Lewis Hamilton is up for Monaco. The world champion put in a storming, sliding run to record the second-fastest time in second practice on the narrow street circuit this afternoon, 0.2 seconds behind Nico Rosberg in the Williams. Rosberg loves practice.
Hamilton, don’t forget, won this race last year – albeit in a much more sorted McLaren than this year’s car – and, provided he can string together a tidy qualifying lap on Saturday, will be aiming for the podium again this year.
He’ll have to contend with the almighty Brawns, of course: Rubens Barichello finished second practice in third spot, just ahead of championship leader Jenson Button.
Ferrari showed further signs of improvement, with Tiny Felipe Massa going fifth fastest and Completely Disinterested Kimi managing eighth.
The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber managed sixth and twelfth respectively, but expect them to be right in the mix come quali on Saturday.
As you might have clocked from his gentle crowing in the first practice blog, Sunday Afternoon Club regular Jamie Hibbard is winging his way to Monaco as we speak. Not that we’re jealous or anything, but we accidentally seem to have set his desk on fire in his absence.
Anyhow, he’ll be posting updates from the Monegasque (just wanted an excuse to use that word, really) harbour so drop him a comment below with your tips for the race.
Or, more entertainingly, what you’d like him to steal from the pitlane. We’re hoping for Sebastien Bourdais’ glasses and Jenson Button’s buttons.
Oh, and Anthony Hamilton’s silly sunglasses. Anyone else spot them on the telly?
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
breezer commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 3:47 pm
sure did he looks like some1 out of a U2 video id like him to steel the brawn cars both of them jus so we can see some 1 else win
better still if he see’s ol maxie about then give him a wee dunk on the head stick him in the boot and keep him there 4 a few months that would do nicly cheers haha…
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mike griffin commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Anthony Hamilton must be taking Sunglasses advice from Nick Heidfeld, what a prat.
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axf1 commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 4:14 pm
It is good to see my team ferrari and mclaren at the top end of the grid. I would rather see mclaren and ferrari fight for a championchip than brawn. MAX MOSELY SHOULD BE SACKED FOR HIS VIEWS ON FERRARI
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Ben Ashcroft commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Finally Lewis makes a comeback, but, to be honest, I don’t think he’ll win, podium finish, Rosberg for the win
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adam commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Webber for the win. He loves this circuit.
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john commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Take jenson button’s dad’s (I’ve forgotten his name) “lucky pink shirt”
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The Arabian Stig commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Why don’t you nick Timo’s helmet (Glock Dog) for us
and plz can you punch Hamilton in the face (or maybe just vomit on him) so that he stop moaning that everything is the team fault
one more thing, plz tell Kimi to start acting less cool and more competitive
I mean if you are a champion and also an ignorant -look at me am the coolest- then it is Okay
But, if you are a loser then just *&^?%$ and start wining
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Lite Boy commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Jenson should win, after all he does live there! I’m guessing he knows his way to Tesco’s by now
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Tejas commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:32 pm
i think roseberg and Williams have or are aiming for the practice championship i guess and lets hope something better of mclaren.
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kieran commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:51 pm
lewis can win come on!!
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Van Driver commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Thing to steel from pit lane?
Any way to get one of McLaren cars? They might not be the fastest this year but 100% sexiest.
And for people who do not like this years cars.
LOOK AT YOUR DRIVEWAY I still think that F1 cars look better than anything driving arround.
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Ash commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I don’t envy your colleague too much. I went to silverstone for the British GP once and I think the best bit was the autograph signing. Everything else was either hugely disappointing or impossible to see.
That said, lovely weather in Monaco this time of year…
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Anonymous commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Your all cynical b*****ds arent you, button finally gets the drive he deserves and u complain that he’s winning too much 5 races into the season.
@arabian stig, if u’d got a chance to drive an f1 car u wud hate the politics tht come with it and theres only so much schtick u can take on behalf of the team.
also i’ve looked onto my driveway n im more than happy with whats sittin on there f1 cars look s**te, wud love to drive 1 but it wud stay hidden until tht occasion came
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BMW commented on this article
Thursday May 21, 2009 at 10:17 pm
That McLaren looks good from the front.
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fra commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 1:35 am
i still didnt get why they did the free practise on thursday…
‘nyway, please bring back eddie jordan’s wig!!! :p
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Hermann Kratz commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 5:21 am
How about one of Flavio’s lovely ladies he entertains on his yacht?!
May I change the subject a tad? Has anyone noticed the irony in Flavio hosting the cost cutting/ budget cap FOTA meeting on his yacht? Is this FOTAs way of letting Max know that F1 needs to have a little glamour…? I bet you Max would have a meeting on Flavio’s yacht any day rather than a boring FIA meeting room!
Van Driver, sorry to say this but I’m a Ferrari fan through and through but I have to admit the Redbull is miles better looking than the McLaren. OK, maybe just half mile…
Looking forward to a weekend where Hamilton, Vettel, Massa, Webber and Alonso (in no particular order) finish in the top 5. Monaco there’s no excuse about good or bad cars, its all about the drivers. And these guys are F1′s best of the rest. Come on Sunday!
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Rick commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 6:44 am
Even in the scene of Monaco the 2009 F1 cars look horrible. Hope the Prince will whisper Ecclestone what really needs to be changed:THIS DAMN UGLY 2009 IDIOTIC WINGS.
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Showie commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 7:07 am
to bmw, post 14, i can’t agree. this season’s Formula One cars all look absolutely 100% ugly. the Ferrari i think is slightly less ugly then the rest though… then again i do prefer Ferrari to everyone else so that is probably very bias..
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YankeeDoodle commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 9:07 am
Hamilton’s diamond studded helmet? Just snap one of the diamonds and bring it home for knick knacks?
Yes yes… Ferrari improving… Just don’t make silly errors like in Spain… and Malaysia…
Maybe they should just take the KERS off for this round? It won’t be any use here, especially when its not going to work properly again…
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Kennyboy commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 10:39 am
Well as this seems to be the last season for F1, before Max ruins it and all the major players leave, I’m hoping Jenson Comes in with the title. It would be good to see another team win the title instead of Ferrari and McClaren ahead of everyone else.
However, if F1 continues and there is no venue for a british grand prix next season, with Donnington going to the wall, how about the Top Gear test track?
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cuke commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 10:52 am
Hi, Monaco was always going to flatter the McLaren as is is a high downforce, relatively low speed corner circuit so I expected then to do better there. Once we return to ‘other’ circuits the shortcomings of the car will once again become apparrent. Also Hamilton himself is only aiming a 5th spot on the grid, he is being realistic..
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El Roberto commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 11:38 am
I’ll be cheering for Rosberg, he’s a very naturally talented driver and he deserves a win. Vettel for the championship.
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DUDE.COM commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 3:45 pm
ROSBERG DESERVES TO WIN RACES HE IS GIFTED AT THIS SPORT.
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Anonymous commented on this article
Friday May 22, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Let us hope that Mclaren can remain the dominant team at this track, heres to a Mclaren win, the first of many this season
And for the record it is debatable if Button is in a car he deserves, or if everyone else is just in lesser developed cars.
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cian burke! commented on this article
Saturday May 23, 2009 at 8:46 pm
guys?!?whats up with Lewis Hamilton these days?!Jensen Button is mpping the track with him!!come on Lewis!!!
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