Monaco...was there ever overtaking on the track?

[kartman24]

Having watched the follow the leader game at Monaco again this year it got me wondering in years gone by was the a period when the cars actually diced and passed each other on the track and not in the pits? Prepares to don flameproofs!............Martin

[Redlake27]

There have been a few brave moves.

Perez a few times yesterday.

Schumacher v Hamilton twice last year.

Heidfeld, Alonso, Webber in 2005 (?)

Panis barging past Irvine to win.

But a move at Monaco is rare. But when it happens it should be applauded.

I think yesterday we had a top 6 that had more to lose than gain if they made a move.

[cj_eds]

Schumacher almost overtook everybody in 2006, after being sent to the back after 'parking' at Rascasse.

[Fire99]

F1 cars have got narrower (narrow-track) but they are damn long these days.. Monaco is as tough as granite to pass on a good day, let alone in the current cars.

[Life Saab Itch]

The track has also halved in width.

This happened when they started putting Armco around it all.

Check out the video of Rindt chasing down Brabham in 1969. Have a look at the width of the track from Portier to St Devote.

[Fire99]

Life Saab Itch said:

The track has also halved in width.

This happened when they started putting Armco around it all.

Check out the video of Rindt chasing down Brabham in 1969. Have a look at the width of the track from Portier to St Devote.

Very true...

[Eric Mc]

Even into the 1980s and 1990s they could make use of the footpaths for extra width. Having a go down into the Mirabeau was common. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone trying to pass there.

And the farce that is now St Devote has more or less prevented any overtaking there in recent years. That used to be a favourite overtaking spot.

OK, Mirabeau and St Devote had their share of incidents, but at least it was worth having a try.

[zac510]

Perez made a few passes.

[mattikake]

I saw a pace car overtake a recovery vehicle.

You needed the turbos to create overtaking at Monaco.

IMO the greatest ever Monaco drive - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNjB2oIv9cw

[Alfie Noakes]

mattikake said:

I saw a pace car overtake a recovery vehicle.

You needed the turbos to create overtaking at Monaco.

IMO the greatest ever Monaco drive - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNjB2oIv9cw

Thanks for that. Those 2 litre turbo Ferrari's really went. And wasn't James Hunt a fantastic commentator. The current crop would do well to listen and learn.

[Derek Smith]

Alfie Noakes said:

Thanks for that. Those 2 litre turbo Ferrari's really went. And wasn't James Hunt a fantastic commentator. The current crop would do well to listen and learn.

No wonder he could overtake so easily if he had a 2-litre turbo.

The problem with Albereto was consistency. He could turn it on when he wanted to but he didn't seem to want it all that often. He gave me the impression that he had somewhere important to go after the race.

de Chesaris always drove well at Monaco. Elsewhere he was a bit of a pain.

Nice to see Elio driving again. I was a big fan of his. Seemed a really pleasant chap.

[Eric Mc]

Didn't the circuit look a littl less claustrophobic back then, with more open footpaths and less in the way of chain-link fencing. Having said that, the chain- link fencing did show its usefulness over the weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTou9DBjZKM

I notice the driver was Conor Daly.

Nice to see him following in his dad's footsteps.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSoJOilFDOA

[Chris Sideways]

mattikake said:
I saw a pace car overtake a recovery vehicle.

You needed the turbos to create overtaking at Monaco.

IMO the greatest ever Monaco drive - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNjB2oIv9cw
Great video and proper driving but don't they look slow compared to what we are now used to seeing although I bet it would look faster in car with all the gear changers and one handed driving

[NISaxoVTR]

Monaco is just a badly spaced rally these days and exists on the calendar purely for sentimental reasons. It's a dire track for racing.

[Eric Mc]

NISaxoVTR said:

Monaco is just a badly spaced rally these days and exists on the calendar purely for sentimental reasons. It's a dire track for racing.

And people have been saying such things since at least the 1970s.

[Allyc85]

Yep its been the same for years! If you dont like it, dont watch it and bugger off moaning about it

[mattikake]

Chris Sideways said:

Great video and proper driving but don't they look slow compared to what we are now used to seeing although I bet it would look faster in car with all the gear changers and one handed driving

Yeah but these cars were 0.5m wider, had almost double the power and the circuit was far narrower - check St. Devot, the swimming pool and La Rasscasse compared to todays layout. That means tip-toes all the way round.

Men drove in those days.

[Eric Mc]

I would actually suggest that the overall track available in most sections of the circuit was WIDER 20 odd years ago than it is today. See my comments above about footpaths and chain link fences etc.

Granted, some of the barriers (swimming pool complex and chicane in particular) have been moved back but there seems less space to get by at the old passing places than there used to be.

[freedman]

mattikake said:

Yeah but these cars were 0.5m wider, had almost double the power and the circuit was far narrower - check St. Devot, the swimming pool and La Rasscasse compared to todays layout. That means tip-toes all the way round.

Men drove in those days.

I'd say the available track was wider then than is the case now, in the main at least

[Eric Mc]

freedman said:

mattikake said:

Yeah but these cars were 0.5m wider, had almost double the power and the circuit was far narrower - check St. Devot, the swimming pool and La Rasscasse compared to todays layout. That means tip-toes all the way round.

Men drove in those days.

I'd say the available track was wider then than is the case now, in the main at least

I agree - except for those few places where they have pushed the barriers back for safety reasons.

Harbour front 1929



Harbour front 1975




It just looks so open and wide compared to today. Perhaps the fact that there are so few yachts around compared to today, less stands and less fencing gives the impression of a more open and wider road.