Official 2024 Monaco Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

Firstly, if anyone else has a spare Paddock Club pass for Monaco, I’m in. I’m still in awe of M1K3’s generosity- amazing and a reminder that we’re all F1 fans here.

What to say after Imola? McLaren must have a great chance as the RB20 is looking tricky to set up and manage its tyres. Should be a great qualifying.

Alonso will be looking for a better race after 2 duffers, and Piastri is due some luck. Poll is for the win.

Date(s): Friday 24 to Sunday 26 May 2024.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Channel 4 is showing highlights of Qualifying and the Race.





2023 Highlights:

https://youtu.be/JyBq7XYDiBg?si=QlzF0WNZnfwajGf5

Tyres:

Softest compounds C3-C5



2023 Result:

[CoolHands]

Will this be the most boring race of the year so far? Yes, if they can get any more boring. No I won’t be watching.

Thankyou

[WilliamWoollard]

Thanks PIAP, I don't often contribute to your threads but always enjoy reading them.

Max is incapable of driving at anything less than 101% therefore struggles to manage his tyres, hopefully Lando can take advantage again.

I'm looking forward to the race just for the spectacle of it all. Go Lando/Lewis!

[PRO5T]

Saturday in Monaco is one of my highlights of the sporting year, never mind that we've been blessed with some superb Sundays over the last few years.

The naysayers simply say nay!

[nnnitram]

Love Saturday, will watch highlights package of Sunday.

[Still Mulling]

Thanks PiaP! Crossing fingers for rain on Sunday. If none, the voting list can have the Mercs and Alonso removed now, I fear

[paulguitar]

I enjoy quali at Monaco


The 'race' is almost always almost impossibly boring. That said, there is of course the Indy 500 to look forward to later on.

[TheDeuce]

Just popped in to check the standard Monaco GP trash talk is taking place - I see it is

Love quali here. I quite like the race some years too.. not as a 'race', there's no actual racing, but as a daft event where things quite often go wrong, especially if it's the weather which can turn on a dime in monaco.

It's also a good excuse to invite friends over, light the bbq and drink... everything.

So, nothing but love and positivity from me this weekend

[PhilAsia]

Thanks again PiaP for your legendary PH post!

I have voted for Max, but nobody wafts a win here...

I too am one that enjoys Monaco. Qualy is generally a blast. The "race" is basically an estate agent's blipvert of homes I could never afford and, if you ignore it and concentrate on the theatre, is more acceptable on the eye than most circuits.

Hopefully we will have some drama if the weather turns un-Monaco-esque.

Was one of the drivers born here?

[suffolk009]

Ah, well. Another year that I can't afford to buy an Oyster 885 and moor it up trackside in the harbour. FML.

[Heathwood]

WilliamWoollard said:

Max is incapable of driving at anything less than 101% therefore struggles to manage his tyres!

I’m not so sure about this comment. Where Max isn’t being challenged I suspect he’s driving well within himself and his car. If / when he is challenged, as in the last couple of races, then the situation is, of course, different and tyre management will be more of a factor.

[Sandpit Steve]

TheDeuce said:

Just popped in to check the standard Monaco GP trash talk is taking place - I see it is

Love quali here. I quite like the race some years too.. not as a 'race', there's no actual racing, but as a daft event where things quite often go wrong, especially if it's the weather which can turn on a dime in monaco.

It's also a good excuse to invite friends over, light the bbq and drink... everything.

So, nothing but love and positivity from me this weekend

Yep, qualifying in Monaco is one of the highlights of the year, and plenty of top drivers have overdone it over the years. MV’s pole lap last year was brilliant to watch, he missed every barrier in the third sector by no more than an inch, and touched one or two of them!

Sunday is just a party day with some noisy cars in the background, unless and until it rains and some excitement ensues, then take a few hours to regain composure before the Indy 500 in the evening. There’s actually been the fair share of race incidents here in recent times, with Ferrari and Mercedes both making comedy pitstops, and Mick Schumacher splitting his car in half a couple of years ago.

A good bet, if it’s dry, is on there being no safety car. It’s usually about 8/1 odds, and the marshals here are expert as using the VSC to get a trolley under a dead car, or hook up a trackside crane to it. And if it’s a really boring race, you just won a pile of cash! It’s paid out I think twice in the last decade, since they started using the VSC.

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the thread PiaP, Monaco, I don’t mind it, qualifying will be intense, the race, probably not so much, a race on my bucket list to do properly with hospitality

[eps]

Thanks PiaP! Monaco baby!

Although I still can't get used to free practice 1 and 2 not being on a Thursday.

Looking forward to qualifying and hopefully some rain on Sunday to spice things up. Maybe the extra pressure from McLaren will liven things up?

[Diderot]

Thanks PiaP.

[WilliamWoollard]

Heathwood said:

WilliamWoollard said:

Max is incapable of driving at anything less than 101% therefore struggles to manage his tyres!

I’m not so sure about this comment. Where Max isn’t being challenged I suspect he’s driving well within himself and his car. If / when he is challenged, as in the last couple of races, then the situation is, of course, different and tyre management will be more of a factor.

Track limits warnings, smashing bollards, regularly bhing about tyres dropping off, all while several seconds ahead.

[another 3 points]

Rain Man checking in with the chance of a shower on Saturday. Squirmy SC qualifying. But... dry on Sunday. So what’s the deal? Set up for wet qualifying and track position? Or set up for a fast race with little less downforce?

[sandman77]

I hope this race marks the end of people saying “waftey win” or “rocket ship”. Reading that every race week was almost as tedious as the races.

[TheDeuce]

another 3 points said:

Rain Man checking in with the chance of a shower on Saturday. Squirmy SC qualifying. But... dry on Sunday. So what’s the deal? Set up for wet qualifying and track position? Or set up for a fast race with little less downforce?

I prefer unexpected showers on race day ideally. If they get a sniff of rain here on the Saturday quali, haven't they simply delayed running in recent years?

[Byker28i]

sandman77 said:

I hope this race marks the end of people saying “waftey win” or “rocket ship”. Reading that every race week was almost as tedious as the races.

Start of the race last weekend max set off at 1/2-1 sec a lap faster then managed the gap to save tyres. Hard not to see the RB as the much superior car with a good driver to drive it as well.

It's usually mostly a procession, unless someone hits the wall etc. However, having been there previously for the weekend, sat in the swimming pool stand on the corner watching the cars race by really close, it's still a spectacle.