Fixing Monaco
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Discussion

mattikake

Original Poster:

5,098 posts

215 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Why don't they update this track that is more favourable to modern F1 cars? There's plenty of other roads they can use and some minor to major changes can create something that is more favourable to overtaking.

E.g.1
https://flic.kr/p/2kZUJM3

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track giving better drafting opportunities. Go round the back of the current pits "straight" which is just as wide and move the pits into the old pits straight or keep it where it is (provides a shorter route).

E.g.2
https://flic.kr/p/2m14Qpv

Shortcut Portier and use the other tunnel and go right underneath Avenue d'Ostend. Gets a bit narrow in 2 places but no more narrow than it is around Lowes hairpin.

And other configs of. The current track is too short anyway. Only tradition is keeping things as they are, but even then they could still just move Nouvelle further down the road. This has been through various changes over the years anyway.

Edited by mattikake on Saturday 22 May 17:35

TheDeuce

28,919 posts

82 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
mattikake said:
Why don't they update this track that is more favourable to modern F1 cars? There's plenty of other roads they can use and some minor to major changes can create something that is more favourable to overtaking.

E.g.1
https://flic.kr/p/2kZUJM3

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track given better drafting opportunities. Go round the back of the current pits "straight" which is just as wide and move the pits into the old pits straight or keep it where it is (provides a shorter route).

E.g.2
https://flic.kr/p/2m14Qpv

Shortcut Portier and use the other tunnel and go right underneath Avenue d'Ostend. Gets a bit narrow in 2 places but no more narrow than it is around Lowes hairpin.

And other configs of. The current track is too short anyway. Only tradition is keeping things as they are, but even then they could still just move the Nouvelle further down the road. This has been through various changes over the years anyway.
Because it's historic. They could make it slightly more appropriate for modern cars but only slightly - and at the cost of sacrificing some of the history.

It's really not a good idea to try and apply logic to the Monaco GP. Just enjoy it for what it is. And today was excellent. Who knows, with some cars out of position on the grid, tomorrow could be quite dramatic too smile

wibble cb

3,931 posts

223 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Monaco is a test for the drivers, it demands attention or it will bite (just ask Mick!)......not many tracks have this feature, I say leave it alone, its not all about absolute speed, its skill and concentration as well.

WickerBill

905 posts

64 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Sort the cars not the circuit.

Unless the cars become smaller, less powerful and less aero dependant there’s nothing you can do to improve the race.

TheDeuce

28,919 posts

82 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
WickerBill said:
Sort the cars not the circuit.

Unless the cars become smaller, less powerful and less aero dependant there’s nothing you can do to improve the race.
And if that's what you want to see, watch F2. Both the sprint and feature race were excellent today!

If however you're solely an F1 fan, you have to focus on what is good about modern F1 cars in Monaco. As has been said, it's a quirky challenge for the drivers smile

Mr_Thyroid

1,995 posts

243 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
mattikake said:
Why don't they...

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track

TheDeuce

28,919 posts

82 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Mr_Thyroid said:
mattikake said:
Why don't they...

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track
rofl

Would be OK if they had wet tyres on... smile

vulture1

13,202 posts

195 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all


My solution i worked on a few years ago. I checked google earth its just a tree and some kerbs that need removed to create that overtaking oportunity.

LM240

5,173 posts

234 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Since I’ve been watching F1 (1992) it has essentially always been the same. Qualifying key, with little to no chance of overtaking without other factors coming into play.

But you accept it for what it is. These cars in that setting is pretty ridiculous, marvel at the speed and precision on show. Any error is rewarded with big penalties usually. And then of course there is the history and glamour attached to the event.

It might not be the last word in ‘action’, but it probably still remains the one race someone would know about even if they have no F1 interest.

Every so often (usually a wet race) rewards with something unusual happening. But every race can’t be a gem. However, look beyond overtaking and there is plenty to be impressed by.

There are plenty of modern tracks with wide open expanses of tarmac which don’t really offer much I find. On such a big calendar it easily fits in as a offering something totally different.

Edited to add... I would also look at making the cars smaller and less aero. Would see benefits at all circuits.

Edited by LM240 on Saturday 22 May 19:13

mattikake

Original Poster:

5,098 posts

215 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
TheDeuce said:
Mr_Thyroid said:
mattikake said:
Why don't they...

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track
rofl

Would be OK if they had wet tyres on... smile
Haha well I meant move it to where Avenue JF Kennedy joins Route de la Piscine, as per e.g.1, and still call it the Nouvelle chicane. They'll gain an extra 100-200 yards of straight.

williamp

19,870 posts

289 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Make the cars narrow. Overall width, and tyre size. Reduce the aero. Keep the power, so they have a massive power v aero inbalance.

dxg

9,529 posts

276 months

mattikake

Original Poster:

5,098 posts

215 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Also I checked street view on the harbour side of the swimming pool and it's sooo wide. They could get 10 F1 side by side there, an overtaking opportunity after going through the first bit of the swimming pool chicane. Then it rejoins at La Rascasse.

Most of the trees are in "pots" dottied around Monaco, no doubt so they can easily move them for a GP. I've seen the work done at street tracks and they always remodel a speed bump or a kerb and then put them back afterwards.

MiniMan64

18,291 posts

206 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
williamp said:
Make the cars narrow. Overall width, and tyre size. Reduce the aero. Keep the power, so they have a massive power v aero inbalance.
Can’t adjust the cars for just one race.

I agree with the OP though, given how little of the track is actually structural there is surely scope to make it work better

FourWheelDrift

91,041 posts

300 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Extension to the end of the current circuit might help?


mattikake

Original Poster:

5,098 posts

215 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
Extension to the end of the current circuit might help?

That has a tighter version of the swimming pool type bus stop chicane down to there, but yeah.

As said above, so much of the track isn't actually structural. The barriers are just put there to make what appears to be a narrow road but often it's big open spaces with a tree in one of these "pots" or some traffic filtering road markings.

There's so many options. The straight leading to mirabeau could be made twice as long. You could turn left before the 2nd Portier corner and join a major road with an open roundabout at the end and it doubles-back rejoins at the tunnel entrance Etc. The road maps make it look tighter than it is, but street view shows that a lot of it is just road markings without any physical obstacles.

MiniMan64

18,291 posts

206 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Depending on how straight that bit of road is it would give a decent overtaking bit for out braking.

They’ll never change it though.

Schermerhorn

4,350 posts

205 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
Mr_Thyroid said:
mattikake said:
Why don't they...

Move the Nouvelle chicane 100 yards further down the track
Its too dangerous to just remove that chicance altogether. It's very bumpy out of the tunnel.

Imagine DRS from the tunnel and then trying to tame the bumps while going flat out at 180mph just metres away from spectators watching from their balconies.

They could maybe try and introduce a softer corner in place of the chicane but it wouldnt really change much. The race would still be boring.

Monaco is more about making business deals behind closed doors. The race is just entertainment and a distractionn.

mattikake

Original Poster:

5,098 posts

215 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
MiniMan64 said:
Depending on how straight that bit of road is it would give a decent overtaking bit for out braking.

They’ll never change it though.
But the thing it is HAS changed many times. St. Devote has been reprofiled, the Nouvelle chicane has changed from a simple left-right flick, the entire swimming pool complex was ADDED, Rascasse was a wide 180deg hairpin...

TheDeuce

28,919 posts

82 months

Saturday 22nd May 2021
quotequote all
It's amazing that even on a good year, people still want to 'fix' Monaco. So far today's quali was surprising and eventful, and with a few cars out of position on the grid tomorrow, it's likely to be an eventful race too!

Yet still this perpetual need to work out how to fix Monaco!? It's a historic circuit, it is what it is - it doesn't matter if it makes sense or not.

Can you imagine the length of the list of things that F1 want to fix/improve that they'd have to work through before 'fixing' Monaco - one of the most popular venues on the calendar already!? smile

It works as it is. Stupidly, pointlessly, charmingly.. But it works.