F1 open to Monaco changes, admits Ross Brawn

F1’s managing director of motorsports Brawn says it’s an understandable take on the racing side of things and that discussions are held about what could improve the sporting spectacle, but insists the sport will be cautious with any changes it looks into.
https://racer.com/2021/05/21/f1-open-to-monaco-changes/
https://soymotor.com/noticias/f1-baraja-modificar-circuito-monaco-brawn-987527

Immediately after reading these articles the Joker lap of the Rally Cross crossed my mind.
Maybe they could add some place on the circuit where a Joker lap can be made and that once every 5 or 6 laps each driver has to go through there and this could generate the overtaking.
What do you think?

 

lets first see how the new F1 cars will do here next year...

I can see 2 realistic options. 1 is instead of going right at Portier, just before it the basically take the roundabout turn left first and go right around the roundabout, like so:
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This adds about 60 meters of straight but also a faster run up.

The 2nd would add quite a bit of track, instead of going right at rascasse, we go left instead and along the boulevard towards the cruiseship terminal. From there there already is a slip up road in place that enters a tunnel that exits behind the historic arena thing. From here another straight into the (admittedly tight) last corner before blasting on to the straight.

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This adds 2 straights of around 400 meters.

The only downside is that the current pitlane would be very hard to access, The turn onto the mainstraight is already very tight and is obviously an acceleration zone...so to have cars there turning more left just opens up for pitlane entry based accidents enormously. Can't do the ''just use rascasse'' as a pitlane entry either as it'll just be an enormous time advantage (only way to rectify that would be to have a 15 second hold or something, and I just can't see that happening as it'll make the sport mickey mouse as ****).

However, the building among the ''new straight'' all seem just as suitable to become the new pitlane instead. Enough room as well.

It also allows for quite a few more viewing spots and of course more yacht mooring so the port can fill their pockets too....

 

That place in Portier you point to would be fabulous for the Joker lap. If you force each car to go through there every 5 or 6 laps this would imply that each car would go through there between 13 and 15 times in the GP and this would generate a lot of overtaking.

 

allow the DRS to open anywhere on the track as long as the car behind is within 1 sec.
and allow DRS to be allowed after the first two or three corners.

 

I see 2 problems with the joker lap...1 is the potential for enormous carnage (poor oversight at the best of times due to limited space and need for barriers) and 2, the overtakes become somewhat meaningless IMO. It'll be the equivalent of a strategic pitstop overtake. Furthermore, a slower car that perhaps qualified better or simply finds themselves in a good position due to a mess up from some of the faster cars, will inevitably lose that position.

 

F1 does not need meaningless overtaking, F1 needs real and meaningful, overtaking.

 

I agree with you, but what is the possibility of overtaking in Monaco, simply none!!!

 

The longer circuit would reduce the number of laps, but offer more overtaking opportunities perhaps.

It would still be too narrow in many places. I don't see the benefit of a "joker lap".

 

Forget Monaco. It was hardly noticed off the schedule in 2020. Certainly not missed on this forum. No one posted anything about it not being run!!!

Its not a race anymore. Run it for charity with better tracks for racing at other circuits.
So world ends without it?? Not at all!!!

 

I don´t think that the new cars or more DRS will help a lot: it´s just that there is no space.

Personally, I think that Monaco has to be kept, just because it´s different. Those tilkodromes are made to have overtaking opportunities but they all look the same. You´re never going to have lots of overtaking at Monaco, but there that´s not a problem, it´s a "feature". They just need to make a corner where overtaking is unprobable, but possible. That would need some drastic changes to the layout.

 

Keep it for historic racing, not for F1.

 

The better event!!

 

Part way through the following video Charles and Carlos consider running the circuit backwards (Leclerc says he did it on a simulator or game):

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.uncut-charles-leclerc-takes-carlos-sainz-on-a-monaco-road-trip.1700393314741523984.html

 

I like option 1 above, but as already pointed out here the biggest issue is the track width where there could possibly be overtaking opportunities. Driving the circuit backwards won't work at all... 20 cars trying to get through Anthony Noghes on lap 1 would be impossible.

 

I have not been back to Monaco since they built the cruise ship terminal, so I'm not sure of the road that is noted in the graphic above. I like the ideas noted, it would provide more viewing options as well. Rasgass is cool to be so close to the cars, but they are going so slow as well. the Paddock is in the long extension in the 2nd photo, so not sure where that would go? Personaly if you lose Monaco, you lose F-1. I'm an old time F-1 guy. The cars are ridiculously big, they need to get back to smaller cars like we had in the early 90's... i like them wide, with wide tires, but the uber long exaggerated aero is too much. Again the rules are far too restrictive.

 

Can we just make the cars smaller, would seem to solve a lot of issues? lol

 

Monaco was hardly missed last year. The fan surveys support it not being a very good race overall.
Monaco is not F1. It is not larger than F1.

 

I agree. If decreasing the size of the cars isn't an option, then I like Bas' idea number 1. Not SURE it would enable more (ANY) passing, but looks promising!

Kevin

 

Monaco could become like Goodwood Revival, Peeble Beach or Villa d'Este

Some historic races and a classic car auction.

The jet set would still love it.

 

Correct and less not so rich people in their way LOL

 

Define the wheel base to be 96" and the overall length to be 130" and it overtaking will be possible.

 

Maybe just require the cars to go back to steel brakes.

 

The road definitely exists...
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And a (slightly awkward) picture of the on ramp and into the tunnel:
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Tunnel exit
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Road ''behind'' the building:
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The more I look at it the more it makes sense. The first corner after the straight just before the on ramp can be profiled properly so it becomes an actual overtaking spot.

The only genuine downside I can see is the pilar in the middle of the 2nd tunnel. I'm no structural engineer but I think it could relatively easily be removed and a new support structure on the two walls instead so that it's wide enough. On top of all this the impact to the flow of city traffic is minimal.

The new rascasse corner will very much mimic Tabac, a very high speed left hander.

Anyone have the @ for Ross Brawn? I don't need much...

 

So that would make Monaco a two tunnel circuit? Super Cool. Yeah Ross, easy thing to do.

 

Ross will be sending you a cheque in the mail