Monaco Grand Prix - race thread (merged)

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:07 (Ref:1306753)

The race is under way with two laps completed. Kimi leads from Alonso, Fisico, Trulli, Webber, Heidfeld, Coulthard, and Michael.

Massa jumped Barrichello and Villeneuve at the start, Webber dropped from third to fifth, and Montoya went from 16th to 12th by the end of the first lap.

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:08 (Ref:1306754)

Alonso is quickest in the first sector, but Kimi is faster in the second and third sectors. Already the Finn's lead is out to two seconds.

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:15 (Ref:1306762)

Kimi is slowly extending his lead - now 2.9 seconds after 9 laps as he sets a new fastest lap of 1:16.562.

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:18 (Ref:1306763)

The guy that does the commentary on Formula1.com live timing,
never seems to understand that we are able to see live timing while we read his commentary ...

Or he is typing very slow, and the software automatically puts in the number of the lap when he has finished telling us what we saw happening 2 laps ago ...

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:19 (Ref:1306764)

And logic doesn't seem to be his best quality:

"Karthikeyan pits from last place."
"..."
"He rejoins the race, still in last place."

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:24 (Ref:1306768)

Major battles - Trulli versus Webber for fourth; Coulthard versus Michael versus Massa versus Villeneuve for 7-10; Rubens versus Montoya for 11-12; Liuzzi versus Ralf for 13-14.

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:29 (Ref:1306769)

The Williams duo of Webber and Heidfeld are snapping at Trulli's heels, who won't be pleased with Karthikeyan who made it unnecessarily difficult for the Italian to lap him.

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:35 (Ref:1306772)

What happened?

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:36 (Ref:1306774)

Did Albers just ruin the race for Coulthard and Michael?

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:39 (Ref:1306775)

Yep. Albers apparently spun in Mirabeau and Michael has run into the back of Coulthard. Coulthard has retired and Michael has pitted for a new front wing. In the meantime, the safety car is out to allow Albers' car to be removed.

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:39 (Ref:1306776)

Or does this accident mean that Alonso will win the race (as Raikonen wasn't able to pit)?

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:45 (Ref:1306777)

How do blue flags work in a situation like this?

Will Michael get blue flags automatically?
Or does Trulli have to close the gap to Michael before a blue flag is used?

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:48 (Ref:1306779)

Maybe new *cars* and new *engines* were not enough for Minardi ...

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 12:49 (Ref:1306780)

Friesacher has spun his Minardi exiting the tunnel and has hit the wall.

Don K · 22 May 2005, 12:55 (Ref:1306781)

What kind of gap does Raikonnen need to make a pit stop if he wants to come out ahead of Alonso?

Don K · 22 May 2005, 13:00 (Ref:1306783)

Hmm. Trulli went from 18.3s to 45.6 seconds.
Looks as if a 30s gap should be enough for Raikonen.

And currently Alonso is 34.7s behind him ...

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 13:03 (Ref:1306785)

I think it was enough - Raikkonen has pitted and is still in the lead over Alonso.

Don K · 22 May 2005, 13:12 (Ref:1306786)

Assuming Michael is trapped behind Villeneuve (and Ralf) ...

Wouldn't this be a good moment to make a pit stop?
(I assume he is low on fuel at the moment, as he made some very quick laps)

Don K · 22 May 2005, 13:31 (Ref:1306792)

What did VIlleneuve do (apart from throwing away 1 championship point for Sauber and Massa)?

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 13:32 (Ref:1306793)

Massa and Villeneuve have come together at the end of the straight on lap 64. Villeneuve has apparently hit the wall but the live timings says he's in the pits.

Massa down to 11th, with JV 12th but a long, long way behind.

Peter Sauber won't be happy, especially as Fisichella loses a heap of positions as Trulli makes a lunge at him. At a stroke, Fisico drops from fifth to tenth, which means that Massa would have been seventh and JV eighth if JV hadn't been so ambitious.

Dixie Flatline · 22 May 2005, 13:33 (Ref:1306794)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don K

What did VIlleneuve do (apart from throwing away 1 championship point for Sauber and Massa)?

Villeneuve tried to overtake Massa at the end of the straight.

Could only happen to Schumi - he is in eighth so after having a deplorable race, he looks set to pick up a point.

marcel82 · 22 May 2005, 13:35 (Ref:1306796)

nice move by Trulli on Fisichella in Loews, even if he damaged his car jumping over the curbs.
and Montoya now in 5th!

Don K · 22 May 2005, 13:35 (Ref:1306797)

What about Montoya and Ralf?

As far as I can see, they were also behind Massa and Villeneuve when this happened?

marcel82 · 22 May 2005, 13:37 (Ref:1306800)

Alonso is running on slicks now, no more grooves in his rear tyres

Don K · 22 May 2005, 13:38 (Ref:1306801)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixie Flatline

Villeneuve tried to overtake Massa at the end of the straight.

Could only happen to Schumi - he is in eighth so after having a deplorable race, he looks set to pick up a point.

Wouldn't Michael have been p5 now, if Albers had not made his mistake?

Looks to me as if he lost positions because somebody else made a mistake, and he got back some of those positions because 2 other drivers made mistakes.

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