The most important qualifying session of the season has been completed somewhat dramatically so - and reports on one-stop Perez condition are slowly filing in with a general positive trend showing now broken bones but the a concussion which rules him out of the race tomorrow. Which is a real shame because I'd loved to have seen whether the Sauber could do the race on the fabled one stop strategy and if there was anyone to manage such a feat one stop Perez would be the ideal nomination.
Aside from the obvious accident the grid lined up roughly to form of the previous few races but the red flag did scupper some late place changes which hurt Hamilton the most who was on a run when things unfolded. Some of the form demonstrated in the practice sessions failed to carry forward into the actual qualifying session itself - Red Bull were clearly hiding some pace from everyone else and released it this afternoon although the gap isn't as large.
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| Sourced from F1Fanatic.co.uk |
Qualifying
The session kicked off with two cars sitting in the garage - firstly Nico Rosberg who was another to pay a visit to the barrier on the exit of the tunnel before Nouvelle Chicane in the final practice session in the morning. The rear stepped out over the bump and was a passenger from then on - luckily missing the central divider between the two lanes on the chicane run-off space. So the Mercedes team were piecing together the right side suspension in time for qualifying and were able to fix the damage and allow Rosberg to set a time. The second of the morning's accident victims was the Hispania of Liuzzi, he got wide in St. Devote hitting the tyrewall with the rear corner. The impact caused a disproportionate amount of damage vs impact speed showing that the HRT car is actually made out of paper mache, cardboard and duct tape.... I'm saying nothing
But HRT were less energetic in their efforts to join the action and pretty much left the car stripped to it's chassis in the garage during the session - the second of the team cars also failed to leave the pit lane. Narain had a suspension failure in the garage... more PVA glue needed in Team Blue Peter who didn't have one they'd prepared earlier.
However on the circuit Jerome D'Ambrosio was the first car to hit the streets for Q1 quickly joined by the other 20 cars that were fixed and running. Early pace was set by Petrov of the Renault Squadron on the basis that he was one of the first to set a time, Vitaly was soon usurped by the Mercedes of Grandpa Schumacher who was belying his age once again this way. Within moments the faster competitors took to the timesheets moving the goalpost considerably.
Then can the point where the teams had to decide whether they were safe enough to stay in, or go out again on the option tyres to stay in the game, as normal Red Bull and at this point the faster McLarens were comfortable along with Ferrari. Rosberg came out in his freshly repaired car and posted a safe time ahead of Grandpa Schumacher on his first flying lap without the need for the softer rubber. Things were starting to get congested as expected with everyone searching for room to set a time, the queue at the Rascasse saw a Williams backing off the car in front which held Kobayashi who was pitting in - and in turn Alguersuari hit the Sauber, just a little but both drivers were taken to the stewards for a talking to. Alguersuari so the commentary said was removed from his garage to attend the stewards interrogation - as of yet no notice of penalties has been given.
When everything was all said and done the usual suspects were in the relegation zone - all three bottom teams with Team Blue Peter not sending either car out and is it undecided whether they will start the race due to lack of pace - and supplies of cello-tape. The additional place in the knock-out collection was the STR of Alguersuari who didn't make a reappearance after the contact - probably being shouted at by the sometimes excessive Monaco stewards
On to Q2, and things were closing up at the front of the timings, Hamilton still posted the fastest time in the session fairly early on but was in very close company with the dominant presence of Sebastien Vettel only two thousandths behind. But things were more interesting at the back of the top ten where competition was fierce to make it into Q3. Renault Squadron rather under performing on a track they normally do rather well - although last year they had Kubica at their disposal who was always brilliant at street type circuits to the lack of Robert really was showing this weekend. This opened the door for some different drivers making it into the top 10 shootout.
It was Williams who locked out the final row in the progression zone in 9th and 10th, but that was all to change, Rosberg and Petrov set strong times to dispose of Williams machines. But the Sauber of one-stop Perez put himself back into the Q3 zone by knocking Petrov down to 10th and on the very cusp of qualification. Then stepped forward Pastor Maldonado a Monaco specialist who has won on the streets in any lower formula that has supported the main event including last year on his way to the GP2 title ahead of one-stop Perez. The Venezuelan had managed 4th in the first segment of qualifying and wan't going to settle for being relegated in Q2, and dutifully whipped up a time to sneak into the top ten relegating Petrov to 11th to join the other Renault Squadron car in relegation. Along with both Force India cars, Buemi and Kobayashi.
And then there was ten heading into the last session of the day - as normal there was an initial group of cars taking to the track - the Red Bull team, Ferrari, Button and Schumacher. Massa set the initial benchmark time but didn't stay top for long as Jenson decimated his effort plunging into the 1:13s, Webber was next over the line followed by Alonso but both slotted in behind the McLaren. Michael was also unsuccessful falling in line behind Fernando, but Button wasn't safe out front for much longer as Vettel was going rather quickly and placed his car on the top of the time sheets .4 clear of Jenson.
The second set of cars - those opting for a single run at the end of the session took to the track headed by one-stop Perez with Hamilton and Maldonado in behind, joined by grandpa Schumacher starting his second run. This single run plan is aimed at saving tyres for the race whilst still gaining a good time when the track is at it's optimum condition. However the plan does rather fall apart if an on track incident brings out a yellow or even a red flag majorly compromising their runs and threatening their session....step forward one-stop Perez.
One-stop Perez's accident.
There are times in a season when a fairly large accident occurs and you sit there and listen very closely to the tone of the Brundle and this year D.C.'s voices trying to judge how severe they think it is. I have been watching F1 for 14 years exactly (since Monaco 97) and in that time seen a lot of accidents and can judge fairly well but the commentary team know far better given their experience in and outside the cockpit.
The camera first cut to the car from an inboard shot shy of a tyre and stationary and wasn't clear initially where it had taken place. But an external shot made it abundantly clear where the car was stopped, at the bottom of the hill in the lane dividing barrier in Nouvelle Chicane. When you see a car against the barrier my mind assesses the damage in an effort to conjure up the possible series of events that came to fruition.
A large crowd of marshals and emergency vehicles descended upon the crash site, swarming into action from their posts in the area with the impeccable speed with which the Monaco staff are famed. While the replays were displayed on the screen - the video showed an accident virtually identical to that of Rosbergs in the morning session and Petrov on Thursday.
Sergio exited the tunnel on a strangely wide line heading into the breaking area for the chicane, as he crested the hill and applied the brakes over the bumps the car appeared to bottom out. This took the weight off the rear wheels which in turn made it very easy for them to lock - combined with the lower pressure of tyres on their first lap. On the bump the rears locked pitching the Sauber into the inside guardrail - distorting the amrco leaving a bigger dent than Nico managed earlier in the morning.
With the right side of the car devoid of usable wheels, Perez had no control over the car as it continued it's slide rotating to face the seafront before colliding with the very effective collision dissipation barriers guarding the steel barrier. It's a releif the barriers had been there as contact at that velocity with the actual metal fence would have been more painful.
Current reports say that one stop Perez is in a stable condition without any fractures but had sustained concussion as a result of the final impact with the wall - and is highly unlikely to start the race because of that. But should be back in the car for the next race in Canada.
...Anyway back to Q3
If any of you readers are still here well done - it has gone on for a fair while I appreciate that. Now with the damage cleared up and barriers put back in to place things got back going again with all nine remaining drivers heading out lead by Hamilton. None of the drivers were able to make any progress with Lewis only moving up to 7th ahead of Nico and Maldonado everyone else stayed put with Vettel on pole ahead of Button and Webber.
But the with the session over the grid wasn't yet settled - as it was determined, within the past few minutes (good thing I had a lunch break and this took so long that the details have come forward since I started) that Hamilton cut a chicane not sure which one - either in the swimming pool or at Nouvelle. Lewis back to being grumpy face after shouting at Massa earlier on and being dismayed at a Torro Rosso as well, was had his lap cancelled out and dropped to 10th - which works out at 9th with one-stop Perez not cleared to start at the moment and won't be taking his 9th place starting position.
The Official Bonus Points Championship points winners
In a day when there was a lack of outstanding performances as everyone was driving at the max just to stand still it is difficult to pick out the top five points winners - and Vettel doesn't get a point because I'm bored of him winning all the time it is becoming a little Schumacher esque.
- One-stop Perez - was awarded a point before his accident for being the most sideways through the swimming pool section, on his fast lap in Q1 - but also for not being broken
- Mercedes - For managing to put together Rosbergs car after he rather broke is in the final practice
- Button - For being the closest to Vettel and being considerably better Hamilton Grumpy face who was usual tipped for grandeur
- Rosberg - For taking a freshly repaired car and on his first lap after missing almost all of the morning practice gave Grandpa Schumacher a good beating
- Barriers at Nouvelle - For doing a tremendous job in limiting the damage done to sergio and preventing a more serious injury.
Looking ahead to tomorrow.
Well this is Monaco so anything can happen and usually does on the maddening streets, Vettel is ideally placed to hold the lead and run off into the distance. But there is something else to factor into the equation - safety car which could easily make it's first appearance in the race throwing all sorts of strategies into the blender.
And when strategies are thrown to the four winds all sorts of unlikely drivers can spring up into unusual places - and being able to hold onto them because Monaco is notoriously difficult make any form of overtaking manoeuvre on. Tyres in race conditions will prove to be the most interesting points of development - will the severe disparity in tyre conditions over compensate for the nature of the circuit. And can Kobayashi take over where team-mate is now unable to do and throw a one-stop strategy into the carnage.
Whatever takes place - even if it is a processional event - F1 at Monaco is always a massive spectacle, so tune in for 78 laps of greatness.
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