Not sure about any Williams aero additions. Seems unlikely given the slow speeds around Monaco.

Obviously Kimi continued to be the class of the field. Anyone know:

1. Did Alonso had any grooves left on his rear tires? Has anyone ever been penalized for grooveless tires since they were introduced? I can't remember if it's ever been enforced.

2. Did Rubens let MSchu by, or was that a legitimate pass? Michael was only .05s from getting past RSchu at the line - I thought he might have caught him, but I guess not.

3. Do you think Webber's pass(es) of Alonso were legitimate? Webber clearly out-braked himself both times, and could not get through the corner. And both times his actions all but forced Alonso to either straightline the chicane or come to a stop in order to let Webber slide by before taking the proper line through himself.

3b. What the heck was Alonso thinking not moving over to prevent Webber for trying it in the first place?

4. If you're Ferrari, are you talking to Michelin yet about getting on board next year?

5. Seems like all the action is in the 2nd half of the races these days. Perhaps that's when the drivers are comfortable knowing their tires are going to last?

All in all, I pretty exciting race, especially for Monaco. F1 is turing into CART, where all the teams seem to be on an even footing. Well, maybe not all, but most.

 

As far as tire wear, I think there was maybe a groove, or part of a groove left.

What about Michael's pit exit?! I wonder if he got penalized for crossing/driving on the line? Anyone?

I think Webber was trying to hard for the pass - of course, Heidfeld made it look so easy!

 

For those of you going to the USGP, STLMINI and MINICCI are having a cookout and Car Cruise on Saturday. See our post in the National forum. Hope to see lots of MINI F1 fans there!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=43733

Aaron

 

Thursday at the 'ring...



...a Ferrari in a sea of Michelins...

 

According to Autosport, Rubens didn't deliberately let Michael by and is apparently a bit upset with Michael about it. Rubens said that he had to lift in the tunnel to avoid hitting Ralf and Michael took advantage. It's not very clear to me exactly what he's upset about, given that it was a legitimate pass, but apparently he thinks it was too risky since Michael could have taken them both out and that, had the situation been reversed and Rubens done the pass, the team wouldn't have been very happy with him.

Rubens quote:
"Now I know that he won't protect my racing line, so I'll act accordingly. In the future I'll have to consider Michael not as a teammate, but like any other driver."

Mark

 

Yeah he's his teammate but he's also the defending world champion - and he doesn't have many points, so he should expect him to try like mad to do whatever he can to make up ground, not sit behind him and smell his exhaust. C'mon Rubens, you're smarter than that!

 

Remember PickSix competetitors, this goes into effect with tomorrow's qualifying session.

From GrandPrix.com: As reported over the last weekend, Formula 1 is to change its qualifying format at the next race, dropping the Sunday morning session and deciding the grid with a single qualifying session involving single timed laps on Saturday afternoon. This will improve the coverage of qualifying, which had virtually disappeared because of the decision to have a second session on Sunday morning. Now, if nothing else, race fans will know on Saturday night who is on pole. What we will not know is who is quick and who is running a lot of fuel because there will no longer be a first session in which cars will run with low fuel loads. The new system of qualifying will also aggravate the problems faced by the cars that have to run first in the session because they will have to deal with slippery conditions. The two-session format did at least give drivers the chance to climb up the grid a little.

 

I am really happy that they eliminated Sunday Quali 2, but am really pissed that Sat Quali is on race fuel instead of low fuel. Does the FIA ever listen to race fans? I'll bet if you took a vote, almost all fans and drivers love to have the cars on low fuel for quali, and it makes more of a guessing game for the race, which is a bigger challenge for the teams.

At least Sunday is now gone. It was hell for the teams and bad for TV and news coverage. Hopefully some good changes will come from the FIA survey of the fans. If you haven't filled it out yet, do so now and let your voice be heard!
http://www.fia-amd-survey2005.com/

Aaron

 

Thanks for the reminder!

It'll be interesting to see how BAR reacts and how their sealed engines will hold up.

 

No more waking up at Oh My it's Early just to check the web pages to see who I should pick!

Makes it easier for you when you have to travel and can get web access to get your picks!

 

Thanks for posting. MSchu didn't get to be world champion by being content with sitting behind his teammates. Of course if the situation had been reversed, he probably would have taken Rubens out or forced him offline through the Nouveau Chicane.

 

Stunner...Heidfeld takes pole!

1) HEIDFELD
2) RAIKKONEN
3) WEBBER
4) TRULLI
5) MONTOYA
6) ALONSO
7) BARRICHELLO
8) R.SCHUMACHER
9) FISICHELLA
10) M.SCHUMACHER
11) MASSA
12) COULTHARD
13) BUTTON
14) LIUZZI



Should be a good start tomorrow, can the Williams not choke when the lights go out?

 

Does anyone know if Alonso got penalize for cutting across the checanne (sorry for spelling checanne wrong) when the williams passed him?

 

Ohh Nooo, Kimi's suspension lets loose! Great victory for Alonso, and good to see Ferrari back on the podium.

PickSix shot to 'ell though. Single digit race, arrgh!

MGC

 

An actual exciting F1 race!

Too bad for KR, McLaren gambles and lost.

Fabulous race for Fisi to get 6th after starting from the pits!

 

Great race...Raikkonen has got some g'nads for pushing that vibrating right front corner...

Season is looking great going into Canada.

 

This one tyre set rule really should be abolished. Kimi is truly lucky to have not sustained a serious injury when his suspension failed. Why not go back to banning refueling which is the most dangerous activity in the pits and permit tire changes?

 

Agreed. What happened with Kimi was bound to happen to someone, sometime and it'll happen again unless the rules are changed. The tire companies have done an amazing job of making tires that last through qualifying and the race and are still plenty quick, but it's not surprising that someone should damage a tire and push it. I also don't like it from an aesthetic standpoint: it's silly to watch multi-million dollar F1 cars being forced (well, almost) to bounce around on a flatspotted tire or to retire from a race because they've already used their "extra" tire.

Mark

 

How many of you guys are going to the USGP this year? Some great MINI events are being staged by the MINICCI and St. Louis folks and the car corral will be back again at the Speedway - should be great!

 

I'll be there for Thursday's pitlane walk about and Sunday's race. Still undecided as to Saturday's Qualifying and MINI extravaganza or the PKI run north of Cincy.

p.s. On Sunday, I'll be at the MINI Corral on the back stretch.

 

See you on Sunday! Rumor has it that the corral will be in the grass rather than the backstretch this year. When is the PKI run? My plan was to head to Cincinnati on Monday evening after we get to lap the GP circuit and hit PKI on Tuesday.

 

On the European GP:

1. A very exciting race. The new track is nothing compared to the Nordschleife, but modern F1 cars could never race there safely.
2. The one-tire rule is total rubbish and it will soon hurt someone badly. Kimi was very lucky to not have a piece of suspension hit him. F1 is the sharp end of motorsport and having one set of tires ruins the show, takes cars out for small mistakes, is dangerous, and saves very little money. If you heard David Hobbes on Wind Tunnel, he said all this in only the way he can. F1 is not endurance racing!
3. Alonso drove a strong race and while his win was lucky, a win is a win! My boy now has a pretty good lead in the championship. This season is very exciting!

Aaron

 

I have watched F1 for quite a few years. In my opinion, this has been the most exciting year of F1 racing that I can remember! I believe that this excitement is due in large part to the changes that were instituted by the FIA for this years' competition. One of those changes was the "one set of tires rule". I believe that rule has made F1 racing much more interesting and competitive. I am obviously in the minority on this forum, nevertheless, I have enjoyed this season so much that I must speak in support of this new rule. You cannot convince me that F1 will be one iota safer if we go back to the old rules! The hightened interest and excitement of this season, in my opinion, is reason enough to allow this format to continue unchanged. I am reserving my opinion on the qualifying situation. I was sorry that the FIA was unduly influenced by the world press and decided to go to a single qualifying session. Maybe it will work,but the more opportunity I get to see the cars on course, the better I like it.

 

Tom, I 100% agree that this season has been one of the most exciting in recent memory. I just think they could find better ways to make it exciting than making the teams run one tire for quali and the race. If they went to narrow slicks, more mechanical and less aero grip, etc., it might make for more overtaking and better showcase of driver skill. I'm not an expert, but surly the FIA can come up with some great ideas that also improve safety.

One thing is for sure, this season is SO exciting and one of the best I can remember!

Also glad that all of the MINI F1 fans can discuss our opinions on F1 here! :smile:

Aaron

 

These tire companies are fully capable of making a tire that will last the entire weekend. They just push it to the extreme to try and make the fastest tire possible. If they were allowed to change tires, then the tires would just be that much less robust, because they'd be made to only last 1/3 race distance. McLaren could have brought Kimi in to change the tire, but they chose not to.


Fact is, Kimi messed up by flatspotting the tire. Tire conservation is part of driving an F1 car now, and while he was very fast, he didn't conserve the tires, and ultimately lost the race.

And I agree, this has been the best season in a long time. I'm loving it.