Backmarkers to make Monaco a ‘disaster’ – Hamilton

Backmarkers will make the Monaco grand prix “very tough” for F1’s faster cars, according to Lewis Hamilton.

The 2008 world champion’s car-to-pit radio was broadcasted live last Sunday when he said Virgin’s Lucas di Grassi did a “terrible job” being lapped.

“I don’t know what the hell he was doing there,” Hamilton later expanded in comments reported by British newspapers.  “It wasn’t very safe.”

The reporters asked the Briton if he thought the slow Virgin, Lotus and HRT runners would “screw” the pacesetters this weekend in Monaco, a twisty circuit confined by Armco barriers.

“It’s just very difficult when there is such a big (speed) difference,” said Hamilton, who was one of the drivers who had called for Q1 qualifying to be split into two groups for the fabled event.

“I lapped di Grassi four times in Spain.  That’s one of the biggest gaps I’ve had in formula one.

“You catch them so quick, it’s unreal.  When you see them you are second guessing where they will move out of the way, and then they move into the wrong position.

So far, fortunately, there have been no incidents and it has been ok, but Monaco will be very tough.  It could be a disaster,” added the McLaren driver.

His teammate Jenson Button agrees that traffic in Monaco will be “a nightmare”, as BBC commentator Martin Brundle describes the six slowest cars as “mobile chicanes”.

“Expect complaints and contact aplenty” in Monaco, Brundle added.

David Coulthard wrote in his latest Telegraph column that it is up to the teams to use their sophisticated GPS technology to help backmarkers let the faster cars through.

“They should be well able to get straight on the radio warning them that a faster car will be with them within a few seconds,” said the Scot.

© RIF|GMM