If the chance of rain is that high it should make qualification very interesting because you almost have to set the car up for the rain not the dry. Its a hight downforce track already so its not as great a difference as on other tracks but you have to think there are going to be some set up differences.

parmalat - 23 May 2008 10:12 AM

It's ironic that most posters are hoping for rain that will cause unpredictability due to the potential for sudden loss of grip, yet most everyone seems to want to ditch the grooved tires for big fat sticky slicks as planned next year.

The reason fans want to bring back slicks has nothing to do with it's grip levels. It simply looks better on race cars. Also, hoping for rain isn't for sudden loss of grip but more of sudden show of better drivers that don't have better cars. Rain can show the Button's and Vettel's moving up on the grid. Most people agree that Monaco is 80% driver. With rain, it's closer to 95% and 5% car in Monaco. Don't see any part that's ironic here.

it's because of the grip level, for me at least.

It's part of the package needed to allow passing on track without the cars going
squirrelly understeer when their drafting for an eventual side by side apex duel and pass.

lotek - 23 May 2008 10:53 AM

im hoping for a downpour RIGHT before grid walk giving the teams the hard choice of starting on inters or drys. thats when things get interesting. a constantly drying track, more than likely completely dry by the first stops. start on wets and TRY to hold someone off, or start on inters, and become a shark smelling blood after about 5 laps in.

It's a 78 laps race (zzzzzz - drink coffee ) with high attrition.

You can expect retirements with no TC in the wet. Why not be a bit more patient and get an "easy" pass ?

I don't think you'll see Fisi pull an Istanbul 2008 move on the opening laps for his 200th GP like a rookie might.

I'd peg Bourdais, Nakajima, Sutil, Vettel, Nelsinho to be the ones who take themselves out early from an optimistic scent of blood move into the Armcos.

DC and Barrichello may not have had all the luck this yr - especially DC being involved in contact - and I list them up there as potential
collateral damage casualties.

Hondanisti - 24 May 2008 02:51 AM

I don't think you'll see Fisi pull an Istanbul 2008 move on the opening laps for his 200th GP like a rookie might.

then again, starting in the back row with Vettel, I could be wrong. The hotel showers are within walking distance at Monaco.

Cozz - 23 May 2008 10:07 PM

parmalat - 23 May 2008 10:12 AM

It's ironic that most posters are hoping for rain that will cause unpredictability due to the potential for sudden loss of grip, yet most everyone seems to want to ditch the grooved tires for big fat sticky slicks as planned next year.

The reason fans want to bring back slicks has nothing to do with it's grip levels. It simply looks better on race cars. Also, hoping for rain isn't for sudden loss of grip but more of sudden show of better drivers that don't have better cars. Rain can show the Button's and Vettel's moving up on the grid. Most people agree that Monaco is 80% driver. With rain, it's closer to 95% and 5% car in Monaco. Don't see any part that's ironic here.

Button and Vettle? LMAO!!! Vettle is being schooled by his teammate this year (starting two places behind Bourdais in this event) and Button has won one race in his entire career.

You don't think the "better" cars in dry conditions aren't going to have an advantage in the wet?

Hondanisti - 24 May 2008 02:51 AM

lotek - 23 May 2008 10:53 AM

im hoping for a downpour RIGHT before grid walk giving the teams the hard choice of starting on inters or drys. thats when things get interesting. a constantly drying track, more than likely completely dry by the first stops. start on wets and TRY to hold someone off, or start on inters, and become a shark smelling blood after about 5 laps in.

It's a 78 laps race (zzzzzz - drink coffee ) with high attrition.

You can expect retirements with no TC in the wet. Why not be a bit more patient and get an "easy" pass ?

I don't think you'll see Fisi pull an Istanbul 2008 move on the opening laps for his 200th GP like a rookie might.

I'd peg Bourdais, Nakajima, Sutil, Vettel, Nelsinho to be the ones who take themselves out early from an optimistic scent of blood move into the Armcos.

DC and Barrichello may not have had all the luck this yr - especially DC being involved in contact - and I list them up there as potential
collateral damage casualties.

DC has caused more than his share of casualties this year, himself being one.

I personally cant wait for my first wet race at Monaco...hoping for some surprise podiums and or win.

scuderiaferrari08 - 24 May 2008 04:52 PM

I personally cant wait for my first wet race at Monaco...hoping for some surprise podiums and or win.

Neither Ferrari would be a surprise and with a username like yours it's hard to see you cheering on anything else for P1...

markconn58 - 24 May 2008 02:41 PM

You don't think the "better" cars in dry conditions aren't going to have an advantage in the wet?

No.

A car setup for dry conditions is very different from a car setup for wet ones. Some cars may have gambled and compromised their dry performance
for a quicker wet setup.

It also changes the fuel strategy since they can go longer.

Lastly, they don't have to adhere to the mandatory use of 2 compounds for the race in the wet.

http://atlasf1.autosport.com/99/nov24/gray.html

the Formula One engineer must cope with that most unpredictable of entities - the weather....Now we consider this factor, we see that not even the circuit is ever the same - it just gets worse for the F1 engineer! The most obvious weather factor is rain. The car has a completely different set-up in the wet to that in the dry, and in some races, it has been those who spot it coming that take the advantage of using a different set-up and go on to win. This is why all the top teams now have their own weather stations - and some even post team members at different parts of the circuit, or in a circling helicopter if the weather looks threatening.

http://www.tannerdog.com/rfactor/F1Guide.pdf


Establishing a setup – Wet Setup


Rain changes everything, and being prepared can really pay off. I like to have a full wet setup
ready “just in case.” To convert a race setup to a wet setup involves several things:


1. Increase your wing angles.
2. Soften you spring rates (make any necessary ride height compensations).
3. Lengthen your gear ratios.



In the wet, grip is everything. For a full wet setup you should dramatically increase downforce,
sometimes as much as 50%.

You’ll also want to soften you spring rate to get maximum grip from the tires.

Try to keep both of these in proportion to your race setup. In other words, add equal wing front and rear,
and soften the front and rear springs by equal amounts. As a result of these modifications, you’ll need to
re-examine the ride height. Be liberal with the ride height, as bottoming in the rain can be catastrophic.


Finally, you want to adjust the gear ratios so as to lower the torque applied to the rear wheels.
Lengthening the final drive ratio can sometimes easily accomplish this. Other times, more precise
alterations to each gear ratio are required for the various corners of the circuit. Alternatively, the driver can
also employ a simple technique known as “short shifting.” This involves the driver shifting before the
engines’ peak horsepower is reached, always keeping the car just out of the maximum power band.

A good idea is to develop a wet setup at a medium downforce track with a variety of corners such
as Silverstone, and label it as your “Base-WET” setup. It then becomes relatively easy to adapt the “Base-
WET” setup to various circuits’ attributes as opposed to modifying your current race set-up at the last
moment. This concept works only with full wet or monsoon setups, as an intermediate setup is best derived
from your race setup.

Another thing to consider is how to setup the car for a damp, but drying track at the start of the
race. In it’s easiest guise it might be only fitting intermediate tires to the car. Other times, it’s the always-
risky choice of adding a bit more downforce on the grid. But be careful, as the pitfall is a dry track late in
the race with a car having not enough top speed to be competitive.

OK so it's for a video game but the rough idea isn't that far off.