I’ve been thinking over the past few days how… er… interesting this
year’s Monaco race is going to be.

Correct me if I’m wrong (which I probably am), but we’re in a situation
where teams will be coming to the race with newbie drivers that will not
have the opportunity to do any testing on the track prior to their one-shot
qualifying lap, because their teams have opted for "private testing" rather
than "Friday testing" (which I suppose is actually Thursday testing at
Monaco, but that’s by the by…)

Do we actually therefore have drivers who will not have driven a lap of
Monaco prior to their qualifying lap?

And if so, what’s the odds that the session will be red-flagged, at least
once, whilst the carnage is cleared away? Or will the newbies "play it safe"
and end up with lap times several seconds slower than the old hands?

    Paul

Well, that was scary, wasn’t it? Can’t say I won’t be glad when Monaco
is over for another year. We can’t keep dodging the bullet for ever.

Still, should be a very interesting race, particularly from the third
row into the first corner….any bets on them both getting through?

Obviously a great job from Michelin in bringing exactly the right tyre
for the conditions….and with more rubber down they should have an
even bigger advantage this afternoon. Pity DC and his race engineer
made that setup change instead of waiting for the track to come to
them. Still, the first 100mph lap of Monaco is quite something even if
it wasn’t in qualifying.

Great laps from Ralf and Kimi. DC said after that he and Kimi are on
the same fuel strategy and that he (David) will now have to stop
first.

Suggestion seems to be that most people are expected to run about 16
laps, which gives them the flexibility to fuel to the finish or opt
for a second stop. That little pit lane is going to get very crowded,
but at least the new exit procedure is probably a little safer.

Whoever gets through St Devote first is obviously in the box seat, but
expect things to happen. How often had somebody been leading
comfortably at Monaco when their engine has let go?

David Betts (dav…@motorsport.org.uk)

"In the end it’s always a matter of more accelerator and less brake" – Frank Gardner

British Racing Green: http://dbetts.motorsport.org.uk/brg

I have two tickets available (due to the continued unemployment of my
friend).  They are in the top row of Stand J and are going for face
($110 with the Friday/Saturday GA).  I also have a hotel room
available if you want it, too.  Email me if you’re interested.
—
dillon

The pen may be mightier than the sword,
but a .sig never beat a SIG

It’s tough being a PR man. First of all, the press get hold of a story
that Pizzonia is going to be replaced by Alexander Wurz. You check
with your bosses and they tell you to deny it….so you do so in no
uncertan terms. Then you find out that those same bosses have already
approached McLaren and asked if Wurz could be released to drive for
them. Not only that, but Gerhard Berger – now rumoured to be being
groomed as Bernie’s successor – tells everyone he thinks it’s a good
idea.

Talk about being made to look a fool. I just hope they are paying the
poor sod a hell of a lot of money.

Anyway, looks like the pressure is really on Pizzonia to deliver this
weekend or else. If he doesn’t, it could take some pressure off Ron
Dennis – didn’t he promise Wurz that he would give him a drive at some
point this season?

David Betts (dav…@motorsport.org.uk)

"In the end it’s always a matter of more accelerator and less brake" – Frank Gardner

British Racing Green: http://dbetts.motorsport.org.uk/brg

Well, it looks like we are stuck with traction control in F1 for good.
It seems that the teams have successfully argued that they can
replicate the effect of traction control without actually having it,
but at considerably greater expense. Still, at least we are still
losing launch control and fully auto boxes.

There may be some element of quid pro quo here with the manufacturers
seemingly agreeing to make ‘affordable’ engines available to all. The
one engine per weekend rule will still be introduced, but not
apparently extended beyond that in succeeding seasons – asssuming the
‘affordable’ engines emerge.

Car to pit telemetry will be allowed to remain, together with two-way
radio, but pit to car telemetry remains banned. Current qualifying
regulations remain in place. Further wing/aero restrictions will be
introduced next year.

Wet tyre rules will be redrawn for next year. In the interim, Michelin
and Bridgestone will be required to bring extreme wet-weather tyres to
all races, but only for use when the race director says so.

David Betts (dav…@motorsport.org.uk)

"In the end it’s always a matter of more accelerator and less brake" – Frank Gardner

British Racing Green: http://dbetts.motorsport.org.uk/brg

what is the best (only?) way to watch f1 races on tv…in the us?…

Well, it looks great and it appears to be quick…..but let’s not
forget that the slots in the engine covers which look so cool are
really there because the Ferrari engineers got their sums wrong and
critical parts were getting too hot <g>.

Taking tin-snips to the car is just so delightfully vintage.

I’ll put money on one of them having problems today – maybe not even
making the start – but we all know who’s one it will be.

Looking forward to the race. It’s going to be tough on tyres. Rumour
has it the Renaults are running the softer Michelin. Expect any
challenge to the Ferraris in the race to come from McLaren, or even
Williams. DC could be in a strong grid position relative to his fuel
load.

If it turns out to be a Bridgestone day, a podium for BAR? Go Jenson.

David Betts (dav…@motorsport.org.uk)

"In the end it’s always a matter of more accelerator and less brake" – Frank Gardner

British Racing Green: http://dbetts.motorsport.org.uk/brg

from fia.com

=============================

RACE FACTS AND INCIDENTS

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

P

A

C

E

A

D

D

E

D

————————————————————————— –
—-

* Lap 1: At the start Fernando Alonso makes the best start but the two
Ferraris stay ahead as they go into the first corner. At the back of the
grid there is drama as Antonio Pizzonia fails to get off the line in his
Jaguar and Kimi Raikkonen, who could not see the Jaguar until the last
moment when Justin Wilson jinked out of the way, runs into the back of
Pizzonia. Both cars are eliminated on the spot. Michael Schumacher is on the
inside line and edges Rubens Barrichello out on to the dust. While this is
happening Jarno Trulli runs into David Coulthard and both cars end up off
the road. This triggers a series of incidents involving Ralph Firman,
Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mark Webber and Olivier Panis. A Safety Car is
despatched. At the end of the first lap the order is Michael Schumacher,
Barrichello, Alonso, Ralf Schumacher, Jenson Button, Juan Pablo Montoya,
Jacques Villeneuve, Cristiano da Matta, Justin Wilson, Nick Heidfeld,
Giancarlo Fisichella, Jos Verstappen, Panis and Webber. Firman, Frentzen and
Coulthard all stop for repairs.

* Lap 4: As the tidying up continues Heidfeld pits and falls from 10th to
the pack of the field.

* Lap 6: The race restarts with Montoya challenging Button for fifth at the
first corner. Further back Panis overtakes Verstappen to move up 11th. At
the tail of the field Coulthard passes Frentzen and Firman to move to 14th
position.

* Lap 7: Michael Schumacher increases his lead to 1.1 seconds. Barrichello
is 0.8 secs ahead of Alonso.

* Lap 9: Schumacher’s lead is up to 2.1 secs while Barrichello is under
increasing pressure from Alonso. In the midfield 12th place Verstappen drops
behind Webber and Coulthard.

* Lap 12: Schumacher’s gap is up to 3.2 secs. Seventh placed Villeneuve
retires with a mechanical problem.

* Lap 13: Panis passes Fisichella and Wilson to move up to eighth place.

* Lap 14: The pit stops begin with sixth-placed Button coming in. The BAR
driver rejoins in 12th position. Further back Verstappen stops and falls
from 13th to 16th.

* Lap 16: Seventh-placed Panis pits and is followed in by eighth placed
Wilson. They rejoin 14th and 15th.

* Lap 17: Alonso is the first of the leaders to pit and falls behind the two
Williams-BMWs. Da Matta, who is up to sixth, also stops and falls back
behind Fisichella.

* Lap 18: Ralf Schumacher pits and so falls from third place to fifth.
Further back Coulthard is punted off by Button. The McLaren driver retires
and Button has to pit and drops to the back of the field. Eighth-placed
Webber stops and drops back to 14th.

* Lap 19: Michael Schumacher pits allowing Barrichello to lead. Third-placed
Montoya also stops and drops back behind Alonso and Ralf Schumacher.

* Lap 20: Barrichello pits after a lap in the lead. This puts Michael back
into the lead with Alonso second. Rubens is third with Ralf Schumacher and
Montoya in fourth and fifth. Fisichella, who has still to stop, is sixth. Da
Matta is seventh ahead of Firman, Frentzen, Panis, Heidfeld, Webber, Wilson,
Verstappen and Button.

* Lap 21: Michael sets the fastest lap of the race and pushes his lead over
Alonso out to two seconds.

* Lap 22: Fisichella pits. The stop is a long one and he drops from sixth to
14th. Further back Panis passes Frentzen for ninth.

* Lap 24: Panis passes Firman to move to seventh position.

* Lap 25: Firman stops and falls back from eighth to 14th.

* Lap 26: Schumacher’s lead is up to 5.3 secs, despite the fact that he is
going through the backmarkers. As he is going through the field Firman
overtakes his Jordan team mate Fisichella to grab 13th.

* Lap 28: As Alonso goes through the backmarkers Wilson loses out and drops
behind Verstappen and Firman, although Jos stops at the end of the lap.

* Lap 29: Da Matta comes in for his second stop and drops behind Panis. On
the same lap Webber passes Heidfeld for ninth place.

* Lap 30: Frentzen stops and falls from eighth place. He drops behind Webber
and Heidfeld.

* Lap 32: Heidfeld stops and falls from ninth to 12th.

* Lap 35: Michael Schumacher stops indicating that the Ferrari is on a
three-stop strategy. This puts Alonso into the lead. Michael rejoins behind
Ralf Schumacher.

* Lap 36: Barrichello stops and falls behind the Williams-BMWs which look to
be on a two-stop strategy.

* Lap 37: Alonso pits. At the same time Michael forces his way past Ralf and
so retakes the lead. Alonso finds himself with Ralf ahead but he is clear of
Montoya. Barrichello is behind the Colombian.

* Lap 38: Frentzen comes into the pits again after a slow lap and retires.
Also pitting is Wilson.

* Lap 40: Barrichello passes Montoya to move back to fourth place but it is
clear that Ralf will soon have to stop.

* Lap 41: Michael Schumacher has built his lead to 8.5secs as Alonso tries
to find a way to pass Ralf for second place. The Spaniard gets ahead and
then Ralf runs wide onto the dirt. He pits at the end of the lap.
Sixth-placed Panis, who is on a two-stop strategy, comes in for fuel. He
rejoins but retires almost immediately.

* Lap 42: Montoya pits and drops behind da Matta (who is on a three-stop
strategy) and Ralf.

* Lap 43: Fisichella goes out with an apparent engine failure. At the same
time Firman pits from eighth place He drops to 10th.

* Lap 44: Webber, Button, Heidfeld and Verstappen all pit at the same time.
Webber (on a two-stop strategy) rejoins in seventh without losing a place.
Button drops to 10th behind Heidfeld.

* Lap 46: Montoya passes Ralf Schumacher for fifth place.

* Lap 48: Da Matta pits for the final time. He falls from fourth place to to
sixth but quickly begins to close on Ralf Schumacher.

* Lap 49: Michael Schumacher pits and so Alonso goes ahead again.

* Lap 50: Alonso and Barrichello both pit but they rejoin in the same order
behind Michael. Alonso is six seconds behind the leader and 14 ahead of
Barrichello.

* Lap 51: Michael Schumacher sets the fastest lap of the race to increase
his lead.

* Lap 52: Barrichello sets the fastest lap.

* Lap 53: Nick Heidfeld is given a drive-through penalty for failing to
observe blue flags. This drops him from ninth to 10th.

* Lap 65: Michael Schumacher wins with Alonso second and Barrichello third.
Montoya is fourth, the last man unlapped. Ralf Schumacher just manages to
stay ahead of Da Matta to take fifth while Webber is a lonely seventh. The
final point goes to Firman, who has spent the final laps fighting hard to
keep ahead of Button. Heidfeld, Wilson and Verstappen complete the
finishers.

–
Regards,

Sparky

>> The following ought to produce some neurological response <<

ONE OF THE MANY MURPHY’S LAWS OF COMBAT : Recoilless rifles aren’t.

Today’s race in Brazil was an exciting Grand Prix, this year has had more
racing in three events as did all of last season.  Congratulations to Eddie
Jordan and Company on Giancarlo Fisichella’s great drive. Jaguar seems to be
improving, let’s hope for some podiums for the Ford group this year.

The new qualifying format seems to working rather well, can’t wait until the
driver’s aid are banned next season – them we will see some great racing!

Sunday was the 35th anniversary of the death of former World Driving Champion
Jim Clark at Hockenheim, Germany in a European Formula 2 race.

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