Monaco GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

MONACO GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Daniel Ricciardo wins the Monaco Grand Prix despite a mechanical problem with his Renault powered Red Bull.

    The Australian made a good start from pole position but reported a loss of power not long after the pit stops. Sebastian Vettel was able to close in on the back of his former team-mate but Ricciardo gave him no opportunity to pass.

    Though his team told him there was no way the problem could be resolved, Ricciardo managed to problem and began to build a gap to Vettel in the closing stages of the race. He finished more than 
seven seconds ahead of the Ferrari to take his second victory of the season.

    Lewis Hamilton spent the majority of the race worried about tyre wear. The championship leader was the first of the front runners to pit after starting on the softest compound of tyre. He felt as if he weren’t able to push and allowed Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas to close in on the back of his Mercedes, but managed to make it to the end of the race and claim third, his championship lead narrowing to just four points to Vettel.

    Raikkonen and Bottas took fourth and fifth ahead of Esteban Ocon.

    Renault opted for an alternative strategy with Nico Hulkenberg, pitting the German far later than most of the field. After starting 11th, he’d managed to climb up to sixth before his pit stop, and came out just ahead of the recovering Max Verstappen, who started from the back after a crash in FP3.

    Hulkenberg was allowed past team-mate Carlos Sainz to take seventh and set about attacking Pierre Gasly for sixth. The Renault ran out of laps before he could find a way past Gasly and the pair finished seventh and eighth.

    Verstappen pulled out some stunning moves, including one around the outside of Sainz at the chicane, to finish ninth. He lies sixth in the championship standings but 25 points behind Raikkonen and three points ahead of Fernando Alonso.

    Alonso could have overtaken the Red Bull in the championship standings were it not for a gearbox problem that brought his race to a premature end. He had been fighting to keep Gasly behind him when he pulled to a stop at the side of the track, taking his first retirement of the season.

    Charles Leclerc and Brendon Hartley also retired after coming together in the closing stages of the race. The Sauber’s brakes failed and he hit the back of Hartley at the chicane, bringing out the virtual safety car.

    Team-mate Marcus Ericsson finished just outside the top 10 in P11, ahead of Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Romain Grosjean.

    After a promising start to the weekend, Williams suffered another disappointing race. Sergey Sirotkin was handed a drive through penalty after mechanics were forced to change a wheel on his Williams less than three minutes before the race. He struggled to make improvements and finished 16th, ahead of team-mate Lance Stroll, who suffered two punctures.

RESULTS:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 25 Points
2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France / + 8 Points
7. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / +  6 Points
8. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / + 4 Points
9. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 2 Points
10. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden /
12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
14. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
15. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
16. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
17. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

RETIRED - Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / Collision
RETIRED - Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand / Collision*
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain / Gearbox

* - (Hartley) 5-Second-Time-Penalty for speeding in the Pit-Lane

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Formula 2 - Monaco - Sprint Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - MONACO - SPRINT RACE - RESULTS

1. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy / + 15 Points*

2. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland / + 12 Points

3. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 10 Points**

4. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 8 Points

5. Arjun Maini / Trident / India / + 6 Points

6. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany / + 4 Points

7. Roberto Merhi / MP Motorsport / Spain / + 2 Points***

8. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / + 1 Point + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

9. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

10. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

11. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan / RETIRED / Accident+

12. Santino Ferrucci / Trident / USA / RETIRED / Accident+****

RETIRED - Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel / Collision

RETIRED - Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / Collision

RETIRED - Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland / Engine

RETIRED - George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / Crash

RETIRED - Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia / Crash

RETIRED - Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / Throttle Sensor Failure

DID NOT START - Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil / Hand Injury

* - (Fuoco) 0.8-Second-Time-Penalty added to final race time for failing to to meet minimum time after FIA lights turned green at end of safety car period

** - (Norris) 1.1-Second-Time-Penalty added to final race time for failing to meet minimum time after FIA lights turned green at end of safety car period. Norris originally finished 2nd but drops down to 3rd

*** - (Merhi) 5-Second-Time-Penalty for overtaking Maini during the safety car period.

**** - (Ferrucci) 10-Second-Time-Penalty for conducting clutch bite point checks in Pit-Lane

+ - Notes Fukuzumi and Ferrucci completed at least 90% of the race distance and were both qualified as finished, despite retiring during the race

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Monaco GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

MONACO GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Daniel Ricciardo took Pole Position after previously topping all three Free Practice sessions. Team-mate, Verstappen, was left unable to participate after his heavy crash in P3. His car required multiple fixes and a gearbox change. It was not ready in time for Q1.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

6. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain

8. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain

9. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

10. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

11. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany

12. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

13. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

14. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

15. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

16. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

17. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

18. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France*

19. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

DID NOT QUALIFY - Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands**

* - (Grosjean) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for causing a collision with Hulkenberg & Gasly in Spain.

** - (Verstappen) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox change + 10-Place-Grid-Penalty for MGU-K replacement. 

NOTE: Verstappen did not qualify but was given permission by stewards to race.

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Monaco GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MONACO GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Daniel Ricciardo topped the final free practice session during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. 

    Ricciardo was fastest for Red Bull with a 1:11.786, just ahead of his team-mate, Verstappen, who did a 1:11.787. The duo had also topped the previous two practice sessions.

    In third was Sebastian Vettel with a 1:12.023. He was also followed by his team-mate, Raikkonen, who helped to keep both Scuderia Ferrari cars in the top 5 with a 1:12.142.

    Mercedes were the next two in the order with Hamilton in 5th and Bottas in 6th. Bottas suffered from damage to the back of his Mercedes after trying to get out of the Saint Devote run-off by performing a spin. However, he still finished with a time of 1:12.356.

    Although victorious on the time-sheets, Verstappen ended up having a heavy crash near the swimming pool area of the circuit. The crash left his car heavily damaged and requiring a new gearbox, which kept him out of qualifying later that day. Thankfully Verstappen was uninjured.

    Hartley, Gasly, Sainz and Sirotkin rounded up the top 10.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:11.786 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

2. Max Verstappen - 1:11.787 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:12.023 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:12.142 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Lewis Hamilton - 1:12.273 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:12.356 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

7. Brendon Hartley - 1:12.752 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

8. Pierre Gasly - 1:12.761 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:12.850 / Renault-Renault / Spain

10. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:12.854 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

11. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:12.874 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

12. Esteban Ocon - 1:12.940 / Force India-Mercedes / France

13. Sergio Perez - 1:13.025 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:13.112 / Renault-Renault / Germany

15. Fernando Alonso - 1:13.279 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

16. Lance Stroll - 1:13.595 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

17. Charles Leclerc - 1:13.644 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

18. Romain Grosjean - 1:13.881 / Haas-Ferrari / France

19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:14.192 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:14.221 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Formula 2 - Monaco - Feature Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - MONACO - FEATURE RACE - RESULTS

1. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 25 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

2. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia / + 18 Points

3. Roberto Merhi / MP Motorsport / Spain / + 15 Points

4. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland / + 12 Points

5. Arjun Maini / Trident / India / + 10 Points

6. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 8 Points

7. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 6 Points

8. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy / + 4 Points

9. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / + 2 Points

10. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan / + 1 Point

11. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany

12. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

13. Santino Ferrucci / Trident / USA

14. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan / RETIRED / Car Damage*

RETIRED - Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / Collision Damage** + 4 Points (Pole)

RETIRED - Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland / Collision Damage

RETIRED - George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / Crash

RETIRED - Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy / Collision Damage

DID NOT START - Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil / Hand Injury

* - Notes Makino completed at least 90% of the race distance and was qualified as finished, despite retiring during the race

** - (Albon) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for Sprint Race for causing a collision with de Vries.

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Monaco GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MONACO GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Red Bull continued to dominate Thursday practice as Daniel Ricciardo topped the times in FP2.

    The Australian set the fastest time of the day in the afternoon session, his 1m11.841s lap time making him the only driver to lap the Monte Carlo circuit in under 1m12s.

    Max Verstappen made it a Red Bull 1-2, his best time 0.194s off that of his team-mate, though he could have gone faster were it not for a badly timed red flag.

    Verstappen was on a push lap in the first half hour of the session, having already jumped to the top of the times, when the red flag was flown for a loose man hole cover, meaning he had to abandon his lap. Though he later improved on the 1m12.071s he’d set in the first half hour, it wasn’t enough to challenge his team0mate.

    Sebastian Vettel was the next closest driver, but the Ferrari was half a second off Ricciardo’s pace. Lewis Hamilton was a further 0.123s back, with Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas P5 and P6.

    Nico Hulkenberg took best of the rest in the Renault, though it was a far from perfect session for the German. Hulkenberg locked up his tyres on multiple occasions, prompting Renault to change their planned running and give his team-mate Carlos Sainz more long running, much to the Spaniard’s frustration. Sainz ended the day 10th overall and 0.153s off the pace of his team-mate.

    Stoffel Vandoorne and Fernando Alonso complete the top 10 in eighth and ninth.

    Brendon Hartley, who was top of the times early in the session, dropped down to 11th overall, beating his team-mate for the second consecutive session; Pierre Gasly could only managed 14th.

    The Force India split the two Toro Rosso drivers, with Sergio Perez taking 12th ahead of Esteban Ocon.

    Sergey Sirotkin rounded out the top 15, ahead of Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc, Romain Grosjean, Lance Stroll, and Marcus Ericsson.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:11.841 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
2. Max Verstappen - 1:12.035 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:12.413 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:12.536 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:12.543 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:12.642 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:13.047 / Renault-Renault / Germany
8. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:13.077 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
9. Fernando Alonso - 1:13.115 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
10. Carlos Sainz - 1:13.200 / Renault-Renault / Spain
11. Brendon Hartley - 1:13.222 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
12. Sergio Perez - 1:13.370 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Esteban Ocon - 1:13.382 / Force India-Mercedes / France
14. Pierre Gasly - 1:13.410 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
15. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:13.547 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:13.572 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
17. Charles Leclerc - 1:13.575 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
18. Romain Grosjean - 1:13.763 / Haas-Ferrari / France
19. Lance Stroll - 1:14.011 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:14.173 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Formula 2 - Monaco - Qualifying - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - MONACO - QUALIFYING - RESULTS

GROUP  A:

1. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand

2. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

3. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy

4. Santino Ferrucci / Trident / USA

5. Roberto Merhi / MP Motorsport / Spain

6. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

7. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

8. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain*

9. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

10. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany**

GROUP B: 

1. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

2. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil

3. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

4. Arjun Maini / Trident / India

5. Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

6. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

7. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan

8. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

9. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

10. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada

* - Notes Norris received a 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for impeding Albon

** - Notes Gunther ended up being disqualified from the final results for not completing a weigh check.

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Monaco GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

MONACO GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Daniel Ricciardo led a Red Bull 1-2 in the first free practice session on the streets of Monaco.

    Ricciardo and team-mate Max Verstappen spent most of the session lowering the benchmark on the hypersoft tyre, which makes its Formula 1 race debut this weekend.

    Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton briefly managed to take the top spot on his second run with the pink walled tyres, but dropped back as Verstappen and Ricciardo found improvements in the final third of the 90 minute session.

    Ricciardo ended the morning with a 1m12.126s lap around the Monte Carlo circuit, 0.154s ahead of Verstappen.

    Verstappen ran into trouble late in the session when he ran off at Sainte Devote. Instead of turning to return to the track, the Red Bull reversed under double waved yellows as the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel approached.

    The incident was investigated by the stewards, but no further action was taken.

    Ferrari appeared to be off the pace in Monaco. Vettel finished fourth fastest, half a second slower than Hamilton and 0.915s slower than Ricciardo, while Kimi Raikkonen was a further 0.025s back in fifth.

    Despite the unforgiving nature of the Monaco circuit, there were few incidents in FP1. Sergey Sirotkin suffered the most significant damage of the session after he hit the pit wall and damaged his rear right tyre. The Williams managed to continue, completing 40 laps and finishing 10th overall. Lance Stroll finished 18th, just ahead of Marcus Ericsson.

    Fernando Alonso also had a difficult session on his return to Monaco after skipping the GP last season to race in the Indy 500. The McLaren driver complained of a “long brake” early in the session. McLaren was forced to change the floor on his car due to a brake-by-wire problem which kept him in the pits for the majority of the session. He was able to get back out later in the session, finishing 17th quickest. His team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne took 15th overall.

    Haas also ran into problems in FP1, with Romain Grosjean needing his floor replaced and Kevin Magnussen suffering a possible injector problem. The ended the morning ninth and 20th respectively.

    Carlos Sainz finished best of the rest in sixth, 0.05s ahead of Valtteri Bottas who could only manage seventh overall.

    Sergio Perez took eighth, while Esteban Ocon finished just outside the top 10 in P11.

    Brendon Hartley ended the session in P12, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly.

    Charles Leclerc ended his first F1 session of his home GP P16.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:12.126 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
2. Max Verstappen - 1:12.280 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:12.480 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:13.041 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:13.066 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
6. Carlos Sainz - 1:13.456 / Renault-Renault / Spain
7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:13.502 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
8. Sergio Perez - 1:13.717 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
9. Romain Grosjean - 1:13.943 / Haas-Ferrari / France
10. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:13.962 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
11. Esteban Ocon - 1:14.000 / Force India-Mercedes / France
12. Brendon Hartley - 1:14.034 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:14.034 / Renault-Renault / Germany
14. Pierre Gasly - 1:14.240 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
15. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:14.291 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
16. Charles Leclerc - 1:14.521 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
17. Fernando Alonso - 1:14.637 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
18. Lance Stroll - 1:14.782 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:15.206 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
20. Kevin Magnussen - 1:18.801 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

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Formula 2 - Monaco - Free Practice - TIMES

FORMULA 2 - MONACO - FREE PRACTICE - TIMES

1. Nyck de Vries - 1:21.670 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

2. Nicholas Latifi - 1:22.320 / DAMS / Canada

3. Lando Norris - 1:22.340 / Carlin / Great Britain

4. Jack Aitken - 1:22.526 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

5. Sergio Sette Camara - 1:22.553 / Carlin / Brazil

6. Alexander Albon - 1:22.604 / DAMS / Thailand

7. Artem Markelov - 1:22.656 / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

8. Louis Deletraz - 1:22.675 / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

9. Maximilian Gunther - 1:22.772 / BWT Arden / Germany

10. Luca Ghiotto - 1:22.810 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

11. Ralph Boschung - 1:22.814 / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

12. Arjun Maini - 1:22.860 / Trident / India

13. Tadasuke Makino - 1:23.072 / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

14. Sean Gelael - 1:23.193 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

15. Nirei Fukuzumi - 1:23.253 / BWT Arden / Japan

16. Antonio Fuoco - 1:23.548 / Charouz Racing System / Italy

17. Roberto Merhi - 1:23.943 / MP Motorsport / Spain

18. Santino Ferrucci - 1:24.051 / Trident / USA

19. Roy Nissany - 1:25.047 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

20. George Russell - 1:42.533 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Pierre Gasly - “Truth is, I’ve never been particularly lucky racing at Monaco in the junior formulas. I’ve always had a crazy time there, like there’s a black cat on my case. So I hope it’s going to change this year, as it’s a track I really like.

    While I’ve always loved qualifying at Monaco, the races have been a bit of a pain, because it’s very difficult to overtake, so everything depends on strategy and you have to maintain full concentration all the way to the end. Even when you think nothing will change, someone can make a mistake in the closing stages and there could be an opportunity, so you have to be ready to take it. It’s a very long race and it can be a bit frustrating because overtaking a car that’s quite a bit slower than you is still not easy, if the driver in front is doing a good job of defending his position, so it’s very complicated.

    They say the driver makes the difference here, but with the nature of the track and the bumps, it’s still important to have a good car, although it is also true that a good driver can go and find those last couple of tenths of a second that matter most. You have to be careful as the track evolves over the weekend, so you must not rush at it, but build up gradually, until you are at your fastest for Saturday afternoon. It is a crazy track, with some parts where you go at 300 km/h and on the Monday after the race, people in their cars aren’t even doing 50. So the streets are normally not made for the sort of speeds we travel at, but I love that, it gets the adrenaline going.

    There’s a lot going on apart from the racing, but I’m able to switch off from all that and I adore the Monaco party atmosphere with the crowds, the yachts in the harbour and it's great fun for everyone. For us drivers, it’s even more fun if we have a good result on Sunday. For many years now, this has been considered the home race for us French drivers, but this year, with Ricard on the calendar, Monaco will be like a second home race.”

Brendon Hartley - “I’ve lived in Monaco for coming up for three and a half years. I actually live on the race circuit and can see the track from my apartment. Monaco is one of the highlights of the calendar and living here, there were times when I asked myself if I’d ever see the day that I’d actually get to race it again. New Zealand is definitely my home but I’ve made a home for myself together with Sarah and a great group of friends in Monaco, so this week is going to feel a little bit like a home race. It will be nice to wake up in my own bed and have all those routines of being at home.

    It’s a track I love. I’ve raced there a couple of times before in World Series by Renault. I had a third and fourth there. I think when I was third, Daniel (Ricciardo) won the race. I had a pretty strong race one year coming from P8 to P4, making a few good overtakes on the way. I love racing on street tracks so it’s something I’m looking forward to, I’d like to say I know the track pretty well, having been there a couple of times before and it being in my back yard, so to speak.

    The track in Monaco is completely unique. I think it would be hard for them to design a track like that today. It’s got so much history and we all love it. It’s the slowest track on the calendar but I can assure you that in a Formula 1 car it feels anything but slow. It is a huge adrenaline rush. Clipping those kerbs, millimetres from the wall. It’s a huge rush and it’s massively satisfying to get a good lap around there. The track is evolving the whole weekend, starting with a completely dirty track. It’s one of those races that evolves every single lap. Come qualifying, when the grip’s going up, that’s a real thrill. It’s definitely a track you need to build up to. To navigate around there, millimetres from the wall on the limit, requires a great deal of confidence behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car and it’s what a lot of us drivers look forward to and thrive off.

    It’s definitely a great atmosphere in Monaco. I’ve been on the Energy Station the last couple of years, watching and having a good time. I think this year will be an even better time being behind the wheel and, as a driver, you don’t have too much time to get caught up with all the glitz and glam, but still you’re aware it’s all going on in the background.”

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Monaco is always one of the highlights of the season. It is a very special and unique race. Driving on the streets of Monte Carlo is always an amazing experience, and a fun challenge as there is no room for errors. As a driver, it is important to have a lot of confidence in your driving. You have to build up your speed over the weekend, and get closer and closer to the limit. It is also a challenge for the teams to find the right set-up and balance. I really look forward to going to Monaco – it will be a fun weekend.”

Charles Leclerc  - “There are a lot of emotions for me, with my first Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix coming up this weekend. I have dreamt of being part of this event ever since I was a child and it is incredible for this dream to finally come true. It will be nice to have my friends and family there to support me, and I look forward to sharing this special moment with the Monegasque people. Driving on city circuits is something I always enjoy, and I love the challenge that it brings to me as a driver. Although I know the city well, it will be a completely new experience for me to drive on the streets of Monte Carlo in a Formula 1 car. I look forward to gaining a different perspective on my home town. It will be an unforgettable weekend for me, and I can’t wait for it to start.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - "I love everything about Monaco. It’s my favourite track and it’s one of the biggest races of the year. I always try to enjoy the week as much as possible. I try to soak up the special atmosphere and make the most of the opportunity to drive on this amazing circuit. I always feel very lucky to be driving in Monaco.

    The reason I like Monaco so much is because it’s not easy. It’s a massive challenge and it’s always a tough race. Every lap you are under pressure. There is no chance to relax. You need to build up your speed, build your confidence and be careful not to overstep the limit. When the car is working well and you have confidence, it’s the best feeling in the world.

    Qualifying in Monaco is the most important session of the year. I usually say that qualifying is 99% of the weekend because overtaking on Sunday is very difficult – unless it rains. So there is big pressure on the Saturday and it’s not easy to find space in Q1 when all the cars are on track. It can become a lottery. You rely on your team to help you find some space.

    I’ve had some good results in Monaco, especially the podium two years ago. I always enjoy street circuits and I think it’s another good opportunity for us to score points."

Esteban Ocon - "I think everybody loves going to Monaco. It’s just such a special place. When you think of F1, you think of Monaco. Driving on the famous streets in an F1 car was a dream come true and I’m just as excited to go back there this year.

    The location is so spectacular. It’s beautiful and glamorous with an amazing atmosphere. When you arrive at the start of the week you can’t help smiling when you walk down the pit lane and see all the final touches being made.

    The fans can get really close and I think that’s important. It’s definitely the busiest week of the year. All the sponsors want to be there and every night you have events. That’s why it’s great to have the additional day so that you can fit everything in.

    It’s also a true driving challenge. You have to be so precise and there is no room for error. You have to find the limit quickly and be careful not to step over it. Last year I found out the hard way in FP3, but with more experience this year I hope it won’t happen again."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - "Heading back to Monaco will be really exciting after a little break last year! I loved the Indy experience of course, but Monaco is also a really special place to go racing, and it’s easy to see why it’s such a famous venue for a grand prix. It’s one of the most technically challenging circuits of the year simply because of the level of skill and concentration you need to get around lap after lap 78 times, as well as negotiating the traffic, strategy, weather and everything else this crazy race throws at you. 

    I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel there for the first time in two years and seeing how our car performs. For sure, we know the limitations of our package, and a slow-speed track such as this requires a totally unique set-up compared to anywhere else on the calendar, but it’s up to everyone to adapt and get the most out of our equipment. 

    Monaco is one of those tracks that tends to level the playing field a little and it’s a bit like throwing a dice. As we saw in Spain, even if you qualify well it doesn’t mean you won’t fall victim to drama which can change things around. So, we need to maximize everything on Saturday, and then fight hard on Sunday to earn as many points as possible.” 

Stoffel Vandoorne - "In Monaco, the whole race weekend is about staying out of trouble. Even if you’re not directly involved in an incident, the Safety Car can cause chaos in itself on a slow-speed track such as this, which can create more drama. You never really know what to expect there but that’s what makes this track so special. 

    The test in Spain gave us some great information that we’re already putting to good use in Monaco. Of course, it’s a very particular kind of track with different characteristics to others, but we can still adapt what we’ve learned and hopefully continue our step forward in performance. 

    Our first DNF of the year in Spain wasn’t the result we hoped for, but we’ve investigated and hope we won’t see any repeats of the same issue. Monaco is typically a race of attrition, so while the aim is always to stay out of trouble as much as we can, it’s also to stay out of the barriers!"

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It’s pretty difficult to race there. Every city racetrack is complicated. In Monaco, you can’t make any mistakes or you’re straight into the wall. It’s hard to find the right limit of the car. You always have to drive underneath (the limit), unless you’re in qualifying on a very fast lap. It’s very tight there, and it goes very fast between the walls. It’s a great challenge.

    It’s a driver’s track, where you need to have confidence in your car. But, on the other hand, if your car doesn’t give you any grip, you won’t have any confidence and you cannot make any difference. It’s just finding that very fine balance in between the car, the driver pushing it, and the fact that yes, once you’re very confident, you can actually make a bit of a difference.”

Kevin Magnussen - “Monaco is a great venue. It’s one of the most historic races of the year. On top of that, it’s just a really cool track to race at. I think it’s one of the best of the year. “I think it is a track where you can make a difference as a driver. You feel closer to the limit because of the walls and the high consequence of mistakes. Good drivers feel comfortable on that limit, or close to that limit, and will excel in Monaco.

    From my side, Monaco is the same as any other race. Obviously, winning Monaco would be a dream, but we’re not really fighting for the win there. From our side, we’re still fighting for points, trying to have a good weekend and taking away points. I can understand, though, why the drivers who have won at Monaco feel really happy about that.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "Nothing compares to Monaco, there is no place like it. It’s the highlight of the year and the race I most look forward to. It’s just so unique and special in every aspect; the glitz, the glamour, the circuit itself, the whole vibe is amazing throughout the weekend. It’s one of those tracks which give you a sensation of speed and, in turn, a real buzz."

Carlos Sainz - "Confidence in yourself, and in your car, is key to a successful weekend. You build that confidence up in little steps, all the way up to qualifying when you aim to be at 100%. Qualifying is crucial in Monaco, and it’s usually very tense. I would say it’s one of the toughest sessions of the whole season, if not the toughest and you need to carry that extra level of determination for it. When you nail your qualifying lap at this track, there isn’t any feeling like it, it’s amazing."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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