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Monaco Grand Prix 2011, already changing the game?
2011-05-30 15:16
No doubt spurred on to greater things by the fantastic start and strong performance in his home Grand Prix last week,
Fernando Alonso surprised many spectators by coming second in the first practice session in Monaco on Thursday, and even more so by coming first in the second. If he can replicate this performance in Saturday’s qualifying he has every chance of staging an upset as great as any this season.
Had Alonso had the power to keep position he could have achieved a podium place in Spain. But here in Monaco, with its slower pace and the requirement for careful handling, sheer power is less important than driver skill, and a good grid position is likely to result in a place for whoever maintains it.
We have become so used to seeing a field dominated by current World Champion
Sebastian Vettel that many believe his position is unassailable, but that only inspires his competitors to do everything they can to knock him from his perch. A concerted attack from the McLaren Mercedes team - 2008 champion
Lewis Hamilton and 2009 champion
Jenson Button - has paid some dividends by last week splitting the Red Bull pack.
And at Monaco they will be looking to better still by knocking the bullish confidence of last year's winners of the double top place on the podium completely. Psychologically, they may be helped in this respect by the unsure performance of last year's winner,
Mark Webber. Not only has he had a particularly disappointing season, but also he suffered mechanical problems in the first practice session here on Thursday, and managed only 8th place in the second.
What these practice results point to is a more interesting and varied picture than we have seen for some time, and expectations are now high that Monaco - with its refreshingly different circuit, atmosphere and level of excitement, may prove to be a game-changing Grand Prix in terms of the Championship.
Second Practice session results
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1
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Fernando Alonso
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Ferrari
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1:15.123
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2
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Lewis Hamilton
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McLaren
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1:15.228
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|
3
|
Nico Rosberg
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Mercedes
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1:15.321
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|
4
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Jenson Button
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McLaren
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1:15.448
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5
|
Sebastian Vettel
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Red Bull
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1:15.667
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|
6
|
Felipe Massa
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Ferrari
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1:15.781
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7
|
Michael Schumacher
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Mercedes
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1:16.356
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|
8
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Mark Webber
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Red Bull
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1:16.642
|
|
9
|
Adrian Sutil
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Force India
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1:17.101
|
|
10
|
Nick Heidfeld
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Renault
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1:17.126
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|
11
|
Vitaly Petrov
|
Renault
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1:17.337
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|
12
|
Sergio Pérez
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Sauber
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1:17.541
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|
13
|
Rubens Barrichello
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Williams
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1:17.570
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|
14
|
Sébastien Buemi
|
Toro Rosso
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1:17.581
|
|
15
|
Pastor Maldonado
|
Williams
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1:17.633
|
|
16
|
Kamui Kobayashi
|
Sauber
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1:17.706
|
|
17
|
Jaime Alguersuari
|
Toro Rosso
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1:17.789
|
|
18
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
Lotus
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1:18.266
|
|
19
|
Jarno Trulli
|
Lotus
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1:18.490
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|
20
|
Paul di Resta
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Force India
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1:19.053
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|
21
|
Jérôme D'Ambrosio
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Virgin
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1:19.185
|
|
22
|
Timo Glock
|
Virgin
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1:19.338
|
|
23
|
Narain Karthikeyan
|
HRT
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1:22.066
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