Grand Prix 2012 Monaco Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

For the first time in 3 decades there have been 5 different winners in 5 races and it's not exactly been the status quo winning races as not many people would have had Rosberg and Maldanado winning this early in the season and after Australia not many people would have bet on Alonso winning before the start of the European season. This is also when drivers like Hamilton, Webber, Raikkonnen and Schumacher havent won this season and the way things are going there could be 8 winners after 8 races which could almost be unprecedented.

Indeed, one thing that 2012 has shown is that no one team has been consistently fighting for the win at all five 5 races, while Lotus have possibly had the most consistent pace of the top teams, problems in the first two races meant they were unable to be competing for the win while Kimi might have been unlucky to not come away with at least one win in Bahrain and Barcelona where strategy troubles robbed him the top step but two podiums have shown that he still has the pace despite being away from the sport for 2 years.

The big surprise of the weekend was a first victory for Maldonado and a first victory for Williams since the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, a win which was merited with no outside help apart from the disqualification of Hamilton from qualifying and the effect of this is unknown as to how the race would have been different but in the race Pastor drove the wheels off the car and did extremely well to keep a rejuvenated Fernando Alonso behind in an updated Ferrari on home soil. Considering Ferrari's early season struggles, for Alonso to be joint leading the Championship with Vettel is no mean feat at all.

The field is very tightly packed as well with the top 7 drivers being separated by 20 points, this time last year it was nearly 100 with Vettel claiming 4 of the first 5 races. This year that is not the case and for once Barcelona served up a classic which in my opinion was the best race of the season, finally there was close racing from 1st down to last with the outcome not being decided until the last few laps.

Going into Monaco there is no point prediction what the running order will be as the likelihood is it'll change again, for all we know the Force India's could suddenly be at the front and Lotus might only be fighting for points, it certainly makes for extremely fascinating viewing as no-one is dominating the Championship, in the city of the high rollers and casinos, it remains who will strike lucky in Monte Carlo and claim the big win, it will certainly not be boring, after all, if even Barcelona can provide an entertaining race, surely most places can (with the exception of Valencia!)
 
i wouldn't like to be one of the drivers starting just in front of Maldonado tomorrow... I think I'd rather just get out of the way sharpish.
 
I've been out all day and just caught the highlights.

I haven't got time to read 6 pages or hunt down footage, etc. so can someone summarise what happened with Maldonado - with video footage if possible?

Cheers.
 
Brogan Here's a video of the incident with Perez that got him 10 place grid penalty in FP3, he binned it shortly afterwards. He's now had a 5 place grid drop for a gearbox change.

 
Thanks FB.

That would account for Perez' front left steering/suspension failure then I suspect.

My opinion on Maldonado has just been reinforced - glad I wasn't a band wagon jumper after Spain.
 
Looks to me like the Mercedes was the best car today, Rosberg looked very fast in Q1 and Q2 but it was Schumi who came to the fore when it counted. A shame that his Senna penalty will probably ruin his chances of victory tomorrow.

What a difference a few months make, Webber consistently beating Vettel on Saturdays, an excellent performance from the Aussie. Similarly I also think that Hamilton excelled today and made his car look better than it was and I expect him to jump Rosberg for P2 off the line, a bad day for Button, although they are becoming a habit for him.

With all the hype where were the Lotuses? Grosjean always looked the better out of the pair and Kimi may be beaten over the course of this season by the Frenchman. Just when it appeared as though Massa may take a surprise pole he slots back in behind Alonso, still 7th isn't bad. Maldonado... Where do I start? Just when I thought he might have matured and put him in my FF1 he has one of 'those' weekends :rolleyes:.

Did anyone actually notice that Vettel didn't set a time in Q3? Even at Monaco where grid position is of extreme importance he didn't want to waste a set, although he may not have had any left. After the usual midfield pack of Force Indias and Toro Rossos come Kovalainen, a great performance by him today and I think he was robbed of getting into Q2.

All in all looks like quite a good grid with lots of drivers mixed and some out of position such as Button and Maldonado. Also Maldonado will start 23rd won't he? Due to Perez not actually setting a time.
 
To be honest, I am not sure really how far out of position Button actually is, it seems like that was his pace on the day, and as we saw in Spain, he was not really out of position when it cam to race day, and struggled to make advances.

I predict a long day in the office for Maldonado and Button, but that is the game, and neither can really look anywhere else but at themselves.
 
If I was Maldonado, I would start on Super softs in the pits and pit at the end of lap 1/5 and have some clear air and hope to keep the tyres
 
Monaco 2005, JPM sent to the back of the grid for brake testing Ralf... the stewards like to flex their muscles with those who don't tug their forelock appropriately...
What's wrong with that? A driver that blatantly breaks the rules should definitely get a harsher penalty than one that simply misjudged the situation..
 
Disgraceful from Maldonado. I knew he was a loose cannon, especially after Spa last year, but this is again well over the line. He has been impressive with his pace but surely Sir Frank will take him to one side and tell him to calm down!

It's unclear whether Perez's accident was caused by driver error or the incident - although Maldonado did cut across his front left suspension. Those two are also starting together at the back of the grid!

What lap from Schumi! I guess there's life in the old dog yet.

I expect to see a safety car or two tomorrow so I think whoever wins will 'luck' into it. Hopefully it isn't an anti-climax like last year though.
 
I have just seen that video for the first time, that is why I haven't commented it.

Don't you think that some of you are overreacting? I am amazed it was such a minor incident! the way some people have been talking on here I thought he had used his car as a torpedo and then went on to kill someone's dog with a shovel! Maldonado may have been in the wrong (Slightly.) but there was loads of room for Perez to let Maldonaldo get by without incident, and yet he chose to hang around on the racing line.

Blimey I've seen far worse things happen at an old ladies tea party..

Certainly not worth a ten place penalty, five at the most and a warning would have been sufficient.

Sometimes the stuff I read on here beggars belief, some people want Maldonado hung drawn and quartered for a minor shunt and yet those same people will defend a certain driver to the hilt no matter what he does.

unbelievable.

I'm off to post something on the rant thread about hypocrisy..
 
This may not be a popular opinion but I think if Perez wanted to get out of the way as he was travelling slowly he shoudl have been on the other side of the road rather than very close to the racing line. Maldonado was pretty stupid but Perez didn't help with where he put his car.
 
Courtesy of Will Buxton on Twitter, this is what the Monaco track looks like the night before the race - these people are actually on the circuit between the swimming pool and Rascasse.

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http://instagr.am/p/LGclwkmErB/
 
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