In the round-up: Honda have admitted that their MGU-H components can only be relied upon to last for two race weekends before they need to be replaces.
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Honda reveals MGU-H can only last two races (Motorsport.com)
Yusuke Hasegawa: "Every two races we need to change – that is not acceptable. We think we need to have more modifications for robustness, with the rotating parts especially."
Magnussen: Hamilton 'worst' for Monaco GP qualifying blocking (Autosport)
"Lewis was the worst one but he was not the only one. On the last corner he made a mistake, and then wanted to cool down his tyres and he had quite a big space in front of him so he didn't need to back off."
Sainz happy with 'most enjoyable lap in qualifying of the whole season' (F1i.com)
"This is definitely the most enjoyable lap in qualifying of the whole season – the one where you’re on the limit the most, the one that gives you the biggest adrenaline rush, the highest heart beat… I'm extremely happy."
Crash doesn't spoil 'very positive' day - Vandoorne (Formula1.com)
"So yeah we had a good crack - unfortunately it resulted in a crash at the end of Q2, but that's what happens sometimes when you push the cars on the limit round Monaco."
Lewis Hamilton at a loss to explain Monaco GP qualifying disaster (Sky)
Toto Wolff: "You can say there's a certain DNA in our car. I think we've proved our car can go very quick in qualifying and the race but it seems to be a bit of a diva to get it into the right window."
Valtteri Bottas confident Mercedes can fight Ferrari (ESPN)
"I think we should be able to fight with them. Here, normally at some time there is always a Safety Car and if that happens it will create opportunities. Hopefully we can follow them and then use any situation to create opportunities."
Fernando Alonso mania arrives at Indy 500 in America (BBC)
"On every TV and radio show it is all about Fernando. The other drivers keep calling themselves 'the other 32' and keep making references to the fact that if no-one asks them a Fernando Alonso-related question in press conferences, it's a big surprise."
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Have to say @benedwardstv and @karunchandhok are doing a great job considering the incompetence of our local Monaco TV director. #MonacoGP
— F1 Broadcasting (@f1broadcasting) May 27, 2017
Holy shit! @HulkHulkenberg and I have achieved perfection! #Renaultf1 #motorsportphotography #Nikonnofilter #f1 #formula1 pic.twitter.com/nIiaZKoA9r
— Jamey Price (@jameypricephoto) May 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/Kimi7iceman/status/868464365418270724/photo/1
Last time @LewisHamilton started a race from P13? France 2008
Last time Kimi Raikkonen started on pole? … France 2008#F1 pic.twitter.com/tci5pfObaS— Formula 1 (@F1) May 27, 2017
@thebuxtonblog weird repair job going on at turn one right now?? pic.twitter.com/YpTnw5dUwH
— John Dabkowski (@JohnDab) May 27, 2017
Having driven past it tonight can confirm asphalt relaid, kerb not reprofiled. https://t.co/LRFOtSyKKb
— Will Buxton (@thebuxtonblog) May 27, 2017
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
With Kimi Raikkonen pipping Ferrari team mate Sebastian Vettel to pole in Monaco, @fer-no65 offers this observation.
Question here, is Monaco Seb Vettel’s worst track? He lost twice to Mark Webber and now to Kimi. He was outqualified 5 out of 10 times, and while that seems reasonable, given Seb’s status as such a beast of a driver, you do wonder… he’s only won once, and he’s had the car to do it more than that. And maybe tomorrow, he’ll follow his team mate once more to the flag.
@fer-no65
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Nick (@skrabble)
28th May 2017, 0:27
That’s genuinely pitiful if it can only last two races, and I’m guessing thats on a good day
bull mello (@bullmello)
28th May 2017, 3:32
And reliability has been the real problem with the Honda engine since the very start of this season in testing. The engine seems at times capable of possibly producing decent power. But, it can’t be run at close to max power long enough without breaking to really find out. The 2017 McLaren chassis might actually be good, but we may never know for sure.
This admission is certainly not a huge surprise to anyone following McLaren this season. But, the fact that it has been publicly admitted by Honda is hopefully a step in the right direction.
Joe (@)
28th May 2017, 0:31
Given Lewis’ status as a beast of a driver, it’s quite sobering to realise that at Monaco Lewis gets out-qualified by his teammates 60% of the time, and gets outraced by them 50% of the time… LONG LIVE ALONSO!
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
28th May 2017, 2:43
So many attacks on Lewis. He has a vulnerable weekend and everybody has something rude to say. Magnussen currently the worst mannered driver, is criticising another driver…. So much negativity. The monegasque director is used to it, even if they are getting better of late, they do get the same bashing every year even though as is with every other weekend the directing is from the world feed not from the individual national broadcasters, Monaco is also probably the toughest track to cover, in the days of Murray Walker, the directing was indeed unbearable, Murray however was incredibly, almost always on top the races back then. My only qualm with Edwards is that he often gets distracted or confused, the bias doesn’t bother me at all. The recurring “maturity” of a driver topic does wear out after a while, Karun’s enthusiasm is always great to hear. These days I’m torn between Sky and C4, honestly I rather have Brundle and Coulthard or Karun on the coverage. I can’t stand overenthusiastic pretentious pundits.
Sviatoslav (@)
28th May 2017, 8:19
@peartree – So why didn’t Bottas have a “vulnerable week-end”? Perhaps, someone just doesn’t know what to do with the car.
ACx
28th May 2017, 10:50
“So why didn’t Bottas have a “vulnerable week-end”? Perhaps, someone just doesn’t know what to do with the car.”
This excuses attacks, does it?
Markp
28th May 2017, 12:27
Jealous people. When Hamilton came to F1 I really did not like him as he drove for McLaren and I like Ferrari. As I have got older I am now a huge fan of Lewis. I think he is outstanding. I always hope Ferrari beat him but full respect to all the top level drivers. Lewis is top level and I think he will end up with quite a few points today.
Philip (@philipgb)
28th May 2017, 0:42
I was surprised a Honda component could last two races then remembered another component usually goes bang first meaning it’s not really two ‘full’ races I guess.
SaraJ (@sjzelli)
28th May 2017, 1:09
COTD – utter rubbish. Stop grasping at straws
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
28th May 2017, 1:24
@sjzelli I was just genuinely asking, trying to start a discussion, not “grasping at straws”.
Sven (@crammond)
28th May 2017, 2:25
@fer-no65
Monaco really seems to need a slightly different skill-set than (most) other tracks, otherwise it wouldn’t be a weak track for both of the drivers who combined 7 championships in the last 9 years. On the other side, the stronger drivers in Monaco in the past decades, Webber, Rosberg, Coulthard weren’t exactly thought of as the best on the grid. And Trulli allways seemed faster than Alonso in Monaco, too.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
28th May 2017, 2:30
Just look at Schumi and Ferrari. Monaco is a special race, under special circumstances. Having the best car elsewhere isn’t always going to earn you the victory.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
28th May 2017, 1:21
Wow, Honda… Wow. No other words for it.
Fletch (@fletchuk)
28th May 2017, 1:44
Obviously “our car” this weekend’s code word for “Lewis”
McF1 (@mccosmic)
28th May 2017, 6:58
Or did the journalist here it all wrong and what Toto actually said was: “You can say there’s a certain diva in our car.”
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
28th May 2017, 3:39
I really hope Kimi wins this race. His pole lap in Q3 was brilliant, as good as Alonso’s in Barcelona a few weeks ago.
Qualy was really entertaining, hope the race is too!
@F1-liners (@f1-liners)
28th May 2017, 7:10
Stoked to have Kimi at pole, but you can hardly call it a brilliant lap when his team mate and another driver have a faster sector time :p
My brilliant lap award goes to Sainz or Bottas.
Sravan Krishnan (@sravan-pe)
28th May 2017, 4:12
Before Qualifying:
In Monaco only the best excel.
After Qualifying:
You know what, Monaco might be Vettel’s weakest track.
Great.
Mallesh Magdum (@malleshmagdum)
28th May 2017, 5:32
Bang On!
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
28th May 2017, 8:15
Yes Seb has never been great around Monaco but I suspect Ferrari will get Kimi out of his way via strategy.
Fran
28th May 2017, 11:10
0.042
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
28th May 2017, 9:34
Am I the only one who’s basically convinced had Vettel had a clean run he’d be in the 1:11s even,…?
Sravan Krishnan (@sravan-pe)
28th May 2017, 11:48
No you’re not.
I’m convinced that if Kimi had a clean run, he’d be in the 1:11s even and still faster than Vettel. (Turn 1 oversteer and missing the apex at portier)
Markp
28th May 2017, 12:19
Ferrari didnt maximize their advantage. Bottas lap was awesome but so hard to extract. Ferrari seem to be fast every lap so if Ferrari remain 1 and 2 at the start I expect them to pull away, very hard for Bottas to be as fast as Ferrari over a number of laps.
d0senbrot (@d0senbrot)
28th May 2017, 11:24
You are not the only one. Vettel is a brilliant qualifier but lately he does not seem to get his lap together when it counts.