2018 Italian Grand Prix - Monza, 31 Aug - 2 Sep

[MtthsMlw]

[cokata]

Raikkonen vs Vettel

Fantastic post mate. Thank you for taking the effort and making it. I agree with what you say if the tow is taken out of the equation it would have been very close, but i still feel Kimi's lap was a little better.

As you have the telemetry for all the cars can say how Hamilton's straight line speed compared to Kimi, and where he was loosing time?

https://streamable.com/13yh0
https://streamable.com/13yh0

I'll have to revert my previous statement about hamilton suddenly having 10 kmh more on both ferraris. Yes, this was true, but only for first Q3 runs. In their second Q3 run both ferrari cars gained ~8-10 kmh on the main and back straight (putting them level with hamilton and in some places even ahead), whereas mercedes gained nothing on their second run (maybe 1-2 kmh).

Comparing the straight line speed with Vettel, as on his 2nd run hamilton didn't have much of a tow it seems close/equal. On the run to the 1st chicane Vettel is a little quicker, on the run to the 2nd Hamilton is quicker, on the run to ascari Vettel is quicker, and the run to parabolica Hamilton gains a little.

What you said about the modes between both runs makes sense though. At spa on race day Hamilton was quicker in S1 and S3 most of the time despite losing time in the bus stop and 1st hairpin indicating better power. When everything is turned up to the max it's very close but Merc might be able to run higher power setting for longer without a risk to the PU.

The difference on the lap was made in the high speed corners. On both Lesmos and Ascari both Ferraris carry a little higher minimum speed, Hamilton matched them in Parabolica for minimum speed, but the front end didn't have enough to live with that, and he had to get off the throttle for a moment.

[siskue2005]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAPG4y-4fYM

Kimi was behind Jaun until Lesmos....and after that he gained all the time on him

[Juzh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAPG4y-4fYM

Kimi was behind Jaun until Lesmos....and after that he gained all the time on him

The track is like 2s slower now with all the kerbs. 2nd chicane is just silly how much montoya can cut the track.

[timbo]

Parabolica was absolutely beautiful on Raikkonnen's lap. I don't remember seeing any lap of Monza by anyone where the it was as smooth. The front end of the car is perfect and Kimi nailed the turn-in point. The whole turn in one smooth curve!

[iotar__]

Verstappen 1:20.615
Grosjean 1:20.936 - 0,3 s

Why aren't there headlines: "Renault engine upgrade keeps Haas behind RB" ? I wonder and wonder .

[atanatizante]

...
I'll have to revert my previous statement about hamilton suddenly having 10 kmh more on both ferraris. Yes, this was true, but only for first Q3 runs. In their second Q3 run both ferrari cars gained ~8-10 kmh on the main and back straight (putting them level with hamilton and in some places even ahead), whereas mercedes gained nothing on their second run (maybe 1-2 kmh).

Maybe this is the reason:
" Sebastian was just behind me so he had a good tow from me. I had a good tow from Valtteri and it obviously cascaded down. Here the tow effect is huge for everyone and getting the gap right is important. " (Hamilton on the press conference after qualy)

And also Max saying :
“Maybe in Q3 it [the gap to the front] was a little bit bigger than in Q2, but in Q3 I was also the first one out in my final run when I did my fastest lap and they were all towing each other, so that’s another three, four tenths on this track.

[timbo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAPG4y-4fYM

Kimi was behind Jaun until Lesmos....and after that he gained all the time on him

The track is like 2s slower now with all the kerbs. 2nd chicane is just silly how much montoya can cut the track.

Yes, goes to show just how much more grip cars have now to be able to get all that lost time in the Lesmos.

[Juzh]

...
I'll have to revert my previous statement about hamilton suddenly having 10 kmh more on both ferraris. Yes, this was true, but only for first Q3 runs. In their second Q3 run both ferrari cars gained ~8-10 kmh on the main and back straight (putting them level with hamilton and in some places even ahead), whereas mercedes gained nothing on their second run (maybe 1-2 kmh).

Maybe this is the reason:
" Sebastian was just behind me so he had a good tow from me. I had a good tow from Valtteri and it obviously cascaded down. Here the tow effect is huge for everyone and getting the gap right is important. " (Hamilton on the press conference after qualy)

+10 kmh? not likely. Vettel can't even see hamilton on most straights on his last lap, that's how far ahead is he.

[Sieper]

Verstappen 1:20.615
Grosjean 1:20.936 - 0,3 s

Why aren't there headlines: "Renault engine upgrade keeps Haas behind RB" ? I wonder and wonder .

Because It just isn’t true? Max was already quicker in Q2 (look it up) so the difference was bigger then that. He just didn’t put in a good lap in Q3. I do think this is the reason they already went with the spec C here though, they need the extra speed it offers to more easily keep P5 (on this circuit where we have 80% full throttle Haas and RFPI have a comparably bigger advantage of their higher power).

[Artur Craft]

He was purple in S1 which has 2 long straights with a 1 braking and 1 traction zone. S3 has the ascari chicanes and Parabolica in it (the quickest corners on the track) Both PUs are very close to each other in Q3, in the race Merc are better going by Spa (Ferrari were better because of how much time they were gaining in the traction zones, but were constantly bleeding time on the straights). Before the spec 3 Ferrari had a small advantage. That's why Merc were so puzzled after spa, because they knew how big of a step they made but it was not enough. Vettel also seemed pretty happy with the improvement in his Spec 3, but i feel Merc a tiny bit ahead now.

All evidence proves otherwise. Combination of chassis and PU. But certainly the Ferrari PU is widely regarded as superior since summer.

Since spa I don't think ferrari has any sort of meaningful advantage. If anything, mercedes still has more ERS deployment since they're always faster at the end of just about any straight, all this with running visibly more wing levels.

Hamilton fans will always downplay his car's speed. That aside , Bottas is useless

[Jolle]

I wonder... will Ferrari somehow find a small defect in Kimis gearbox to give Vettel pole

[nacho]

Why is Bottas so slow?

[Chene_Mostert]

I wonder... will Ferrari somehow find a small defect in Kimis gearbox to give Vettel pole

its better to find it and correct than to leave it and risk failure in the race, its a no brainer for the teams.

[ESPImperium]

Its gonna be a long tough hot race tomorrow afternoon. Cant wait to see it!!!

I can see it being the fastest in F1 history, as long as theres no VSC, SC or red flag tomorrow, as i can see a kerfuffle at the first turn again.