Monaco - Should Q1 be split?

[FB]

The drivers have made a request to Charlie Whiting that Q1 at Monaco next week should be split into 2 groups. Button said "I don't think it's a bad idea (to split Q1)" & Hamilton commented "(it) would be a sensible move" with Massa and Webber making similar comments. Even Jarno Trulli believes it could be a good idea "I am slow, so I'm going to probably impede someone else"

The question is how will they split things? If they have two sessions of 12 cars do they take one car from each team or split it into the fastest and slowest 12 from P3 running in two sessions.

Personally, I don't think this is a very good idea. Perhaps one of the fast guys will get baulked in Q1 but surely it's part of a drivers skill set to find some space on a cramped track and put in a good lap. I'm sure more than 24 cars have run in Qualie at Monaco before, why not this time?

http://formula-1.updatesport.com/ne...sip/Drivers-want-split-Monaco-quali/view.html

 

[Brogan]

Can I just put on record that I identified this as a potential issue back in March

Qualifying & impeding/blocking

 

[teabagyokel]

There is a major issue here that there is not enough space for 24 cars on that particular track. If 24 cars is difficult in Barcelona, Sakhir etc. then its absolutely daft to even countenance attempting to do it at Monaco, and frankly I think there could be major danger in the tunnel, for example.

I'm sure more than 24 cars have run in Qualie at Monaco before, why not this time?

Because of the issue of time. Last time there were more than 24 cars in Monaco quali was in 1995. I'm not sure of the specifics of qualifying in 1995, but I know for sure that the session was not compressed into 20 minutes with everyone needing to be out at some point in there. In 1995, a team could avoid the pack by sheer expanse of time to do 4 runs - you were likely to get a clear one! In 2010, there is not enough time in the session to guarantee that.

Hence, I think Q1 should be split, with the "red top" first drivers in one session, the "yellow top" second drivers in t'other and the bottom 4 from each going out, with Q2 running 16 cars. There may even be an off camera session later on in the day to decide the order of the bottom 8, since "rubbering in" will be such an issue at Monte Carlo.

 

[FB]

Based on TBY's analysis above does this beg the question has F1 out grown Monaco as a venue?

 

[Brogan]

does this beg the question has F1 out grown Monaco as a venue?

About 20 years ago in my opinion.

Monaco is only still on the calendar so the "beautiful people" can parade around for the weekend.

It never was and never will be anything approaching something suitable to be labelled a Formula One circuit.

 

[slickskid]

Fact of the matter is Monte Carlo is an unusual circuit by the fact that it constantly evolves all through the weekend from a "green track" even in the race, but generally speaking all circuits do this to some extent and it was not uncommon back in the day to have a mad rush right at the end quali with all cars on the track trying to post a lap time with the best of the circuit conditions and trying to find gap in traffic to do so.

These are supposed to be the best drivers in the world, either they deal with it as it is or they shouldn't be there in the first place.

Hence, I think Q1 should be split, with the "red top" first drivers in one session, the "yellow top" second drivers in t'other and the bottom 4 from each going out, with Q2 running 16 cars. There may even be an off camera session later on in the day to decide the order of the bottom 8, since "rubbering in" will be such an issue at Monte Carlo.

I gotta ask TBY have you formed a coalition with Bernie in the crazy idea department? thats right up there with gold medals and short cuts

 

[Speshal]

I think it's a good idea to split it and as I understand it, it's down to the teams to decide.

Could be good for the "minnows" as they'd get more TV time?

 

[Galahad]

Perhaps, rather than a formal split, the teams could agree informally for, say, the bottom three and top four teams to do a single run in Q1 with each of their cars (maybe early in the session) to let those for whom it is critical to get the best opportunity?

 

[siffert_fan]

Unfortunately, I think that qualifying should be divided at Monaco, basically as a safety measure. The number of cars does not present the problem, in my opinion. Rather it is the appalling lack of pace shown by the new teams that creates the problem--look at the front-to-back time differences in Spain--over 5 seconds! That speed differential could easily set up a G Villenueve type tragedy at Monaco.

The ironic thing is that I seem to recall that the entry list at Monaco was limited to, I believe, 16 in the 1960s and 1970s in the name of safety. The cars were much narrower and slower then and the track was not much different from the Mickey Mouse affair it is today. Why don't they go back to having pre-qualifying on Friday to eliminate the weak sisters from actual qualifying.

 

[BlackCountryBob]

I don't think Qually should be split, the rules is the rules and if the new teams are so slow that they cause a danger in Monaco, they also are so slow to cause danger at the other 18 tracks and should be expelled for safety reasons.

Had a look at the 1995 Qually at Monaco, in Q2 Damon Hill did a 1:21.952 while Jos Verstappen did a 1:30.015. Seems like a much bigger gap than me, and lets forget the notion that somehow it was all better because they had an hour to set the time; no matter what qually format has ever been used, everyone has wanted to get a lap as close to the end as possible. Even with an hour to set a lap there was still all cars on track jostling for position.

I am afraid the drivers will need to make a call, go early on a green track or take the risk of traffic. Its a compromise and a bit of luck which should hopefully keep it interesting. In the ever more anally retentive control every nature of events world of F1, it will be good to see driver skill, intuition and craft be the big differentiation on a dry track.

Does raise a good question as to if Monaco is really a viable venue anymore. I support the need to keep F1s history alive but there is a big difference between Spa or Silverstone which are perfectly good tracks lacking in the 5 star hotels and air conditioned hospitality for the floating glitterati and a track which is lacking in the facilities to let the teams get their equipment trucks within 1/2mile of the garage.

 

[teabagyokel]

I'm going to restate a view that I've been expressing on this forum for a while: I think that the Qualifying session needs to be split only because the venue is unfit for purpose.

F1 is accepting the Monaco GP because it always has had a Monaco GP (not in 1951-54, actually. The French GP is more historical), and the need to question the suitability of the Circuit de Monaco has not been raised.

There is no way Monaco would be accepted by Bernie Ecclestone if it was put up for tender next year. Monaco has a 2 mile lap, which is not sufficient. Its too short and too narrow. Its daft to run a race there.

I don't like all street circuits, even especially ones with royal and celebrity backing.