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[Frontrunner]

A quick word on tyres - Alonso did a long stint in FP2 on the supers and his 14th lap was only 0.2s slower than the first lap (i think that's correct). Tyres lasting much longer here then with little drop off. Talk of one stoppers being very possible!

I'm just waiting for people to bin it on the marbles in the race....

But dont the super soft (quali tyre) only last about 8 laps? That wont allow for a one stopper.

I thought that was only an estimate. If you can stretch a set of super-softs to 20 laps then you might be able to make one less stop than your rivals. With track position being important at Monaco, it might be worth a gamble, although I can't see it happening.

Yep, i think it would indeed have been an estimate but as i say Alonso got much more than that out of em in practice today so obviously it wasn't too accurate..... I also heard Vettel did a stint where the 21st lap was 'comparable' in pace to the first! Not sure if that was on supers or not, but suggests the tyres aren't dropping off quickly and sharply like elsewhere. I reckon 2 stoppers will be the norm with some brave souls (Saubers? Or possibly JB given his last couple of race strategies) having a crack at the one stopper. I wouldn't be surprised to see someone switch strategies mid race either.

Of course, as the track rubbers in this could easily all prove to be wrong...

Correct, SV did a 21 lap stint on options. That'll keep everybody's options open so to speak

Is options soft or super soft?
In autosport they said the supersofts would only allow one lap, an amazing lap, then drop off by about 3 seconds but Pireli said it would be more like 8 laps. So were these long stints done on the super softs?

Options are ALWAYS the softer tire, primes are the harder tire. Here in Monaco, the primes are the soft (which was the option in previous races) and the options are supersofts. SV drove on the red marked supersoft during his last stint of P2 running 21 laps

Isn't the prime tyre this weekend the white marked medium compound?? I thought there was meant to be a split between the compounds like all the last GP's Soft and Hard which would mean this weekend is Super Soft and Medium??

[darwin dali]

A quick word on tyres - Alonso did a long stint in FP2 on the supers and his 14th lap was only 0.2s slower than the first lap (i think that's correct). Tyres lasting much longer here then with little drop off. Talk of one stoppers being very possible!

I'm just waiting for people to bin it on the marbles in the race....

But dont the super soft (quali tyre) only last about 8 laps? That wont allow for a one stopper.

I thought that was only an estimate. If you can stretch a set of super-softs to 20 laps then you might be able to make one less stop than your rivals. With track position being important at Monaco, it might be worth a gamble, although I can't see it happening.

Yep, i think it would indeed have been an estimate but as i say Alonso got much more than that out of em in practice today so obviously it wasn't too accurate..... I also heard Vettel did a stint where the 21st lap was 'comparable' in pace to the first! Not sure if that was on supers or not, but suggests the tyres aren't dropping off quickly and sharply like elsewhere. I reckon 2 stoppers will be the norm with some brave souls (Saubers? Or possibly JB given his last couple of race strategies) having a crack at the one stopper. I wouldn't be surprised to see someone switch strategies mid race either.

Of course, as the track rubbers in this could easily all prove to be wrong...

Correct, SV did a 21 lap stint on options. That'll keep everybody's options open so to speak

Is options soft or super soft?
In autosport they said the supersofts would only allow one lap, an amazing lap, then drop off by about 3 seconds but Pireli said it would be more like 8 laps. So were these long stints done on the super softs?

Options are ALWAYS the softer tire, primes are the harder tire. Here in Monaco, the primes are the soft (which was the option in previous races) and the options are supersofts. SV drove on the red marked supersoft during his last stint of P2 running 21 laps

Isn't the prime tyre this weekend the white marked medium compound?? I thought there was meant to be a split between the compounds like all the last GP's Soft and Hard which would mean this weekend is Super Soft and Medium??

No, it's soft (yellow) and supersoft (red).

[CarBore]

I know its just practice but anyone else notice HRT and Virgin look like they are awefully close to 107%. Especially since the top teams won't be running a much slower hard tyre in Q1

[bud]

So then there's no practices tomorrow?

No, Friday P is on Thursday here. I thought you were being sarcastic with you iPhone screen shot!

[Robert12010]

Has anyone got so excited after practice before?

"It's fantastic out there," Hamilton said. "I love the track, I love the weather. It's a beautiful place to be. I'm enjoying every lap I drive - and I've got the best view of the whole of Monaco when I'm in the car! I'm very happy to be here - I'm really pleased with the balance of the car and I kept out of trouble, but it's going to be close here."

Hamilton also said that using all of the buttons on the steering wheel had become second nature, but that he may look to get a bit more out of the DRS and KERS during qualifying on Saturday.

"You quickly get used to DRS and KERS Hybrid, but you're only really on it for the pit straight and up the hill; you tend not to use it through the slower sections. Maybe I'll find a few more places to use it for qualifying - but I'll keep that in my pocket! I just love driving the car here - it's the best thing I've ever done! It's so exciting - you can't afford to make mistakes, the car feels amazing when you're jumping from kerb to kerb, and there's no room for error. I want to win this grand prix!"

_______________________________________

Whoa there boy! Save the enthusiasm for qualifying and race....

i seen that interview, i must admit, id love to go next year.....its between monaco and silverstone.

[acosmichippo]

So then there's no practices tomorrow?

No, Friday P is on Thursday here. I thought you were being sarcastic with you iPhone screen shot!

embarrassingly, no. The only reason i was so convinced was because it happened on the thursday before Spain too. Otherwise i would have looked up the schedule first.

I swear, i'm not crazy.

[darwin dali]

So then there's no practices tomorrow?

No, Friday P is on Thursday here. I thought you were being sarcastic with you iPhone screen shot!

embarrassingly, no. The only reason i was so convinced was because it happened on the thursday before Spain too. Otherwise i would have looked up the schedule first.

I swear, i'm not crazy.

Sure

[What's Burning?]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

[darwin dali]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

Ah I see, pluralis majestatis, eh?

[What's Burning?]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

Ah I see, pluralis majestatis, eh?

HA! No... more like the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I am after all the master of my domain It will be a long boring season if Vettel is the only winner for the remainder of the year. There are a couple of circuits that will benefit one manufacturer more than another, Monaco is one, Canada is another. I don't mind at all the current Red Bull dominance, it's part of the sport, and they've absolutely earned it, but you can't tell me it makes for meaningful WDC racing during the second half of a season.

We've yet to see a top contender DNF this year, I think Monaco may give us our first.

[bud]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

I think I would too

[Hammer278]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

Give me an option, either Vettel is confirmed wrapping up the WDC in Monaco....or Alonso wins another race in his career...I'll pick the former.

MIght give you a perspective of my 'passion' for Alonso.

[What's Burning?]

If Alonso in Monaco is ahead of Vettel toward the end of the race, I will temporarily become a tifosi.

Give me an option, either Vettel is confirmed wrapping up the WDC in Monaco....or Alonso wins another race in his career...I'll pick the former.

MIght give you a perspective of my 'passion' for Alonso.

Ok, then for you change the hypothetical to Massa.... and his dirty underwear.

[f1ea]

This yr will be a super race. Not only is it not clear who will have the faster car, but the tyres and KERS could offer a liitle bit of 'never before seen' action at Monaco. I'm not expecting much overtakes, but if there's at least a couple that would be sweet.

If Alonso can pull some kind of performance like in Barcelona, i'm sure it will be epic. Mostly because in such case the fight will be close between the 3 teams and since nobody knows where anyone is going to end up due to the stops...

Nail biting race fo sure.

[bud]

If Alonso can pull some kind of performance like in Barcelona, i'm sure it will be epic.

what being lapped?