2024 Monaco Thoughts
THE BIG PICTURE: The Formula 2 rule for their feature race mandatory pit stop is that it must come after the first six laps. Perhaps they need to implement this rule for F1 as well. Because it turned a usual nothing happens Monaco GP into an absolutely nothing happens Monaco GP.
EVENT: Still want to go to experience it in person.
TRACK: There was talk at one time about extending the course out to some reclaimed land. Other street courses do have at worst at least one possible passing spot. Something has to be done.
QUALIFYING: Leclerc backs up his practice performance by grabbing home pole, McLaren alternates with Ferrari, Verstappen is simply not fast with a troubled car, Tsunoda, Albon, and Gasly punch above their weights, Ricciardo disappoints, Perez hugely disappoints, and Alonso gets outdone by Stroll again.
RACE: Once the first lap red flag allowed everyone to do their mandatory tire change, the die was set on a track where you never want to make a pit stop, turning it into an F2 speed affair while keeping a close eye on competitor distances. The worst of the worst that Monaco can bring.
START 1: Leclerc is clean with the short run, Sainz makes a go for second but winds up with a nicked tire, and then chaos breaks loose. Magnussen enters a nonexistent gap, Perez moves over slightly for the bend, and pieces and parts go flying, also ending Hulkenberg's race.
START 2: Much, much cleaner this time, Leclerc repeats, Piastri is much better, so Sainz can't get close, and everyone else single files it.
LECLERC: The only drama in this race was whether Leclerc was going to bring it home over the 78 laps, because let's face it, everyone was rooting for him.
SAINZ: Talk about the ultimate do over.
FERRARI: They are now just 24 points behind Red Bull.
PIASTRI: Oscar came mighty close to grabbing pole and by extension the race win. Very impressive weekend.
NORRIS: Needless to say, unhappy with the red flag restart rules. Lando figured that podium was his.
MCLAREN: Continue to be a Red Bull beater.
RUSSELL: What a bizarre race he had to run.
HAMILTON: Not happy with his team.
VERSTAPPEN: We don't think there is a threat on his driver points lead especially when they hit the other European tracks.
RED BULL: But there could be a threat on their constructor points lead as it's very possible Ferrari or even McLaren can out point them as long as Perez falters.
PEREZ: There was no way Magnussen was going to pass him anyway, so why not give him a little room to make sure there was no contact. He knew he was there. Sergio checked his mirrors.
MAGNUSSEN: Having said that, Kevin never should have stuck his nose in there knowing he couldn't make a pass. One wonders if he did that only because he didn't want his teammate to ultimately get ahead.
HAAS: However, their race was not ruined on that first lap. It was ruined when they made an amateur club racing mistake by not properly setting the rear wings to comply with the DRS regulations. That's what put them in the back of the grid exposing them to that first lap disaster.
HULKENBERG: Nico said it best. So unnecessary.
OCON: What. Were. You. Thinking? Especially after the team pre-race instructions specifically stated not to do that.
ALPINE: To say Bruno Famin was pissed on French TV (and then refused to talk to anyone else) is an understatement. The question is, is he pissed enough to pull the nuclear option by Montreal?
GASLY: Despite all that, Pierre got a point.
ALBON: Speaking of points, Alex got his first points for the season in an excellent weekend.
TSUNODA: In the points again.
RICCIARDO: Not in the points again. When is this charade going to end? With rumors that Perez will indeed be resigned, perhaps very soon.
F2: Talk about "stealing" a race. Isack Hadjar had the feature race all but sewed up with two laps to go. Then a virtual safety car occurred, and Brit Zak O'Sullivan, who started 15th, came in for his mandatory pit stop just before the pits closed. He came out in first, much to the dismay of Hadjar. Brit Taylor Barnard won the sprint race from the reverse grid pole.
F3: You don't see this everyday. A multicar crash in the sprint race saw two pairs of cars stuck together, one side to side, the other nose to rear. It was quite comical watching the marshalls try to separate them. Nikola Tsolov became the first Bulgarian F3 winner. Italian Gabrielle Mini won the feature race from pole.
INDY 500: The four hour rain delay wait was worth it. We were entertained with a barnburner of a race. Josef Newgarden becomes the first repeat winner in 23 years with a thrilling last lap repass of Pato O'Ward, who was absolutely gutted after losing again.
WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Stasis.
STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 0 -- The number of meaningful passes.
HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: The only other Monegasque to win his local grand prix was Louis Chiron, who helped to come up with the idea of the race in the first place. It took him till the third running of the race around the casino in 1931 driving a Bugatti T51 (16 of the 23 starters were Bugattis). He started 11th with a grid determined by drawing lots. He slowly worked his way to the front, eventually winning by almost four minutes in a time of 3:39:09.2 over 100 laps, setting a new lap record in the process.
TWEET OF THE WEEKEND: Pick any one of the posts celebrating Charles Leclerc's home win. Our favorite are the ones with Prince Albert joining in the champagne spraying celebration followed closely by Fred Vasseur and Leclerc taking a plunge in the harbor.
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Max Verstappen during the race, "This is boring. I should have brought my pillow."
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Nico Hulkenberg when asked about his race, "It was short."
SCHEDULE: Red Bull has struggled this year with bumpy tracks and those you have to be aggressive with the curbs. Montreal is a curb hopping track...
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