What do you think are the main issues around Monaco? Any predictions? With MS's validation that the F2005 is not a good single-lap qualifying car, and w/qualifying being so very important in Monaco, are we Tifosi expecting another poor show by our team? Is Bridgestone getting its act together?
Ferrari has to get better qualifying results if they want to win. Btw last Ferrari win at Monaco was in 2001. (M. Schumacher) note: Olivier Panis expects Toyota to struggle in Monaco. my prediction for now.. 1. Fisichella (at his favorite GP) 2. Raikkonen 3. Montoya
I really hope it's wet. I Wonder if all the F-chat'ers around the world did a rain dance at the same time would help
Yeah, a wet race at Monaco would be awesome. I can't remember the last time it rained there during the Grand Prix. McLaren and Renault will be at the top of the timesheets. EDIT: According to FORIX.com, the 1996 race was "Overcast, Mild, Wet" and the 1997 race was "Overcast, Cold, Rain." You then have to go all the way back to the infamous 1984 race, which was described as "Overcast, Cold, Rain." So only 3 wet races in the last 21 years!
Who ever qualifies 1st will finish 1st. The only passing that will go on will be in the pits. If Ferrari is smart they will qualify on a VERY light load, and pit early. Monaco sucks as a race track. There is no room at all for any kind of passing, and it is way too easy to block.
Kimi and Alonso battle. MS will try to play the game with a light first fuel load but his tires will go off and he will be leap frogged via a pitstop (how ironic). I vote Kimi for the win as Kimi is just plain faster. Pete
Ferrari 1-2 Rest of the field +x laps behind. I am with imperial... I still believe... will never stop.
Who's to say they'd have a chance, no one knows what the wets are like yet and Michelin has had way more testing on them than Ferrari and bridgestone has . If it rained they might end up even further back. I think Fisi and Alonso will do well, with Trulli and Kimi doing well also. I think JPM has an outside shot too.
JPM has the fastest car (well...at least his team had the fastest car last week) ..and JPM has something to prove after taking himself out for two races, after being lucky enough to land on the best team. The boy should be on fire. Stay clear
This is going to be a tough one. Trulli loves and shines at this venue. If they can get a good tire selection for the race he might make it two in a row! As I get into my MR2 Turbo these days having a strong F1 presence does add a little bit to my ownership of the car. Strange I know but, it does. Its been no secret that Renault have an amazing rear end on their car. They can get the power down like no one else. That bodes very well for them this weekend as it did last year. While Trulli is no longer at the wheel they do have Fisi and that Alonso is no slouch as well. McLaren has the best driver in F1 at the moment, Kimi. But, hes never done extremely well at Monaco. I dont know how Ferrari will do this weekend. Even last year when they had by far the best car on the grid MS qualified only 5th and RB finished well over a minute down to the top two. Granted MS wouldnt have been that far back had he actually made it to his pit stop and the end of the race but he surely wouldnt have won. The first 5 qualifying positions are crucial at Monaco and Im afraid he wont be in that group. As Toyota have been topping the tests on the Paul Ricard short track (and most of the long track as well) my prediction is 1.) Trulli (Im crossing my fingers theyll get the right tires on the car) 2.) Fisi 3.) Kimi (I almost put JPM here. Just almost. I don't know if he's physically up to the task though. This is a tough track on the driver.) To be honest it could be anyones guess.
Reminder... Practice 1 and 2 = tomorrow ( thursday) BTW Alex Wurz will be driving the 3rd McLaren and not De la Rosa.
I was not meaning that the bridgestone's would go well if it's wet, i was meaning that Schuy would go well.... He's the rain-master after all.... But you are right, Michelin wet's are probably more then a match for the bridgestone's now
I have put money on Fisi for this race. He loves the circuit and the Renault is definately the best car for Monaco.
