Grand Prix thread 2017 Monaco Grand Prix Chat and Predictions

Possibly... They may not need to though depending on where the mercs wind up later in the race.

 

This interview is a fail

 

Trying to get a job at McDonalds?

 

No... at mcHonda

 

Logic should dictate the would do as Vettel has a chance to get some big points against Hamilton this race.

 

It is the sensible thing to do, and I expect them to, but think how much of a PR coup it would be if they let them race after all Mercedes rhetoric, especially when you consider how popular Kimi is.

 

Ferrari have shown in the past they don't care about PR, so I wouldn't expect them to worry about it tomorrow!

Ferrari's customer base isn't really one which good/bad PR would effect. Let's face it, if they had good/bad PR, would it make a difference when I haven't got best part of £150k to splash out on their base model anyway!?

 

Could be interesting if Kimi backs Seb up with two fiesty Red Bulls sniffing around.

With Hamilton far back, a top 2 finish for Vettel would be great anyway.

Only takes one mistake here or a reliability issue though.

 

Everybody talks (especially the media) about how Merc race each other and Ferrari have a clear 1-2. To date Seb had to fight past Kimi which cost him a huge amount of time and Merc have coordinated their switches to perfection - tomorrow will be interesting.

 

To be fair, with how Kimi has been getting off the line, I'd expect Vettel to be leading into turn 1.

 

Can't see Hamilton finishing the race tomorrow. He'll try to hard and bin it I guess. Vettel to win and maybe Kimi 3rd? Bottas is the interesting one, what's he going to manage?

 

The team are blaming the set up for Hamilton's problems today. If it's a similar set up to Bottas it makes you wonder if there was some sort of issue with the car somewhere.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/129804/mercedes-blames-setup-for-hamilton-disaster

 

Really hope Kimi doesn't fluff the start this is his in the bag.

 

Still think that was a big mistake on their part. Though if they're 1-2 tomorrow I'm not sure Ferrari will ask Kimi to let Vettel pass unless he's holding up Vettel. At that point they may well ask him to move over.

 

Altering turn 1?

 

Red Bull in a strange place this year. Last season they had excellent mechanical grip and good aero, hence their fab performance at Monaco. This year however they seem consistently 3rd best. Slightly underpowered, and slightly lacking a bit of downforce.

Do we think Newey will iron it out before the season ends?

 

I think they're guide-lines for Stroll and Palmer.

Ah, but they don't just sell cars any more, they also do a much bigger line in merchandise for the poor fan than they did way back when.

I suspect it was the class of the field aerodynamically, until they go their suspension banned..........

 

Interestingly Rosberg was saying in his interview with BBC that Mercedes will miss him when it comes to setting up the car. I wonder if there is something in that comment?

 

Interesting

 

Honda reveals MGU-H can only last two races

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-honda-engine-mghu-last-two-races-911390/

Honda admits the current MGU-H design on its Formula 1 engine is only strong enough to last two races, after suffering more "unacceptable" reliability problems at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Jenson Button qualified ninth in his one-off return to F1 in place of Fernando Alonso in Monte Carlo, but will drop to the back of the grid after collecting a 15-place penalty because Honda decided to change the turbo and MGU-H on his engine after Thursday practice.

Honda is not yet sure of the exact cause of the problem, which its F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa says relates to the "rotation of the bearing" on the MGU-H.

The MGU-H design was modified for reliability after McLaren-Honda suffered several failures during round three of the championship in Bahrain in April.

Although Honda cannot be sure this latest problem is related, Hasegawa says the behaviour of the component is similar, which shows the design is still not robust enough to last more than two grands prix.

"Every two races we need to change – that is not acceptable," Hasegawa told Motorsport.com. "We think we need to have more modifications for robustness, with the rotating parts especially.

"Currently we are controlling some temperatures or behaviour. We can manage the reliability. This time it did OK [mileage wise], but still we are having some issues for reliability."

Knowing that a grid penalty in this race would spell disaster for McLaren's prospects of scoring points at the circuit where it stands its best chance yet in 2017, Honda was initially reluctant to change engine parts.

But after discussing the situation "very carefully" with McLaren, Honda decided it was "too risky" to attempt to make the original component last the distance.

"After running FP2 we normally check every rotation part – engine, MGU-H – and we saw the MGU-H rotating a little bit odd for a normal situation," Hasegawa explained.

"It's not completely strange, but the mechanics felt some friction. When we have a complete MGU-H failure, the MGU-H turbine is completely stuck. Seized. This time there is not such a problem, but the mechanics could feel some resistance.

"We discussed things with the Japanese side and we decide to change on Friday morning. That is a 100,000rpm part, and if we feel something strange, it never lasts. It had some chance, but it's not worth it."






-shocking