- 3,144
- Lancashire
- Ryk_BRM
Ryk's guide to Cote d Azur
- Monaco Track Guide
AMG's thread had this picture - seems a bit rough. I prefer this one
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monte_Carlo_Formula_1_track_map_with_streets.svg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Monte_Carlo_Formula_1_track_map.svg
Guide works with these turn numbers.
The fluffy Historical bit.
Covering an area of 1.97 square kilometres, Monaco is the world’s second smallest independent state after the Vatican. It comprises the districts of Monte Carlo, La Condamine, Fontvieille, Le Larvotto, Les Moneghetti and Monaco Ville. The total population of this state, which imposes neither income tax nor inheritance tax, is 33,300. Of these, 5,070 are true Monegasques. Monaco has the highest population density of any state in the world. The head of this constitutional hereditary monarchy is Prince Albert II, who is the son of the Hollywood actress Grace Kelly .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circuit de Monaco is the name given to a motor racing circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighborhood of Monaco. In the GT series the track is known as Cote d Azur. This is useful as the real Monaco circuit is much harder with less regularity on the track than is presented in Polyphony Digital's simulation. It has been in the GT series since GT3 - a game that was blessed with several doppelganger formula cars.
Always held on the weekend following Ascension Day, the Monaco Grand Prix remains the most famous race on the F1 calendar. First held in 1929, the street circuit is tight, twisty, bumpy, slow and totally unforgiving Over the years it has been sanitised with a thick layer of armco, in the past it was often a straw bale to protect a car from an impact with a cast iron lamp post. The curbs onto the pavements were also totally exposed, now the armco tends to sit flush with the curbs which makes for an even tighter feeling to the track, but much safer for those who do deviate from the racing surface.
In terms of chassis set-up, the one overriding concern at Monaco is downforce. Overall speeds are low - cars may reach a maximum of 180mph through the famous tunnel, but the average speed for a lap is less than half that. The result is that engineers throw everything they can at their cars to generate downforce and optimise low-speed handling. Securing a good grid position is vital since overtaking is truly problematic, while fuel consumption and tyre wear are not significant issues. It's a weekend that requires maximum concentration and consistency from drivers and team members alike.
In GT there are several races here but My most memorable was the Historic Race car event in ASpec which was made extremely hard by the fact my best Historic car was a Shelby Cobra and I was up against Ferarri P4's and Chaparral 2J's.
History
The idea for a Grands Prix race around the streets of Monaco came from Anthony Noghes, the president of the Monegasque car club and close friend of the ruling Grimaldi family. The inaugural race was held in 1929 and was won by William Grover-Williams in a Dark Green painted Bugatti.
Characteristics
The race circuit has many elevation shifts, tight corners, and a narrow course that make it perhaps the most demanding track in the GT series with the exception of the Italian Assisi track found in GT4. Unfortunatly as damage is not modeled in any great depth the fear of running fast here is greatly reduced. The real circuit is much harder, man hole covers drains quite different adhesion levels form different patches of asphalt - Some places hard get used. In Real Grand Prix weekend the grip level jst ramps up over the days as the amount of rubber is painted onto the track - In GT you get optimal grip from the off - it doesn't evolve over the weekend (And Thursday!)
As English Commentator, Murray Walker would say. "Just a slight impact on the Armco barrier - that won't slow this driver down."
In the past it was far more dangerous. A freak wave flooded the track just as the cars came into the Tabac corner. creating a huge multi car pile up. Several corners have been locations of terrible accidents. The Chicane has seen double World Champion, Alberto Ascari, crash into the Mediteranean. He survived only to perishwhilst testing in Monza shortly afterwards. Lorenzo Bandini the Libyan Born Italian Ferrari driver had a terrible crash at the Nouvelle Chicane, trapped inside his car as it caught fire.
In real life the weather is a constant threat, a little bit of rain is a reality in real life, but in GT5 you can enjoy 24/7 sunshine.
Despite the fact that the course has changed many times during its history, it is still considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One. Even though modern F1 machines coddle the driver it is much safer.
Due to the tight and twisty nature of the circuit, it favours the skill of the drivers over the power of the cars. Stirling Moss's epic duel in 1961, with the all conquering sharknosed Ferrari 156's in a humble Lotus 18, has gone down into legend. However, there is very little overtaking as the course is so narrow and dangerous. Racing round the course has been likened to riding a bicycle round your bathroom or, in Nelson Piquet's words, "Flying a helicopter in your living room". The famous tunnel section (marked in grey in the circuit diagram above) is said to be difficult for drivers to cope with due to the quick switch from light to dark, then back to light again, at one of the fastest points of the course.
The Track Guide
Turn 1 Right Sainte Devote
Critical corner. Prime passing point frequent location of first lap foolishness. The ideal line will give you a huge advantage heading up the steep start to the lap. If you are off line defending then you can kiss goodbye to that lap record atempt for this lap. On the left side of the track is a small escape road, and behind some of the armco is a nice bronze of an F1 Mercedes from the 50's Also furth on the left is the church the corner is named after. And a rather elegant statue of a woman on a boat holding a dove.
Turn 2 - Combonation - Beau Rivage
Not the hardest piece of tarmac on the track, but it is one where if you are brave you may overtake on or force a pass on a Backmarker. On the left side near the exit after Les Princes Hotel is the Beau Rivage Hotel where you can get some rather nice balconies to watch the race from, or install the grid girls for an after race shindig.
Off line discarded bits of tyre and trach accumulate so be extra careful, and also don't forget those white lines, When it rains in Monaco those lines can turn a "led race" into a "red face". Just ask Nigel "1984" Mansell. Try to keep it smooth up the hill. Line of least resistance, but at the end you rwill want to be over on the right to make the best entry into Massenet. The car gets very light over the hill after the Hermitage Hotel just as the track passes the Princess Alice Avenue. at Massanet and just as it lands, you start to brake.
Turn 3 - Left - Massenet
Blind corner, quite long, the uphill drag of Beau Rivage levels off after the Hermitage and the bumps are tricky here. To be quick through here, you don't want to destabilise the car by heavy footed with the brakes; you want to let it glide in, which takes a lot of confidence. As you thread between the Hotel de Paris (On your left) and the Casino (Dead ahead) the track surface will be darker from shadows... don't use them as driving guides, use something larger that doesn't wander off when it gets cloudy. As the Casino Square corner is next you should give up the fast exit of Massenet and instead set up to take a tight line on the exit on the left to give the best possible line for the following Right hander.
Turn 4 - Right - Casino Square
This corner is right onto you. The ideal line through Massenet is actually to give up the fastest line through the corner but set yourself up for the best exit and line through Casino Square. This corner is an important one for a number of reasons. Mostly to do with overtaking. If you do muff the corner, you will lose speed. (In real life you will be out if you clunk the armco on either side) You want your exit to be as fast and smooth as you can as the downhill burp to Mirabeau is a potential passing place. There is a lump in the track on the left side of the on the exit. This creates some odd lines from people as some try to weave about trying to avoid it.
I like the run down this road. On your left is the old Tip Top bar which used to be the place to go after the race. Now drivers tend to mooch off to their Nimitz class yacht.
Turn 5 - Right - Mirabeau Haute
As you head into this tight slow 120° corner that drastically falls away you will be safe if you have the inside line. On the outside of the corner is the world famous Mirabeau Hotel. In the old days you could hook a wheel over the curb here and sling shot round, the corner is longer than you think but there is little to gain by nailing the exit.
Turn 6 - Left - Virage de la Gare
Back in the day there used to be a railway station here, and the lcals called the corner The Viarge de la Gare which translates as the Station Hairpin. Then in the late 60's (1966/1967?) they knocked it down and then built a hexagonally themed hotel. The Loews Hotel. But times change, the Hotel has been renamed several times: Fairmont, Gran Casino and Grand Hotel. Back in 1981 they had a fire in the hotel (When it was still valled Loews). It was put out here but the water used to put out the fire gushed onto the track in the tunnel beneath. The start had to be delayed and the race was run later in the afternoon and resulted in a tight race won by a very fortunate Gilles Villenueve in the horrendous Ferrari Turbo car.
Turn 7 Right Excellsior
Tough little corner Slightly confusing as some people consider this to be the first apex to Portier, others call it Mirabaeu Bas as the Hotel you can see ahead above. The Excellsior Hotel used to stand on the right as you approached the corner, but it has long since been replaced by stylish appartments and a shopping Mall. The corner has bolt down curbs now and drivers ruthlessly cut this corner to soften theturn which plumits downhill.
Turn 8 Right Portier
Tighter than you'd like, this corner leads to a long flat out section. So this is a corner you need to know well and have utmost confidence in getting through fast and clean. That will prevent people from forcing a pass but it can also help you force a pass on another car. Don't take it for granted though the Armco can still bite. Ending the race for Ayrton Senna when he seemed to have the victory secured and was under no pressure. (At the turn in,on the left, behind the armco is a Bronze Statue of a McLaren MP4 that is similar to Sennas car - except that it is made of Bronze and hasn't clunked into a steel barrier.)
The track itself has a nice view of the Mediteranean, however you are not at the lowest point on the track but the downhill drop does ease off giving the car a bit more grip than the last few corners.
Turn 9 Right Tunnel
The tunnel here is much longer that it used to be. As the Railways station was removed and a hotel was alowed to build over the track here. Conditions are tough, dusty dark with a fast simple sweep. But again debris and marbles accumulate off line so taking the wrong line will result in a dramaitci drop off in grip. Not the best option when you are getting to top speed through a tunnel and approaching one fo the better over taking points. As well as the change of light making visibility poor, a top flight formula car can lose up to a quarter of its theoretical downforce due to the unique aerodynamical properties of the tunnel. (They never teach you this in flight school.)
Turn 10/11 Left/Right - Nouvelle Chicane (or Harbour Chicane)
Not that new really. A tight flick flat takes you off the roads and onto the quayside moorings. Mistakes here have been costly in the past as drivers used to try to run the fast chicane close to flat out. This was altered and now a painfully tight and slow chicane forces drivers to crawl through the chicane. Which in itself has created a new overtaking point into this fiddly chicane.
Several accidents have been caused because of the hard stop into the chicane. The approach is a heavy downhill section and it is very easy for the driver to lose the back end of the car under heavy brakes.
Some drivers like to clatter over the curbs and say it is clean driving. Don't listen to them. This sort of idiot driving damages wheel rims and suspension struts which are not parts you want to fail on when the track is surrounded by armco barriers.
Turn 12 Left - Tabac
My personal favourite corner. Site of many accidents but the corner is pretty fast and has one fast line where you need to get as close to the short apex on the left Too close and it is race over. Too far wide and you are killing your lap times. Grip is high on the exit so your fronts should get you out of trouble as the extra grip on the track surface here will give a confident driver a siugnificant advantage.
A huge pile up here happpened one year in the 50's when a freak wave caused the drivers to get into a nasty accident. In 1981 it was the place where Nelson Piquet tripped over a pair of fueding backmarkers and lost a race he was in control of. It was also the palce where Martin Brundle had a terrible accident early in his career for Tyrell, which shattered his ankles. Worry not GT5 doesn't do that to drivers, yet. The corner is named after the old tobacconists shop that used to be located here on the outside of the corner.
Turn 13 Left - Louis
Fast entry to the Swimming pool section. Named after the local driver who was a force to be reckoned with in the 50's
Turn 14 Right - Chiron
Technically turn 13 is Louis Chron but I like to split the left/right between his names. It is a fast chicane, and you must consider them together. If you banzai the first left then you are in a world of hurt for the next corner.. if you make the exit.
The Swimming pool is on your right. But ahead is a much slower and tighter second chicane.
Turn 15 Right
Turn 16 Left Sortie Piscine
If Louis Chiron is impressivly fast this chicane is, awkward. Alex Wurz described it as "Routine" but you still have to worry for Barriers in GT5.
Turn 17 Left/Right - La Rascasse hairpin
Not as tough as it used to be, the left sweep entry is much softer making the double apex tight exit righthanded hairpin not as bad. After such a slow corner it is easy to get carried away up the adversly cambered hill to the final corner. Don't lose focus this close to th eend of the lap. If you need to pit then dive over to the right for the pit lane entrance. Stay far left to set up for the final narrow single line corner. If you are chasing another driver it is possible to scare them with a cheeky move up the inside here, but the proximity of the barriers tends to make a real passing move the stuff of fiction. Reality tends to end in a pair of cars with interlocked wheels facing the armco barriers.
Still a bit of gamesmanship can scare another driver into fluffing his lines through the final corner.
Turn 18/19 Right/Left - Virage Anthony Nogues
Named after the man who organised the very first event back in 1929. An easy corner to mess up, try not to as the start finish curve is aplace where the brave can try for an overtaking move. It is a single line corner and you just need time to find the line as the entry is blind due to the High Armco barriers which high a bronze sculpture of a Bugatti.
This leads you to the gracefully curving start finish straight, the pits are on your right. On the left are the Shangri-La/ Heracles and Ermanno hotels. The Panorama Hotel is set back from the track in St Devote and has the best rooftop terrace for watching the race on. I prefer Beau Rivage myself.
I will edit this, but need to post it rough now... feel free to add your own hints and tips
Posted early as I was typing it up and lost the lot editing it out i the initial post...
Cheers Blitz24
- Monaco Track Guide
AMG's thread had this picture - seems a bit rough. I prefer this one
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monte_Carlo_Formula_1_track_map_with_streets.svg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Monte_Carlo_Formula_1_track_map.svg
Guide works with these turn numbers.
The fluffy Historical bit.
Covering an area of 1.97 square kilometres, Monaco is the world’s second smallest independent state after the Vatican. It comprises the districts of Monte Carlo, La Condamine, Fontvieille, Le Larvotto, Les Moneghetti and Monaco Ville. The total population of this state, which imposes neither income tax nor inheritance tax, is 33,300. Of these, 5,070 are true Monegasques. Monaco has the highest population density of any state in the world. The head of this constitutional hereditary monarchy is Prince Albert II, who is the son of the Hollywood actress Grace Kelly .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circuit de Monaco is the name given to a motor racing circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighborhood of Monaco. In the GT series the track is known as Cote d Azur. This is useful as the real Monaco circuit is much harder with less regularity on the track than is presented in Polyphony Digital's simulation. It has been in the GT series since GT3 - a game that was blessed with several doppelganger formula cars.
Always held on the weekend following Ascension Day, the Monaco Grand Prix remains the most famous race on the F1 calendar. First held in 1929, the street circuit is tight, twisty, bumpy, slow and totally unforgiving Over the years it has been sanitised with a thick layer of armco, in the past it was often a straw bale to protect a car from an impact with a cast iron lamp post. The curbs onto the pavements were also totally exposed, now the armco tends to sit flush with the curbs which makes for an even tighter feeling to the track, but much safer for those who do deviate from the racing surface.
In terms of chassis set-up, the one overriding concern at Monaco is downforce. Overall speeds are low - cars may reach a maximum of 180mph through the famous tunnel, but the average speed for a lap is less than half that. The result is that engineers throw everything they can at their cars to generate downforce and optimise low-speed handling. Securing a good grid position is vital since overtaking is truly problematic, while fuel consumption and tyre wear are not significant issues. It's a weekend that requires maximum concentration and consistency from drivers and team members alike.
In GT there are several races here but My most memorable was the Historic Race car event in ASpec which was made extremely hard by the fact my best Historic car was a Shelby Cobra and I was up against Ferarri P4's and Chaparral 2J's.
History
The idea for a Grands Prix race around the streets of Monaco came from Anthony Noghes, the president of the Monegasque car club and close friend of the ruling Grimaldi family. The inaugural race was held in 1929 and was won by William Grover-Williams in a Dark Green painted Bugatti.
Characteristics
The race circuit has many elevation shifts, tight corners, and a narrow course that make it perhaps the most demanding track in the GT series with the exception of the Italian Assisi track found in GT4. Unfortunatly as damage is not modeled in any great depth the fear of running fast here is greatly reduced. The real circuit is much harder, man hole covers drains quite different adhesion levels form different patches of asphalt - Some places hard get used. In Real Grand Prix weekend the grip level jst ramps up over the days as the amount of rubber is painted onto the track - In GT you get optimal grip from the off - it doesn't evolve over the weekend (And Thursday!)
As English Commentator, Murray Walker would say. "Just a slight impact on the Armco barrier - that won't slow this driver down."
In the past it was far more dangerous. A freak wave flooded the track just as the cars came into the Tabac corner. creating a huge multi car pile up. Several corners have been locations of terrible accidents. The Chicane has seen double World Champion, Alberto Ascari, crash into the Mediteranean. He survived only to perishwhilst testing in Monza shortly afterwards. Lorenzo Bandini the Libyan Born Italian Ferrari driver had a terrible crash at the Nouvelle Chicane, trapped inside his car as it caught fire.
In real life the weather is a constant threat, a little bit of rain is a reality in real life, but in GT5 you can enjoy 24/7 sunshine.
Despite the fact that the course has changed many times during its history, it is still considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One. Even though modern F1 machines coddle the driver it is much safer.
Due to the tight and twisty nature of the circuit, it favours the skill of the drivers over the power of the cars. Stirling Moss's epic duel in 1961, with the all conquering sharknosed Ferrari 156's in a humble Lotus 18, has gone down into legend. However, there is very little overtaking as the course is so narrow and dangerous. Racing round the course has been likened to riding a bicycle round your bathroom or, in Nelson Piquet's words, "Flying a helicopter in your living room". The famous tunnel section (marked in grey in the circuit diagram above) is said to be difficult for drivers to cope with due to the quick switch from light to dark, then back to light again, at one of the fastest points of the course.
The Track Guide
Turn 1 Right Sainte Devote
Critical corner. Prime passing point frequent location of first lap foolishness. The ideal line will give you a huge advantage heading up the steep start to the lap. If you are off line defending then you can kiss goodbye to that lap record atempt for this lap. On the left side of the track is a small escape road, and behind some of the armco is a nice bronze of an F1 Mercedes from the 50's Also furth on the left is the church the corner is named after. And a rather elegant statue of a woman on a boat holding a dove.
Turn 2 - Combonation - Beau Rivage
Not the hardest piece of tarmac on the track, but it is one where if you are brave you may overtake on or force a pass on a Backmarker. On the left side near the exit after Les Princes Hotel is the Beau Rivage Hotel where you can get some rather nice balconies to watch the race from, or install the grid girls for an after race shindig.
Off line discarded bits of tyre and trach accumulate so be extra careful, and also don't forget those white lines, When it rains in Monaco those lines can turn a "led race" into a "red face". Just ask Nigel "1984" Mansell. Try to keep it smooth up the hill. Line of least resistance, but at the end you rwill want to be over on the right to make the best entry into Massenet. The car gets very light over the hill after the Hermitage Hotel just as the track passes the Princess Alice Avenue. at Massanet and just as it lands, you start to brake.
Turn 3 - Left - Massenet
Blind corner, quite long, the uphill drag of Beau Rivage levels off after the Hermitage and the bumps are tricky here. To be quick through here, you don't want to destabilise the car by heavy footed with the brakes; you want to let it glide in, which takes a lot of confidence. As you thread between the Hotel de Paris (On your left) and the Casino (Dead ahead) the track surface will be darker from shadows... don't use them as driving guides, use something larger that doesn't wander off when it gets cloudy. As the Casino Square corner is next you should give up the fast exit of Massenet and instead set up to take a tight line on the exit on the left to give the best possible line for the following Right hander.
Turn 4 - Right - Casino Square
This corner is right onto you. The ideal line through Massenet is actually to give up the fastest line through the corner but set yourself up for the best exit and line through Casino Square. This corner is an important one for a number of reasons. Mostly to do with overtaking. If you do muff the corner, you will lose speed. (In real life you will be out if you clunk the armco on either side) You want your exit to be as fast and smooth as you can as the downhill burp to Mirabeau is a potential passing place. There is a lump in the track on the left side of the on the exit. This creates some odd lines from people as some try to weave about trying to avoid it.
I like the run down this road. On your left is the old Tip Top bar which used to be the place to go after the race. Now drivers tend to mooch off to their Nimitz class yacht.
Turn 5 - Right - Mirabeau Haute
As you head into this tight slow 120° corner that drastically falls away you will be safe if you have the inside line. On the outside of the corner is the world famous Mirabeau Hotel. In the old days you could hook a wheel over the curb here and sling shot round, the corner is longer than you think but there is little to gain by nailing the exit.
Turn 6 - Left - Virage de la Gare
Back in the day there used to be a railway station here, and the lcals called the corner The Viarge de la Gare which translates as the Station Hairpin. Then in the late 60's (1966/1967?) they knocked it down and then built a hexagonally themed hotel. The Loews Hotel. But times change, the Hotel has been renamed several times: Fairmont, Gran Casino and Grand Hotel. Back in 1981 they had a fire in the hotel (When it was still valled Loews). It was put out here but the water used to put out the fire gushed onto the track in the tunnel beneath. The start had to be delayed and the race was run later in the afternoon and resulted in a tight race won by a very fortunate Gilles Villenueve in the horrendous Ferrari Turbo car.
Turn 7 Right Excellsior
Tough little corner Slightly confusing as some people consider this to be the first apex to Portier, others call it Mirabaeu Bas as the Hotel you can see ahead above. The Excellsior Hotel used to stand on the right as you approached the corner, but it has long since been replaced by stylish appartments and a shopping Mall. The corner has bolt down curbs now and drivers ruthlessly cut this corner to soften theturn which plumits downhill.
Turn 8 Right Portier
Tighter than you'd like, this corner leads to a long flat out section. So this is a corner you need to know well and have utmost confidence in getting through fast and clean. That will prevent people from forcing a pass but it can also help you force a pass on another car. Don't take it for granted though the Armco can still bite. Ending the race for Ayrton Senna when he seemed to have the victory secured and was under no pressure. (At the turn in,on the left, behind the armco is a Bronze Statue of a McLaren MP4 that is similar to Sennas car - except that it is made of Bronze and hasn't clunked into a steel barrier.)
The track itself has a nice view of the Mediteranean, however you are not at the lowest point on the track but the downhill drop does ease off giving the car a bit more grip than the last few corners.
Turn 9 Right Tunnel
The tunnel here is much longer that it used to be. As the Railways station was removed and a hotel was alowed to build over the track here. Conditions are tough, dusty dark with a fast simple sweep. But again debris and marbles accumulate off line so taking the wrong line will result in a dramaitci drop off in grip. Not the best option when you are getting to top speed through a tunnel and approaching one fo the better over taking points. As well as the change of light making visibility poor, a top flight formula car can lose up to a quarter of its theoretical downforce due to the unique aerodynamical properties of the tunnel. (They never teach you this in flight school.)
Turn 10/11 Left/Right - Nouvelle Chicane (or Harbour Chicane)
Not that new really. A tight flick flat takes you off the roads and onto the quayside moorings. Mistakes here have been costly in the past as drivers used to try to run the fast chicane close to flat out. This was altered and now a painfully tight and slow chicane forces drivers to crawl through the chicane. Which in itself has created a new overtaking point into this fiddly chicane.
Several accidents have been caused because of the hard stop into the chicane. The approach is a heavy downhill section and it is very easy for the driver to lose the back end of the car under heavy brakes.
Some drivers like to clatter over the curbs and say it is clean driving. Don't listen to them. This sort of idiot driving damages wheel rims and suspension struts which are not parts you want to fail on when the track is surrounded by armco barriers.
Turn 12 Left - Tabac
My personal favourite corner. Site of many accidents but the corner is pretty fast and has one fast line where you need to get as close to the short apex on the left Too close and it is race over. Too far wide and you are killing your lap times. Grip is high on the exit so your fronts should get you out of trouble as the extra grip on the track surface here will give a confident driver a siugnificant advantage.
A huge pile up here happpened one year in the 50's when a freak wave caused the drivers to get into a nasty accident. In 1981 it was the place where Nelson Piquet tripped over a pair of fueding backmarkers and lost a race he was in control of. It was also the palce where Martin Brundle had a terrible accident early in his career for Tyrell, which shattered his ankles. Worry not GT5 doesn't do that to drivers, yet. The corner is named after the old tobacconists shop that used to be located here on the outside of the corner.
Turn 13 Left - Louis
Fast entry to the Swimming pool section. Named after the local driver who was a force to be reckoned with in the 50's
Turn 14 Right - Chiron
Technically turn 13 is Louis Chron but I like to split the left/right between his names. It is a fast chicane, and you must consider them together. If you banzai the first left then you are in a world of hurt for the next corner.. if you make the exit.
The Swimming pool is on your right. But ahead is a much slower and tighter second chicane.
Turn 15 Right
Turn 16 Left Sortie Piscine
If Louis Chiron is impressivly fast this chicane is, awkward. Alex Wurz described it as "Routine" but you still have to worry for Barriers in GT5.
Turn 17 Left/Right - La Rascasse hairpin
Not as tough as it used to be, the left sweep entry is much softer making the double apex tight exit righthanded hairpin not as bad. After such a slow corner it is easy to get carried away up the adversly cambered hill to the final corner. Don't lose focus this close to th eend of the lap. If you need to pit then dive over to the right for the pit lane entrance. Stay far left to set up for the final narrow single line corner. If you are chasing another driver it is possible to scare them with a cheeky move up the inside here, but the proximity of the barriers tends to make a real passing move the stuff of fiction. Reality tends to end in a pair of cars with interlocked wheels facing the armco barriers.
Still a bit of gamesmanship can scare another driver into fluffing his lines through the final corner.
Turn 18/19 Right/Left - Virage Anthony Nogues
Named after the man who organised the very first event back in 1929. An easy corner to mess up, try not to as the start finish curve is aplace where the brave can try for an overtaking move. It is a single line corner and you just need time to find the line as the entry is blind due to the High Armco barriers which high a bronze sculpture of a Bugatti.
This leads you to the gracefully curving start finish straight, the pits are on your right. On the left are the Shangri-La/ Heracles and Ermanno hotels. The Panorama Hotel is set back from the track in St Devote and has the best rooftop terrace for watching the race on. I prefer Beau Rivage myself.
I will edit this, but need to post it rough now... feel free to add your own hints and tips
Posted early as I was typing it up and lost the lot editing it out i the initial post...
Cheers Blitz24
Last edited:
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