The most
unpredictable race on the calendar turned out to be far from that with all the
top 4 teams finishing in the top 8. Also it was the first time in many years
that the top 8 on the grid actually finish in the top 8 at the end of the
race.
A
few of the highlights:
Juan Pablo
Montoya winning his first race of the season and the second of his career.
It was a superb win particularly when his team-mate Ralf Schumacher was
leading for a third of the race and ended up 4th and almost half a minute
behind.
Also the turnaround that Williams have made was remarkable.
Kimi Raikkonen
finishes on the podium yet again. That is 6 out of 7 races. That is simply
remarkable given that his team-mate David Coulthard only finished on the
podium once.
Whilst Michael
Schumacher struggled with his tyres, he still managed to make up 2 places
and finish on the podium while his team-mate Rubens Barrichello got stuck
in 8th and didn't make any impression of moving forward and ended the race
over 53 seconds down.
Fernando
Alonso has once again shown that he can do better in the races than his
team-mate Jarno Trulli.
It was
remarkable how the top 8 drivers from the top 4 teams were fairly close in
the race and the rest of the field just didn't shape. As it they were from
a different formulae!
Your
thoughts ?
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What others are saying:
Hey Marian, you're the man!!
Kayalami (note spelling - but you wouldn't know because that is an indiginous
word meaning "My home", but great in any case of you to remember it)
is not far from my home town - about 350 kms but that's just around the corner
in South African terms. However, sad to say, the track layout has been
significantly altered from what you possibly remember. Nothing wrong with the
surface, even in international terms, but it has been shortened and the famous
long straight with the equally famous kink has been done away with. You will
probably also remember that the straight was the longest of any in Grand prix
history. It now boasts the "mineshaft" which is a shortish straight
on a quite steep downhill with a tightish sweep at the bottom - apparently
very scary.
If you remember there was a F1 race held on the new track in 1993 (I think)
and it was quite exciting but as there are no straights to speak of anymore it
will be very processional these days, very much like Hungary maybe a bit worse
which is a great pity (nothing can be as bad as Monaco).
Bernie Ecclestone was here a couple of years ago and left with a promise of a
Grand Prix before 2004 but sadly nothing materialised. It is still used for
international motorcycle grands prix though especially the superbikes.
I know the above has nothing to do with the Monaco race - it is just a bit of
nostalgia shared with Marian (the Romanian living in USA) but if others find
it interesting that's fine Regards - Johan M - South Africa
Boring, boring &again boring. I like Monaco, has most of the old
fashion race flavors but... with new regulations, new cars and new strategies
is hard to believe this track still has a secured future. Nurburgring, Spa
Jarama or Kylamy are symbols for F1 heritage so Monaco. But just symbols. The
gernan circuit had a huge liftface to survive. Jarama and Kylamy are just
names for new drivers even for the F1 fans.
The race was decided by team strategies pit stops not drivers or machines JPM
deserved the win and honestly (I m not a JPM fan) he had a total attitude
change. He was so cool, so precise like was a different driver. If Williams
will have a better package he'll be a new revelation in F1.
In the other hand Kimmi was handicapped by Mantoya passing on the first
corner, was pushing but not to much; the points are the points. Schumy was
like a big pack of TNT after califications, the frustration was covered by
angrines for unreliable Bridgestones.
Bottom line Ferrari still didn't' t show something special which really
bothers me. Thanks My best regards Marian - Romanian living in USA.
I think Ralf is great. I don't care what others are thinking, I just believe
Ralf can win without a problem. Kimi also did a good race and I'm glad that
Michael didn't win.
I hope that Kimi will win the championship - Any T. - Romania.
To call Monaco a race stretches the use of the word a little. It�s more
like a procession with pit stops. Why not just have qualifying and a pit stop
competition. I was thinking along the lines of three laps two pit stops,
fastest time wins and everyone goes home. It would be more exciting than the
race we saw. Was there a pass other than on the start or of a lapped car? - John
- Singapore.
A great race from Montoya who was clearly on a mission. Also, Raikkonen's
drive was superb and it would have been interesting had he got ahead of
Montoya on the last pit. It seemed he had the greater pace, though Montoya was
pacing. I think that's why Michael caught up at the end as well but a good
comeback drive from him anyway.
Fantastic to see Williams and McLaren throw out a long awaited true challenge
to Ferrari. Looks like a great dogfight between Schuey and Raiko' 'til
season's end with Montoya as a Championship longshot and challenger at every
race.
As for my own Jags - well, you put sissy pink on the car, you get what you
deserve! :) I don't think we'll see any pink Jaguars again any time
soon.
Probably the spirit of the Pink Panther was in the vicinity and put a jealous
hex on them? What a terrible colour clash it was too. Righto boys, enough
glitz -> back to the grease! - Bryon F - Australia.
Bridgestone is doing much more for the excitement of the championship than
the new rules. Michelin won again, as it did in Malaysia. I think that Monaco
is a beautiful place, but as some other circuits (Hungary, for example) the
impossibility to overtake makes the race boooooring. Maybe if they reduce the
capacity of the fuel tanks to something around 30 liters... with 5 or 6 pit
stops, man, that would be interesting.
Seriously now, it was quite stupid the way that Coulthard threw his car in
front of Barrichello's at the start leaving a freeway to Alonso to pass both.
I don't agree when I read that RB is not motivated but is clear that he was
much happier inside the F2002. I was upset because he was not fighting hard
enough, IMHO, but it seems that the tires simply didn't work out and he lost
14s after lap 71, indicating that he settled for 8th - Andre B - Brazil
damm i really love this sport, the best season ever
great drive from everybody, congrat jpm, kimi keep up the good work and
i am so damm sure that micheal now should be worried with the improvement of
all the young blood in f1
no more ferrari domination everybody are fighting hard, thats what we call
true sport - tan v - Malaysia.
Congratulations to J.P.M on a super drive. Ralf proved yet again that he
doesn't have what it takes to 'race' to an F1 victory. His victories to date
have all been boring, win by default drives. J.P.M is a true F1 driver, and an
F1 racer
I think Renault got a wake-up-call. It appears their chassis isn't the best on
the grid, very good, but not the best. They will have to work hard to maintain
their strong chassis and improve their expensive hunk-of-junk engine.
It was interesting to note that the top four teams were a mile ahead of the
rest, with perhaps the exception of Webber, who didn't get his chance to prove
what he was capable of.
Finally, Toyota's performance over recent Grand Prix's has been woeful at
best. It seems they don't have the technical knowledge to build an F1 chassis.
If they want to succeed, they have to get the best. If that means spending big
money for an Adrian Newey or a Mike Gascoyne then so be it.
I hope that Formula 1 doesn't lose another manufacturer, and I hope Toyota
will at least stay in as an engine supplier. Maybe they could back Jordan?
That wouldn't be a bad combination with the extra chassis money Toyota can
offer to Jordan, along with their excellent V10 unit - Sas - Australia
Sorry to say but I thought that was one of the most boring races that I
have seen. There probably was 60 seconds of excitement in total in the entire
race.
I have never really liked Monaco as a race and I think it is ridiculous that
it continues to stay on the circuit. I do understand about the tradition and
the special place this Grand Prix has to the Formula 1 community however it
does exemplifies what was going wrong with F1 specifically circuits that do
not allow overtaking or really racing.
Regardless of what the issues with the circuit I do believe that this season
will be more interesting not necessarily due to the rule changes but because
the other teams have focused and begun to catch up to Ferrari.
It is not only a two team race but now four with Williams, McLaren and on some
circuits Renault. This competition is going to be responsible for the return
of F1's popularity, I just hope that the smaller teams get some support as we
need them all - Steven P - Australia
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