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| Race Preview - Monaco; Round 5 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 23 2007, 07:13 PM (165 Views) | |
| Paul_Murtagh | May 23 2007, 07:13 PM Post #1 |
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With the F1 teams assembling their makeshift motorhomes on the temporary street circuit on the Cote D'Azur, only one name is on everybody's lips. Not Felipe Massa - winner of the last 2 races. Not Kimi Raikkonen - the man brought in by Ferrari to replace the irreplacable Michael Schumacher. Not Fernando Alonso - the double world champion helping bring McLaren back to the front. It is Alonso's team-mate, 22 year-old Lewis Hamilton who has caused all the stirs this season. Never before has a rookie had such a good start to his debut season at the top level of motor sport, and after only 4 rounds the young Brit leads the championship from the 3 drivers just mentioned. Everyone is waiting on him making a mistake, as rookies tend to do, but so far he has been the only one of the top 4 least likley to make a mistake, and is even talking about taking his first win in the Principality. And with his unbelievable and fairytale-like start to the season whose to say it isn't possible? Away from the big two at the front BMW Sauber cemented their third place in the constructor's championship with Kubica scoring yet another forth place for the team in Spain. And you get the feeling that this could be the race where they could split the McLarens and Ferraris with Kubica now starting to match his team-mate Heidfeld's pace. Behind them it's a close fight, with Red Bull now joining the fight between Toyota, Williams, Renault and even Super Aguri is the scrap for the final points positions. And with the fledgling Japanese team scoring their first-ever F1 point in Barcelona curtosey of Takuma Sato it lifts them above the senior Honda squad in the constructors' standings - unthinkable 12 months ago and embarrassing for Honda considering Aguri are using a modified version of their 2006 challenger. As for the Monaco event itself it is unique in every way in modern day F1. It's four-day weekend, with Friday left free and free practice run on Thursday, means that the circuit can change dramatically between the first and second days. It is also unique in F1 as it is the only true street circuit on the calendar - in these days of massive run-off areas and unlimited paddock space, Monaco punishes the smallest error with 32km of steel barriers lining the circuit, and despite a pit upgrade in 2004 it is still the smallest pit area in F1 with all the team's flash transporters and motorhomes based almost half a mile away from the circuit - a long trek for drivers who have crashed embarrassingly and want to make a hasty exit from the circuit. Add to that the slowest corner in F1 (Grand Hotel hairpin), a tunnel over the fastest part of the circuit, boats bobbing in the harbour just yards from the track and legendary corners such as Casino Square and Tabac, it is easy to see why so many people look forward to visiting the jewel in F1's crown. So all the ingredients are in place for a great race. Can Hamilton take his first win and continue to lead the chase? Can Alonso catch his flying team-mate? Can the Ferrari drivers prove that they are upto the chase? And can the rest close the gap on a circuit where downforce is more important than horsepower? All will be answered after 78 gruelling laps on Sunday |
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12:24 AM Jul 11