Mercedes 1 and 2 in Monaco practice

[grober]

Once more Mercedes are 1 and 2 in practice with Rosberg shading Hamilton. Alonso third. Because Monaco is a circuit where passing is very difficult grid position is perhaps more crucial than most. BBC Sport - Monaco GP: Mercedes Nico Rosberg heads Lewis Hamilton

 

[Jay Jenner]

on a theme of F1 im expecting personal issues when McLaren move back to Honda my loyalties to mercedes will be tested severely just hope that Mercedes can keep the pace for qualifying and the race

 

[Terry_]

Pace for qualifying is not a problem.
The race, however, seems to be a different story !

 

[Bri]

The race will be 2 hours long,lets hope they dont go rusty and fall to bits before the chequered flag......
Reading some of the posts on here iv`e got my reservations.
Still love my E class !

 

[Mr E]

I'm on tenterhooks - maybe getting a ticket from a client who feels a bit sad that I'm leaving. If so, will be flying down Friday night and staying in Nice, with helicopter transfer Saturday and Sunday. Corporate hospitality - that's the way to do F1

Back to topic - this is probably Mercedes' best chance of a win. It's been a hot topic in the E household for a while... Mr E Snr and I reckon that there is a fundamental packaging issue at the rear of the car that is affecting high-speed aero performance. It has to be something like that otherwise it would have been improved by now. They keep going on about 2014 being much better, which also hints at something - probably drivetrain - that compromises what is going on at the back end.

The other reason behind this thinking is that Red Bull have had problems relating to packaging - Newey has things very tight which was giving issue with the alternator, KERS, etc, but the back end is absolutely planted.

There is a lot of performance / grip to be had if you can manage the flow of the exhaust gases (the latest set-ups are effectively sealing the side of the diffuser, making it work better) and that coming off the topside of the sidepods (helping to control the exhaust flow). It's a neat solution now that you can't use the exhaust to "blow" the diffuser, but relies on very tight and precise tolerances - and Mercedes can't seem to nail that.

 

[moonloops]

Don't worry about the tyres, they are switching to nexen, only needs 12 pitstops per lap

 

[ShinyF1]

I'm on tenterhooks - maybe getting a ticket from a client who feels a bit sad that I'm leaving. If so, will be flying down Friday night and staying in Nice, with helicopter transfer Saturday and Sunday. Corporate hospitality - that's the way to do F1

Back to topic - this is probably Mercedes' best chance of a win. It's been a hot topic in the E household for a while... Mr E Snr and I reckon that there is a fundamental packaging issue at the rear of the car that is affecting high-speed aero performance. It has to be something like that otherwise it would have been improved by now. They keep going on about 2014 being much better, which also hints at something - probably drivetrain - that compromises what is going on at the back end.

The other reason behind this thinking is that Red Bull have had problems relating to packaging - Newey has things very tight which was giving issue with the alternator, KERS, etc, but the back end is absolutely planted.

There is a lot of performance / grip to be had if you can manage the flow of the exhaust gases (the latest set-ups are effectively sealing the side of the diffuser, making it work better) and that coming off the topside of the sidepods (helping to control the exhaust flow). It's a neat solution now that you can't use the exhaust to "blow" the diffuser, but relies on very tight and precise tolerances - and Mercedes can't seem to nail that.

My brother was being entertained by a yacht charter company today on a balcony above the chicane (he's a yacht skipper). The sod kept sending me photos and videos from his vantage point. I think he had a good day..

Would be good if the Mercs can keep the field behind them (assuming they lock out the front row). DRS won't be effective for this race so it's their best chance. I watched Alonso keep two Williams behind him for most of the race with worn tyres in 2005 so here's hoping. I think it will be Nico ahead of Lewis again.

 

[brucemillar]

Well by lap 5 we see the Mercs acting as safety cars at front of a slow train.