Grand Prix 2014 Italian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Ciao e benvenuto l'introduzione per il Gran Premio italiano di Monza 2014.

Silverstone, Interlagos, Monza. These illustrious names are the circuits where the sounds of the engines are drowned out by the noise of the fans. Few motorsport arenas can boast of an atmosphere to rival the ancient coliseum of Rome and Monza has always been a pilgrimage for the legion of rosso clad Tifosi.

Monza is synonymous with Ferrari yet this year the prancing horse seems to be more of a lumbering donkey. What effect will this have on the Tifosi and their embrace of the F1 circus this September?

The answer is probably no effect at all.

The reason for this is the love for motorsport shown by the Italian fans ever since the tracks creation in 1922. The sea of red running down to the Parabolica and back along the main straight indicate the devotion of Ferrari fans of all nationalities who are united under a single banner.

Few circuits have been captured on film as much as Monza, many of the sports iconic images and videos were taken at this magnificent race course and you can chart the history of the sport along the twists and turns of the tarmac. It’s also a record breaker, in 1971 the top five drivers finished within 0.61 seconds. A feat only made possible by the lack of chicanes during that era. Phenomenal speeds for the period were also set in those most dangerous of years.

Monza has always produced a mixture of triumph and tragedy, Fangio, Stewart, Lauda, Andretti & Scheckter all secured drivers championships at this circuit while Ascari, von Trip, Rindt & Peterson all lost their lives here.

Only 3 drivers have won at Monza and won the championship in the last 20 years, Senna, Schumacher & Vettel. With Rosberg on top in the championship, will winning this race mean he adds his name to the list or will the Monza jinx strike again.

As for this years race, it would have been hard to see past a Mercedes powered victory due to the long straights but after Ricciardo finished on top in Spa does engine power still have the advantage over aerodynamics?

Whatever happens in the championship we are in for an exciting weekend of racing!

 

[LifeW12]

 

[Kewee]

That'a stil a wing, though very very small. Must have been just enough to stop the Renault from careering off into he barriers.

 

[FB]

Just as a complete aside, the rear wing breakage on Graham Hill's car at Monjuich Park at the Spansih GP in 1975 was because the supports were made of carbon fibre. So Mclaren introduce CF into F1, not!

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

FB isn't it that Mclaren introduced the first fully carbon-fibre monocoque chassis?

 

[Mephistopheles]

just enough to stop the Renault from careering

I think you'll find that, that is a Williams FW19

 

[Kewee]

Mephistopheles …. of course I should have said Renault powered car. Just to be precise my original posting referred to Rindt's Lotus.

 

[Kewee]

FB isn't it that Mclaren introduced the first fully carbon-fibre monocoque chassis?

Yes they did. The rest of pit lane watched and waited for it to disintegrate if it had a minor off.

 

[RasputinLives]

Does anyone know if the topic of Lewis Hamilton being able to have a free gear-box etc etc change after his retirement at Spa for the race in Monza has come up?

The rules state that it has to be a legitimate mechanical break down to get free changes. A rule brought in after Honda decided to retire both cars on the last lap when not running in the points by the way.

Anyways my point is that Hamilton's retirement being for mechanical issues is def brought into question by those radio calls. Are the stewards turning a blind eye on this one?

 

[Bill Boddy]

That would add insult to injury.

 

[RasputinLives]

It would yed but would strictly speaking be a correct ruling.

Has it been discussed?

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Why would Hamilton need a gearbox change? If it was not damaged during the Spa race why change it? If it was, surely it would either have been caused in some way by the damage to the chassis or it would have failed on its own. Either way, I don't see why a penalty would be applicable.

 

[RasputinLives]

Teams like to take advantage of free changes when they can.

I'm not stating if its right or wrong I'm just saying thems the current rules and asking if we know a) he's making the changes and b) whether the fact it might be against regulations has been mentioned.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Actually chaps, the first all carbon fibre chassis made in house by a Formula one team was the Lotus Type 88 which first ran in Friday practice at the 1981 US Grand Prix (West) before being banned. McLaren were still using the M29F at this stage. The first appearence of the MP4/1 wasn't until the Argentine GP, the third race of the year. Also, McLarens chassis was made entirely buy sub-contractors on McLarens behalf to John Barnards drawings. Technically, the MP4/1 was the first carbon fibre chassis to take part in a Formula One race.

 

[FB]

It was obvious from the radio calls Lewis was desperate to retire at Spa to "save the engine" but, as has been pointed out there needs to be a legitimate reason. I seem to recall on the lap he came in the radio message was something like "we've looked at the data. You need to retire the car" so they found a "legitimate" reason which, I would presume, was the body work damage. If the reasons were pucker then if Merc wanted to change the gearbox I'm sure they can.

 

[FB]

Just another point on the CF, McLaren subbed out the production of the MP4/1 to Hercules who were a supplier (I think) to the US space program. Gordon Murray built his own autoclave out of an old ships boiler at the Brabham factory in Chessington.

 

[Incubus]

It was obvious from the radio calls Lewis was desperate to retire at Spa to "save the engine" but, as has been pointed out there needs to be a legitimate reason.

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I don't know whether there was one but Hamilton had wanted to retire the car pretty early on in the race but the thing is, his fastest lap was on lap 33, only four laps before he did retire. Eventual winner Ricciardo's fastest lap was only 6 tenths faster, but achieved on lap 42. So unless the bodywork very suddenly became much worse in the space of four laps it does look a bit odd as to how a car that was still lapping reasonably fast could be said to be damaged beyond repair...

 

[FB]

I absolutely agree Incubus, the reason for the retirement looked to be very concocted but I think Merc will argue that it was done for acceptable reasons, should they ever be asked.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Though to be fair, for the fastest car currently on the grid to be banging around in 17th and not making a great deal of progress through the field there must have been something wrong with it. I can't see Hamilton making little effort to try and push to get into the points. It's not as if he hasn't found himself at the back of the grid a couple of times this year.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

This may be more appropriate to 'Ask the Apex' but if a car retires during a race, does the retirement have to be because of a failure of the part wishing to be replaced in order to avoid punishment? For instance, if the engine blows up but doesn't damage the gearbox, can that gearbox still be changed for the next meeting without a grid penalty?

 

[RasputinLives]

If a car has retired for any legitimate reason then all parts can be changed without penalty.