Monaco GP vs Indy 500

...and maybe vs Coca-Cola 600 too?

I like Indy car, but not much of an oval fan. Rarely watch the Indy 500, but i watched a bunch of it today. WAY better race to watch than the typically boring Monaco GP.

Monaco qualifying is among the most exciting forms of driver masterclass there is, but as for the race being THE crown jewel of F1. Gotta wonder why anymore.

 

IndyCar-->most tracks are wide enough for the cars.

Monaco(race)-->the F1 cars are the problem...too wide, too long and way to heavy.

Pirelli can't even make a full wet tire(blue banded) for the past 4 years which is why the inters are the tire of choice when it rains.

 

Has Monaco ever really been that great? Say 1999-2009, the cars were small, light and nimble yet I don't recall very much on track passing. It was very much a strategy race. At least with refueling the drivers were pushing, not this drive around at 70-80% crap. Schumacher's drive in 2006 was one of the very instances where someone made several passes on track.

Excellent point about Pirelli's full wet tire. I recall races being run in monsoons with the Bridgestone's, and yet no matter what the Pirelli's full wet seems to be useless in almost any rain condition.

 

Indy was a good race. Couple hard hits. Thankfully nobody hurt. Nice final lap drag race. I'm glad they decided not to finish under caution.

 

The wheel flying off the car was terrifying. If that went into the crowd, there could have been some fatalities.

The end was a bit of a Masi call, and as a racing fan I am grateful for it.

 

Maybe they should copy F1's tethered tires?

 

They have them. Just a freak accident that severed the tether.

 

I thought Indy was more entertaining than Monaco and that's saying a lot for an oval race.

 

The Indy 500 was the more entertaining today of the two races. The F1 cars look like yachts going around the historic hairpin turn. I have been more of an F1 fan in the past, but I feel like they have lost their way with some of the rule changes and the size of the cars. Hope it changes for the better in the future.

 

I have season tix there. Almost made me glad I wasn't there. My family was and that was concerning.

 

Indy 500 was exciting, unpredictable up to the last moments.

 

Got up early to watch Monaco
Should have slept in
Took a nap before Indy
Overslept and missed it

 

For me, the only thing uglier than a modern Indy car is a modern F1 car. WRC on YouTube has more action.

 

F1 cars and the rules that enable those Blimps........

F1 cars should be 66% as long as current cars, 90% as wide as current cars, and 75% the weight of current cars.

 

More about Monaco

Monaco fails to meet FIA grade 1 certification | thejudge13
Each year the debate re-emerges as to whether Formula One has outgrown the Monaco race circuit. The F1 cars are now double the footprint of those which raced in early years of the newly established FIA championship.
Of course Grand Prix racing in Monaco pre-dates the F1 era which was established in 1950.
Monaco GP predates F1
The Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) which organised the Monte Carlo Rally applied to the International Motorsports governing body (AIACR) in 1928 to be upgraded from a regional French racing club to a one with National status.
They were refused due to the lack of a major motorsport event held wholly within Monaco’s boundaries. Their rally was held on the roads of other European countries.
To attain full national status the president of the ACM, Anthony Noghes, proposed the creation of an automobile Grand Prix wholly within the streets of Monte Carlo. The first race was held 14th April 1929 and won Williams Grover-Williams driving a works Bugatti Type 35 which can be seen competing to this day at the Goodwood festival of speed.
Circuit layout hardly altered
The original circuit layout remained the same until 1972 when the pit lane was moved to its current position. The following year the swimming pool stadium was erected and the previous straight became a double chicane winding its way around the pool arena.
The track was altered once more in 1976 but other than these ‘tweaks’ the Monaco road course remains as it always has been.
Monaco has been the source of controversy over the years and it’s believed Prince Rainier III lent Bernie Ecclestone the money to acquire the commercial rights to Formula One from the FIA.
This allegedly meant Monaco has received ‘special’ treatment with reduced hosting fees compared to other F1 races together with the right to charge for promotional sponsorship which at all other events sits with Formula One.
Monaco given just a 3 year deal
Until this year’s race Monaco also retained the right to produce the TV pictures for the race but under a new three year deal agreed last year the broadcast is now performed by the usual FOM team for the 2023 Grand Prix.,Monaco’s new three year deal went down to three wire time wise due to Liberty Media demanding they upgrade the facilities in the principality.
A three year deal is also unusual in modern times because promoters want the certainty to know they have a number of years to reclaim any investment required. Its been speculated that a number of demands have been made of the ACM who organise the event and they have been given three years to deliver or the next contract will not be forthcoming.
Monaco circuit fails FIA specification
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the Monaco circuit needs to change due to the modern demands of the Formula One cars.
Overtaking in the modern era is nigh on impossible and the event becomes mostly about the excitement of qualifying on Saturday and Horner believes modifications to the circuit could be made to facilitate overtaking once more.
The Monaco circuit is the shortest on the F1 calendar and in fact does not meet the criteria for the FIA grade 1 circuit certification because it is shorter than 3.5km. No other race on the calendar would be given approval for an F1 race, yet Monaco has always clipped special privileges from the sport.
Making the track wider may assist in improving overtaking opportunities but this would require building outwards into the sea. This was done for the 1986 Grand Prix when the ‘Nouvelle chicane’ was introduced to improve safety.
Horner calls for changes to track
The Red Bull boss wants to see changes to the Monaco track because the venue has unique appeal. “Monaco is Monaco, and it’s here because of its history, its uniqueness,” he told assembled media.
“I think the problem we have is that cars are so big now that all venues have to evolve a little. I think if there was just one area we could create a bit of space for an overtake, it would just give that chance, because there’s so much weight just placed on qualifying.
“The race is won or lost on Saturday.”
Monaco is currently developing a new $2bn project to extend into the sea another 6 hectares and create hundreds of new homes and Horner believes this demonstrates the circuit can in fact be improved.
Maybe “add another kilometre”
“I’m sure with the creativeness that there is and the amount of land that they’re reclaiming here, there’s got to be the opportunity to squeeze in a bigger braking zone.
“Maybe make turn one a little sharper or slower or maybe extend the circuit. If there’s an opportunity to add another kilometre in that included a hairpin that would be phenomenal.
“I think that’s something maybe to contemplate when you think of the next 20 years of Monaco, you don’t want to see it left behind.”
The Red Bull chief doesn’t believe the poor overtaking opportunities at present threatens the future of the race.

 

I'm not a big IndyCar fan at all, in fact, I rarely watch any races nor do I know the schedule week to week. However, and this is a big however, there is nothing like being a spectator at the Indy 500. It's exciting, loud and all driver. Don't like IndyCar? I get it. Do yourself a favor and go to Indianapolis, once. And when the Pace Car dives into the pits and the Green Flag waves, think of Enzo Ferrari, who admired the Packard Twin Six V12 that raced at Indianapolis in 1919 that was inspiration for his power plants built in Maranello.

 

In 2005, that was my first FCA International meet, I think that's what they like to call it. I'll never forget following for a brief moment a 333 around the F1 track. And thinking wow this is not nearly as wide as it looks and the banking is more than it looks. We actually got to run it at speed which was surprising, and later they let us run the first corner sequence without limits. It was cool running in Schumacher's tire tracks. And I was able to witness a historic event. I think the first boycott for safety by drivers. Oh, and I spent a five hours on a Kentucky jail with a well known lawyer who was following me, got bailed and drove straight to the track with no sleep until later that night when I checked into the Monument Club. Life's about lasting experiences and memories. That's one I'll remember for many years. Almost 18 years ago...I miss those days. Those men and woman who race Indy are a different. Not only are they the best drivers, they are extraordinary brave.

 

And how fast are they at Monaco? I think I saw 201 in 2019? That's insane. We were there last year and I was surprised at how narrow, and of the elevation changes. I didn't realize how much uphill there is after turn one until I saw it. BTW, if you ever get an urge to drive parts of Europe in a decent sports car and see Monaco in a first class venue, try Autobahn Adventures. It's one of the best tours like it we have every done. We plan to do it again. Just wonderful, and wonderful host.

As for Monaco for us, it was more than just a race for us, it is the history, architecture, food, climate, everything combined. We left Nice just before the race this year. Our private driver was in the armed forces of Monaco for over 30 years, and was always near the podium. He had lots of interesting stories and took us his way, the back way above Monaco to look down upon it. What a venue for a race...stunningly beautiful. I knew he was ex military the moment I saw him. If you are in Nice, this is the guy to hire. He was there when Princes Grace had her tragic accident. Interesting details of a sad event.

https://autobahnadventures.com/driving-tours/monaco-f1-grand-prix-tour-2024-1/