"I did say ‘patience’ Esteban": Monza traffic problems recur in practice

Concerns drivers would hold each other up while trying to get slipstreams at Monza were borne out in Friday’s second practice session.

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Monza’s few corners and long straights mean drivers can gain a significant lap time advantage by positioning themselves a few seconds behind a leading car and running in their slipstream.

Last year most of the drivers who reached Q3 failed to start their final laps early enough after slowing down to get slipstreams during their out-laps.

In second practice today a queue of 15 cars formed at one point when the entire field took to the track to set laps on the soft tyres, mimicking the circumstances which can be expected in Q1 on Saturday. Only the Mercedes and Red Bull drivers, plus Lando Norris who had a power unit problem on his McLaren, avoided the queue.

Despite not being in the queue, Lewis Hamilton was among the drivers who raised concerns about the traffic after the session.

Gasly and Ocon compromised each others’ laps

Two drivers had compromised laps as a result of the traffic. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly came out of the final corner Parabolica close together, and compromised the run each other had into the Rettifilio chicane at the start of the lap. Gasly went off at the chicane, while Ocon also had to back out of his run.

Gasly had passed several cars before starting his lap, the last of which was Ocon. However Ocon’s race engineer told the Renault driver he could have avoided the problem by backing off after Gasly went by.

“It was very complicated with traffic and slipstreaming, so we’ve learnt a little bit on that ahead of qualifying,” said Ocon after practice.

The FIA has told drivers it will declare a maximum time between the Safety Car Line Two at the start of a lap and Safety Car Line One at the end. This will be used as a guide to determine if any driver slows excessively on their out-lap.

The maximum time will be based on the data gained from today’s practice sessions, and is intended to prevent drivers backing off excessively and causing potentially dangerous situations.

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Ocon and Gasly’s radio messages from second practice

To Ocon	So cars behind on out-laps: Gasly, Perez, Daniel, Kvyat, Stroll.
To Ocon	Passes Grosjean, then passes Magnussen and Griovinazzi during this message. So patience when you get to turn 11, I’ll give you a signal.
To Ocon	Recharge off.
To Ocon	Gasly passes him. Ocon accelerates out of Parabolica behind Gasly. Patience, patience, patience, patience.
To Ocon	Ocon passes Gasly before start line. Try off.
Ocon	Gasly passes Ocon approaching Rettifilio. Gasly goes off at Rettifilio, Ocon’s line into the corner is compromised. Fucking hell. Stupid.
To Ocon	Well, I did say ‘patience’, Esteban.
Ocon	No I’m talking about Gasly.
To Ocon	I know. You could have just let him go. Anyway, Magnussen timed lap right behind you. Watch for him.

To Gasly	Lesmo 2 We have Ocon in front and Grosjean is opening a big gap in front of him.
To Gasly	Grosjean is picing up the pace now, catching the pack.
To Gasly	OK take it easy in Ascari and then try to do weaving again.
To Gasly	We have many cars in front.
To Gasly	Exit of Ascari Danny is three cars behind us.
To Gasly	There’s a few people on cool-down in front on out-laps. It’s a big mix. Shift three. Brakes are good.
To Gasly	Passes Grosjean, Magnussen, Giovinazzi and Ocon before Parabolica Charge off.
Gasly	Ocon passes Gasly before start line. Then Gasly passes Ocon approaching Rettifilio. Gasly goes off at Rettifilio, Ocon’s line into the corner is compromised. For fuck’s sake.
To Gasly	OK everyone pushing behind you, Pierre, everyone pushing behind you now.

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2020 Italian Grand Prix

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8 comments on ““I did say ‘patience’ Esteban”: Monza traffic problems recur in practice”

abananasplitz
4th September 2020, 19:15

When he drove for Force india for some reason i allways tended to see Perez at fault for putting Ocon in the wall so often but the more time that passes and as more incidents keep happening im begining to see where the real issue was and this no patience thing seems to be a running theme with him.

BaKano (@bakano)
4th September 2020, 19:53
It does look that way.
If more of these situations keep on occurring this season and If the gap to Daniel is not closed, I’ll also change my opinion of him and not rate him as high as before…
1. abananasplitz
  4th September 2020, 20:06
  personally im not sure he can close the gap to Ric but im def keeping a keen eye on that.
  and ill add to the patience thing that Max also has this issue but he looks to be maturing and learning that backing off a lil and having paitience will pay off more times then wildcard seat of your pants go for every gap regardless does and i couldnt stand the hype around Max bc of this at the time but he has grown on me alot but SPA 2019 was hopefully the last time he’ll do something so cringe.
  1. abananasplitz
    4th September 2020, 20:14
    Also if i was Max in brazil 2018 i would have taken Ocons front teeth as a trophy and taken a 5 race ban with stride for it :)
  2. The Skeptic (@)
    5th September 2020, 4:24
    Occon hasn’t got what it takes to catch Ricciardo.
    I am 100% in agreement with on Verstappen. I wasn’t a fan for a few years – he was being given too much praise, which made him a worse driver. In the past two seasons he has taken a huge step forward. He still drives hard and races with determination, but he no doesn’t weave in braking zones anymore and he manages the car and tyres very well. Perhaps he has been learning from Hamilton?
    Verstappen is also an independent thinker – and sprouts a lot less BS than some of the other leading drivers. That makes him even more likeable!