2008 Monaco GP preview: Rain

22 May 2008 by Keith Collantine

Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford, Monte-Carlo, 1997, 470150

So often long-range weather forecasts ahead of Grand Prix weekends promise rain that never comes. But teams are increasingly wary of rain forecast for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix qualifying and race.

Over at Autosport Geoff Creighton and Emlyn Hughes have finely honed the science of predicting the weather forecast for a Grand Prix weekend and here’s what they had to say:

The latest maps show that Monte Carlo is at risk of rainfall any time from Saturday evening. As it stands at the moment, until we get more information, that risk remains in place throughout race day.

They point to this satellite prediction of rainfall in Europe over the coming days which shows Monte-Carlo is expected to see occasional bursts of rainfall (to work out where Monaco is have a look at this map and zoom out).

The teams and drivers are preparing for rain. Rubens Barrichello, who finished second in the last wet Monaco Grand Prix in 1997 (pictured) said:

The weather will no doubt play a part on Saturday and Sunday as it looks like we will have some rain.

And Kimi Raikkonen added:

A wet race? It would make matters complicated but it would be the same for everyone.

Given the fears about racing F1 cars in the wet without traction control expressed by Felipe Massa and other drivers over the winter it would be quite ironic if the first wet race of the year was at Monte-Carlo, where even the slightest error is punished by the unforgiving walls.

2008 Monaco Grand Prix

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15 responses to 2008 Monaco GP preview: Rain

1 James 22 May 2008 at 9:05 pm

I don’t understand the traction control grumbles. The 3.0 litre V10/12 cars were putting out similar power ten years ago, with a less driveable torque curve than the V8’s, and there was no problem then.
2 Robert McKay 22 May 2008 at 9:09 pm

Bring on the rain, I say. Would give a real good chance of a very surprise winner - I think F1 needs another one of those.
3 M Smith 22 May 2008 at 9:10 pm

It would be great if we had a wet race at Monaco, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen, personally.

Wouldn’t it be even more ironic if Felipe Massa won the wet race of all places, at Monte-Carlo - again I don’t think that gonna happen either.
4 frecon 22 May 2008 at 10:15 pm

Sorry for the off-topic. I don’t know if you have watched this morning tests at Monaco. Alonso drifted in St. Devote and broke his rear wing. After the incident he returned to boxes without wing and with a flat wheel.

Charlie Whithing has brought an investigation, because Alonso’s slow driving coming back could be risky for others drivers. Fortunately for Alonso the stewards didn’t share Charlie’s concerns.

http://217.204.13.141/resources/documents/1789367657__MON_08_Document_15.pdf

I have watched the test, and I think either red flag and investigation was excesive.
5 ninguen 22 May 2008 at 10:58 pm

you know, whatever Alonso does is suspicious, i pray that Alonso goes somday to ferrari, it will be the only way the FIA will let him alone
6 milos 23 May 2008 at 4:34 am

Last year it rained on Saturday. It rained pretty hard before the final practice and kept raining (not that hard) for bigger part of the session. And what a fun the practice was, then the practice ends and Sutil in Spyker is in top …

So usually I am very pro-Kimi, but here I do not agree with him. If it it rains in Monaco it will not be the same for everybody. As on every track the wet track will make the car performances less important and the driver skills can shine more. So great drivers in average cars will (hopefuly) get their chance …
7 Toncho 23 May 2008 at 8:48 am

Milos, you are only partialy right. Right will skill more important BUT some cars have better traction that ohers so some deal better with rain than others.
8 Robert McKay 23 May 2008 at 9:38 am

“Milos, you are only partialy right. Right will skill more important BUT some cars have better traction that ohers so some deal better with rain than others.”

And this too is correct…however this true is also correct in the dry, and more so at that. At least rain levels the playing field a bit more.
9 ninguen 23 May 2008 at 9:55 am

And the best time of sutil last year, i think it was un FP3 the only session with rain, nobady wanted to trash his ca before the qualy so it could been that sutil was the only one that pushed hard enough to make the best time.

And in the rain it can be a total mayhem. I would go for the ones everybody is thinking, kimi, fisi, barrichello an dof course Alonso, although yesterday renault was especially nervous in his rear, i think it has to do with their lack of traction, the wings are high for everybody so only solution is to have stiff suspension in the rear, with that problems. In the rain i think it will be very dangerous that configuration, maybe Alonso can handle, poor piquet.
10 Tony 23 May 2008 at 11:09 am

Looks like wider tyres helps the present F1 in
the set up for traction For the dry try SLICKS!!!. or
bring back TRACTION CONTROL street cars are having TC in
new models Wider tyres/Slicks give more agressive look to
the F1 cars.
11 Andy Wolf 23 May 2008 at 12:40 pm

Rain separates the men from the boys.. Bring it on!
12 Sush 23 May 2008 at 12:48 pm

Tony, bring back TRACTION CONTROL?.

*rolls up newspaper*
BAD TONY! BAADDD! TONY!

now think about what you’ve said while you sleep in the garden tonight.
13 Tony 25 May 2008 at 5:36 pm

Did you watch the GP [monaco] no TC and see what
happened, no worries the Casino is still there and all
the people went home safe. Somebody is going to get very
heart or worst. Yes bring back TC. is it Sush or Rush.
14 Keith Collantine 25 May 2008 at 6:21 pm

Absolutely not. Other series race without traction control in cars capable of similar speeds. It is not a safety issue at all. Bringing back traction control would be a huge step backwards for F1 and utterly terrible for the sport.
15 Tony 25 May 2008 at 10:10 pm

Keith did you see F1 race with TC. I recon that
they are finding problems without TC. It shows that
in their limit driving in and out of corners. Other
cars have slicks and engine breaking more instant. I
mention also why new cars are into TC mode and road
test approve it. fast/off road cars.