2003 Monaco Grand Prix, The New McLaren Mercedes Options

[Rutherford]

Hi, Scuderia fans and all F1 afficianadoes. I hope you are all doing well. Check out the following link. The new Bimmer's gone bust and the new Red looks promising. Now, how bout that McLaren???? Thoughts anyone. Btw, who doesn't think that Monaco is a glamorous race????? lol.

R

The 2003 Mercedes McLaren

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Looking forward to the next weekend and the new McLaren car, Rutherford, although Monaco GP demands more from the racer and less from the car, when compared to other tracks. Anyway, Monaco GP is always great to watch... And, with the new rules, who knows what's gonna happen?

Good week,

Rod.

[james]

Hi guys,

I don't think McLaren plan to race their new car until the European round at the Nurburgring in late June.

[bigfan]

Hi, guys!
Also looking forward to a great weekend!
Let's see if these "poli-position drivers" will show more than empty and lighter Saturdays!


Bruno(bigfan)

[Sparky]

Thanks Rutherford.

[E..]

Hi,

Much to my surprise Ralf Schumacher is on pole for Sunday.

Enjoy it while you can.

E.

[bigfan]

Monaco Grand Prix 2003 - Saturday Qualifying

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired

1 4 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:15.259

2 6 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.295

3 3 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:15.415

4 7 Jarno Trulli Renault 1:15.500

5 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:15.644

6 5 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.700

7 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:15.820

8 8 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:15.884

9 14 Mark Webber Jaguar -Cosworth 1:16.237

10 21 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1:16.744

11 16 Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda 1:16.755

12 11 Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan-Ford 1:16.967

13 15 Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar -Cosworth 1:17.103

14 9 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas 1:17.176

15 10 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber-Petronas 1:17.402

16 12 Ralph Firman Jordan-Ford 1:17.452

17 20 Olivier Panis Toyota 1:17.464

18 19 Jos Verstappen Minardi-Cosworth 1:18.706

19 18 Justin Wilson Minardi-Cosworth 1:20.063

Official Result


----
ok, now you tell me:
What went wrong with both Ferraris?


Bruno(bigfan)

[Sinan]

i think everything is ok for ferrari.
too much fuel bring bad time for SCUMI and BARICHELLO
i think they will go pit the latest in the race

This post has been edited by Sinan: 31st May 2003, 14:07

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Very surprising starting grid...

Schummy 5th, Rubens 7th... It seems that we are going to have a great race!


Rod.

[Rutherford]

QUOTE

Very surprising starting grid...

QUOTE

1 4 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:15.259 2 6 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.295 3 3 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:15.415

QUOTE

The new Bimmer's gone bust

QUOTE

although Monaco GP demands more from the racer and less from the car, when compared to other tracks.

Hi, Scuderias Bruno, Piero, and Tony. Also, my regards to Rod, Ma.Estefania and all other F1 fans.

At least for Monaco, the new Bimmers have a chance to win but I still think they have gone bust for the season. This is going to be a Ferrari runaway as the season goes forward unless McLaren can pull a rabbit out of it's hat.

I love this race even though it is more about the driver than the car, per Rodrigo.
It's just one of my favorites. Everyone enjoy the race and hopefully we can each see this race " in person " at some point in our lives.

For the record, I will take Scuderia tomorrow. ( Barrichello to be specific. )

R

[Ma. Estefania]

Go Kimi.

[Michael Drummond]

Go Michael!!!

[Rutherford]

Congratulations to J.P. Montoya and Team BMW Williams.

I actually was thinking the other Bimmer driver was going to take the race but that's why they hold the race, right? lol.

Was that a romantic moment between J.P. Montoya and his wife afterwards, or what? When J.P. was spraying down his crew with champagne, it was cool. The Williams boys needed this race but I am afraid that McLaren and Scuderia will distance themselves from the pack as the season goes on. Agreed James? lol.
Was it my imagination or did the Royal Family seem to be more excited to meet Schumacher than Montoya. hehehee. I guess everyone loves a champion.


See you guys in hopefully sunny Montreal skies,

R

( 8 pts for McLaren / Raikkonen and 6 pts for Scuderia / Schumacher ) I want to see a Scuderia one / two in Canada.

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Montoya wins Monaco Grand Prix


MONACO (Reuters) - Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya has won the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix to end a 20-year Williams jinx.

It was the second win of Montoya's 41 race career and the first of the season for BMW-powered Williams, whose last triumph in the Mediterranean principality was in 1983 with Finland's Keke Rosberg.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen finished runner-up for McLaren, 0.6 of a second behind Montoya, to stretch his championship lead over Ferrari's world champion Michael Schumacher to four points after seven races.

Raikkonen has 48 points, Schumacher 44.

Schumacher finished a close third, his hopes of equalling the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna's record of six Monaco wins in tatters after a highly strategic race on a tight street circuit where overtaking is almost impossible.

It was the first time since Ferrari introduced their new F2003-GA car last month that the Italian team had been beaten and ended Schumacher's quest for a fourth victory in a row after a poor start to the season.

Montoya's team mate Ralf Schumacher was fourth, after starting from pole, with Spaniard Fernando Alonso fifth for Renault ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in the French manufacturer's other car.

McLaren's David Coulthard was seventh, a disappointment for the Scot who has won twice in the last four years, while Brazilian Rubens Barrichello claimed the final point for champions Ferrari.

McLaren regained the lead in the constructors' championship with 73 points to Ferrari's 71.

Briton Jenson Button did not start after bring withdrawn by his BAR team following a heavy crash in Saturday's free practice.

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Montoya ends drought with Monaco champagne.


Juan Montoya followed Williams-BMW team-mate Ralf Schumacher's timely Monaco pole position with an assured victory to end, not only his own personal win drought, but break the jinx of a team that had not won in the Principality for two decades.

The Colombian used a combination of scintillating mid-race speed and the good work of his pit crew to come out on top of a race that was high on tension if not on-track action. Running second to his team-mate in the early going, Montoya then used the clear track presented by Schumacher's first pit-stop to good effect, putting in several near-qualifying style laps to open out enough of an advantage that he was able to assume the lead before half-distance.

The race had got off to a respectable start, with no-one making contact as the field filed through the remodelled Ste Devote. With advice - rather than direct warnings - not to cut the corner where the old roundabout used to stand, all 19 competing cars - following Jenson Button's injury-related withdrawal - made it around turn one cleanly, with Schumacher Jr already building a considerable lead over Montoya - who had squeezed past Kimi Raikkonen - by the time they reached the Swimming Pool section.

It was here that the field was reduced to 18, as Heinz-Harald Frentzen misjudged his speed through the second section, launching his Sauber off the kerb and into the barrier on the opposite side of the road. Remarkably, no-one else became involved in the incident, which produced sufficient debris that the safety car needed to be deployed for several laps while the wreck was craned away.

The other first lap 'losers' included David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello, who both dropped behind the fast-starting Fernando Alonso, and Michael Schumacher, who could not muster enough speed off the line to vault past the other Renault of Jarno Trulli - results that affected all three men's afternoon long-term.

When the safety car cleared after four laps, the two blue-and-white Williams-BMWs sprinted away again, with Schumacher initially opening up a two-second advantage over his team-mate before being reeled in again. Within two laps of the restart, Schumacher's elder brother was some eight seconds adrift, underlining the superiority of the Michelin runners while the weather was at its warmest.

Mark Webber led the chase of the four leading teams - which occupied all eight point-scoring places - but was destined not to fulfil the potential many believed he possessed to gain a good result in Monaco. Stopping earlier than most expected, Webber later revealed that an engine problem was hobbling the Jaguar and, with a second stop following soon afterwards, his afternoon was done as early as lap 16. On a bad day for the squad, the Australian joined team-mate Antonio Pizzonia on the sidelines, after the Brazilian had been forced to retire with an electrical problem just four laps earlier.

The big question going into the race surrounded the usual subject of fuel loads and who was carrying what. Despite being restricted to fifth and seventh on the grid, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello were satisfied that they were carrying more fuel than the cars ahead of them - and so it proved, with the world champion stretching his first stint out well beyond anyone else.

The leader pitted as early as lap 21, having seen his advantage over Montoya reduced to a fraction of a second in the two laps immediately prior to calling in for fuel and tyres. To add to Schumacher Jr's woes, he locked a wheel under breaking for the Grand Hotel hairpin and then crawled down pit-lane, effectively handing the race to his Colombian colleague.

When he rejoined, Schumacher was back in eighth place - such was the difference in pace between the top four teams and the rest - with Montoya pushing for all he was worth to open up enough of a gap over his pursuers to ensure he emerged in front when the stagger unwound.

His stop, on lap 23, was preceded by two laps in the 1min 15secs bracket, the latter a 1min 15.166 that bordered on the best the midfield could muster in either qualifying session. That, combined with Raikkonen losing valuable time in traffic before his top, allowed Montoya to come out in front of both the Finn and the second Williams, with just the question over Ferrari's tactics to be solved.

Despite Ross Brawn having told journalists that he 'fancied trying a really bold strategy' in Monaco, neither Ferrari stretched its fuel out to half-distance, although both revealed that they had been carrying at least 50 per cent more fuel than their main rivals by stopping on laps 30 and 31 respectively. With Montoya shuffled down the order, Trulli had assumed the lead, benefiting from the Renault's lack of horsepower to eke out his fuel load until lap 27 - the same as Coulthard.

Their disappearance into pit-lane then left the world champion out in front, and he duly began lapping faster than any of his heavier rivals in an attempt to bridge the gap that had opened up in the first portion of the race. The plan worked, if only partially, as, when he returned, Schumacher was ahead of not only the two Renaults and Coulthard, but also his brother, who was by now struggling with wayward handling on his second set of tyres.

Restored to the front as the pit-stops unwound, Montoya set about trying to recreate the sort of advantage he had enjoyed earlier, gradually pulling out four seconds on Raikkonen, who was able to press on without worrying about Schumacher's Ferrari looming in his mirrors. Like his younger brother, the Ferrari driver's pace dropped away in the middle section, with 15 seconds opening out between McLaren and Williams as the second round of stops - for the early stoppers at least - on the horizon.

Again, Schumacher Jr was the first of the frontrunners to stop, as the Williams team took the earliest opportunity to haul him and try to cure the handling problems that had seen him drop away to fourth. A respectable stop saw him rejoin back in eighth place once more, but the problem still appeared to be present, not least when the German slid wide at Rascasse and had to use reverse to get himself back in the race.

Montoya stopped just one lap after his team-mate, but a swift 6.7secs turnaround saw him rejoin in third place and with one hand on the winner's trophy. Cautious on his first lap out with new rubber, the Colombian nevertheless maintained enough pace to keep in touch with Raikkonen - who set a new lap record on the lap preceding his own stop - and managed to pull ahead as the McLaren trundled out of pit-lane.

Both were once again behind Schumacher's Ferrari, but the Scuderia had spurned the opportunity at his first stop to fill the German up for a run to the finish, and both pursuers knew that they were in the box seat to battle for victory.

Contrary to expectation, the race did not feature the usual rash of accidents and close shaves, with only Frentzen going out as a result of contact with anything solid. Joining the German and the two Jaguars on the sidelines, neither Minardi was around long enough to properly entertain the new and improved sponsors Paul Stoddart has trumpeted over the weekend, while Jacques Villeneuve's hopes of capitalising on unreliability in the top eight literally went up in smoke as his Honda engine blew at the same spot where team-mate Button crashed so spectacularly on Saturday.

It would be some comfort to the already frustrated Canadian, therefore, to see that none of the top four teams suffered a reliability problem in the race, ensuring that two representatives each from Williams, McLaren, Ferrari and Renault filled the top eight places.

The closing stages were characterised by two main focuses, with Raikkonen keeping the McLaren close on Montoya's tail and Schumacher homing in on both cars having shaken off the attentions of his little brother, and the ensuing scrap between Coulthard and the two Renaults. Neither Ralf Schumacher nor Rubens Barrichello could do much to influence either battle as they ran solitary races to points finishes.

Coulthard, like Schumacher Sr in the early stages, found Trulli a somewhat immovable object, resolute in his defence without exhibiting the sort of pace necessary to take the pair closer to the podium. Indeed, it turned out that the game of cat-and-mouse in which Trulli and DC were indulging would actually cost them places, as Alonso strung together a collection of quick laps that allowed him to make up two spots on the road courtesy of a quick second pit-stop.

Out front, there was no such opportunity, with each of the three likely podium finishers having completed their two-stop strategy and heading for a formation finish. Whether or not Montoya intentionally back Raikkonen towards the clutches of the world champion may not be known, but the Colombian looked completely in control as he reeled off the laps necessary to take only his second F1 victory, despite the presence of Raikkonen's silver-grey McLaren in his mirrors. Six-tenths separated the pair at the line, with Schumacher a further second back.

The elation and relief were apparent in equal amounts as Montoya made the most of completing the most famous slowing down lap in motorsport. Back on the traditional podium parc ferme in front of the royal box, he indulged in undiluted celebrations with a team that had not won since last year's Malaysian GP - and had not triumphed at Monaco, despite six pole positions, since reigning world champion Keke Rosberg romped to a wet-dry win in 1983.

It was both well-timed and well-deserved.

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Monaco GP - Race Result.


1. Juan Montoya Colombia Williams-BMW 78 laps 1hr 42min 19.012secs
2. Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren-Mercedes +00.600secs
3. Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari-Ferrari +01.700secs
4. Ralf Schumacher Germany Williams-BMW +28.500secs
5. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault-Renault +36.200secs
6. Jarno Trulli Italy Renault-Renault +40.900secs
7. David Coulthard Britain McLaren-Mercedes +41.200secs
8. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari +53.200secs
9. Cristiano da Matta Brazil Toyota-Toyota +1 lap
10. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Jordan-Ford +1 lap
11. Nick Heidfeld Germany Sauber-Petronas +2 laps
12. Ralph Firman Britain Jordan-Ford +2 laps
13. Olivier Panis France Toyota-Toyota +4 laps

Rtd Jacques Villeneuve Canada BAR-Honda 63 laps completed
Rtd Justin Wilson Britain Minardi-Cosworth 29 laps completed
Rtd Jos Verstappen Holland Minardi-Cosworth 28 laps completed
Rtd Mark Webber Australia Jaguar-Cosworth 16 laps completed
Rtd Antonio Pizzonia Brazil Jaguar-Cosworth 10 laps completed
Rtd Heinz-Harald Frentzen Germany Sauber-Petronas 0 laps completed

Dns Jenson Button Britain BAR-Honda

Fastest lap:

Kimi Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes 1min 14.545secs lap 49

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

F1 - World championship standings.


Drivers' Championship (after 7 of 16 rounds)

1. Kimi Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes 48 points
2. Michael Schumacher Ferrari-Ferrari 44
3. Fernando Alonso Renault-Renault 29
4. Rubens Barrichello Ferrari-Ferrari 27
5. David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 25
= Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 25
= Juan Montoya Williams-BMW 25
8. Jarno Trulli Renault-Renault 13
9. Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan-Ford 10
10. Jenson Button BAR-Honda 8
11. Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber-Petronas 7
12. Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth 4
13. Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda 3
= Cristiano da Matta Toyota-Toyota 3
15. Nick Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas 1
16. Ralph Firman Jordan-Ford 1


Constructors' Championship (after 7 of 16 rounds)

1. McLaren-Mercedes 73 points
2. Ferrari-Ferrari 71
3. Williams-BMW 50
4. Renault-Renault 42
5. BAR-Honda 11
= Jordan-Ford 11
7. Sauber-Petronas 8
8. Jaguar-Cosworth 4
9. Toyota-Toyota 3

This post has been edited by Rodrigo Monteiro: 1st June 2003, 10:24

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

Kimi disappointed with Monaco traffic

West McLaren Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen finished second in today's Monaco Grand Prix, the Finn extending his World Championship lead to four points over the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher. Although second is a good result, Kimi is disappointed that he didn’t secure victory here and with a total of 48 points, Kimi will now head to Canada for the next round of the season where he hopes to extend his advantage even further.

"I'm a bit disappointed as traffic meant that I was unable to take advantage of the fact that I was able to stay out longer than Montoya before stopping,” he said. “However that is Monaco for you and at least I have increased my Championship lead. I got a bad start, which allowed Montoya to get past me and after that it was really just a matter of putting as much pressure as possible on him to try and force him into making a mistake but unfortunately he didn't."

Meanwhile, last year’s winner here, David Coulthard, could only muster up seventh place David Coulthard claimed seventh but between the two of them, the West McLaren Mercedes team reclaimed the top spot in the Constructors' rankings and now has 73 points.

"Obviously I could not run the pace I would have liked as I got stuck behind Jarno Trulli for the main part of the race and unfortunately he was on the same fuel stop strategy as I was,” David said. “Otherwise considering the speed of my car and our strategy I would have had the chance to gain a much better position."

"A good race for Formula One but the Monaco traffic was particularly frustrating and significantly affected Kimi's ability to win and David's opportunity to exploit the speed of his car, but that is Monte Carlo,” added Ron Dennis. “On a positive note we are leaving Monaco having regained a narrow but important lead in the Constructors' Championship and maintained our advantage in the Drivers' rankings."

"A great and very fast race,” added Norbert Haug. “It's nice for Kimi to remain in the lead of the Drivers' Championship and for our team to regain first position in the Constructors' rankings, at a time when we will be halfway through the Championship at the Canadian Grand Prix in two weeks. Congratulations to Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams and BMW on their victory."

[Rodrigo Monteiro]

A very close contest

Reigning world champion Michael Schumacher saved the day to some degree in Monaco this afternoon with a third placed finish for the Italian squad. The German driver qualifying down in fifth place and was quite pleased to finish where he did, despite the fact that he was hoping to secure his sixth win around the tight and twisty street circuit.

”To go from fifth on the grid to third on the podium in Monaco is quite good. I could say that I might have been able to finish higher if I had not been stuck behind Trulli in the early stages, but our strategy was to go for a long first stint and that meant having more fuel, which is why I was behind him,” Michael said. “During some parts of the race I was not able to push as hard as I wanted as the overall package was not at its best at those times. I enjoyed the chase towards the end of the race and I pushed all the way to the flag, as I could see that the two in front were very close and there was always the chance they might make a mistake. We have seen again this weekend, as I have said before, that the competition is very close this year.’

In comparison, teammate Rubens Barrichello had a rather lacklustre afternoon, finishing one place further back from where he started, in eighth place. The Brazilian is very disappointed with the outcome and can only look ahead to the next event and put this one behind him…

“I don’t have much to say at the end of a race which can only be described as disappointing. Any time I was able to push to the maximum,” he explained. “I came up behind traffic and so I never managed to get the best out of the car, which had great potential. It is impossible to overtake on this track and, having lost a place at the start, I was unable to improve my situation.’

‘It was a very close contest. The cars which started from the first four rows of the grid all finished in the points, if not in the same order. This proves that the field is very closely matched and that the top four teams in the Championship have reached a high level of competitiveness and reliability,” added Jean Todt. "Nevertheless, these seven points are important for the championship. Michael has fallen two points further back from the leader in the Drivers’ Championship, while we are three behind the lead team in the Constructors.’ This result is further proof that this season is very closely fought. We will have to work very hard in the next few weeks, both on the development of the F2003-GA and, with Bridgestone, on the tyres.’

“Our performance in yesterday’s qualifying cost us the chance of a better result in this afternoon’s race,” explained Ross Brawn. “In the first stint, Michael was stuck behind Trulli and therefore lost precious time compared with the leaders. Our chosen strategy was a good one, the car worked well and the pit stops were carried out in their usual slick way. We did all we could.’

[steven b]

Thanks for all the info Rodrigo!!! Much appreciated!