Monaco GP 2011 - Monte Carlo

[andartop]

And this is what Lewis Hamilton had to say:

"Engineers advise that we should do one [run] at the end of Q3 and I didn't contest it. You always have to take a balanced view with the engineers.

"I definitely didn't take into account - and I know they didn't either – that in Monaco you can't take risks in leaving it [your lap] right to the end.

"You have to get out and get in a banker, like everyone else did. With racing experience you'd assume that most people would have that, but I guess other things were going on and we didn't have that. It's my worst Q3 for a long time."

Hamilton said that Sunday's race would be a case of "damage limitation," for him.

Poor strategic decision by the team and him. Doesn't change the fact that Vettel put down an astonishing lap. All the rest is "woulda, coulda, shoulda"...

[Gerhard Berger]

So will Lewis get to choose his tyres for the race now?

[Richard]

So who expects there to be any on track overtaking here with KERS and DRS?

I'd love to see some, but expect none.

I also hope they double up on cranes in the DRS zone.

This all depends on the outcome of the qualifications, if MSC or HAM goofs up and starts last, you will see a lot of overtaking, while if WEB goofs, you will at least get to see a lot of spectacular attempts!

We'll get to see this tested tomorrow.

[hollus]

The 107% rule, as it is implemented this year, says that you have to make a time within 107% of the fastest Q1 time. If a car cannot set in Q1 for whichever reason, exceptions can be made on criteria such as having set a suitable time in practice.
Q1's best was 1:15:207 by Hamilton.
107% of that is 1:20:47.
In P3 Liuzzi made 1:20:1 and Kartikeyan made 1:20:2, so it is reasonable to assume that if they had run in Q1, they would have bettered 1:20:47.
So, as the rule stands, they should run. We all know that a Red Bull or a Mclaren lap in supersofts in Q1 would have changed that, but they never did, and 1:20:47, over the weekend, was the cutting mark. So the HRTs run tomorrow.
Of course, the fact of not having actually protested on the exhausts made the decision a bit easier, but as the rule is written and implemented, they should run tomorrow.

[JamesS]

Such a stupid decision by the Lewis side of the McLaren garage.

They have thrown away a great chance of 25 points and instead replaced it with a very likely DNF.

[beelsebob]

Such a stupid decision by the Lewis side of the McLaren garage.

They have thrown away a great chance of 25 points and instead replaced it with a very likely DNF.

If he'd been sat on pole/P2 with one more set of tyres than anyone else we'd all be calling them geniuses. It's a risk, this time it didn't pay off.

[Phillyred]

Such a stupid decision by the Lewis side of the McLaren garage.

They have thrown away a great chance of 25 points and instead replaced it with a very likely DNF.

If he'd been sat on pole/P2 with one more set of tyres than anyone else we'd all be calling them geniuses. It's a risk, this time it didn't pay off.

Couldn't agree more..

[andrew]

Such a stupid decision by the Lewis side of the McLaren garage.

They have thrown away a great chance of 25 points and instead replaced it with a very likely DNF.

Correct me if I am wrong as this is the 1st I have heard of Hamiltons penalty, but is this not for cutting a chicane? Can't really see how the blame can be put to the team. It is the drivers fault, simple as that.

[andrew]

Perez's accident took me straight back to 1994. Really chilling.

I'll admit that when I saw the sheets covering the accident I thought the worst. Thankfully he is OK and is will be back racing soon.

[doink]

So will Lewis get to choose his tyres for the race now?

No, because he made it through to Q3.

[fenix4life]

So will Lewis get to choose his tyres for the race now?

No, because he made it through to Q3.

I would say he can as he doesn't have set a fastest lap

[andrew]

So will Lewis get to choose his tyres for the race now?

No, because he made it through to Q3.

I would say he can as he doesn't have set a fastest lap

No he can't. He still made it through to Q3 and did more than one flying lap. The lap that was 2nd fastest would count as the fastest lap.

[Gerhard Berger]

No, because he made it through to Q3.

I would say he can as he doesn't have set a fastest lap

No he can't. He still made it through to Q3 and did more than one flying lap. The lap that was 2nd fastest would count as the fastest lap.

He only did 1 complete flying lap as far as i can remember. He couldn't complete his other one because of the red flag. All his other laps were in laps/out laps. Do correct me if i'm wrong though.

[beelsebob]

I would say he can as he doesn't have set a fastest lap

No he can't. He still made it through to Q3 and did more than one flying lap. The lap that was 2nd fastest would count as the fastest lap.

He did? He went out, got blocked by massa, then red flagged and came back in setting no time. Then he went out, and set one time which was disqualified. That sounds to me like he can chose his tyres.

[andartop]

I tried to find sector times but couldn't. It didn't seem to me from the BBC broadcast that Massa actually blocked Hamilton, but could have distracted him, as is often the case in Monaco. Given the limited track width and layout, I thought Massa got out of the way as soon as he could. If anyone has the data to demonstrate Hamilton was actually blocked please post it...