Monaco F1 Grand Prix 2017

[Gambo]

Monaco is one of the few current F1 races I actually will go out of my way to watch, as the vast majority of the F1 circuits used these days are antiseptic and unchallenging, with no or very little history connected to them.

The Grand Prix being run later today is made all the more intriguing by having that final bastion of 'old skool' racer (cum boozer/playboy/says exactly what he wants/hellraiser/burger eating)  Kimi Raikkonen on Pole Position, obviously with the rest of the corporate Evian drinking, vitamin swallowing, be careful what you say, squeaky clean, hand up their arse puppets lined up behind him.   Fellow Ferrari pilot Vettel is also on the front row.


So this race is gonna have an old skool racer, driving an old skool car, for an old skool team, at an old skool track.....so for the first time in years, I'm actually looking forward to an F1 race.........I just hope it delivers!


Build-Up coverage starts at 12pm on Chanel 4, whilst the race itself will start at 1pm BST (2pm local time).......this could be one to watch!

[Gambo]

Errrrr, I stand corrected......and also reminded of why I rarely watch F1 these days.


The race was unremarkable, with ALL the overtaking being done via pitstop strategy. Grrrrrrrrr.

It's sad to see F1 in it's current corporate state, when you remember back to the titanic duels between 'Gladiators' such as Lauda, Piquet, Prost, Mansell and Senna.

The 'sport' and competition element has gone from F1....it's driven now (no pun intended) purely by money and business.


F1 could learn a lot from MotoGP, but I fear that is slowly going the same way as F1.

[IceBlerk]

As an F1 fan I'm sad to agree with you.

But, of all the drivers you mention you missed one of the VERY best characters .......................... James Hunt.

[Gambo]

I agree that Hunt was one of F1's biggest 'characters', if not the biggest (in the same vein as Sheene was in motorcycle racing), but I wouldn't class him as one of the best 'drivers'........IMHO, it was just that he was in the best place at the best time, with more than a big chunk of luck on his side when he won his only World Championship.

Please don't think I'm trying to take anything way from Hunt though.......as I'm sure the highest levels of racing needs more 'characters' like Sheene, Hunt and Raikkonen.

[IceBlerk]

No, Hunt wasn't a truly great driver. But he was a legend of the sport.

Have you seen that Richie Cunningham film about the Hunt/Lauda rivalry?

Good film.

(Personally I always hope that Kimi will win whenever he races, but it seems even more unlikely after the weekend.)

[Gambo]

Yes, Hunt IS a legend.

That Ron Howard film you speak of is called Rush.....telling the tale of the rivalry between Hunt and Lauda from Lauda's prospective. I've read Niki Lauda's autobiography, and so know the film is fairly accurate, but it doesn't tell the whole story (time constraints I suppose).


Likewise......I always want Kimi to win more than anyone else.......as you just know there would be a monumental post race piss-up and BBQ to celebrate!!


Which leads me onto a question.......is your username of IceBlerk anything to do with your liking of the Iceman?

[IceBlerk]

That Ron Howard film you speak of is called Rush

That's the one!

Which leads me onto a question.......is your username of IceBlerk anything to do with your liking of the Iceman?

Nope. I was once called "IceBlerk" by a work colleague many years ago when he associated me with a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, womanising North-Eastern Superhero. I've used the monicker for online activity ever since.

[Gambo]

That Ron Howard film you speak of is called Rush

That's the one!

The bird who plays Lauda's wife Marlene in the film is a bit tasty.....and looks the dead bosh ringer of the real Marlene.

Suzi Hunt is pretty fit too! (Did you know she appeared in the film The Wild Geese, alongside her then husband Richard Burton?)

Oh to be an F1 driver ehh?

[IceBlerk]

Burton-Taylor-Hunt-Hunt : Those crazy Welsh!

[Gambo]

To us Welsh....woman are like sheep....there's flocks of them around, all they do is fleece you, and they're all Baaaad.



To any female readers of The Planet........I'm only joking!!