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The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 7:09 pm
by cmlean
This is the place to discuss everything related to the 6th round of the 2018 season taking place in Monaco between the 24th and 27th of May.

To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Monaco click here, to register in the competition click here.

Picks for Monaco close at the start of Saturday practice.

The event timetable for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Thursday
1st Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
2nd Practice 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT

Saturday
Practice 12:00 local time - 10:00 GMT
Qualifying 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 7:32 pm
by cmlean
This weekend sees the return to the confines of Monaco. The race can be a procession however a little strategy can turn the race on its head.

So, my thoughts.
Red Bull will keep the top two honest. If they can qualify at the front, the speed shown in the slow sectors of the previous event is a good indication of just how quick they will be on this tight, twisty layout.
All things will probably not fall their way however. I also expect the Mercedes of Hamilton to spoil party and tie up one spot on the front row for the race. Just which Red Bull is displaced, we will have to see on Saturday.
The Ferrari's seem to be in dire need of a low speed upgrade. If they turn up with maximum downforce, they are still a force to be not taken lightly.
Mercedes and Ferrari number 2's to fill grid positions 5 and 6.
From here on in, you can toss a coin.
My next are Alonso, Sainz, Perez and Gasly.

So these are my meanderings, what do you have to say?

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 6:14 am
by cmlean
FP1 Results

Code: Select all

Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:12.126	Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull Racing
2	1:12.280	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:12.480	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
4	1:13.041	Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari
5	1:13.066	Kimi Räikkönen	  Ferrari
6	1:13.456	Carlos Sainz	  Renault
7	1:13.502	Valtteri Bottas	  Mercedes
8	1:13.717	Sergio Perez	  Force India
9	1:13.943	Romain Grosjean	  Haas
10	1:13.962	Sergey Sirotkin	  Williams
11	1:14.000	Esteban Ocon	  Force India
12	1:14.034	Brendon Hartley	  Toro Rosso
13	1:14.134	Nico Hulkenberg	  Renault
14	1:14.240	Pierre Gasly	  Toro Rosso
15	1:14.291	Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
16	1:14.521	Charles Leclerc	  Sauber
17	1:14.637	Fernando Alonso	  McLaren
18	1:14.782	Lance Stroll	  Williams
19	1:15.206	Marcus Ericsson	  Sauber
20	1:18.801	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas


Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 6:18 am
by cmlean
FP2 Results

Code: Select all

Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:11.841	Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull Racing
2	1:12.035	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:12.413	Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari
4	1:12.536	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
5	1:12.543	Kimi Räikkönen	  Ferrari
6	1:12.642	Valtteri Bottas	  Mercedes
7	1:13.047	Nico Hulkenberg	  Renault
8	1:13.077	Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
9	1:13.115	Fernando Alonso	  McLaren
10	1:13.200	Carlos Sainz	  Renault
11	1:13.222	Brendon Hartley	  Toro Rosso
12	1:13.370	Sergio Perez	  Force India
13	1:13.382	Esteban Ocon	  Force India
14	1:13.410	Pierre Gasly	  Toro Rosso
15	1:13.547	Sergey Sirotkin	  Williams
16	1:13.572	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
17	1:13.575	Charles Leclerc	  Sauber
18	1:13.763	Romain Grosjean	  Haas
19	1:14.011	Lance Stroll	  Williams
20	1:14.173	Marcus Ericsson	  Sauber

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 7:19 pm
by cmlean
Day 1 of practice is done and dusted.

The Red Bulls are fast. Near 1/2 a second over the rest of the field.
If they make the front row in qualifying, it will be a question of how far!

The rest looks fairly tight.
Each session has has the Mercedes and Ferrari as the next best and then to where the interest really is.
Most mid field teams have shown good speed, even Sirotkin in the Williams.
The Haas are yet to hit their straps and Stroll hasn't found his rhythm and these three are propping up the bottom end of the grid.

So, it gets back to qualifying.
Start at the front, finish at the front. Start at the back and it will be a long day.

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 10:19 pm
by cmlean
FP3 Results

Code: Select all

Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:11.786	Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull Racing
2	1:11.787	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:12.023	Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari
4	1:12.142	Kimi Räikkönen	  Ferrari
5	1:12.273	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
6	1:12.356	Valtteri Bottas	  Mercedes
7	1:12.752	Brendon Hartley	  Toro Rosso
8	1:12.761	Pierre Gasly	  Toro Rosso
9	1:12.850	Carlos Sainz	  Renault
10	1:12.854	Sergey Sirotkin	  Williams
11	1:12.874	Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
12	1:12.940	Esteban Ocon	  Force India
13	1:13.025	Sergio Perez	  Force India
14	1:13.112	Nico Hulkenberg	  Renault
15	1:13.279	Fernando Alonso	  McLaren
16	1:13.595	Lance Stroll	  Williams
17	1:13.644	Charles Leclerc	  Sauber
18	1:13.881	Romain Grosjean	  Haas
19	1:14.192	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
20	1:14.221	Marcus Ericsson	  Sauber
After topping the time sheets for much of the session, Max Verstappen stuffed his Red Bull into the barriers coming out of the pool complex.
The mechanics will have their work cut out needing to rebuild, at best, the front and rear right corners.

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Sun May 27, 2018 7:03 am
by cmlean
Qualifying

Code: Select all

Pos	Qual		Driver		  Team
1	1:10.810	Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull Racing
2	1:11.039	Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari
3	1:11.232	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
4	1:11.266	Kimi Räikkönen	  Ferrari
5	1:11.441	Valtteri Bottas	  Mercedes
6	1:12.061	Esteban Ocon	  Force India
7	1:12.110	Fernando Alonso	  McLaren
8	1:12.130	Carlos Sainz	  Renault
9	1:12.154	Sergio Perez	  Force India
10	1:12.221	Pierre Gasly	  Toro Rosso
_________________________________________________________
11	1:12.411	Nico Hulkenberg	  Renault
12	1:12.440	Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
13	1:12.521	Sergey Sirotkin	  Williams
14	1:12.714	Charles Leclerc	  Sauber
15	1:12.728	Romain Grosjean	  Haas
_________________________________________________________
16	1:13.179	Brendon Hartley	  Toro Rosso
17	1:13.265	Marcus Ericsson	  Sauber
18	1:13.323	Lance Stroll	  Williams
19	1:13.393	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
20	No Time		Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
At the conclusion of the rebuild of Verstappen's Red Bull, it was discovered that there was a fault in the gearbox. Max took no part it the session and will start at the stewards discretion. It's going to be a long day on Sunday for Max.........

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Sun May 27, 2018 3:44 pm
by Tim
Go Ricciardo!!

Car/Driver combination at Monaco is stunning!!

They'd better have some tyres for him when he pits!!

Should be interesting to see Verstappen storm from the back .... if he doesn't stack it that is! A safety car could help him back into it

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:26 am
by cmlean
Results

Code: Select all

Pos	Driver		  Team
1	Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull Racing
2	Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari
3	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
4	Kimi Räikkönen	  Ferrari
5	Valtteri Bottas	  Mercedes
6	Esteban Ocon	  Force India
7	Pierre Gasly	  Toro Rosso
8	Nico Hulkenberg	  Renault
9	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
10	Carlos Sainz	  Renault
11	Marcus Ericsson	  Sauber
12	Sergio Perez	  Force India
13	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
14	Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
15	Romain Grosjean	  Haas
16	Sergey Sirotkin	  Williams
17	Lance Stroll	  Williams
DNF	Charles Leclerc	  Sauber
DNF	Brendon Hartley	  Toro Rosso
DNF	Fernando Alonso	  McLaren

Re: The 2018 Monaco GP Thead

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:36 am
by cmlean
Well, that was one of the best Monaco's for some time.

With Ricciardo nursing the ailing Red Bull for much of the race and Vettel and Hamilton smelling blood in the water, this race held it all.
The virtual safety car near the end ruined what was shaping to be an exciting conclusion with the mid field catching the leaders. Ricciardo did the best in maintaining tyre temperature and managed to scamper into the distance to guarantee his first Monaco victory.

The virtual safety car was brought on by Leclerc's Sauber having a brake failure coming out of the tunnel and drilling Hartley's Toro Rosso.

An entertaining drive by Verstappen, starting from the rear and finishing in the points. This was without the benefit of a safety car to close the gaps in the field.