The 2007 Monaco Grand Prix

[Julian Mayo]

Both Alonso and Hamilton were above the rest though,


Nup,.....the McLarens were

[magdaricci]

Well Well Dear Ron Dennis who now finds himself in the very same position as Jean Todt three years back and has replicated the very same behaviour that met with his disapproval back then....Team orders.
I may well be wrong on this one but I bet Autosport runs a peice this week on how Hamilton would have blitzed Alonson had he been allowed to run his 1 stop strategy. He was 15 seconds clear after Alonson pitted and with each having to make one more stop and Hamilton on the medium tyre that was working so well, it was looking good. Then what? He gets switched to a two stopper. I take my hat off to Alonso, he drove a faultless race, but then he wasn't really being challenged was he.

[Julian Mayo]

Well Well Dear Ron Dennis who now finds himself in the very same position as Jean Todt three years back and has replicated the very same behaviour that met with his disapproval back then....Team orders.
I may well be wrong on this one but I bet Autosport runs a peice this week on how Hamilton would have blitzed Alonson had he been allowed to run his 1 stop strategy. He was 15 seconds clear after Alonson pitted and with each having to make one more stop and Hamilton on the medium tyre that was working so well, it was looking good. Then what? He gets switched to a two stopper. I take my hat off to Alonso, he drove a faultless race, but then he wasn't really being challenged was he.

[magdaricci]

Thanks and to carry on with my rant.. Poor old Lewis was concerving his tyres in the early part of the race and as soon as he got the radio call that Alonso was in traffic, bang fastest lap! He's got a great racing brain on him and I just felt really sorry for him that the world media lorded up old Alonso and said Lewis still has so much to learn from the master when he was going to have him without the teams intervention.

[cmlean]

So........
What's the bet on Hamilton winning the British Grand Prix?
Pretty short odds I'd have.

[JayVee]

I am not supposed to be on the computer at this time as I should be putting the kids to bed but it is dissapointing to see people just complaining and virtually no one saying well done to Alonso. Had it been Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Fisichella or Webber, things would have been different.

Julian, you can yawn but really how much overtaking do you see in other races ? 1 or 2 more ?
Doesn't the fact that a car managed to finish a full minute ahead of their closest competitor mean anything ?
Yes if Massa or Hamilton started from pole they would have most likely won but that is the case in all the races.

Kapel, what team orders ? Hamilton clearly said after qualifying that he won't be doing something crazy but he will keep pushing. Look at the facts, look at the lap times from the two, if they were told to ease off at the end (like Ferrari have always done), why were they still flying ? They had so much time that they could have lapped at 1:20 and claimed "saving our car" but they didn't.
And just 2 weeks ago in Spain, Alonso finished BEHIND Hamilton, McLaren didn't swtich them and Hamilton as a result led the championship. I don't recall anyone last race saying anything about that!!

I looked up the press conference and this is what Lewis had to say:

Q: Lewis, you certainly caught him, but then did you just easy off, did you just decide that there was no point fighting for this?
LH: I caught him up and… it’s extremely difficult to overtake here in Monaco and he was obviously close to me, and I was told to take it easy. There was no point in pressuring him into a mistake, and then when he did make a mistake, crash into him so it was best to finish one-two but to be honest, I pushed as I could to the end. I never give up, no matter what, and so I didn’t really take too much notice and I kept going.

He was also asked

Q: (Ian Parkes – The Press Assocation) Lewis, you mentioned that there were team orders towards the end of the race, that you are the number two driver… Is this something that you find difficult to come to terms with?
LH: There weren’t necessarily any team orders. They don’t say that I had to stay behind Fernando… But the goal of the team is to score as many points as possible and we want to pull away from the Ferraris and the only way we can do that is to finish in first and second or ahead of them. It was easy for me to maybe push a bit harder and to touch the barrier and maybe to crash or push Fernando into a mistake, but that would have been a negative on the team. Coming into the season, I expect to be the number two driver. I am a rookie, it is my first season, but I am just pleased to be here and it is really is a great feeling for me to be sitting next to these drivers and still living my dream and to be on the podium in all five of my first Grands Prix … I hope to continue like that.

And please don't compare me not being happy with Michael winning to you being happy with Alonso winning. To me Michael cheated a number of times and was proven so by the governing body. When Alonso cheats I will no longer be a fan of his. (but I am sure he won't )

And finally welcome magdaricci, just on the single stop issue, I don't think it was possible for Hamilton to be on a single stop. Hamilton himself said he thought he was going 5 or 6 laps more than Alonso. Alonso pitted on lap 26 I think so Hamilton would have pitted on lap 32. Do you really think he would have filled up for 46 laps and ran on the supersoft ?

Hamilton also said this:

Q: (Juha Päätalo – Financial Times Germany) What was the team’s explanation for you pitting early?
LH: I just said I haven’t spoken to my engineers, so I don’t really know. I can only assume as we were all on a two stop strategy that if the Safety Car came out it really could have had a big effect and we wouldn’t have ended up with the points we ended up with. It was important to get us in because anything could have happened and so it was the safe route.

Enuf said and good night!

[magdaricci]

Hardly enough said.

I based my reply on the following Ron Dennis Quotes and I guess he knows a thing or two about the Mclaren strategy wouldn't you say!

"Once the first round of pitstops had taken place we reverted Lewis from a one-stop strategy to the faster two-stop strategy and at the same time slowed both cars down to conserve the brakes. As a team we would like to race but this circuit requires a disciplined approach and as a result we can leave Monte Carlo with the maximum amount of points," Dennis added.

"However there is some disappointment because of the different strategies we needed to follow to cope with a potential deployment of the Safety Car which has happened four times in the last five years. Consequently you virtually have to decide in advance which one of the team's two drivers will claim the victory

Enough said!

[Snowy]

The McLaren beat a previously dominant Ferrari by nearly a second a lap. They have built a truely awesome car for Monaco! Fernando and Lewis drove faultless races. I have to give drive of the day to Fernando though, because if Lewis had the pace to beat Fernando he should have disobeyed team orders and tried to force Fernando into making a mistake. I don't actually believe that Lewis had the speed or consistency to do it. Team orders were no big deal in the race, the fact that yet again Lewis has been saddled with three more laps of fuel for qualifying, effectively denying him pole position is pretty clear evidence that Fernando is the team leader. And I suppose that is fair, I just have a problem with McLaren's denial of that fact. The qualifying system is inherently flawed and should be changed, I recall the days of Senna, Mansel, Prost, Hill, Schumacher etc actually fighting for pole position and the fastest possible lap of the circuit in that car on that day.

[Julian Mayo]

I am not supposed to be on the computer at this time as I should be putting the kids to bed but it is dissapointing to see people just complaining and virtually no one saying well done to Alonso. Had it been Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Fisichella or Webber, things would have been different.

Julian, you can yawn but really how much overtaking do you see in other races ? 1 or 2 more ?
Doesn't the fact that a car managed to finish a full minute ahead of their closest competitor mean anything ?
Yes if Massa or Hamilton started from pole they would have most likely won but that is the case in all the races.

Kapel, what team orders ? Hamilton clearly said after qualifying that he won't be doing something crazy but he will keep pushing. Look at the facts, look at the lap times from the two, if they were told to ease off at the end (like Ferrari have always done), why were they still flying ? They had so much time that they could have lapped at 1:20 and claimed "saving our car" but they didn't.
And just 2 weeks ago in Spain, Alonso finished BEHIND Hamilton, McLaren didn't swtich them and Hamilton as a result led the championship. I don't recall anyone last race saying anything about that!!

I looked up the press conference and this is what Lewis had to say:

Q: Lewis, you certainly caught him, but then did you just easy off, did you just decide that there was no point fighting for this?
LH: I caught him up and… it’s extremely difficult to overtake here in Monaco and he was obviously close to me, and I was told to take it easy. There was no point in pressuring him into a mistake, and then when he did make a mistake, crash into him so it was best to finish one-two but to be honest, I pushed as I could to the end. I never give up, no matter what, and so I didn’t really take too much notice and I kept going.

He was also asked

Q: (Ian Parkes – The Press Assocation) Lewis, you mentioned that there were team orders towards the end of the race, that you are the number two driver… Is this something that you find difficult to come to terms with?
LH: There weren’t necessarily any team orders. They don’t say that I had to stay behind Fernando… But the goal of the team is to score as many points as possible and we want to pull away from the Ferraris and the only way we can do that is to finish in first and second or ahead of them. It was easy for me to maybe push a bit harder and to touch the barrier and maybe to crash or push Fernando into a mistake, but that would have been a negative on the team. Coming into the season, I expect to be the number two driver. I am a rookie, it is my first season, but I am just pleased to be here and it is really is a great feeling for me to be sitting next to these drivers and still living my dream and to be on the podium in all five of my first Grands Prix … I hope to continue like that.

And please don't compare me not being happy with Michael winning to you being happy with Alonso winning. To me Michael cheated a number of times and was proven so by the governing body. When Alonso cheats I will no longer be a fan of his. (but I am sure he won't )

And finally welcome magdaricci, just on the single stop issue, I don't think it was possible for Hamilton to be on a single stop. Hamilton himself said he thought he was going 5 or 6 laps more than Alonso. Alonso pitted on lap 26 I think so Hamilton would have pitted on lap 32. Do you really think he would have filled up for 46 laps and ran on the supersoft ?

Hamilton also said this:

Q: (Juha Päätalo – Financial Times Germany) What was the team’s explanation for you pitting early?
LH: I just said I haven’t spoken to my engineers, so I don’t really know. I can only assume as we were all on a two stop strategy that if the Safety Car came out it really could have had a big effect and we wouldn’t have ended up with the points we ended up with. It was important to get us in because anything could have happened and so it was the safe route.

Enuf said and good night!

So the Hambone in real life stood in front of the press, and said",.....well the Boss said I am now on a two stop strategy whether I like it or not, then when Trulli was holding Alonso up, and my tyres were just right so I cracked fastest lap n brushed the armco, which I have done here many times before in several classes of motor racing...(I like oversteer) and closed the gap to striking distance.......the Boss got back on da phone n said NO OVERTAKING......TAKE IT EASY n thats what happened.....now excuse me gentlemen of the press, while I go and see if I can at least find a job riding no 2 on tandem bicycles at Battersea Old Folks Home."

[Julian Mayo]

I am not supposed to be on the computer at this time as I should be putting the kids to bed but it is dissapointing to see people just complaining and virtually no one saying well done to Alonso. Had it been Hamilton, Massa, Kubica, Fisichella or Webber, things would have been different.

Julian, you can yawn but really how much overtaking do you see in other races ? 1 or 2 more ?
Doesn't the fact that a car managed to finish a full minute ahead of their closest competitor mean anything ?
Yes if Massa or Hamilton started from pole they would have most likely won but that is the case in all the races.

Kapel, what team orders ? Hamilton clearly said after qualifying that he won't be doing something crazy but he will keep pushing. Look at the facts, look at the lap times from the two, if they were told to ease off at the end (like Ferrari have always done), why were they still flying ? They had so much time that they could have lapped at 1:20 and claimed "saving our car" but they didn't.
And just 2 weeks ago in Spain, Alonso finished BEHIND Hamilton, McLaren didn't swtich them and Hamilton as a result led the championship. I don't recall anyone last race saying anything about that!!

I looked up the press conference and this is what Lewis had to say:

Q: Lewis, you certainly caught him, but then did you just easy off, did you just decide that there was no point fighting for this?
LH: I caught him up and… it’s extremely difficult to overtake here in Monaco and he was obviously close to me, and I was told to take it easy. There was no point in pressuring him into a mistake, and then when he did make a mistake, crash into him so it was best to finish one-two but to be honest, I pushed as I could to the end. I never give up, no matter what, and so I didn’t really take too much notice and I kept going.

He was also asked

Q: (Ian Parkes – The Press Assocation) Lewis, you mentioned that there were team orders towards the end of the race, that you are the number two driver… Is this something that you find difficult to come to terms with?
LH: There weren’t necessarily any team orders. They don’t say that I had to stay behind Fernando… But the goal of the team is to score as many points as possible and we want to pull away from the Ferraris and the only way we can do that is to finish in first and second or ahead of them. It was easy for me to maybe push a bit harder and to touch the barrier and maybe to crash or push Fernando into a mistake, but that would have been a negative on the team. Coming into the season, I expect to be the number two driver. I am a rookie, it is my first season, but I am just pleased to be here and it is really is a great feeling for me to be sitting next to these drivers and still living my dream and to be on the podium in all five of my first Grands Prix … I hope to continue like that.

And please don't compare me not being happy with Michael winning to you being happy with Alonso winning. To me Michael cheated a number of times and was proven so by the governing body. When Alonso cheats I will no longer be a fan of his. (but I am sure he won't )

And finally welcome magdaricci, just on the single stop issue, I don't think it was possible for Hamilton to be on a single stop. Hamilton himself said he thought he was going 5 or 6 laps more than Alonso. Alonso pitted on lap 26 I think so Hamilton would have pitted on lap 32. Do you really think he would have filled up for 46 laps and ran on the supersoft ?

Hamilton also said this:

Q: (Juha Päätalo – Financial Times Germany) What was the team’s explanation for you pitting early?
LH: I just said I haven’t spoken to my engineers, so I don’t really know. I can only assume as we were all on a two stop strategy that if the Safety Car came out it really could have had a big effect and we wouldn’t have ended up with the points we ended up with. It was important to get us in because anything could have happened and so it was the safe route.

Enuf said and good night!

I didn't yawn once, from turn one on, last race

[Kapel]

JayVee,its pointless talking to you...cos u shall never see the team doing anything wrong which has Alonso..

Try to understand wht ppl here are trying to point out...Alonso did nothing wrong..he drove a fantastic race,all perfect..but v r not discussing Alonso here...
Whose discussing the last race here??..dont try to bring out things when they havent done wrong..open ur eyes to see when they do wrong.

Read Ron Dennis's statement...read the entire press conf of Hamilton"no.2 driver & pit calls & stuff"..if u still dont get it..i have nothing here to say to u.

[Kapel]

I didn't yawn once, from turn one on, last race

Quick to sleep,were u?

[gkaytaz]

I didn't yawn once, from turn one on, last race

Quick to sleep,were u?

Could hear him snore all the way from here

[gkaytaz]

The McLaren beat a previously dominant Ferrari by nearly a second a lap. They have built a truely awesome car for Monaco! Fernando and Lewis drove faultless races. I have to give drive of the day to Fernando though, because if Lewis had the pace to beat Fernando he should have disobeyed team orders and tried to force Fernando into making a mistake. I don't actually believe that Lewis had the speed or consistency to do it. Team orders were no big deal in the race, the fact that yet again Lewis has been saddled with three more laps of fuel for qualifying, effectively denying him pole position is pretty clear evidence that Fernando is the team leader. And I suppose that is fair, I just have a problem with McLaren's denial of that fact. The qualifying system is inherently flawed and should be changed, I recall the days of Senna, Mansel, Prost, Hill, Schumacher etc actually fighting for pole position and the fastest possible lap of the circuit in that car on that day.

McLarens were very well tuned for Monaco for sure, but on that track the drivers are as important as (if not more than) the cars. Anyone who can finish a race there deserves some level of recognition.

Now Alonso had the pole, thus enjoyed the benefits. Hamilton might have caught him had he pushed harder. Perhaps Alonso would have gone faster. I really dunno. However continued (maybe even pointless) pressure might have cost them the potential one-two. I believe McLaren (and/or Hamilton) made the right choice. There is no point in McL's denying the team orders issue.

That said, I agree, the quali format should be changed. Let's see the drivers to go all out without having to consider the fuel load and race strategy. This is F1 after all; it is supposed to be loads of fun and action, not a chess game. In the beginning I had liked the new system. Not anymore, no sirree...

[Julian Mayo]

I didn't yawn once, from turn one on, last race

Quick to sleep,were u?

Nah, I was waiting to see if Alonso would try such a........ move on turn one again....edge of seat stuff