Lap 3
Last turn, Rindt (yellow) got stuffed to the outside of Sainte Devote at 80 mph -- getting stuck in corners being a repeating theme for Rindt this race. I (brown) was sitting on the line behind him, so I knew that I could go 100 for 2 wear and pass him... so I did and move into 3rd. I think I can catch Stewart (green) who has less wear than I do but a slightly higher top speed.
Oh look, Rindt (yellow) is stuck in a corner again. This time it was my doing (brown). In fact, I stuck him in Mirabeau last turn too. Poor Rindt. I have 12 wear left at this point... I'm on schedule and feeling good about that. But Fangio (blue with black wing) has 16 and Mansell (white with black wing) have 19 and are right behind me. Good thing I'll gain some space when I clear Portier next turn and they don't.
Raikkonen (blue car in last) has 20 wear left. I suspect he'll pass some people before this is over.
Up front we have a new leader after Stewart (green) passes Vettel (red) through the chicane by spending 2 wear to Vettel's 1. Vettel now has more wear left than Stewart. I (brown) did create a gap to the cars behind me through Portier.
And continuing Rindt's (yellow) sad mid-race, Mansell (white with black wing) and Alonso (red) pass him coming our of Portier after Mansell pushes and Alonso takes a slip.
Next turn, Raikkonen tried for 200 and broke his accel down to 160 but still passed Hunt. Fittipaldo tried for 180 but broke his accel to 40 although still passed hunt with the slip from Raikkonen.
Lap 4
Two turns into our 4th and final lap, Jackie Stewart (green w/ black wing) has 3 wear left. Vettel (red up front) sits 2nd with 5 wear. I'm (brown) in 3rd with 6 wear.
Alonso (red further back), just passed Mansell (white w/ black) coming out of La Rascasse with his better acceleration but Mansell has 14 wear left to Alonso's 8. The rub for Mansell is he may not be able to spend that much over the last lap.
The remainder of the field in order:
Fangio (blue w/ black) -- 12 wear
Raikkonen (blue, who just passed Rindt in La Rascasse) -- 12 wear
Rindt (yellow) -- 7 wear
Fittipaldi (green) -- 3 wear
Hunt (white) -- 9 wear
Stewart (green w/ black) has 1 wear left and it looks to me like that will be enough to get him the win.
Vettel (red in front) spent 1 wear this turn running wide in Portier. I (brown) spent 4 wear this turn: 2 on the line in the hairpin and 2 in the 40 space at Portier. This was my big move to pass Vettel. We both have 2 wear remaining and my better acceleration should compensate for my slower current speed and maintain my inside position heading into the last 2 corners.
Mansell (white w/ black) still has 10 wear and is still in 5th -- failing to spend all the wear. Fangio (blue w/ black) got stuffed by Mansell outside in the hairpin and has 7 wear left. Raikkonen (blue) also has 7 wear left as he sits on the line just after Mirabeau.
Rindt's (yellow) race continues to fall apart. He fell to last through Sainte Devote then broke his acceleration -- now at 20.
I (brown) pushed acc and top last turn to gain a space on Vettel (red up front). Vettel pushed his top this turn to pull even with me. We both sit right in front of the chicane with 2 wear. Vettel would is going 160 and so will probably spend at least 1 wear next turn in the corner. My original plan was to go 80 here then spend my last 2 wear next turn when I was going to get stuck in La Rascasse... but I can't let Vettel in front of me, so I'm going to plot 120 for next turn. We'll see how that works in a second.
Alonso (red in 4th) has 2 wear left but can't shake Mansell (white w/ black) who has 8 left and pushed his top speed to stay only a space back.
Hunt (white) has only 2 wear left and went slowly through Portier. That ends up keeping Raikkonen (blue) from tucking in behind Fangio (blue w/ black) after Raikkonen passes Hunt through the corner.
In the back a battle is brewing between Fittipaldi (green) who is out of wear and stuck in the corner vs Rindt (yellow) with 5 wear but only a 20 acceleration.
Two turns later we see why my move in the Chicane worked. Last turn I (brown) was a space in front of Vettel (red in 3rd). He had 1 wear to my 0, but he could not use it this turn. Vettel went 80 could not be in the first 60 space and the 40 space would have been a wear and a chance that we was unwilling to do so he late braked.
Alonso (red in 4th) is out of wear but has caught up to us. As has Mansell (white w/ black) who still has more wear left than he can use.
Raikkonen (blue) tested his damaged top speed to get to 180 and pull even with Fangio (blue w/ black) through the Tunnel a couple turns ago and they remain side-by-side through the Chicane.
In the back, Rindt (yellow) has pulled even with Fittipaldi (green) despite the 20 acceleration.
Stewart crosses the line for the win.
Vettel (red in 3rd) spends his last wear to pull even with me (brown) and setup a drag race across the line for 2nd. Alonso (red in 5th) took a chance in La Rascasse which would have put him right behind Vettel and I but Alonso spun. That forced Mansell (white w/ black) to late brake and take the 40 space for 2 wear before ending up behind Vettel and I.
Next turn, Vettel and I both make our tests giving me 2nd and keeping Mansell in 4th.
Raikkonen (blue) would spend more wear in La Rascasse than Fangio (blue w/ black) giving him 5th as both pass the spun Alonso.
Rindt now uses his wear to pull ahead of Fittipaldi through the Chicane and La Rascasse to dig his way out of last.
Jackie Stewart is definately the car to beat so far. After a second place at Yeongam and a win at Monte Carlo he has 39 points.
Juan Fangio has to be disappointed with his 6th place finish this race. He only drops to 2nd on the season after 2 races but is now 11 behind Stewart.
Vettel now has two 3rd places in a row and sits 3rd only 6 points behind Fangio.
The big mover in the rankings after this race was me. My 2nd place finish propelled me past Nigel Mansell and Fernando Alonso and I'm only 1 point behind Vettel.
Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to gain places in the rankings -- moving up a spot over James Hunt.
Interestingly, the season rankings have fallen out in star order so far. I suppose that should be expected but it will be interesting to see how that plays out over 10 races.
I'm clearly really happy with 2nd at Monte Carlo but I think I am going to have to up my game to catch Stewart.
Keep an eye out for the next race in this series: 4 laps at Monza. ... the first report from Monza is here,
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