Should Monaco become an exposition only race?

It should still award points, but more points should be given for on-track overtaking. More balls=more points. That would separate the men from the boys.

 

Let's move to Dubai and Keep Monaco in the history books.

 

If fans started tuning out and sponsors dropping off as a result you'd see some changes there. That doesn't seem to be the case though.

 

Well that's the problem everywhere: is it worth risking 8 points to gain another 2 points? Or even 6 points?

With 17 events in the season, and a couple of drivers a year getting into triple digit points totals, is it really worth trying a pass to gain one or two points?

The points structure doesn't reward passes enough.

When there were six or eight events in a season, a one or two point difference was fine. An eight point victory was a large chunk of a season's points total.

But with this many races, a single win doesn't mean that much, compared to consistent points scoring. So settling for 2nd or 3rd is very much encouraged by the current points system.

 

Agree one of the very best tracks. To put together the perfect lap must be awesome. It's actually faster than the Hungaring (sp?).

There are very few tracks where passing is possible apparently ... but getting rid of the difficult tracks does not solve this problem, getting rid of corporate money and returning to real racing solves this as then the drivers will take that chance like they do in other series where they do NOT have a boss telling them to slow for TV sponsorship coverage, etc.

My favourite track!
Pete

 

To see passing in Monaco they should:

1) Ban all wings
2) Make the drivers use a clutch and gear lever.

 

i think they should have sprinklers around the track...or..just remove that track. last sunday's race was a real insult to the sport.

 

The race was awful, but the sight of the cars flinging themselves around Monaco is still amazing. I think they should definately keep the race, but try to find a way of making it a race.
The racing at Monaco is as bad as at Barcelona, but Monaco has better scenery! It's not the track that's the problem - it's the cars.

 

The track is simply too narrow at the most important points to enable passing. If you want to see passing, I think slowing the cars is the only way. They could specify a smaller or much less grippy tire for Monaco.

Making it a no points race would essentially make it a no show race. What team would want to incur the costs associated with a GP if there was nothing to gain by it?

 

I dont get it... whats the big deal with Passing? just cause there are passes does not mean a great race... unless its for the lead...in which case F1 has a bigger issue than just Monaco.

Monaco is crazy at 50 MPH... not to mention at 160MPH... I drove the track back in 1990... and there is plenty of room to pass, just not at break neck speed.... thats why its so hard. Alonso and Hamilton just checked out... kinda like Schumacher did back in 02- 03... they just ran away with the race! whats the big deal... I dont want a european open wheeled NASCAR.... which is what I think ya'll are talking about... in the states its called IRL... talk about a boring race... being in the lead at INDY only counts in the last 5-10 laps... unless rain is coming!!!

Monaco has it all - tradition, spectacular setting... tight & twisting, tons of character... and yea all the stars come out... but for me the drives way eclips any stars that are there...

I've been 2x ... both times were fun, Monaco is NOT fan friendly, but is corporate party friendly... and thats what F-1 is all about today! The last time I was there I was standing next to Maja von Hollenzollern - eating mussles and french fries (frites) at Jimmy's & she was talking to Christian Danner and Niki Lauda! NO where else will you get that! all before 5PM!

I agree that its a total bust when you spectate... all you see is your small portion of the track... unless you are on a balcony... then you can see some more... but as the epitomy of F1 It has no equal.

 

The main problem with Monaco and any other F1 track for that matter, is that the cars are so fast that there is little opportunity to pass. Consider: when cars slow down in a race, they bunch up, and at higher speeds, the bunches are spread out more. If there is 0.5 seconds between 2 cars, that may be 20 feet going around a tight turn, but may be 200 feet at 200mph. The situation ends up being that when you come out of a tight turn, the car in front of you (that is 0.5 sec ahead) is already pulling away and you're both accelerating so fast, that by the time you get to speed and think about putting a pass on the guy, he's already into the next turn.

To further compound the problem, aero is so important that if you try to get on the ass of the car in front to make the pass when you get out of the corner, it screws up your aero and you lose grip. So when you consider that there is some minimum distance you must stay back, the chance to pass is just about zero.

I think F1 could do with taking a LOT - I mean a LOOOOOT of the emphasis away from the aero side. It's the big un-equalizer. There is zero hope for a team like Spyker to be able to compete with the aero of a Ferrari. At the top they buy $100 million wind tunnels and use high-end CAD software. A smaller team can never hope to compete with that. You can buy "customer engines" but you can't buy customer bodywork - you gotta do that by yourself.

Maybe they could seriously raise the ride height of the cars to limit aero. Ban any aero device other than the front and rear wing, and the shape of the body itself. Do away with the bargeboards, little winglets and wings that stick out here, there and everywhere.

As the cars get faster and the aero gets more important, all that happens is the amount of passing decreases, and the races get less interesting. The points system that rewards consistency also plays a role - why risk anything to get from 3rd to 2nd when a) there is little chance you can make a pass and b) better to get 6 points for sure than a possibility of 8 - considering that 8 points is HARD to make up further down the line.

 

It's hard to race on a track such as Monaco when your motor MUST get to 18,000 RPM's to have any power at all, and therein lies the problem.

Alas, F1 will never go backwards - ever - so this will never change.

We would all LOVE to go back to the cars of the 70's, and even the 80's, but that just isn't going to happen.

 

Then by your definition we can just put Lewis and Fernando on the track, and everyone else can go home ? Didn't MS get set back a year ago and move up ? There IS more racing than just at positions 1-2.

As far as talking to celebs, those days are almost gone no matter where you are, I sat on the pit wall in Detroit and yacked with Senna for 20 minutes in 1984 - before we even knew who he was in F1 (However, I knew who he was from his F3 runs, him and Brundle both), and then I left and went and talked to Mansell for 20 minutes down 50 feet on the same wall.

 

Ditto at Detroit too... I have a video of me and Senna in 86 talking while he was eating lunch... Detriot was a great time!

as for my definition - yes it is pretty much like you said ... all the others are there racing for the scraps... hoping for a shunt, or mechanical failure... There is no way Ralf Schumacher is EVER racing for a win ever... so really you have Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, and maybe a BMW ( long shot) for a win... who else is there?... and more to the point when has it EVER been any different? from the 60's to the 70's and the 80's and 90's its only ever been about 3 - 4 guys who could realistically race for a win, with really only 2 who could actually be in the hunt from the beginning of each weekend. So my point is whats passing got to do with anything.

To suggest that Monaco not be a "real" race to me is crazy.... if you loose Monaco... there is really very little difference between F-1 and IRL, CART, NASCAR.... the way I figure it... Monaco, Monza, Spa, Silverstone, Imola are the only Real race tracks left... and the traditional heart and soul of F-1, but really with out Monaco... whats the point?GP2 would be more fun to watch!!!

 

Who the heck is she and why should I care? Is before 5pm better for her or you?

 

You have to BE in Monaco to enjoy the incredible atmosphere in the air. It is magical. There is an electricity that starts building 2 months prior when the first GrandStands are being put together, when barriers are being put up along the streets, when shops clear windows and then F1 memorbilia starts spreading into store windows, when more and more people come every day and finally on race week when the Principality shuts down for the event. There is no way to see any of that on TV. You have to be there to feel F1. Nowhere else in the world on the F1 calendar will you ever feel F1 but in Monaco.

I have been lucky to have lived there and have seen 3 GPs, 2 from the balcony of my friends apartment above the Monte Carlo Automobile Club. Being there is magical!

 

Can't they just make the track wider?

 

Nope, maybe it they tried a foot or two, nothing significant. They have buildings ,sidewalks, and a harbor in the way too. I wish they could though, it would make the racing a bit better.

 

+1MM, and I've been there for every race since '92. Watch the in-car footage of Senna qualifying at MC and then tell me the place isn't magical. BTW, the Senna exhibit at the Fairmont this year was moving.

 

The problem is not the track but the cars. I remeber some great races at monte carlo in particular a great over taking move by Mansell.

If they had more mechanical grip and less aero then they could "race" and over take. This is what the sport needs to stay alive IMO.