No shortage of good F1 venues. Last year reminded us of that with no Monaco. Lovely but not a good race for current F1. Keep Monaco for charity or historic and yes Richard should be gone. Give the drivers venues where they can race. Not procession post Qualy.
Paul Ricard, as it used to be called, or Le Castellet now is an example how you can make a circuit uninteresting. Ricard has always been a rather featureless place, absolutely flat and not offering good viewing to spectators. I think it's Ecclestone who transformed it into a test track, and it's excessively sanitised now, to the point of boredom. Trying to watch a GT race on TV, I could hardly make the difference between track and run-offs, and it looked like the drivers had the same problem ! As a circuit, Le Castellet is absolutely soul destroying.
Barcelona is accepted. Monaco was cancelled last year. Not missed at all. Hardly a word typed or broadcast lol. Thats how quickly F1 forgets and moves on. Monaco has a place but not as a good race. This year was absurd in terms of the use of the word race. Liberty know it. They pay nothing and provide a procession unless rain or crash. It was not missed at all. If they didnt run this year would you stop watching? I watched all races last year not one time did I think of Monaco. There are not shortage of nice harbors for yachts and wealth with cars driving around. JB in the press saying this week for these cars, Monaco is not a good race they dont come close to maximum performance. This year reminded us of what we didnt miss last year in terms of racing. Monaco is a beautiful procession and a waste of time for anyone looking for R A C I N G LOL Be done with the idea and accept what last year showed - Monaco is not bigger than F1 and is not missed when the event is not run. Count the word boring in all posts here in Monaco race threads LOL!
I think it would take more than that to make Le Castellet a "normal" circuit. They would have to get rid of the silly psychedelic background all around the place. After a while, that plays games with your senses as you follow the cars on the track. Watching a race at Ricard is like looking at busy traffic after smoking a few joints: you become dizzy and don't know where you are! Even a Tilkedrome isn't as bad as that.
You realize that the blue paint is the higher-grip portions and the red is the extreme-grip portion, so one can test significantly over the limit of adhesion without binning the car or killing the driver. Which, by the way, is why allowing entry to Courbe dé Signes at the top speed of an F1 car would have an acceptable safety margin.
Yes, I know that. It was done at huge cost apparently, but I consider it a mistake. It's a test track, not a race track anymore; they made it so safe that it's not a challenge. The visual effect of these colours for different grip surface is disturbing to watch on TV if the camera follow cars through the bends.
Never smoked a joint so dont know!! I have been to monaco three times for the F! race and although i love street circuits, it has to be the worst track on the calendar. I was at st Devote in 81 when Villeneuve won the race and managed to get onto the track when the champagne flew, memorable indeed. It has the buzz and hair raising thrill of a gladiator ring but lets face it, the only reason its on the calendar is for the elite to pose, the drivers backyard to show off and money for the casinos and residents. The historic event is nostalgic .
This is a video that should please the tifosi: a Ferrari victory at Monaco, and a (rare) debacle of the Mercedes team ! 1955 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, Alberto Ascari last race. The circuit was very different from what it is now. The start was given near the harbour. The pits stood where the swimming pool complex is now. There is no Rascasse, but the Gaz work hairpin. St Devote is wider than now. There is no tunnel, and the chicane is different.
You've been against monaco for as long as I can remember. That's fine. There are plenty however that DO enjoy the event. Many drivers love it (the thrill of qualifying and the glory of winning). I know people that rarely watch F1 but never miss the Monaco GP. Not all F1 fans are on the internet/social media either...Monaco is one of the most prestigious races to win, it's part of the triple crown. It is special no matter what you think of it. It's not a requirement to watch the race. I hate the Paul Ricard event and simply spend most the race on my ipad with one eye moving from the screen if some excitement happens.
Monaco would be alright with the right cars ! It was very good with in the 60/70s and up to the 80s. Then the cars outgrew the circuit. Several drivers have condemned it publicly.
Monaco will never be removed from the F1 calendar--there is simply too many deals to be made with sponsors there.
Good thing is that new cars are coming For every driver that condemns it, there's another that loves the thrill of racing there.
2014 - 2021 17% of the cars failed to finish either through driver error or mechanical failure. 2006 - 2014 16% of the cars failed to finish either through driver error or mechanical failure. 1998 - 2006 22% of the cars failed to finish either through driver error or mechanical failure. 1955 - 1960 28% of the cars failed to finish either through driver error or mechanical failure. Given the technology today it isnt that impressive!