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[Mikep99]

Looks like Hammy may be on a roll here



Monza 2007



Clicky for Video



SPA 2008





Monza 2008

[bmwpower]

wow, a few people picking Heidfeld on the podium or win, just a few weeks ago everyone was calling for his head. Wet or dry Heidfeld will finish in the top 4.

[Rivelution]

wow, a few people picking Heidfeld on the podium or win, just a few weeks ago everyone was calling for his head. Wet or dry Heidfeld will finish in the top 4.

I've been saying Heidfeld for the win, for the past 3 races. Hey, it'll come some day

[bud]

Looks like Hammy may be on a roll here

guess you missed the bit in the vid where Massa nudged Lewis' rear wheel

[McLaren Fan]

Looks like Hammy may be on a roll here

guess you missed the bit in the vid where Massa nudged Lewis' rear wheel

From F1 Live:

Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh and Mercedes-Benz Vice President Norbert Haug talk of the challenge of Monza and the disappointment of Spa Francorchamps last Sunday.

Martin - McLaren Mercedes comes to Italy after showing well in the Monza test, how do you rate the team’s chances?
MW: "The truth is, both Lewis and Heikki have previously gone well at Monza; they both like the track and are looking forward to the race - and that certainly helps. On the engineering side, we came away from the recent Monza test very encouraged by the pace we showed. Of course, we’re under no illusions that Ferrari will be strong - and we expect them to be stronger there than they were relative to us last year - but we go to the event with high expectations."

What modifications do you make to the car to cope with a high-speed circuit like Monza?
MW: "As the fastest circuit on the calendar, we uniquely prepare a car for Monza that is best-equipped to run in low-drag configuration. This essentially means the reduction or removal of a number of aerodynamic components that would ordinarily create downforce, and drag. This weekend, for example, you’ll see we’ve removed the nosebox winglets and are running a single-deck rear-wing. At Monza, you also need a car that can ride the kerbs well and remain stable under heavy braking - so it’s a case of balancing the car for that combination, rather than simply stripping everything off in the quest for maximum straight-line speed. It’s a unique challenge."

Norbert - How big is your disappointment after the stewards’ decision in Spa?
NH: "In the most difficult conditions we experienced in Spa, particularly in the final stages, Lewis was clearly the best driver; everybody could see this. He showed great racing with courageous overtaking, and this is what the spectators want to see.
In our opinion, Lewis did not put a foot wrong, and foremost he did not think he gained an illegitimate advantage. So our disappointment was big, when the stewards took away victory from him and the team. However, we are fighters. If we would have needed a better motivation for the last five races of the season we have it now. When we went to the airport last Sunday evening, Lewis said to me - preferably we now want to win all remaining races, don’t we? I have no objection."

Why is Monza so special?
NH: "With average lap speeds of around 250 km/h and a top speed of approximately 340 km/h at the end of the start-and-finish straight, Monza is the Formula 1 circuit on the calendar on which the highest speeds are attained. In all, the cars reach speeds of over 320 km/h four times per lap. The start-finish straight requires more than 16 seconds of consecutive full throttle. We will start in Monza with the same engines we used in Spa last weekend. The combination of these two circuits is by far the highest strain for a Formula One engine."

For the Grand Prix on Ferrari home ground - what do you expect?
NH: "Of course it would be nice, if we could achieve a similar result like last year when we took a one-two victory. On the track in Monza we will have many strong competitors - even more than usual. That will not be a walk in the park, but the ultimate high-speed race in the park."

E.A. © CAPSIS International

Hmm. Without new engines, McLaren could have lost a couple of tenths of a second a lap. I hope it doesn't hurt our chances. Here's the weather for the weekend. That's something that should play into McLaren's favour if the forecast is correct:

[bud]

i hope its either wet or dry not changeable again!

[Mikep99]

Looks like Hammy may be on a roll here

guess you missed the bit in the vid where Massa nudged Lewis' rear wheel

Yeh I know bud
But I though the FIA were in Ferrari's pocket and that the cosmos was always against McLaren.

What happen with the NO penalty then.

Must all be a load of crap then eh

[bud]

Ferrari were too busy with getting the cops to harass McLaren top brass

[Mikep99]

Ferrari were too busy with getting the cops to harass McLaren top brass

No the reason was because it was obvious that it was not an illegal move. So not penalty or investigation. Subsaquently no winging from the lambs.

But the SPA incident was not as clear cut so hence the investigation.

[EwanM]

Wet Monza... when was the last time that happened?

[bud]

Ferrari were too busy with getting the cops to harass McLaren top brass

No the reason was because it was obvious that it was not an illegal move. So not penalty or investigation. Subsaquently no winging from the lambs.

But the SPA incident was not as clear cut so hence the investigation.

actually it was clear cut! i was surprised it was even being investigated at the end of the race!

but this is the Monza thread right?

[juggles]

Practice One - Sutil top as heavy storms hit Monza

Friday morning’s first session of practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza resembled the dark conditions that will prevail in Singapore’s night race.

After light rain early in the morning had left the track damp in places - and was then followed by intermittent showers - the heavens really opened after half an hour and brought the session to a virtual halt with another half hour remaining.

It was just as well that Bridgestone had earlier mounted more wet and extreme-wet tyres than they could ever remember having prepared.

Adrian Sutil timed his 1m 32.842s lap perfectly to head the session for Force India, ahead of Rubens Barrichello’s Honda on 1m 33.428s and team mate Giancarlo Fisichella’s 1m 33.695s.

Timo Glock lapped in 1m 36.800s later on for Toyota when conditions were worse, and headed Williams’ Nico Rosberg (1m 36.900s), Renault’s Fernando Alonso (1m 36.965s), Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais (1m 37.142s), Toyota’s Jarno Trulli (1m 37.214s), Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m 37.392s), Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel (1m 37.754s), Renault’s Nelson Piquet (1m 38.057s), Red Bull’s David Coulthard (1m 38.303s), Honda’s Jenson Button (1m 39.062) and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa (1m 40.233s).

BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld, Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima, BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica, McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen, Red Bull’s Mark Webber and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton only did out laps, but even so Nakajima managed to spin his Williams at the second chicane. He was not alone, however, as Sutil, Vettel, Piquet, Fisichella, Glock and Barrichello all had off-course moments.

Tunnels and garages have been flooded, and electricity has failed in some areas, and a serious mopping-up operation is underway before this afternoon’s session.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/9/8360.html

if the weather stays like this it has the potential to be one badass race. or one processional safety car race. we'll see.

[McLaren Fan]

I know many people didn't get to set a flying lap, but Sutil toping the time sheets in another wet session is proof of the guy's quality nonetheless. Sutil seems to realise that he needs to knuckle down now and work on his driving. When the fruits of that show, I'd love to see him in a good car.

Hopefully there is some rain left for the race on Sunday.

[Jimmy42]

Monza in the wet mus be pretty scary!!!

[McLaren Fan]

Monza in the wet mus be pretty scary!!!

Even in the dry, the cars are very twitchy around corners and light under braking.

Here are the times for the second practice session:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:23.861 31
2. Kubica BMW Sauber (B) 1:23.931 + 0.070 26
3. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) 1:23.947 + 0.086 29
4. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:23.983 + 0.122 25
5. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:24.110 + 0.249 33
6. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:24.247 + 0.386 34
7. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:24.365 + 0.504 29
8. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:24.521 + 0.660 35
9. Sutil Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:24.669 + 0.808 22
10. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:24.773 + 0.912 35
11. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:25.100 + 1.239 25
12. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:25.192 + 1.331 39
13. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:25.204 + 1.343 24
14. Barrichello Honda (B) 1:25.296 + 1.435 25
15. Button Honda (B) 1:25.309 + 1.448 34
16. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:25.330 + 1.469 28
17. Glock Toyota (B) 1:25.397 + 1.536 28
18. Alonso Renault (B) 1:25.481 + 1.620 22
19. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:25.753 + 1.892 29
20. Piquet Renault (B) 1:26.195 + 2.334 23