Last year’s Monaco Grand Prix was all about best buddies Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton headed the practice times yesterday, but Alonso will have his work cut out to notch up a third consecutive Monte-Carlo victory.
Who will win F1’s most prestigious race? Read my prediction and make your own below…
Hamilton’s been quick in practice, he was very quick last year, so he’s a shoo-in for victory, right?
Maybe… and maybe not. In Monaco, nothing is every that straightforward, especially if it rains. But in four appearances at the principality Hamilton has two F3 wins, one GP2 win, and one F1 second place to his name. With his McLaren looking on the pace this weekend, he is a favourite for victory, rain or shine.
Ferrari haven’t won at Monaco since 2001 and have admitted to having difficulties with Bridgestone’s super-soft tyre this weekend. Kimi Raikkonen doesn’t need to go throwing points away by making the kind of mistake he did in qualifying last year, so I’d expect him to be conservative this weekend.
Nonetheless his team mate Felipe Massa has never really shone here and admits he dislikes the Monte-Carlo circuit, so I’d expect Raikkonen to be ahead of him.
That leaves three questions: how close will Heikki Kovalainen be to Hamilton, how quick will the BMWs be, and can Fernando Alonso or another outsider get in the mix for victory?
Although he had an excellent run last time out at Istnabul, I expect Kovalainen to be behind Hamilton this weekend. But we shouldn’t underestimate how good he is here – he would ahve won the GP2 race in 2005 but for a problem at his pit stop, and his race last year was ruined by David Coulthard baulking him in qualifying.
BMW seem to be finding their F1.08 tricky to set up, and despite being very quick are not consistently at the same level week in, week out. Robert Kubica has been out-pacing Nick Heidfeld and given his excellent qualifying form he must be a threat for pole position. And at Monaco, that means you’re a contender for race victory as well.
That leaves us with the outsiders. As a twice winner of the race Alonso looks like a good outside bit, but in practice the most eye-catching driver has been Williams’ Nico Rosberg. But realistically, their not going to be in contention unless it rains or they get very lucky with the safety car.
So what prediction does that leave us with? I’m going to go for a McLaren one-two, with Hamilton heading Kovalainen, and Raikkonen in third.
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Heikki Kovalainen
3. Kimi Raikkonen
Who do you think will win the Monaco Grand Prix?
cyanide
23rd May 2008, 20:14
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Robert Kubica
3. Fernando Alonso
Gman
23rd May 2008, 20:18
1. Hamilton
2. Raikkonen
3. Alonso
James B
23rd May 2008, 20:19
Dry Race
1. Hamilton
2. Raikkonen
3. Kovalainen
Wet/Mixed Race
1. Kovalainen
2. Alonso
3. Button
Becken
23rd May 2008, 20:29
DRY
1. Lewis
2. Heikki
3. Kimi
WET
1. Lewis
2. Kimi
3. Heikki
Arun
23rd May 2008, 21:02
Mine’s gonna be either awesome or plain idiotic:
1. Kubica
2. Lewis
3. Nico.. EOS
Toncho
23rd May 2008, 21:03
1 – Kimi
2 – Hamilton
3 – Kubica
Oliver
23rd May 2008, 21:23
I have absolutely no idea. If it rains, even the pole guy isn’t safe.
Vertigo
23rd May 2008, 22:18
RAIN
1. Alonso
2. Button
3. Heidfeld
If I am right, I’ll eat my own ears.
Andy
23rd May 2008, 22:44
Dry
Kubica
Hamilton
Raikkonen
Wet
Raikkonen
Rosberg
Coulthard
(But Beloved Other Half said, if dry, Hamilton / Raikkonen / Massa.)
theRoswellite
24th May 2008, 0:04
My money….Ham, Kim, Kub, my heart…Nico, Mark, Jensen, and my prayers…all standing after the bell.
the limit
24th May 2008, 3:51
I like the point about Raikkonen being ‘defensive’, that may certainly be his tactic for this weekend. Lewis Hamilton and McLaren don’t just need to win, they need Ferrari and Raikkonen especially to drop some serious points this weekend.
With Raikkonen leading the championship, the key is to remain consistent. He won the title last year by being consistent in the closing stages of the season, and by
making the most out of the mistakes of others.
I think that Hamilton just may nick it, but with Raikkonen hot on his heels. If it does rain, and its a steady rain, then thats one thing, but if the start of the race is dry and then it rains, then that is something different.
Being on pole under those circumstances may not be that much of an advantage, as strategies are changed quickly and under intense pressure.
I am really hoping that the weather conditions are like this on Sunday.
My prediction is.
1.Lewis Hamilton
2.Kimi Raikkonen
3.Heikki Kovalainen
4.Felipe Massa
Tommy Fei
24th May 2008, 4:37
Lewis Hamilton
Kimi Raikkonen
Hekki Kovalainen
Robert Kubica
Nico Rosberger
Jenson Button
Nick Heidfeld
Mark Webber
It’s very difficult to make any predictions for a wet race,but I think MP4-23 have a liitle advantage,Lewis will have the chance to win!
sChUmAcHeRtHeGrEaTeStEvEr
24th May 2008, 9:05
Hamilton
raikkonen
kubica
Santiago
24th May 2008, 9:25
Dry
Hamilton
Kovi
Kubica
Wet
Anyone (Vettel?)
Anyone (Buton?)
Anyone (Fishi?)
Does anybody remember when only four cars finished on wet condition? Which year was it?
ninguen
24th May 2008, 11:25
in 1996, and actually only 3 cars crossed the line, the fourth had retired one or two laps before the end so he qualified
dry
Hamilton
Raikko
Kova
WET
Alonso
Kova
Kubica
Sush
24th May 2008, 11:55
my heart wants Kubica to win.
1 Kubica
2 Hamilton
3 Heikki
but my head says SHUT UP STUPID HEART
1 Hamilton
2 Heikki
3 Heidfield
William Wilgus
24th May 2008, 15:16
As I commented before the first practice session, my picks are 1 Massa, 2 Kimi, 3 Heikki. If it rains, there’s no telling who’ll win — it’ll be a lottery about who does and doesn’t get involved in a crash.
Number 38
25th May 2008, 5:01
I don’t don’t “do” predictions but William Wilgas and I’ll will tip one after the race when the Brazilian wins another.
audiq7
25th May 2008, 5:54
ALONSO
ROSBERG
KOVALAINEN