Italian GP - Monza 2016

[Nitrodaze]

http://img.ruedesjoueurs.fr/images/Articles-/promo/2015/sport/bwin/circuit-monza-grand-prix-italie-2015.jpg

Autodromo Nazionale Monza shaped like a foot; maybe a boot of sorts. Aptly so, as this is a track where the foot is down for about 74% of the time. 3.6 miles and 53 laps of a combination of some of the most exhilarating straights, sweeping curves and corners that add up to the fastest laps on the calendar.

In 2004, Juan Pablo Montoya clocked the fastest lap in F1's history here in the Williams FW26. Clocking a qualifying lap speed of 163mph [ a lap time of 1’19.525 ] which today remains the fastest lap an F1 car has ever done. Montoya won two Monza races in 2001 and 2005.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45332000/jpg/_45332263_montoyawin416.jpg
Montoya taking his Monaco trophy in 2003.

You can watch the actual historic lap here https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2015/9/The_fastest_lap_in_Formula_One_history.html

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/J_p_montoya_usgp_2004.jpg

But Ruben Barrichello in the same race in 2004, set the race lap record which still holds to date at 1:21:046 [153mph]. However, The Red Baron, Michael Schumacher remains the most successful driver in recent memory to drive this track, winning it 5 times. Barrichello won it three times.

http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1455273.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Michael-Schumacher.jpg
Those were days when F1 drivers still had hairs on their chest.

Lewis Hamilton was the last winner of this track. Vettel and Hamilton are jointly the most successful winners of Monza in the current grid, they have both won it three times each. Alonso has won it twice.

Weatherwise, it looks likely to be a dry race with temperatures around 34 degrees Celsius.

The Tifosi's make this weekend one of the liveliest weekends on the calendar, only rivaled by the British GP.
http://www.enterf1.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/the-tifosi-at-monza.jpg

This is the Ferrari home race and they come here with no wins so far this season, recently slipped from 2nd place to 3rd in the constructor standing, some tormoil internally and a missed opportunity from the last race. Drivers and team making mistakes as the pressure to deliver mounts.

Being an engine grunt track, this is a track where the Ferraris could mount a challenge to the Mercedes. It is possible that we have one or both Ferraris on the podium this weekend. Has Redbull got the package to keep in the mix of the Mercedes and Ferrari shuffle?

[steveaki13]

Morning everyone.

So the Mercs look mighty fast. Over a second quick so far. Good battle between them. Otherwise Manor look good. Q2 again. :)

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[Nitrodaze]

It would be a great sprint tomorrow from start to the Rettifilo chicanes. The Ferrari have awesome starts and the Mercedes has been so so. Hence, it is possible that Vettel could be ahead before the Rettifilo chicane. The question is, would he still be ahead at the rettifilo against the sheer speed of the Mercedes? He may split the Mercs, if he does, the mercs have a weakness running behind other cars and tend to struggle to overtake fast cars. That said, the gap at qualifying was nearly a second [0.7 tenths]. Hence l expect the Mercedes one two to resume very soon after.

Hamilton's qualifying time was faster than the race lap record for this track and is probably the fastest lap that any hybrid F1 car has ever done so far. Kimi would be very keen to keep those Redbulls behind, particularly Verstappen.

What is your money on for the podium positions?

[driveace]

Hamilton Vettel Rosberg
Dont think Rosberg dare take Hamilton out on first corners

[Koz]

Vettel had all 4 wheels outside the white lines. Why did his qualifying lap stand?

[Koz]

Hamilton's qualifying time was faster than the race lap record for this track and is probably the fastest lap that any hybrid F1 car has ever done so far. Kimi would be very keen to keep those Redbulls behind, particularly Verstappen.


Nah, he was slower by a tenth.

[Nitrodaze]

Nah, he was slower by a tenth.

Yes you are right. Hamilton managed 1:21:135 and the lap record is 1:21:046 by Barrichello. But close though if you consider that Hamilton is driving a 1.6L V6 hybrid engine and Barrichello was driving a naturally aspirated 3.0 litre V10 engine.

[steveaki13]

Vettel had all 4 wheels outside the white lines. Why did his qualifying lap stand?

They apparently announced yesterday that no one is gaining an advantage with all 4 wheels off the track so they didnt bother.

Another example of lack of consistancy. Put grass there for Gods sake. Then they wont be doing that.

[steveaki13]

Did I hear right somewhere yesterday that they are going to redesign Curve Grande?

Sounds like doing something for the sake of it....

[steveaki13]

Afternoon everyone. Laptop still not allowing me on the website. Error messages etc.... so I am on my phone. It's never as good.

Anyway hi guys. Carnage into turn 1?

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[steveaki13]

Pants launch for The Boss.

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[Tazio]

Terrible start by the Boss!

[steveaki13]

This is the problem with F1 right now. Almost certain the race for 1st is over already after that start.

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[Big Ben]

At least we get to see Hamilton's amazing overtaking skill... he pushes that DRS button like no other.

[steveaki13]

So true. :D

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[steveaki13]

Hamilton loosing loads of time. Tyres are so rubbish a few laps behind another car and now Hamilton can't do anything.....

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[Nitrodaze]

Wow, how those Mercs bogged down at the start. It could have been an almighty accident but for quick reactions from the ferraris.

[Stan Reid]

The qualifying times for today's Watkins Glen Indycar race (147.007 MPH-236.585 KPH) seem to indicate that Indy cars now might actually be faster on a road course than F1 cars.

[steveaki13]

Quiet around here today. .... A dull race like this doesn't help. It's all so predictable.

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[Nitrodaze]

Quiet around here today. .... A dull race like this doesn't help. It's all so predictable.

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Yea, where is everyone???

[steveaki13]

Probably fallen asleep :mad:

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[Big Ben]

The race is so interesting I've decided I could some homework in the meantime.

[AL14]

I think the most entertaining part is Alonso trolling his engineers via radio. lol

[steveaki13]

Fred. Hahaha

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[steveaki13]

Glad I bothered with that.

even though it was anti team Alonso was funniest guy out there.

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[longisland]

Rosberg & Vettel gave Hamilton the German treatment. That wasn't nice IMHO

[steveaki13]

They are German. So I have no issue with that.

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[Nitrodaze]

I wonder what happened to the Mercs at the start. There was no wheel spin, could they be having clutch problems or got the start setup wrong?

[N. Jones]

Love this track but eyes closed more than once throughout.

[Mia 01]

This race was a bit boring. I would give it a 3/10.

[N4D13]

Love this track but eyes closed more than once throughout.
+1

I tried my hardest to keep my eyes opened throughout the race (bar blinking) and failed miserably.

[Nitrodaze]

Love this track but eyes closed more than once throughout.

+1

The Mercedes - Ferrari battle was short lived. And Redbull disappointed by not getting close enough to the Ferrari to produce an interesting alternative battle. The disparity of performance between the teams at the sharp end is still too large and a fast track like Monza reveals that all too clearly.

I can't wait long enough to see the end of these Pirelli tyres, bring on 2017. Tyres played a huge role today of keeping the Ferraris out of the fight with the Mercs. Of course, the deficiency of the Ferrari chassis relative to the Mercedes chassis had a good deal to do with it also.

Monza also exposed the true gap in engine performance between the four types of engines on the grid. Honda is still towing the rear of the engine battle. Renault is not as good as the Ferrari engine. The Redbull chassis is making up the difference in performance and allowing them to fight the Ferrari successfully on aero tracks as opposed to horsepower tracks like Monza. And the Ferrari chassis or something is preventing them from unleashing the full potential of their engine. Hence, exposing them to Redbull.

But underneath all of these things are the challenges of making the tyres work with the various chassis. So it would seem that a majority of the teams on the grid are unable to access the full potential of their chassis due to the current tyre.

[zako85]

Entirely predictable race after the first lap.

[steveaki13]

Entirely predictable race after the first lap.
That's the problem. There is so little variation with no getting together, retirements or other fast cars. It only takes one Mercedes to get 5 seconds ahead and you know it's over. Today 5th was the highest we had any kind of battle.

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[The Black Knight]

I think this was the most boring Italian GP to which I've ever seen. The top 4 results you knew by the first corner.

[zako85]

The Sunday IndyCar race at Watkins Glen was actually better than Monza. A lot better.

[airshifter]

Mostly a snooze fest. Good to see Ferrari make it to the podium, but not a lot of on track action.

I will say that the move Ricciardo made on Bottas was a great move, and handled well by both drivers. He dove in there from waaaay back, and both of them gave racing room. Great braking move.

[Stan Reid]

The Sunday IndyCar race at Watkins Glen was actually better than Monza. A lot better.

And Indycar races will continue to be better until F1 quits spreading its legs for the environmentalists and gets rid of these kiddie cars.

[Nitrodaze]

Mostly a snooze fest. Good to see Ferrari make it to the podium, but not a lot of on track action.

I will say that the move Ricciardo made on Bottas was a great move, and handled well by both drivers. He dove in there from waaaay back, and both of them gave racing room. Great braking move.

I hope Redbull play that one back for young Verstappen so he can see how clean defending is done.

[The Black Knight]

Mostly a snooze fest. Good to see Ferrari make it to the podium, but not a lot of on track action.

I will say that the move Ricciardo made on Bottas was a great move, and handled well by both drivers. He dove in there from waaaay back, and both of them gave racing room. Great braking move.

He did but I honestly feel that were it someone like Lewis then he would have forced Ricciardo to bow out of it. It was a great move but it's only the likes of Bottas, whom I don't rate very highly anyway, that would enable a driver to make a move like that.

I still think Verstappen's move in Beckett's on Rosberg is the overtake of the season thus far.