Button dissatisfied with revised Tabac corner

2015 Monaco Grand Prix

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Jenson Button is not fond of the changes made to the Tabac corner for this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

The circuit now runs closer to the harbour front, making Tabac a slightly tighter left-hand bend, and shortening the total track length by three metres.

“Looking at the re-profiling they’ve done ahead of this year’s race, I don’t like Tabac as much as before,” said Button after driving the revised circuit for the first time today. “They’ve made it tighter now, whereas it used to have a nice flow to it.”

“Mind you, I’ve been taking that particular corner for 15 years, so the change catches you unawares a little bit,” he added.

The revised layout has also altered the approach to the fast Swimming Pool chicane. “The first part of the Swimming Pool is a bit faster and it helps to stop you drifting wide into the exit barrier on the left,” said Button.

Above: Tabac in 2015; below: Tabac in 2014.

2015 Monaco Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    22 comments on “Button dissatisfied with revised Tabac corner”

    1. Leading up to the weekend it appeared that the change was extremely minor, but if you watch some onboard footage it is clear that he’s right :( a damn shame.

    2. Why are spectators losing interest in F1? Because of stuff like this…

      1. Unfortunately you are soo right!Don’t know how he got to say that, most likely he was asked a question or maybe just spoke his mind but why does someone have to complain about insignificant things ever weekend?Out of over 3300 METRES of track a 3 METRE prompts a “i don’t like it” reaction.Some F1 people are soo finicky i just can’t deal.Just like how if Ecclestone kept his mouth shut at Australia 2014 the whole sound galore would have been much less

        1. To be fair, I think if theres anywhere that 3 metres is going to be a significant factor, it’s Monaco.

      2. Yes, because most certainly a changed corner is truly ruining the sport.

        1. @klon
          Taken in isolation, it’s not that big a deal. When it’s part of a continuing trend, it can be significant.
          In this case I’m not overly concerned, compared to some of the other changes made to the circuit this change looks pretty minor, but we’ll have to wait till the race to see if it makes much difference.

        2. When was the last time a circuit change was a positive thing? Drivers and spectators like seeing spectacular circuits that are fun to drive and exciting to watch. But changes made to corners like the Bus Stop, 130R, the last turn at Catalunya, run-off at Parabolica and now Tabac have done nothing to improve the spectacle and in my opinion, have been detrimental to the sport.

          1. I had a think and the only change I can think of in the recent past that made a track better was the reprofiling of the Singapore Sling into one corner. Then again it was absolutely horrible to begin with anyway.

            There was also the change to Interlagos’ pit entry which, although perhaps losing some excitement, has been made much safer and less of a track limits nightmare without diminishing the actual track.

            1. Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
              22nd May 2015, 10:31

              I agree the Interlagos pit entry was a full frontal shunt waiting to happen and was necessary change.

              This particular change reminds me of the tarmacing of the outside of Parabolica. Fixing something that wasn’t broken.

    3. It’s always been a very dangerous corner and now they need to go a bit slower.

      1. No deaths at Monaco in the modern era, even if there were some dangerous sections of track, which I disagree, the circuit is so slow and the cars so safe, that any accident would only result in race retirement. Tracks should be demanding, catching drivers out and enticing them into the fence. We want to see drivers challenged,not injured, but face difficulty in making it to the end of a GP and deserving victory, not a Sunday procession.

        1. There were several dangerous accidents there. The fact that no one died doesn’t mean they don’t need to improve safety.

          1. True, cars tend to litterally pile up one above another on this particular circuit, with the most frightening usually happening in the first corner and at the chicane.

    4. Were there also any kids on his lawn?

    5. Simon (@weeniebeenie)
      21st May 2015, 23:10

      Looking at those pics I’m slightly confused what the aim was here. The track is now narrower, and the barriers that were hit by Pastor are even closer, so if they’re hit again it’s going to be worse if anything.

      Is the idea simply to make it a tighter corner and completely discourage anyone even attempted a pass? That’s all I can think of but if so, how bizarre. I know it’s Monaco and not very safe but trying to stop overtaking rather than promote it seems backwards. If we have to keep doing this to the track, maybe it’s time to admit the sport has outgrown the track? Mind you, it did that 30+ years ago.

      1. I agree, this is terrible.. the section that was most inspiring about Monaco has been sanitised. Seeing Webber practically flat out there in 2010 or Schumi one-handed in 2012 is what Monaco is all about!

        If it’s a response to Chilton causing a pile up (taking out Maldonado and his team-mate), well, that problem was solved when he got the axe (ran out of cash)..

        1. The reason given is that the realignment of the track makes it slightly easier and quicker for the marshals to remove a car which crashes in that corner, therefore reducing disruption to the race.

    6. The circuit has changed a lot over the years. This slight change is really nbd

    7. Another bad modification on the layout.

      – St Dévote: they removed the wall on the inside back in 2004. Easier corner, I think it’s a shame.
      – Tabac: tighter in 2015. As a fan, I prefer fast corners.
      – Swimming pool entry: they made room in 1997, making it faster but easier. Before that, you had no margin for mistakes.
      -Swimming pool exit: completely changed in 2004. It was a no-mistake-allowed corner before. Nowadays it’s just an ugly chicane with kerbs.
      -La Rascasse: reprofiled in 2004. This change doesn’t affect me too much, personnaly.

      Safety, safety, safety. Ok. But what about challenge ?

      1. I think it was 2003 not 2004.

    8. Haha, I summarised the article, including the driver’s viewpoints, basically back during the Monaco ePrix in the F1 Fanatic Live window – if you’ve checked what I said there, @keithcollantine (and, of course, validated it by cross-checking photos or something) you could have had this story published way earlier and probably as the first person in the whole world.

    9. Why have they changes the tabac corner? Some safety issue?!

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