View Poll Results: Who will win?
Felipe Massa
0
0%
Paul di Resta
0
0%
Nico Hulkenberg
0
0%
Daniel Ricciardo
0
0%
Jean-Eric Vergne
0
0%
Bruno Senna
0
0%
Vitali Petrov
0
0%
Voters: 77. You may not vote on this poll
2012 Grand Prix of Monaco
05-22-2012, 02:11 PM
#2
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Fernando Alonso, Hamilton and Schummy are all experts of the Monaco circuit and will fight for the win
How about six different winners and six different constructors in the first six races of the season
I pick Alonso as the eventual winner
How about six different winners and six different constructors in the first six races of the season I pick Alonso as the eventual winner
05-22-2012, 03:03 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
I'm in Nice for the week and will be watching the race live from the Fairmont suites at Lowes/Fairmont Corner. The weather today was cloudy with light rain in the morning but the sun came out this afternoon.
I would like to see Kimi do well but it's wide open this year, should be a hoot to be there in person.
I would like to see Kimi do well but it's wide open this year, should be a hoot to be there in person.
05-22-2012, 03:20 PM
#6
Rennlist Member
Zo FTW. Car is getting better and as his teammate said ...
F1: Massa Q&A: ‘Fernando’s Driving Is Amazing’
Felipe Massa weighs in on a variety of topics...
Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa sits in the pits on April 21, 2012 during the third practice session at the Bahrain international circuit in Manama ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. (Getty Images)
Felipe Massa has been under fire after his difficult start to the 2012 season, but the Brazilian remains adamant that he can turn things around. He was in Maranello Friday when he gave a fascinating interview to the official Ferrari website, which we reproduce here. In it, he discusses his current slump and refutes suggestions that his 2009 accident is still affecting him.
Every driver, consciously or otherwise, has his teammate as a point of reference and it’s not easy to accept or to explain the large difference in points that currently exists between Felipe and Fernando. However, Felipe is not the sort to hide from the truth and provides honest answers to our questions.
“I think that this year, the only race where there really was a big difference between me and Fernando was in Australia and then, in Malaysia the rain made it more complicated to get a clear picture. Starting in China, the difference in qualifying between the two of us was not so dramatic. Even in Barcelona, but for the traffic, my time in Q2 was in line with previous events and on Sunday my pace was not that far off. I think we must also take into account that, at the moment, Fernando’s driving is amazing. He is on super form, maybe even perfect.”
Do you think there is a specific problem with the car that is preventing you from getting the most out of it?
“It’s definitely not a very easy car to drive and it’s hard to find a good balance. Many times I have found myself having to fight the car and, in these circumstances, it’s easy to lose a tenth here and there – with my driving style maybe I struggle a bit more, because I don’t manage to find a smooth way of driving. Then, it’s well known that we don’t yet have enough aerodynamic downforce and we are lacking in traction at the exit to slow corners, which could be the biggest problem. In Spain, we made a significant improvement, which could clearly be seen from Fernando’s performance in the race, but I too, when I had a clear track ahead of me, had a good pace. We also made a little progress in terms of top speed, another area where we have suffered right from the start of the season.”
Can you feel the team has faith in you and what do you need to get out of this difficult phase?
“Absolutely, yes, I feel the whole team stands by me. Obviously, they are not happy with the results and neither am I. What we all want is to get out of this and return to normal. It’s possible and for sure it’s what I want and I know that with the team’s help we will manage it.”
It’s a difficult question, but equally, it’s one that, one way or another, needs to be asked. Has there ever been the doubt in your mind that you are no longer as quick since the accident in Budapest?
“I have asked myself that forty five thousand times and don’t think I haven’t and why wouldn’t I: having won so much over three years, eleven races, the question is obvious. And it’s not as though I only stuck to asking myself: I went looking for the answer, asking a whole host of questions and undergoing as many medical examinations. All the doctors I consulted are prepared to swear hand on heart that there are absolutely no traces of the impact with the spring. As for myself, I don’t feel in any way different to the way I was before that weekend. For example, if it was true that I no longer had the same will to win as before or the same courage, then how can one explain the fact that, at the race start, I am probably still one of the best drivers and I am not the sort to hold back when it comes to overtaking?"
It’s been almost thirty years since we have seen five winners in five different cars in the first part of the season: where do you think this unpredictability comes from?
“I think it’s great for the show, because many more teams are competitive. I think that the many changes over the past few years, both the technical and financial ones, have contributed in a decisive fashion. Up to a few years ago, those who did not have a big budget had no chance, but today it’s no longer the case and I think that will continue in the future, also because the trend is moving towards reducing costs still further, given what is going on in the rest of the world.”
Is tire performance really that unpredictable and important?
“Yes, but their influence varies from circuit to circuit. In Bahrain and Spain we had high degradation and then the tires played a decisive role, but at others, where degradation is more within the norm, then I think the quickest car in absolute terms will have the upper hand. Having said that, clearly those who do the best job of managing the tires, have the best strategy and make no mistakes, will have the best chance of winning.”
Monaco is your second home race. What does it feel like driving a Formula 1 car on the same streets where a few days earlier and after this Grand Prix, you might find yourself going for a walk with your son?
“On normal days, you don’t feel you’re on a track, apart from at the Loews hairpin, where the kerbs are always in place. When you drive through there you always have in mind that you are actually on the Grand Prix track. Everywhere else you never think about it. Obviously now, you are pretty much on track as the barriers and kerbs have already been installed. Felipinho knows this is where I race, but he is only interested in me being able to drive like in Mario Kart so as to pick up the bonuses! We spend ages playing that video game…”
What does it feel like to produce a perfect lap, to take pole position at a track like Monaco?
“It is fantastic and I am very sorry I was unable to win that time in 2008, when I managed to start in front of the whole field. The rain and the Safety Car certainly didn’t do me any favours, because I had a good enough pace to win. That lap the day before was really amazing, something I will never forget. Just finishing the race in Monaco is already a good result, but winning it is something that makes you part of history.”
Today, you are in Maranello to work on the simulator. What is the program for the day?
“It’s nothing to do with the next round, partly because it is almost impossible to reproduce in detail on the simulator what is the real Monaco. We are working mainly on a back-up to the Grand Prix in Barcelona to confirm the data we saw there last weekend.”
Do you agree with your colleagues, first and foremost Fernando, who maintain that one day of real track testing is worth a much larger number of days on a virtual one?
“Absolutely, a hundred percent! Nothing can replace driving on a track and I don’t just say that because, as a driver I have more fun on a track, as I think the engineers also agree with me…”
Does this race require a different approach to the others?
“Yes especially from the physical point of view. The Monaco Grand Prix is a very long race where you don’t get a moment to relax, because you are always on the limit, always brushing the barriers. So I work a lot more than usual on aerobic training, especially over a long time. From a technical point of view, the car set-up has some rather specific characteristics. Only the race in Singapore takes place on a track with any similarities to the Monegasque one.”
F1: Massa Q&A: ‘Fernando’s Driving Is Amazing’
Felipe Massa weighs in on a variety of topics...
Ferrari's Brazilian driver Felipe Massa sits in the pits on April 21, 2012 during the third practice session at the Bahrain international circuit in Manama ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. (Getty Images)
Felipe Massa has been under fire after his difficult start to the 2012 season, but the Brazilian remains adamant that he can turn things around. He was in Maranello Friday when he gave a fascinating interview to the official Ferrari website, which we reproduce here. In it, he discusses his current slump and refutes suggestions that his 2009 accident is still affecting him.
Every driver, consciously or otherwise, has his teammate as a point of reference and it’s not easy to accept or to explain the large difference in points that currently exists between Felipe and Fernando. However, Felipe is not the sort to hide from the truth and provides honest answers to our questions.
“I think that this year, the only race where there really was a big difference between me and Fernando was in Australia and then, in Malaysia the rain made it more complicated to get a clear picture. Starting in China, the difference in qualifying between the two of us was not so dramatic. Even in Barcelona, but for the traffic, my time in Q2 was in line with previous events and on Sunday my pace was not that far off. I think we must also take into account that, at the moment, Fernando’s driving is amazing. He is on super form, maybe even perfect.”
Do you think there is a specific problem with the car that is preventing you from getting the most out of it?
“It’s definitely not a very easy car to drive and it’s hard to find a good balance. Many times I have found myself having to fight the car and, in these circumstances, it’s easy to lose a tenth here and there – with my driving style maybe I struggle a bit more, because I don’t manage to find a smooth way of driving. Then, it’s well known that we don’t yet have enough aerodynamic downforce and we are lacking in traction at the exit to slow corners, which could be the biggest problem. In Spain, we made a significant improvement, which could clearly be seen from Fernando’s performance in the race, but I too, when I had a clear track ahead of me, had a good pace. We also made a little progress in terms of top speed, another area where we have suffered right from the start of the season.”
Can you feel the team has faith in you and what do you need to get out of this difficult phase?
“Absolutely, yes, I feel the whole team stands by me. Obviously, they are not happy with the results and neither am I. What we all want is to get out of this and return to normal. It’s possible and for sure it’s what I want and I know that with the team’s help we will manage it.”
It’s a difficult question, but equally, it’s one that, one way or another, needs to be asked. Has there ever been the doubt in your mind that you are no longer as quick since the accident in Budapest?
“I have asked myself that forty five thousand times and don’t think I haven’t and why wouldn’t I: having won so much over three years, eleven races, the question is obvious. And it’s not as though I only stuck to asking myself: I went looking for the answer, asking a whole host of questions and undergoing as many medical examinations. All the doctors I consulted are prepared to swear hand on heart that there are absolutely no traces of the impact with the spring. As for myself, I don’t feel in any way different to the way I was before that weekend. For example, if it was true that I no longer had the same will to win as before or the same courage, then how can one explain the fact that, at the race start, I am probably still one of the best drivers and I am not the sort to hold back when it comes to overtaking?"
It’s been almost thirty years since we have seen five winners in five different cars in the first part of the season: where do you think this unpredictability comes from?
“I think it’s great for the show, because many more teams are competitive. I think that the many changes over the past few years, both the technical and financial ones, have contributed in a decisive fashion. Up to a few years ago, those who did not have a big budget had no chance, but today it’s no longer the case and I think that will continue in the future, also because the trend is moving towards reducing costs still further, given what is going on in the rest of the world.”
Is tire performance really that unpredictable and important?
“Yes, but their influence varies from circuit to circuit. In Bahrain and Spain we had high degradation and then the tires played a decisive role, but at others, where degradation is more within the norm, then I think the quickest car in absolute terms will have the upper hand. Having said that, clearly those who do the best job of managing the tires, have the best strategy and make no mistakes, will have the best chance of winning.”
Monaco is your second home race. What does it feel like driving a Formula 1 car on the same streets where a few days earlier and after this Grand Prix, you might find yourself going for a walk with your son?
“On normal days, you don’t feel you’re on a track, apart from at the Loews hairpin, where the kerbs are always in place. When you drive through there you always have in mind that you are actually on the Grand Prix track. Everywhere else you never think about it. Obviously now, you are pretty much on track as the barriers and kerbs have already been installed. Felipinho knows this is where I race, but he is only interested in me being able to drive like in Mario Kart so as to pick up the bonuses! We spend ages playing that video game…”
What does it feel like to produce a perfect lap, to take pole position at a track like Monaco?
“It is fantastic and I am very sorry I was unable to win that time in 2008, when I managed to start in front of the whole field. The rain and the Safety Car certainly didn’t do me any favours, because I had a good enough pace to win. That lap the day before was really amazing, something I will never forget. Just finishing the race in Monaco is already a good result, but winning it is something that makes you part of history.”
Today, you are in Maranello to work on the simulator. What is the program for the day?
“It’s nothing to do with the next round, partly because it is almost impossible to reproduce in detail on the simulator what is the real Monaco. We are working mainly on a back-up to the Grand Prix in Barcelona to confirm the data we saw there last weekend.”
Do you agree with your colleagues, first and foremost Fernando, who maintain that one day of real track testing is worth a much larger number of days on a virtual one?
“Absolutely, a hundred percent! Nothing can replace driving on a track and I don’t just say that because, as a driver I have more fun on a track, as I think the engineers also agree with me…”
Does this race require a different approach to the others?
“Yes especially from the physical point of view. The Monaco Grand Prix is a very long race where you don’t get a moment to relax, because you are always on the limit, always brushing the barriers. So I work a lot more than usual on aerobic training, especially over a long time. From a technical point of view, the car set-up has some rather specific characteristics. Only the race in Singapore takes place on a track with any similarities to the Monegasque one.”
05-22-2012, 05:01 PM
#7
Rennlist
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Red Bull has had the car for Monaco for the last few years. Vettel is driving well and I prefer him to Webber in the rain. That's who I picked, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if Alonso who is driving on another plane this year, or Raikkonen who will benefit on a wet track will be on the top step.
__________________
Larry Herman
2016 Ford Transit Connect Titanium LWB
2018 Tesla Model 3 - Electricity can be fun!
Retired Club Racer & National PCA Instructor
Past Flames:
1994 RS America Club Racer
2004 GT3 Track Car
1984 911 Carrera Club Racer
1974 914/4 2.0 Track Car
CLICK HERE to see some of my ancient racing videos.
Larry Herman
2016 Ford Transit Connect Titanium LWB
2018 Tesla Model 3 - Electricity can be fun!
Retired Club Racer & National PCA Instructor
Past Flames:
1994 RS America Club Racer
2004 GT3 Track Car
1984 911 Carrera Club Racer
1974 914/4 2.0 Track Car
CLICK HERE to see some of my ancient racing videos.
Trending Topics
05-22-2012, 09:48 PM
#11
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Hamilton. He is way overdue for his maiden victory of 2012. Given the fact that he can stick it on pole and the tight nature of the track, it only makes more sense.
05-22-2012, 11:04 PM
#14
Nordschleife Master
I voted for Kimi again, as well. He's just due. His driving has been great this year...just needing the car to perform for a few more laps per stint.
Vettel was given Monaco last year. Without the red flag, he would have never made it to the end of the race on his tires. I don't think Monaco is his kind of track. Hammy, Kimi, or Shumi will do it. I would say button, but he's had his head in his *** this season. I don't get it.
Vettel was given Monaco last year. Without the red flag, he would have never made it to the end of the race on his tires. I don't think Monaco is his kind of track. Hammy, Kimi, or Shumi will do it. I would say button, but he's had his head in his *** this season. I don't get it.
