive calendar, but allows all the teams and sponsors to turn up and have their fashion shows and whatever. Let's face it, Monaco has never been about the racing!

[Stuartf12007]

As we saw today no one was prepared to make an attempt at a pass despite the top 6 being line astern. I can't help thinking this was because they were all playing the long game making sure they just collect points and not risk crashing out. If this was say second last race and you are desperate for points this would make drivers minds up to not just stick for what they have and actually try to make a pass. I know it is difficult here but not impossible , where there's a will there's a way ! Just a thought ,anyone agree / disagree ?

I love the Monaco GP, long may it stay

[tstran17_88]

Monaco has always been crashed filled. Today was no different as was said during the broadcast that today's race had the most DNF's this year. Not sure that the top 6 finish was or is any different than any other F1 race other than the fact that P2 through P6 were nose to tail...which never happens at a closed circuit track.

As a American...the GP of Monaco has always been a perfect fit to a trifecta or a "triple crown" per say to a race fan with the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the day before our Memorial Day. It's racing from 7 AM in the morning until 11 PM at night. I was pizzed big time for the couple of seasons when Speed did a same day tape delay of the GP and ran it at the same time as the Indy 500...I'm sure my enthusiasm in F1 will diminish even more if Bernie pulled it from this particular weekend.

[Malbec]

Monaco's real importance isn't the race, its the event and place for F1 teams to seduce sponsors and sign contracts for the coming year. That is due partly to Monaco being such a wealthy top end place but also because of its place in the calendar. Whatever the racing is like (which few people who are there really care about) the business deals are the reason why the date won't change.

[steveaki13]

Not all races can be on Tilke drones, or highspeed circuits like Monza. It needs a variety of races, and Monaco is a unique challenge and with the right set of rules. i.e refuelling or whatever is the true test of ability pushing the ragged edge around these streets.

This year with the different rules people were cruising at times and thus it was less spectacular

[Tazio]

I know what you are saying but are you telling me if Alonso needed to overtake the car he was following in one of the last gps of the season he wouldn't throw one up the inside. That is exactly what Alonso didn't do in Abu Dabi 2010
He could only pressure and hope for a Petrov mistake that never happened. That is also precisely why I wouldn't want this to be the last race of the season. FWIW it is just fine where it is. ;)

BTW Congrat's to the Australians for having the pole in the big three races today Monaco, Indy, and The Coca Cola 600
G'day :beer:

[Tazio]

BTW Congrat's to the Australians for having the pole in the big three races today Monaco, Indy, and The Coca Cola 600
G'day :beer:
Correction: Ambrose started on the front row but was in grid position 2
G'day :arrowed: :o

[SGWilko]

Its always been virtually impossible to pass at monaco, its only really an option if you are 2 seconds a lap faster, and even then its not easy especially if the driver in front is clever. The cars at the front were all very close in laptimes and no one made a significant mistake so there was never a viable passing opportunity among the leaders, maybe, just maybe if there had been a perez or someone not at the top of the standings they might have thrown one up the inside, but i bet it would have ended with 2 cars non finishing. Monaco could be first, last or middle race and the scene today would have been identical

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You can pass at Monaco, but in today's 'dirty racing' the chap you are trying to overtake can just close the door by hitting you and the guy trying to overtake gets a penalty.

Net result is no-one bothering.

[F1boat]

Monaco GP is a tradition, everything about it is about that. So it needs to be in this weekend. And it must stay in the calendar. F1 has lost too many classic venues, if it loses Monaco, it will be really a big hit. Planet F1 have made an observation that Pirelli likely brought super product in the Principality to impress the big customers who watch that race and for me that was the problem. If there were at least 2 stops the race would have been better. But even without overtaking, it must stay and I think that it will. Remember, before the "gimmicks" most of the races we had were much worse than even what we had yesterday. This year simply spoiled us.

[fandango]

Am I the only one to have really enjoyed this year's Monaco GP (apart from Webber, that is)? I thought the intensity of the last ten laps was wonderful. The fact that there was no change in position is not the most important thing, but rather to have seen six of the best drivers in the world nose to tail on the limit, while watching the guy in front, the guy behind, the sky and the crash barriers.

On the one hand I was reminded of the 1981 Spanish GP, when Villeneuve held off a train of cars to take the win (Laffite, Watson, Reutemann, De Angelis), and on the other hand I was reminded of Monaco 1982, when a few spots of rain at the end of the race gave us I don't know how many leaders in the last few laps, and Ricardo Patrese took his first win in the Brabham.

[Robinho]

I know what you are saying but are you telling me if Alonso needed to overtake the car he was following in one of the last gps of the season he wouldn't throw one up the inside. This is far more unlikely to happen in the 6th race when you are just gathering points . It should be near the end of the season or not in it at all as someone else suggested.

I refer you too Alonso v petrov in abu dhabi in 2010. There was never an inside to throw one up on Sunday, it needed a mistake or a 2 second advantage before its even remotely possible. Perez could only just get past the marussias and hrts, he and button both had numerous attempts to get past heikki, button retired with damage, perez had 3 or 4 goes and was off the track before passing heikki, who by then had a front wing hanging off. There simply was not a chance for the top 6 to pass, regardless of when the race is held.

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[Robinho]

Am I the only one to have really enjoyed this year's Monaco GP (apart from Webber, that is)? I thought the intensity of the last ten laps was wonderful. The fact that there was no change in position is not the most important thing, but rather to have seen six of the best drivers in the world nose to tail on the limit, while watching the guy in front, the guy behind, the sky and the crash barriers.

On the one hand I was reminded of the 1981 Spanish GP, when Villeneuve held off a train of cars to take the win (Laffite, Watson, Reutemann, De Angelis), and on the other hand I was reminded of Monaco 1982, when a few spots of rain at the end of the race gave us I don't know how many leaders in the last few laps, and Ricardo Patrese took his first win in the Brabham.

No i thoroughly enjoyed it too, the sheer closeness of competition made a great spectacle, at any moment the slightest mistake would have changed everything

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[foxystoat]

I refer you too Alonso v petrov in abu dhabi in 2010. There was never an inside to throw one up on Sunday, it needed a mistake or a 2 second advantage before its even remotely possible. Perez could only just get past the marussias and hrts, he and button both had numerous attempts to get past heikki, button retired with damage, perez had 3 or 4 goes and was off the track before passing heikki, who by then had a front wing hanging off. There simply was not a chance for the top 6 to pass, regardless of when the race is held.

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May aswell give all the points for qualifying positions in Monaco if there is no chance of anyone ever overtaking unless it's in the pitstops.
Pirelli should have bought tyres to force 2 or 3 stops to at least make it moderately interesting. Cars going around 6 seconds a lap slower than quali to preserve rubber and others still can't get by is hardly people pushing to the limits as someone above said. How many cars hit the barriers in the race pushing to the limits ? Most the 6 retirements were thru the turn 1 shunt so hardly a race of attrition.

[Garry Walker]

May aswell give all the points for qualifying positions in Monaco if there is no chance of anyone ever overtaking unless it's in the pitstops.
Pirelli should have bought tyres to force 2 or 3 stops to at least make it moderately interesting. Cars going around 6 seconds a lap slower than quali to preserve rubber and others still can't get by is hardly people pushing to the limits as someone above said. How many cars hit the barriers in the race pushing to the limits ? Most the 6 retirements were thru the turn 1 shunt so hardly a race of attrition.

Thanks to the wonderful tyres we have no one can go to the absolute limit, because his tyres would be dead after a few laps.
Hell, guys are saving tyres even in qualifying, so wonderful are the Pirelli tyres.

[Robinho]

May aswell give all the points for qualifying positions in Monaco if there is no chance of anyone ever overtaking unless it's in the pitstops.
Pirelli should have bought tyres to force 2 or 3 stops to at least make it moderately interesting. Cars going around 6 seconds a lap slower than quali to preserve rubber and others still can't get by is hardly people pushing to the limits as someone above said. How many cars hit the barriers in the race pushing to the limits ? Most the 6 retirements were thru the turn 1 shunt so hardly a race of attrition.

And this it has been for what, 70 years? Monaco has never been a place for passing, there are a few exceptions, but if you can get to the front you can control the pace and as long as you don't do anything stupid you stay there. Seen Senna v Mansell, when Mansell on new tyres was multiple seconds quicker, but no way past. As for 6 seconds a lap slower, being on the limits of the tyre does not equal the same lap time as being on the limit in qually with no fuel and brand new tyres. They were all driving as quickly as possible, with a small margin for tyre management, which has always been the case

[schmenke]

The challenge of Monaco isn’t necessarily the passing, but the drive. It is one of the few races that requires full skill and concentration from the driver for the entire duration. Just to finish in once piece is an accomplishment.
This is part of the reason that makes Monaco the one event that all drivers long to win at least once in their career.

[airshifter]

Great point Schmenke. It's one of the few races where it is not uncommon to see almost ALL the drivers a bit visibly drained after getting out of the cars.

[F1boat]

Yes, it is likely the hardest race...

[nigelred5]

Monaco has always been crashed filled. Today was no different as was said during the broadcast that today's race had the most DNF's this year. Not sure that the top 6 finish was or is any different than any other F1 race other than the fact that P2 through P6 were nose to tail...which never happens at a closed circuit track.

As a American...the GP of Monaco has always been a perfect fit to a trifecta or a "triple crown" per say to a race fan with the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the day before our Memorial Day. It's racing from 7 AM in the morning until 11 PM at night. I was pizzed big time for the couple of seasons when Speed did a same day tape delay of the GP and ran it at the same time as the Indy 500...I'm sure my enthusiasm in F1 will diminish even more if Bernie pulled it from this particular weekend.

By the 2nd to last race of the F1 season, more often than not, the championship has already been decided, and I doubt anyone id keen on changing the MonacoGP to October.

100% agree. Any other sunday of the season we may well have races from all three series, and occasionally sportscars as well, but Memorial Day sunday is about racing from sun up to after sundown. I may be in the living room, I may be on the porch, or I'm more likely to be on the boat, but regardless, I'm in front of a TV screen watching three of the biggest races of the season.

Date equity is paramount for the success of any long term racing event. If anyone asked me the significance of the first and third Saturdays in May- The Derby and the Preakness. Don't ask me what the date is, it doesn't matter. Same with these races. Historically they occur on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend (generally the last sunday of May.)