The thing about clichés is that they are based on truth, so no surprise then that, as usual in Monaco, track traffic was one of the main topics of conversation after this afternoon’s grid-deciding Qualifying session.
With two extra teams in the sport this year, that meant four more cars fighting it out in Q1, although our two drivers safely negotiated their way through into the second session. Of the two men, Jaime on his first F1 outing at the street circuit, came off worse and eventually qualified in seventeenth spot on Row 9, while Sebastien, on his second Monaco GP weekend, did better, setting the thirteenth quickest time, which puts him two rows ahead of his team-mate. It means a points finish is not out of the question, given how uncertain this fascinating, gruelling and very long race can be.
Mark Webber is definitely the man on form, as after taking pole and winning in Barcelona last Sunday, he again took the top grid slot for Red Bull Racing, while team-mate Sebastian Vettel starts right behind him in third. A week ago, you would probably have been given very long odds on Robert Kubica starting the Monegasque race from the front row, but that’s exactly what the Renault driver will do, after qualifying second. Having been really strong during Thursday practice, by today, the Pole was even being tipped for pole. Joining Vettel on the second row is Felipe Massa in the lone Ferrari. Why lone? Because in this morning’s free practice, Fernando Alonso smashed his Prancing Horse into the barriers at Massenet, doing enough damage to require a chassis change, which takes much longer than the two hours available between the morning session and qualifying. He therefore took no part in proceedings and will start from the back on Sunday. Lewis Hamilton was fifth for McLaren and shares Row 3 with the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.
The current forecast is for good weather tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean the race result is predictable. In the past, race strategy revolved mainly around when cars needed to refuel. With that no longer a factor, tyres are the key factor and at this track, it’s not just a case of managing them according to the wear characteristics of the Super-Soft and Medium compound Bridgestones, but it is also vital to try and get your driver out of the pits without putting him back out behind a group of slower cars.
If working conditions are tough for the teams, they also seem to be taking their toll on the media: one journalist has been here since Wednesday, but so far has failed to check into his hotel, having slept on other people’s floors, after enjoying too good a time at the many parties organised for the press. Meanwhile, a photographer will not be keen on having his own photo taken as Saturday morning breakfast involved losing a front tooth while biting into a piece of toast!
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