Unlike the other races so far in 2011, Monaco will not be an overtaking-fest, according to Ross Brawn.

The combination of the new ‘DRS’ rear wing system and Pirelli’s high-degrading tyres has caused an abundance of passing this year, even in Barcelona last weekend, the scene of usually processional grands prix.

But Monte Carlo will be a track too far for F1′s new formula, Brawn suspects.

“The finish line straight is too short,” said the Briton, alluding to the 380 metre ‘DRS’ zone that can be used by chasing drivers in the race.

“With our strategic planning we do not think overtaking will be much easier than before,” Brawn told Auto Motor und Sport.

“Even a driver two or three seconds faster struggles to overtake,” he said.

Brawn therefore thinks qualifying will, as ever, be arguably the most important day in Monaco this weekend.

“Track position is probably the decisive factor,” he agreed. “So grid position will be more important than at any other track.”

There are, however, some unknown factors — including the possibly extreme degradation of Pirelli’s so far unraced super-soft tyres, and the influence on a barrier-lined street circuit of the rubber ‘marbles’ seen so far in 2011.

“I’m not worried at all,” insisted the tyre supplier’s Paul Hembery to Auto Motor und Sport.

The Valencia street circuit is now a “home” for formula one, according to F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Ahead of its debut race in 2008, it is believed a seven-year contract was signed.

But the venue has met with criticism, including a 5.4 kilometre layout that has hosted processional races, and a lack of atmosphere due to the absence of many boats in the marina.

There were, however, a healthy 50,000 spectators for Saturday’s qualifying session, and Ecclestone is quoted by the local news agency EFE: “I’m very proud and pleased with Valencia.”

The Briton said he once thought setting up a circuit in the America’s Cup port area was “almost impossible” and a “20 year project completed in two”.

“It’s a miracle,” Ecclestone laughed.

“This is now a home for us.  Today a journalist told me ‘this is another Monaco’,” the 79-year-old added.

However, Telegraph writer Simon Briggs on Saturday described Valencia as “a poor man’s Monaco”.

(GMM)

Mark Webber on Sunday took over the lead of the world championship by winning his second consecutive grand prix in the space of a week.

The Australian, who was unchallenged in the Principality despite the appearance of several safety cars, dominated the entire Barcelona-Monaco double-header and is now level on points with his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel.

Team boss Christian Horner urged Vettel to “relax” if he wants to get back on terms with the sister RB6.

“Sebastian dominated at the start of the season but Mark has really found his stride,” the Briton told the BBC.

“Seb is trying very hard and sometimes you have to relax a little bit and the times will come,” added Horner.

The biggest loser of the Monaco race is the former title leader Jenson Button, whose Mercedes engine overheated during the first safety car period because McLaren mechanics left a bung in his sidepod.

It was a fairly processional but nonetheless incident-packed race, with both Williams drivers crashing, and backmarker Jarno Trulli mounting Karun Chandhok’s HRT right in front of the leader Webber.

There is also a post-race controversy in the stewards’ room, after Fernando Alonso was passed by Michael Schumacher in the short blast between the safety car pulling in and the waving of the chequered flag.

There is some uncertainty as to whether overtaking is allowed in those circumstances on the last lap, with Mercedes’ Ross Brawn and Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali both telling TV reporters their opposing views.

“Our understanding of the regulations is pretty clear but let’s just see what the stewards say,” said Domenicali.

(GMM)

May 4 (GMM)  After the processional season opener in Bahrain, assessments about the success or failure of F1′s new format have taken a back seat to the weather.

Rain either shook up the grid order or spiced up the grands prix in Australia, Malaysia and China, meaning that the question of whether the rules should be adjusted has been muted by arguably artificially-exiting races.

And the wait for clarity about the success of the 2010 formula, including the new ban on in-race refuelling, could now be extended into yet another race.

It is currently cold and wet in Barcelona, where about a half-hour north in the suburb of Montmelo round five of the world championship will be staged at the Circuit de Catalunya later this week.

The weather forecast for the city is for intermittently light and heavy rain showers throughout the week, with regular precipitation likely to remain a possibility until at least late on Sunday night when the skies could clear.

Presently, the forecast for Saturday – the day of qualifying – is for a cloudy day with a small chance of rain, while light rain in the morning is expected on race-day Sunday.

Even though Melbourne and Sepang hosted two exciting races within eight days, Bernie Ecclestone believes F1 still needs to implement changes.

After the debut of the sport’s new refuelling ban era produced a highly-criticised processional race in Bahrain, rain is taking at least some of the credit for the better spectacles witnessed at the next two races in 2010.

Before sodden Sepang shook up the grid order for the Malaysian GP, F1 supremo Ecclestone met with team bosses on Friday to discuss the problem of boring races.

“Don’t be fooled,” the 79-year-old is quoted as saying by the Telegraph. “We have been lucky with the rain. We have got to do something.

“For the first time the teams have realised that they have to do something about it. We don’t need reverse grids, we just need more overtaking,” said Ecclestone.

Asked what could be done, he suggested F1 should “make the front wing smaller and get rid of the double diffuser”.

YF1