2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo, May 23 - 25

[Sevach]

Mclaren is the favorite, even more than they are at most tracks.
I think Russell can be a threat here, he might be able to sneak out a pole lap.

[SB15]

Mclaren is the favorite, even more than they are at most tracks.
I think Russell can be a threat here, he might be able to sneak out a pole lap.

I'm a Merc fan and I can't help but laugh

[Sevach]

I'm a Merc fan and I can't help but laugh

Why? You have a car that qualifies well and a guy who seems to constantly deliver.
At times it goes backwards during the race, but for Monaco it's a good thing to have.

[SB15]

I'm a Merc fan and I can't help but laugh

Why? You have a car that qualifies well and a guy who seems to constantly deliver.
At times it goes backwards during the race, but for Monaco it's a good thing to have.

No, just no!

The W16 is not good in slow speed corners in comparison with the Ferrari and Mclaren. And in the 3rd sector, the tyres may not hold up in that sector.

Look I know Merc has been good in qualifying with Russell and that’s great. But qualifying well doesn’t mean you produce the adequate results when it matters and since it’s a 2 stop race, race pace is going to matter a lot more than you can determine.

[Farnborough]

Ferrari should have one of their best chances here so far this season.

Two drivers of considerable experience across them for pace at this circuit, all cars lifted a little to cope with track irregularity/camber etc, car seems most relaxed on softer spring setting.

Could be a good recipe

[organic]

Ferrari should have one of their best chances here so far this season.

Two drivers of considerable experience across them for pace at this circuit, all cars lifted a little to cope with track irregularity/camber etc, car seems most relaxed on softer spring setting.

Could be a good recipe

But their car doesn't seem to have predictable balance on most circuits

McLaren and mercedes are the only cars that seem to be balanced at each event so far

[Farnborough]

Ferrari should have one of their best chances here so far this season.

Two drivers of considerable experience across them for pace at this circuit, all cars lifted a little to cope with track irregularity/camber etc, car seems most relaxed on softer spring setting.

Could be a good recipe

But their car doesn't seem to have predictable balance on most circuits

McLaren and mercedes are the only cars that seem to be balanced at each event so far

But with Monaco a very notable outlier, chance of established and aggregated oder being upset is realistically in play.

Optimistic guess on my part, but with the SF25 seeming to have need of slight lift (in races so far) in height, along with accepted current limitation in regard to absolute spring rate used, then the other cars will likely need move towards this type of setting anyway.

Nothing more than speculating, but will find out soon.

[search]

Maybe they can turn things around, but the way Ferrari looked like this season, Monaco should honestly be their worst track so far, I think. They have lost all strengths you need around here.

[venkyhere]

Pit lap 1, have your teammate further ahead drive well off the pace, once you've caught back up pit immediately again, catch back up, hold track position the rest of the race

Could be a sh**show, but the strategy should be entertaining.

bold
How can you be sure for this to happen, what if another team running both drivers 'ahead' has the same idea and the 2nd driver of that team does the same thing as you in the same in-lap and blocks you from catching up to the rear of the train ?

every strategy has 'holes', all the ones I have been reading online so far.
The only strategy that is going to work is 'pray for luck'.

[venkyhere]

I'm a Merc fan and I can't help but laugh

Why? You have a car that qualifies well and a guy who seems to constantly deliver.
At times it goes backwards during the race, but for Monaco it's a good thing to have.

No, just no!

The W16 is not good in slow speed corners in comparison with the Ferrari and Mclaren. And in the 3rd sector, the tyres may not hold up in that sector.

Look I know Merc has been good in qualifying with Russell and that’s great. But qualifying well doesn’t mean you produce the adequate results when it matters and since it’s a 2 stop race, race pace is going to matter a lot more than you can determine.

Mate, what season have you been watching ? Ferrari's biggest strength in ground effect era, upto and including 2024, was slow corners and traction at exit. They went chasing after high speed corners and now their car is the worst of the top four teams, in slow corners. That doesn't mean LeClerc won't be able to 'hustle' his car to a front/second row Quali result. But the SF25 has definitely lost the biggest ace Ferrari had up it's sleeve from 2022.

[DJ Downforce]

Pit lap 1, have your teammate further ahead drive well off the pace, once you've caught back up pit immediately again, catch back up, hold track position the rest of the race

Could be a sh**show, but the strategy should be entertaining.

bold
How can you be sure for this to happen, what if another team running both drivers 'ahead' has the same idea and the 2nd driver of that team does the same thing as you in the same in-lap and blocks you from catching up to the rear of the train ?

every strategy has 'holes', all the ones I have been reading online so far.
The only strategy that is going to work is 'pray for luck'.

Every strategy has some degree of luck though. You hope that the pitstop is quick enough to perform the undercut or over cut, you hope the car behaves nicely on cold tyres on an out lap and sometimes you stay out in hopes of a safety car.

Every strategy, no matter how conventional or unconventional, will rely on some degree of luck. Especially here where one small bit of luck not going your way will lose you positions you can't gain back.

I'm glad the forced two stopper is creating this sense of unknown. You can be sure the strategists of each team are having round table discussions as we speak to figure out what fits best for their car performance.

Speaking of I think Mercedes has a fair chance here, it's a qualifying car and they have "Mr Saturday" to complete the package.

Leclerc won't be able to pull magic I don't think, he'll get into q3 for sure but who knows where he'll end up.

[f1isgood]

George on pole, Antonelli to win.

[Paa]

Btw, what is the exact wording of the 2 mandatory pitstop rule? I mean what is actually mandated in practical terms, since we are in a technical forum....

1. Do you actually need two pitstops or is it enough to use 3 different sets of tyres. (change during red flag for example)

2. If the number of pitstop counts can you finish (or start) the race with a pitstop, is that counts?

3. If the number of tyres count do you have to actually finish a full lap with a set of tyres, or is it enough to have it on the car?
- maybe have just 1 pitstop, where you put a set of softs to the car, then immediately change it to a set of hards within the same pitstop. Is that count as two?
- what if you change the tyre but finish the race in the pit, before going to live track with the tyre? same if you go and change it after formation lap, but before start.

[basti313]

I'm glad the forced two stopper is creating this sense of unknown. You can be sure the strategists of each team are having round table discussions as we speak to figure out what fits best for their car performance.

No, I think it is easier than usual in Monaco. Early pitting does not make sense as it will be a full push race once the first car pits.

Btw, what is the exact wording of the 2 mandatory pitstop rule? I mean what is actually mandated in practical terms, since we are in a technical forum....

1. Do you actually need two pitstops or is it enough to use 3 different sets of tyres. (change during red flag for example)

No, they just added to the usual 2 compound rule, that three sets of tires need to be used. So same rule as usual, red flag tire exchange is ok.

3. If the number of tyres count do you have to actually finish a full lap with a set of tyres, or is it enough to have it on the car?
- maybe have just 1 pitstop, where you put a set of softs to the car, then immediately change it to a set of hards within the same pitstop. Is that count as two?
- what if you change the tyre but finish the race in the pit, before going to live track with the tyre? same if you go and change it after formation lap, but before start.

No and no. Usual rule, they need to do a lap on each set.

[JPower]

Count me in on another vote for a Russell/Mercedes pole.

NOR/VER/PIA will obviously be right there but let's hope for a shakeup.