FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

Alonso: McLaren has caught Renault/Haas

Fernando Alonso believes the McLaren Formula 1 team is now a match for Haas and Renault, despite finishing behind both in the Spanish Grand Prix.
McLaren introduced a substantial upgrade package for Barcelona and reached Q3 for the first time in 2018 with Alonso, who started between Kevin Magnussen's Haas and Carlos Sainz's Renault in eighth.

But Alonso finished 40 seconds adrift of Magnussen's sixth-placed Haas as he took the same position in the race.

Despite this, the double F1 world champion believes McLaren has now caught the teams that have been setting the 'best of the rest' pace behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull this year so far.

"We knew that the upgrades would put ourselves in a better position in the midfield pack," said Alonso.

"We did a good step. We were eight tenths behind Renault in Baku, nine tenths behind in China, but [in Spain] we were the same in qualifying and in the race.

"I think we caught up with Renault and probably with Haas as well, but the top three teams are still developing the cars at the same rate we do and unfortunately we've kept that gap."

Alonso was the only Q3 driver who had to use supersofts to get through Q2 at Barcelona, though his time in the pole shootout was within 0.045s of Magnussen's Haas ahead.

A brush with Sainz and then the need to avoid the massive crash triggered by Romain Grosjean's spinning Haas meant Alonso fell to 11th on the opening lap, and his race was then compromised by a long spell behind Charles Leclerc's Sauber.

"I was behind Leclerc half of the race and it was definitely difficult," said Alonso. "We are still lacking some straightline speed to be able to overtake.

"It's something that we are working on. We know our weakness on the car and hopefully we'll find solutions quite soon."

He declared himself "really happy" with his eventual eighth place given the early delay.

"Obviously we had a plan: starting with the supersoft tyre we knew that we had to overtake people in the first couple of laps and then stop early," Alonso added.

"Unfortunately we found that we lost positions in the first couple of corners because of the incidents, so at one point I thought that points were impossible.

"But we did a good race, a good strategy with only one stop and it's five consecutive races in the points."

Alonso is now seventh in the drivers' championship, having been leapfrogged by podium finisher Max Verstappen at Barcelona.

McLaren dropped out of the constructors' championship top four for the first time this year in Spain, as Sainz finishing one place ahead of Alonso in seventh moved Renault in front by one point.

[MIKA27]

HONDA: WE’RE LEARNING AND WORKING VERY HARD

After three years of disappointment and stress, Honda are now starting to flex their muscles in terms of using their vast resources to improve their Formula 1 programme, what seemed like a strange decision to ditch Renault is proving to be a shrewd one by Toro Rosso bosses.

Honda are starting to show the capacity of their substantial resources, with the quest for reliability the key priority.

Instead of scrapping their problematic power unit concept and starting from scratch, Honda has persisted with their current engine philosophy, improving components on a race-by-race or need-to basis.

Pierre Gasly got the partnership off to a strong start with fourth place in Bahrain, but there have also been glitches such as turbo failure at the season opener in Melbourne.

However, the way Honda respond by addressing problems has been a revelation for the Red Bull-owned team as a fix was found and implemented and since then the issue has not arisen again.

Speaking to the official F1 site, Honda Technical Director Toyoharu Tanabe explained the problem, “It was a hardware problem. We think we have cured the problem now – but we still haven’t run enough races.”

The last few years have taught Honda and their partners to be cautious when predicting resolutions to problems they face, “We have many areas that we need to work on to catch the other manufacturers. We are working hard. And we will keep working hard.”

“We are a new team. From the last race, we’re still learning a lot, technical things, also preparation at the track, how to work with the team efficiently. We’re still learning.”

“Concerning performance and reliability, we always need to compromise. If you push too hard on the performance, sometimes you can have reliability problems. We evaluate how much we can push on the performance, then we see the result in reliability. Then we try to find a compromise.”

“It’s not very easy to make big steps of improvement. Of course, we are planning to apply update items during the season. At the moment, we cannot tell you when they are coming.”

“There are many areas we need to improve the correlation. It’s not perfect enough. In some areas, we have good correlation. But in others, we need to improve,” added Tanabe.

It is clear that right now harmony prevails in the Toro Rosso Honda camp, as the two organisations work towards the same goal as one.

The same cannot be said of Honda’s fractious partnership with McLaren where cultures collided and what promised so much – after all, they enjoyed huge success in the eighties – but in the end the reunification delivered nothing, the organisations that teamed up in 2015 were vastly different from the ones of three decades ago.

Red Bull have shrewdly provided their junior team as a live testbed for the Honda power unit, a successful engine would provide the energy drinks outfit the excuse they need to finally rid themselves of Renault power – a partnership that has been on the brink of divorce on a couple of occasions.

If there is a company with the resources and determination to make a success of the project, it is Honda and by all accounts, their “second marriage” in this modern era might just have wings…

[MIKA27]

LAWRENCE STROLL: THIS IS A RUDE AWAKENING

Lawrence Stroll, whose many millions have helped bankroll his son into Formula 1 has admitted, that Lance’s second year has been a “rude awakening” however he keeps the faith the Williams will bounce back from one of the bleakest periods in their history.

After a season of learning in 2017 with veteran Felipe Massa in the Williams garage next to him, this year young Stroll is now partnered with rookie Sergey Sirotkin – the pair not helped by the fact that the former world champion team have provided them with a lemon of a car – perhaps the worst on the grid.

Stroll senior said in an interview with Motorsport Network, “I believe in Williams, I believe in the team. Clearly, they got it wrong so far. I do believe this is a rude awakening, and hopefully, it will bring the best out of the people, and they’ll fix it.”

“It’s sure not as quick as we’d like, and not as quick as they’d like either, but we’re not going anywhere else. Obviously, the car clearly isn’t where we hoped and wanted to be, it’s quite a way off. It’s pretty apparent to the eye what’s wrong with the car.”

“I gather everyone is trying their best, there’s a great sense of urgency in the team. It’s not that they don’t recognise the problem, everybody does. A blind person could see the problem. I know they’re working hard to fix it.”

Behind the scenes Stroll senior has been lobbying to align Williams more closely with Mercedes, “I’m not a board member, I don’t own one share of this team, I’m simply Lance’s father. Whatever they can do to make the car go better, I’m in favour of, let’s put it that way.”

Stroll junior has struggled with the car and has not been shy to let the paddock know, while his father continues to believe, “I think his performance, based on the car he has, has been phenomenal. He can’t qualify the car much better than where he qualifies it, but he does amazingly well on that opening lap.”

“He’s beaten his team-mate all five times, and beaten a lot of people that the car is not capable of beating. So from a performance point of view with Lance, we couldn’t be happier.”

“Obviously we’d like a better car to be at the front of the grid, but with the equipment he has, I don’t think he could be doing a better job,” added Stroll senior.

[MIKA27]

Ross Brawn expects Ferrari fightback in Monaco

Formula 1’s Managing Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn says he expects Ferrari to fight back in the wake of Mercedes’ dominant Spanish Grand Prix victory.

Ferrari claimed back-to-back wins to open the 2018 season and was in a position to contend for victories at the following two events, but ultimately missed out.

Ferrari entered the Spanish Grand Prix atop the standings but Mercedes dominated the weekend, locking out the front-row of the grid before romping to a 1-2 finish.

Sebastian Vettel came home only fourth, after a second pit stop due to concerns over tyre wear, while Kimi Raikkonen retired amid engine issues.

Brawn, though, expects Ferrari to mount a stern fightback, starting in Monaco, where the team was supreme 12 months ago.

“For the first time this season, Mercedes was the dominant force from start to finish over the weekend,” said Brawn.

“Barcelona was its second win of the year, but it was a far more commanding performance than the one in Baku.

“[Lewis] Hamilton and [Valtteri] Bottas showed a flash of what we had seen in qualifying in Melbourne, namely their and the car's full potential.

“Hamilton in particular had a weekend in which he was untouchable, especially in the race

“Is it a turning point, after Ferrari seemed to be the fastest team over the first four races?

“It's not that clear cut, because I expect that the Scuderia will fight back in Monaco, as will Red Bull, who were competitive in Spain, but not enough to fight for pole or the win.”

Brawn added: “For the first time this year, Ferrari really showed a drop in form.

“In all four previous races, the Italian team was always in the fight for pole, taking three out of the four, and for the win, which suggested the SF71H was the best car.

“Next up comes the Monaco Grand Prix and I expect to see Ferrari back on the pace there, capable of winning.”

[MIKA27]

Mika Hakkinen warns Kevin Magnussen he risks earning a 'bad reputation'

Two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen has warned Haas driver Kevin Magnussen that he risks earning a "bad reputation" following some questionable tactics in the last two races..

In Azerbaijan the Dane forced Pierre Gasly into the wall during a restart, leading the Frenchman to describe Magnussen as "the most dangerous guy I have ever raced with”. He was handed a time penalty and two penalty points.

Last weekend in Spain, Magnussen received a reprimand for aggressively blocking Charles Leclerc during practice, prompting Sauber team boss Fred Vasseur to hit out at the 25-year-old.

"It makes no sense to do something like this in free practice," said Vasseur. "I don’t want to say it makes sense in the race but I could understand, even if it is stupid. But in free practice, it’s just unacceptable."

Häkkinen suggested Magnussen had begun to cross a line of what's acceptable and risked earning a bad reputation in the sport.

"I have known Kevin for some time, as I knew his father Jan, and it’s good to see him producing some great results for Haas," Häkkinen wrote in his column for Unibet. 

"I have mixed feelings, however, because while | think it’s important for a driver to show his strength and commitment to the job, there have to be limits to what you are prepared to do in a race. 

"In the previous Grand Prix in Baku, I felt his move on Pierre Gasly was a big mistake, and in this business you don’t have to do that very often before you earn a bad reputation."

Hakkinen was full of praise for Sauber's Leclerc, whom he says has the "right attitude" whilst also "delivering" for the team after scoring its first back-to-back points finish since 2015.

"I have known Charles for a few years, since his karting days, and he is a really good, excellent driver. He is a driver who can deliver consistent results, which is what top teams are really looking for. 

"At Sauber he is showing that he has maturity, has the right attitude and is not relying on his talent alone. He is building a great spirit in that team, and then going out and delivering points for them."

[MIKA27]

Lowe ‘can’t guarantee anything’ for Williams

Paddy Lowe has admitted that the Williams team has made some serious mistakes as they developed the FW41 for 2018.

The team has struggled all season, and currently sits bottom of the Constructors’ Championship.

Lowe, the team’s chief technical officer, believes that the car is not allowing their drivers to go all out on track.

Lowe said: “The pace is really quite bad. There are some issues with it, which fortunately we understand. There is something that is really disrupting the drivers’ ability to driver the car anywhere near the limit.”

The Brit, who was at Mercedes before making the switch to Williams, says that the team are trying their best to make things better.

He said: “We’re very busy doing a lot of work to fix those issues. None of those fixes are in place unfortunately. We haven’t yet brought anything that solves those.”

There have been personal changes in the team, which are part of a plan to bring Williams back to the fore. Chief designer Ed Wood is out, while Doug McKiernan (formerly McLaren) comes in as chief engineer, and Dirk de Beer (formerly Ferrari) is the new head of aerodynamics.

Lowe added: “We have put in place a programme with the team, which we call a recovery programme. That programme is timed up to the midseason point. I can’t guarantee anything.”

[MIKA27]

Sergey Sirotkin: I am making my life harder in rookie F1 season

Sergey Sirotkin has admitted his intense self-determined workload with the Williams team is making a difficult start to his rookie Formula 1 season harder.

Though the Russian has struggled to make an impact as Williams has toiled at the back of the field, Williams has been impressed by his off-track commitment.

Sirotkin, who was picked over Robert Kubica to partner Lance Stroll, has been a regular presence at the factory as it works through its problems.

Asked by Autosport about his workload, Sirotkin said: "I am making my life harder, but I would not say I am making my life worse.

"It is really, really hard and sometimes it's completely flat out. But at the same time it is my choice.

"If I wanted I could spend three times less time at the factory and still manage everything I am obliged to manage.

"This is more about my personal wish. I want to be there and help them as much as I can."

Deputy team principal Claire Williams said Sirotkin spends more time at the factory than she has ever experienced with a driver.

"Pretty much every day," she said. "That shouldn't be underestimated.

"It's not just work in the simulator, he walks around the factory and he engages with people on the shop floor.

"That's an achievement in itself when you are new, and there's 500 to 600 people at Williams now. I think is pretty special."

Sirotkin has made it out of the first phase of qualifying just once this season, in Azerbaijan where the Williams was at its most competitive.

He scored a best result of 14th in Spain last weekend, but was classified last of those that finished and was three laps down.

"We haven't given him the machinery to properly prove his talent," said Williams.

"Most importantly we have been impressed with Sergey's attitude and approach.

"A new driver coming into his rookie year in F1, they want to prove their talent, but he has kept a very level head on his shoulders and he has put the work in.

"He has done some good work on track for us as well, so we are happy with what he has delivered thus far.

"It's just up to us to try and give him a car that he can deliver what he wants to do on the racetrack."

Team advisor Alex Wurz has described its problem as a diffuser stall that limits grip at the rear of the car, which Williams is working to rectify.

Sirotkin said the "really, really tough" moments will be worthwhile if the team can turn its form around.

"It is not helpful when rookie drivers come in and have so many difficulties straight away," he said. "But at the same time it is a great challenge.

"If I manage to cope with this challenge right, go over the difficult period with the team together, I will be very proud of all of us."

[MIKA27]

WOLFF: BLOODY WORRIED

Although Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have won the last two races on the trot, team chief Toto Wolff is worried that their car will not be suited to the tight confines of the Monte-Carlo streets, despite his team winning four of the last five races at the sport’s most prestigious venue.

After the triumph in Spain, Wolff was asked how he felt ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, he replied, “Bloody worried. We have seen in the last years that there were some tracks which suited us well and some we were not perfect for.”

“It’s a great challenge for us to come back this year, tame the ‘diva’ – it’s not a diva this year, actually, she’s behaving better. It’s very difficult to undo the DNA of a car and Monaco, Singapore and Budapest were all tracks where we underperformed a lot last year.”

“It’s a great challenge. Why our car doesn’t like to be quick around the corners of Monaco, we haven’t found out yet. We don’t head into the weekend as favourites, they are Red Bull and Ferrari. Red Bull are strong in the slow-speed corners and where straight-line speed is less important, while Ferrari dominated last year.”

“Our job is to deliver a smooth practice programme, apply our learning from recent races and maximise the potential of the car, whatever that proves to be. We are now starting the heart of the season, with seven races ahead in the next ten weekends.”

“We will race on a broad range of circuits before the summer break, with races coming thick and fast. This will test the team to its limits – and any weaknesses will be harshly punished in the points. We are clear-sighted about the challenge ahead of us and determined to prevail,” added Wolff.

Heading to Monaco for Round 6 of the Formula 1 World Championship, Mercedes are top of the constructors’ championship table leading by 27 points from Ferrari while Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers’ standings, 17 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Valtteri Bottas lies third in the championship.

[MIKA27]

HORNER: THERE WON’T BE AN ENGINE DECISION IN MAY

Yet another spat in the Red Bull versus Renault ‘war’ could erupt as the month of May nears an end, whereupon the French manufacturer needs an answer from the energy drinks outfit regarding their power unit plans for 2019 and beyond.

Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul wanted confirmation on 15 May, the first FIA stipulated deadline for teams to announce their 2019 engine partners, but the Frenchman agreed to an extension.

He said earlier this month, “After twelve years working together marked by many victories, we would be ready to continue with them. The number one issue we have is timing because we won’t be able to guarantee the availability of a Renault engine for them for 2019 beyond May 31. We were nice, we gave them two extra weeks.”

But Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner has different ideas, “There won’t be a decision in May. I think potentially both engine suppliers are bringing an upgrade around Montreal so we wait and see with interest.”

Suggesting that Red Bull management want to drag this out as long as possible, playing a deliberate waiting game to ascertain if Honda can provide them and their junior Toro Rosso team with engines and, if so, the question is: Will Red Bull powered by Honda be race winning material?

Meanwhile, Honda F1 chief Masahi Yamamoto appreciates the extra time Red Bull are lobbying for, “We regard it as a positive thing, giving us time means we have time to consult more. We are very positive.

“To deal with Red Bull is a really big thing for Honda, because they are a top team. This gives us a sort of pressure as an engine manufacturer. We have to consider many aspects very well, can we really deal with Red Bull’s size? We have to feel the responsibility to supply the engine,” added Yamamoto.

As for a decision deadline regarding their engine future, Horner said, “Hopefully around Montreal time, there is a next [Renault] engine introduction – we are hoping for a performance increase.”

In a nutshell, Red Bull are keen to wait for the Montreal engine updates before making a final decision which is thus more likely to be around mid-June.

But, Abiteboul is clearly not on the same page as Horner, “Everything will start at the end of May, shortly after Monaco. We cannot postpone it indefinitely.”

“There is some urgency due to changes in the regulations, so if Red Bull wants our engines, they should let us know. If there is no agreement, we will stay with Renault and McLaren. We do not have to supply three teams,” insisted Abiteboul.

[MIKA27]

LOWE: I HAVEN’T DONE A GOOD ENOUGH JOB

The Williams FW41 was the car that was supposed to herald a new era for the once great Formula 1 team, designed by a crew headed by technical chief Paddy Lowe and including the likes of ex-Ferrari aero guru Dirk de Beer, but the woeful car they have produced has sunk them to the back of the grid.

Lowe, who joined Mercedes when Ross Brawn departed the team before joining Williams in 2017, is quick to put up his hand and admitted, “We have to accept we haven’t done a good job.”

“I haven’t done a good enough job in making the right level of progress. I’ve been with the team 12 months, and there are things which we should have responded to earlier.”

Speaking to the official F1 website Lowe explained, “The pace is really quite bad. The car isn’t good enough, it’s not what it should be. There are some issues with it, which fortunately we think we understand and we’re very busy doing a lot of work to fix those issues.”

“None of those fixes are in place, unfortunately, which is why we were struggling so much at [Barcelona] which is an unforgiving track for underlying car performance.”

“We are not writing off this season. From the minute this car ran, it was clear there were some issues we had to deal with. We haven’t yet brought anything that solves those, so we shouldn’t expect it to be any better. But we will do in due course.”

One of the problems Williams have is that this season they have two young drivers – Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin – financing their respective seasons with the team, neither have the experience to help develop the car out of the rut it is in, so much so the team are using their reserve Robert Kubica to try and get to the bottom of their problems.

But even the Pole has limited experience driving the new generation Formula 1 cars, and he too has said that he does not envisage a quick fix for Williams. In a nutshell, all three drivers are wary of the car and way out of their comfort zone when driving it at the limit.

Lowe revealed, “There is something that is really disrupting the drivers’ ability to drive the car anywhere near the limit. There are many things that are good about the car and they are unable to show themselves, because the car is let down particular aspects.”

Meanwhile with the F1 midfield pack increasingly competitive, Lowe acknowledged that getting off the bottom rung of the pecking order will not be easy, “We have put in place a programme with the team, which we call a recovery programme, so you bring back the car back to the level we intended to operate.”

“That programme is timed up to the midseason point. I can’t guarantee anything. We just lost our way in some critical areas, which we now understand,” concluded the Williams technical chief.

MIKA: Gee, he sure looks like an angry Leprechaun doesn't he  

[MIKA27]

McLaren confirms Michael Latifi behind £200m investment

The McLaren Group has confirmed that Michael Latifi, father of Formula 2 driver and Force India test driver Nicholas Latifi, is behind a recent £203.8 million ($270m) investment.

McLaren confirmed last week that it had issued new equity capital following a major investment by Nidala (BVI) Limited in the entire McLaren Group which encompasses its Formula 1 team, McLaren Applied Technology and its automotive business.

A statement issued on Monday confirmed Latifi's involvement.

"McLaren Group is pleased to confirm that Michael Latifi, a Canadian businessman, has become a shareholder, in a move that significantly strengthens the group’s balance sheet and underpins its ambitious growth plans."

The Canadian said he had long admired the McLaren brand which motivated him to get involved.

"I have been an admirer of the McLaren brand and its businesses for some time.

"McLaren is a unique organisation in automotive, racing and technology with exciting long-term growth prospects, which is why I have made this investment. I am proud to be part of McLaren and this incredible brand."

McLaren group executive chairman, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, added: "This injection of capital is a vote of confidence in our future strategy and the group remains as focused as ever in positioning for growth. We are delighted Michael Latifi has joined the McLaren family."

[MIKA27]

Home hero Charles Leclerc braced for 'crazy' Monaco F1 week

Not every Formula 1 driver is blessed with the advantage of having a home event, and even for those who do race on their own territory, a Grand Prix can still take place several hundred miles away from where they actually grow up.

Several Formula 1 drivers live in Monaco, making it to an extent a ‘naturalised’ home race, while when Nico Rosberg was competing he was also sort of local, on account of having grown up in the Principality.

But this weekend an actual Monegasque will race in Formula 1 for the first time since 1994 – not bad for a country where not only do foreigners out-number natives but is so small you can walk across in no time at all, and accidentally find yourself wandering over the border into France.

Step forward Charles Leclerc, who was raised in the street behind the start/finish line, and who first watched the race from the balcony of a friend’s apartment when he was four, playing with toy cars while the real ones negotiated the streets below.

Leclerc first raced around his home streets 12 months ago in Formula 2 and was on course for victory, only for a botched pit-stop strategy and mechanical failure to heartbreakingly end his chances.

This year the Ferrari junior will climb into the cockpit of Sauber’s C37, watched on by friends and family.

“Well it’s going to be crazy,” he says. “Since I was born really I was looking at the Grand Prix every year in Monaco, dreaming one day of being part of it.

Leclerc raced in Monaco in F2 in 2017

"Last year I was part of it in Formula 2 but this year it’s in Formula 1. There’s nothing higher than Formula 1, so it already feels great but I’m pretty sure there’s going to be some very big emotions for me this weekend.

“I know the circuit very well by bus to go to school in the morning or by walking with friends!

“But apart from that in a racing car I’ve only done it once which is actually not so much. It’s difficult to understand but when you're doing it at 300kph very close to the ground you see the corners differently.

“In F2 last year I was discovering the track completely. It was not like I knew the track. I knew where it was turning and I knew where the good restaurants are but that’s the only thing I know and that doesn’t help much for the performance!”

Leclerc heads to his home event buoyed by successive points finishes in Formula 1, following up a starring sixth in Azerbaijan with 10th in Spain – labelling the latter a bigger surprise than the former on account of expected struggles.

“Monaco doesn’t look like an easy track as it’s a high downforce set-up and we know we are struggling on that at the moment,” he said.

“But it’s a city track which I love driving in general so hopefully we can have another great result there.

“Qualifying will be key obviously as in a city track you just don’t overtake at all, already [in Spain] it was difficult but in Monaco it will be 10 times this, we’ll try and work and have a very good quali in Monaco.”

And what of the best part of the Monaco track?

“Probably the Esses at the Swimming Pool – both of them,” he says, eyes widening.

“It’s just a very quick section and also technical in the second ’S’ where errors are not really accepted because the walls are very close and the speeds are very high. So it’s the most challenging track for me as a driver.”

[MIKA27]

‘Rosberg retirement could weigh on Hamilton’s mind’

1996 World Champion Damon Hill thinks Nico Rosberg’s retirement could be weighing on Lewis Hamilton’s mind as he makes Mercedes “sweat” over a new deal.

Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the season and talks over a new deal between himself and the Silver Arrows have gone on for longer than expected.

And the delay has led to Hill pondering whether if the retirement of his former team-mate is tempting the four-time World Champion to take the same path.

“He has to really want to race and carry on,” Hill is quoted by The Sun. “He does have another life he wants to pursue elsewhere.

“Although he did not look like that in Barcelona last week, he looked as though he was really hooked up and enjoys what he is doing and can become champion again.

“But I wonder if Nico Rosberg’s retirement weighed on his mind a little bit. When you are an F1 driver, you hanker for the days when you can escape from it.

“It is a very tough life for a driver. You start thinking, especially in the mid-30s, about having a weekend off.”

Hill also thinks that Hamilton plays a smart game when it comes to contract negotiations, despite suggesting different to the press.

“Lewis does a very good job of appearing innocent and not understanding but I think he has a very astute mind when it comes to what his power is in the sport,” Hill added.

“He is powerful enough and a precious commodity in the sport and maybe just making them wait and sweat a bit. Mercedes might be sweating.”

Hamilton will take a 17-point World Championship lead heading into the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.

[Bartolomeo]

My dad and brother in law are in Monaco this week checking off one of his bucket list events #jealous

[MIKA27]

Toro Rosso ready to line up Japanese driver

Toro Rosso have stated their intention to add a Japanese driver to their line-up “sooner rather than later” as part of their partnership with Honda.

The Red Bull junior team currently have Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly behind the wheel of the STR13, but have a cut-throat approach to their driver line-ups as Daniil Kvyat found out in 2017.

Honda have two home-grown drivers, Nirei Fukuzumi and Tadasuke Makino, racing in the F2 feeder series and the former is expected to be first in line should a seat become available.

“Of course, there is the Honda link,” Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost told Autosport when asked if Fukuzumi was a target.

“And what we want is to have sooner or later a Japanese driver.

“Here, it is in his hands. He must show a good performance and then we will see.”

Fukuzumi currently has 15 superlicence points after finishing third in the GP3 series in 2017. 

He would need to finish in the top four of F2 this year in order to be eligible for a Formula 1 drive in 2019.

However, he has scored just one point in the first six races of the F2 season and is 18th in the championship.

MIKA: So out will go Hartley IMO.

Nobuharu Matsushita had a great spell in GP2/F2 with 4 wins and other podium finishes.

The best Japanese driver in Europe since Sato (And he wasn't all that brilliant in F1) and Kobayashi and should be first in line if Torro Rosso need a Japanese Driver. Saying this, I don't believe any Japanese driver has been in F1 who hasn't had the propensity to crash "Often"...

Seeing it's the Monaco weekend nearing, here is a reminder about Sato...

 

[MIKA27]

3 minutes ago, Bartolomeo said:

My dad and brother in law are in Monaco this week checking off one of his bucket list events #jealous

That's awesome!!! On my bucket list too mate  

[MIKA27]

Ocon's Mercedes engine survives for Monaco

Esteban Ocon should not need a fresh Mercedes Formula 1 engine for the Monaco Grand Prix after his retirement in Spain was traced to an oil problem.
Ocon was on course to score points in the Spanish GP before a poor pitstop made him drop down the order. Later on, his Force India released a trail of smoke and came to a halt on track.

Force India was not sure of the problem after the race but the nature of the stoppage and the team's report that it deposited a lot of oil suggested it could be an internal combustion engine failure.

However, the problem has instead been traced to an oil system failure, and the software protection in place is believed to have prevented engine damage.

That means Ocon should be able to continue with the engine in Monaco for a sixth GP weekend of the season.

This would keep him in line with a regular penalty-free programme of only using three combustion engines for the 21-race season.

It means Mercedes is still the only engine manufacturer yet to have a unit shelved this year.

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo suffered a spectacular Renault failure in China, while Toro Rosso gave Brendon Hartley a complete set of new Honda components after his Spanish GP practice crash.

Hartley's change came after Ferrari swapped out Kimi Raikkonen's engine following Friday practice.

Raikkonen suffered another engine-related problem in the race but like Ocon should avoid a change for this weekend's race in Monaco.

[MIKA27]

Hockenheim F1 terms "cannot continue"

Hockenheim says the terms of its current deal with Formula 1 "cannot continue" if it is to agree a new contract to continue hosting the German Grand Prix.
The circuit is in the last season of a deal agreed with Bernie Ecclestone that originally allowed for it to alternate as Germany's F1 venue with the Nurburgring, which last hosted the race in 2013.

Hockenheim has honoured its side of the agreement, hosting the race in 2014, '16, and this year, with Germany not having a grand prix in 2015 and '17.

However, Hockenheim has made it clear it cannot renew on similar terms as it cannot afford to continue to lose money, and its claims come days after it was revealed the planned Miami F1 race will run under what F1 has called "an atypical business model".

"We're aiming to host a GP in the future, and we'd like to have it in the future, but the key point is we cannot prolong under current conditions," said the venue's marketing director Jorn Teske.

"We would like to have a contract which will take the risk from us, this is the basic point.

"We are not speaking about the fee, we are speaking about a new contract where we definitely have no risk.

"We have a circuit which does not receive any financial support from anybody, neither from the state nor from the region nor from economic companies, so we have to make and manage everything for ourselves.

"We had some losses in the past. We had a 10-year contract, and we fulfilled this contract, even though we had some better and some worse years.

"Now's the time that we cannot continue in the same way. We would be very, very happy to have F1 in Germany, not only for us, but especially for the fans. But we have to change the basics."

Hockenheim has suggested a form of revenue sharing, either with no sanctioning fee, or much reduced one.

Teske said: "We are always talking about fees, and then we were asked 'how much fee would you pay to host the race?'

"This is not our question, because we think we should restructure the business model.

"This could be a track rental [by F1 or a third-party promoter], or it could be a sharing of ticket income, and sharing of costs.

"So this is now a question of the negotiations, how it could end up. But there are many models which could work without risk.

"No fee, or a basic fee, just earning the costs, and then sharing the ticket income.

"We presented our ideas, we presented the figures, very transparent, very clear, in the details, and now they [F1] have to think about it.

"But it's not that easy because it's a financial decision they have to take. Do they take the big money? Then we're out.

"Or do they believe in the importance of the traditional race tracks, and an important automotive country, in Germany?"

[MIKA27]

Monaco 250 – Daniel Ricciardo & Christian Horner celebrate Red Bull Racing's Llandmark F1 race

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing will celebrate their 250th F1 race at the Monaco Grand Prix, the scene of the team’s maiden podium finish back in 2006. Since then, the squad has gone on to win 56 races, 58 pole positions and four Drivers’ & Constructors’ titles, with Germany’s Sebastian Vettel. Mobil 1 The Grid recently sat down with Team Principal Christian Horner and driver Daniel Ricciardo to reflect on Red Bull’s Formula 1 journey so far.

[MIKA27]

TORO ROSSO DRIVERS PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

Toro Rosso drivers Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley preview the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Round 6 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

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. In qualifying, it really is the most exciting place of the year, because to drive at 300 per hour, ten centimetres off the walls all the way round, while chasing performance, as you keep pushing a little bit more and a little bit more is really something. No errors are permitted, because if you brake one metre later, you go one metre too deep or wide and straight away, that’s you in the wall. It’s really exciting.”

“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 mustn’t 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.”

[MIKA27]

SAUBER PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team is heading out to one of the most glamorous and iconic destinations of the season – Monte Carlo.

The race has been a regular appointment on the world championship calendar since 1955. In addition to the numerous activities and events around the Circuit de Monaco, the Grand Prix will have further special meaning for the team, with it being the first Formula 1 home race for the Monegasque rookie, Charles Leclerc. Both of the team’s drivers look forward to the weekend, with encouraging results over the past few weekends having given the entire team a motivation boost.

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.”

[MIKA27]

HAAS PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

The 2017 Monaco Grand Prix proved to be a milestone event for Haas F1 Team as drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen finished eighth and 10th, respectively, in the 75th running of the iconic race.

It marked Haas F1 Team’s first double-points finish, and it showed the team’s growth since its debut more than a year earlier in the 2016 Australian Grand Prix.

Haas F1 Team hasn’t stopped growing. In fact, the third-year outfit is in a growth spurt, with the speed it displayed in preseason testing at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya carrying through the first five races of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Three point-scoring drives have already been had by Haas F1 Team, but there’s a tinge of pain in that the American squad should really be five-for-five in point-scoring finishes. Despite missed opportunities so far this season, Haas F1 Team is sixth in the constructors’ standings with 19 points, 21 points behind fifth-place McLaren and one point ahead of seventh-place Force India.

Even with Monaco’s tight confines and lack of overtaking, Haas F1 Team sees opportunity at the 3.337-kilometer (2.074-mile), 19-turn street circuit. Its worst finish at Monaco is 13th and it has an average finish of 10th, and between last year’s double-points haul and the speed it’s shown so far this season, Haas F1 Team is ready to run along the French Riviera.

Juxtaposed with the glitz and glamour of Monaco is the gritty and grizzled layout of Circuit de Monaco, which has remained relatively unchanged since 1929 when Anthony Noghes, son of a wealthy cigarette baron, proposed a grand prix through the streets of Monte Carlo. That inaugural race on April 14 was won by William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti and it came on the same basic layout that challenge today’s Formula One drivers.

Challenge is the key word, for there is no more challenging venue than Monaco. The 78-lap race features many elevation changes and the tightest corners on the series’ 21-race calendar. It also lays claim to having the only tunnel in Formula One, which forces drivers to adjust their eyes from glaring sun to shade every lap.

Monaco is the shortest circuit in Formula One and home to the sport’s slowest corner – the hairpin turn six – which drivers navigate at a pedestrian 50 kph (31 mph) while in maximum steering lock. It’s why three-time Formula One champion Nelson Piquet said racing at Monaco was “like trying to cycle around your living room”. Monaco is the smallest and most densely populated country in the world, so it’s only appropriate that its racing circuit emulates the locale.

Grosjean and Magnussen have nine Monaco Grand Prix starts between them – six by Grosjean and three by Magnussen. Grosjean’s best result is eighth in 2014 and 2017. Magnussen’s is 10th, also in 2014 and 2017.

Magnussen comes into Monaco with a hot hand. He has scored as many top-six finishes in his last four races (two) as he had previously scored in his entire Formula One career. His most recent result was a best-of-the-rest sixth place drive in the preceding Spanish Grand Prix, where the only cars ahead of him were from the Big Three of Mercedes, Scuderia Ferrari and Red Bull.

Grosjean, meanwhile, is up against a stacked deck. He will serve a three-place grid penalty in the Monaco Grand Prix as a result of an accident in the series’ last race in Barcelona. But with 10 podium finishes to his name, Grosjean has proven his ability to scrap for position and get results, even on a nearly 90-year-old street circuit lined with menacing Armco barrier.

A strong result on Sunday begins with a strong qualifying result on Saturday. Expect the newest tire in Pirelli’s lineup – the Pink hypersoft – to play a starring role. This is the softest and, subsequently, fastest compound Pirelli has ever made, and its racing debut comes at Monaco. The hypersoft is suitable for all circuits that demand high levels of mechanical grip, but the trade-off for this extra speed and adhesion is a considerably shorter lifespan.

Teams have tested this compound extensively, most recently May 15-16 in Barcelona, and have given it rave reviews. It’s no wonder teams have overwhelmingly chosen a high amount of hypersofts for its 13-set allotment. Grosjean and Magnussen are no exception, with each opting for nine sets of the hypersofts to use in practice, qualifying and the race.

With their cars outfitted on hypersofts in a region known for hyper exuberance, Haas F1 Team is ready to roll with the high-rollers. Don’t bet against them.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

Last year’s Monaco Grand Prix saw Haas F1 Team’s first double points finish. It was a milestone moment for the team, and one year later, the team is competing at its highest level since its debut in 2016. Can you talk about the kind of growth Haas F1 Team has experienced from last year’s Monaco Grand Prix to this year’s race?
GS: “The team has just grown everywhere. In general, the aero and design teams produced a good car, and the race team brings it to the tracks and tries to get the best out of it. We are a lot better in understanding tires and getting them into the window to work, but it’s always easier to get that if the car is good. The car is good, so it’s easier to do that. We’ve just gotten better over the last two years. We’re only now in our third season, and I look forward to more to come.”

Haas F1 Team continued to show speed in the Spanish Grand Prix. How satisfying was that considering it’s the benchmark venue for teams because of all the time spent testing there, and because of all the new upgrades other teams outfitted on their race cars?
GS: “We proved that the car is quick, and it’s been quick in all five races this year. We just need to get the points. There’s no point in being quick and then going home without points. I think for the whole team it’s very satisfying to have shown up in Barcelona and continued to have the pace we did when we were there for winter testing.”

Does the pace displayed in Barcelona showcase the inherent speed in the Haas VF-18, as it remained quick throughout the Spanish Grand Prix without a host of upgrades?
GS: “Sometimes just getting everything out of what you’ve got is better than to keep on upgrading. I speak only for ourselves, because as we’ve seen, the car is still good. And sometimes with the upgrades, you need a little bit of time to make them work. Our upgrades will be coming as well, so we’re in a good spot.”

Magnussen has really come into his own this season, and Barcelona was a case in point as he qualified seventh and finished sixth, behind only the Big Three teams of Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. What are you seeing out of Magnussen this year that has allowed him to excel?
GS: “I just think he’s very comfortable with this year’s car and he knows the team. He has confidence and he knows his guys. It’s just a combination of a lot of little things that makes him comfortable. He’s just put himself in a good spot to be able to deliver the performances he has.”

At the other end of the racing, spectrum is Grosjean, who has also shown speed but doesn’t have the results to show for it. How do you manage that side of the garage amid the success of the other side of the garage?
GS: “Sometimes in your career, and in any sporting career, you have downs. Romain is a good driver and he will get back where he belongs. He’s now got Monte Carlo coming up, where he’s always fast, and I’m sure he cannot wait to get there to prove the naysayers wrong.”

Perhaps unseen amid the adversity Grosjean has faced this year is his ability to shake it off and return to the next grand prix with a fresh outlook. How important is that when you’re still in the early stages of a 21-race schedule?
“In sports, you need to be able to do this. If something goes wrong, you come back stronger. That’s the only thing you can do. We’re not even a quarter of the way through the season, so we don’t need to panic. With a car like this, he just needs to say, ‘I will have a flawless weekend and I will be fine.’ A professional can do that, and he’s a professional.”

Qualifying is always important in Formula One, but is it exceptionally more important at Monaco because it is so tough to pass?
GS: “The race is on Saturday in qualifying. Overtaking is almost impossible, so if nobody crashes or nothing eventful happens on track or during the pit stops, it can be very difficult. Strategy is key for this race. The only place you can overtake is in pit lane if you are close to somebody.”

Knowing how hard it is to overtake at Monaco, how important is race strategy and then executing that race strategy to come away with a good finish?
GS: “Three quarters of the race is decided with qualifying, and the rest is strategy. Normally, it’s very difficult – almost impossible – to overtake. You can gain places through pit stops at the right time. We won’t really know our strategy until we test the different tire compounds. But if you’re good on Saturday, then you normally come home with points on Sunday.”

You sampled the Pink hypersoft tire extensively during the recent in-season test at Barcelona. How did it perform and how helpful will your time spent running that tire be when it makes its race debut at Monaco?
GS: “It looks like the hypersoft is a very good tire. The drivers like it, it’s consistent. I’m pretty confident that we will get the best out of it. We tested them at Barcelona just after the race, and the drivers liked them. They work very well. They’re consistent, which is the most important thing for a driver to have. They’re ready for Monaco.”

With the racing debut of the Pink hypersoft tire, how will that play into your strategy for qualifying? The tire will give you a fast lap, but it won’t last as long in the race.
GS: “The best would be to qualify on something different than the hypersofts, but that would be very difficult. The hypersoft is so much faster than the ultrasoft. If you get into Q2, you’re almost forced to qualify on the hypersoft. Even if you start 11th with a better tire, the only chance you’ve got to overtake is with strategy, and we still don’t know how many laps the hypersoft will last around Monte Carlo.”

Specific to Grosjean, who will serve a three-place grid penalty in the Monaco Grand Prix stemming from his accident in the previous Spanish Grand Prix, is there anything specific he and his engineers will work on to qualify up front and then overcomes those three positions in the race?
GS: “The only thing is to qualify as good as he can. With a three-place grid penalty, I don’t think you can scheme anything. The only thing you can come up with is to qualify as well as you can and then deal with the penalty.”

It seems Haas F1 Team has a better handle on tire management this year. Is that accurate?
GS: “I’ll confidently say that we’ve gotten better at tire management. We’ve added engineers to help us with that, as we were a little bit weak there last year. We decided to do something, and with everything in Formula One, it takes time. The other personnel started at the beginning of this year and it seems to be working. We are very happy with that.”

Monaco in Formula One is like the Indianapolis 500 in Indycar and the Daytona 500 in Nascar. Obviously, Monaco is special, but what is the Monaco Grand Prix like for you?
GS: “For me, Monaco is a race like all the others. We’re there to perform and score points. However, it’s always special due to the glitz and the glamour. The biggest difference with Monaco is the distance between everything. You have to walk a lot, so I would say it’s one of the most logistically challenging circuits. And during the race it’s quite intense, because if you make even a small mistake you can be in the wall. Overtaking is difficult too, so there is more pressure on Saturday during qualifying than there’s actually on Sunday, because by Sunday the positions are set and unless something special happens, you end up where you start. Saturday will be intense.”

When it comes to Monaco, fans see glitz and glamour. But for those who have to work to make a Formula One car go fast at Monaco, do they get to see any glitz and glamour?
GS: “I wish they could. However, they don’t usually as it’s such hard work and there’s always the risk that the car goes in the wall and their workload goes up. Our guys won’t get the time to see the glitz and glamour, but sometimes on Friday afternoon – because we don’t run on Friday in Monaco, its only Thursday, Saturday and Sunday – the guys can get half a day to go out and see a little of the town but, usually, when they’ve nothing to do they sleep because they are tired from the work.”

Things look pretty tight in the paddock and on the pit lane. How difficult are the logistics of Monaco?
GS: “They are the most difficult of the year because there’s no space. Everything you need to do you’ll have half the space, and the distances between things are about 10 times further than any other grand prix. There’s a lot of walking, a lot of scooter driving and everything takes longer. You need to plan for that because if you need something from the truck, you need to go up in the garage to get it down to the paddock. It’s definitely the most challenging one, logistically, of the year.”

Romain Grosjean

Haas F1 Team continued to show speed in the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite the outcome of your race, how satisfying was that considering it’s the benchmark venue for teams because of all the time spent testing there, and because of all the new upgrades other teams outfitted on their race cars?
RG: “It was really good to see that Kevin (Magnussen) had a good race and that the pace was there. We were both in the top-10 in qualifying. Obviously, yes, it’s a shame when your race ends on the first lap, but it does happen sometimes. The most important thing was that Kevin was fast. We then went testing and I had a good feeling in the car.”

When you endure some adversity in one race, what do you do to come into the next race with a fresh perspective, especially when we’re still in the early stages of a 21-race schedule?
RG: “We’ve got 16 races to go. It’s been a tough series recently, with tough luck. There’s a lot more races, and as we’ve said, the car is fast at a lot of circuits. I’m very much looking forward to the next race.”

Qualifying is always important in Formula One, but is it exceptionally more important at Monaco because it’s so tough to pass?
RG: “Qualifying in Monaco is pretty much everything. Then in the race, you need to stay in between the walls and wait. Sometimes nothing will happen, sometimes a lot will happen and you can gain some positions. We’re going to focus on qualifying.”

You already have some adversity to overcome with a three-race grid penalty to serve in the Monaco Grand Prix. Does that factor into your strategy for qualifying at Monaco, or does it not matter because, despite the circumstances, you’re always trying to qualify as close to the front as possible?
RG: “It’s probably one of the worst races to get a penalty. It is what it is. We’ve got to live with it. Our strategy will be to qualify as high as we can and move from there.”

You sampled the Pink hypersoft tire extensively during the recent in-season test at Barcelona. How did it perform and how helpful will your time spent running that tire be when it makes its race debut at Monaco?
RG: “It’s a good tire – probably the best Pirelli has produced so far. I think they should work pretty nicely in Monaco. They were working very well in Barcelona, so let’s see.”

With the racing debut of the Pink hypersoft tire, how will that play into your strategy for qualifying? The tire will give you a fast lap, but it won’t last as long in the race.
RG: “They’re going to be faster and I think the endurance of the tire will be good enough. Knowing we could do some pushing in Barcelona during the test – the energy is much slower in Monaco, so it should last for a good amount of time.”

It seems Haas F1 Team has a better handle on tire management this year. Is that accurate?
RG: “Yes, that’s correct. We’ve got a much better understanding of the tire. The boys are doing an amazing job to help us to put them in the window and, therefore, it’s much easier to drive the car.”

The posh, elegant lifestyle around Monaco meets head-on with one of the most demanding and unforgiving circuits in Formula One. Monte Carlo is obviously a cool place to visit, but how difficult is it to race there?
RG: “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.”

The Monaco Grand Prix has been held since 1929. Does the history of that race resonate with you, and is there a particular race that stands out for you?
RG: “I do remember Monaco in 1996 when Olivier Panis won. He was the last Frenchman to win a grand prix. I remember that race, especially, as it was a crazy race. He started 14th and was one of only three cars to cross the finish. Of course, the history of Monaco, and all the racing cars, and the changes to the circuit over the years – we love it because Monaco is Monaco.”

Because Monaco is so technical, do you consider it a driver’s track, where one’s skills can trump another car’s sophistication?
RG: “That’s a tricky question. Yes, 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.”

It seems like good days at Monaco become great, but bad days turn even worse. Is success at Monaco so cherished because it’s so difficult to succeed?
RG: “That’s probably true, yes. It’s probably one of the most difficult races to win. Everything needs to be perfect, from the first free practice to the end of the race. You need a good pace in practice and, hopefully, get a top-three place in qualifying. After that you need a good start, a good strategy and a good run to the end. It’s very difficult to get that right.”

You mentioned how Monaco is sort of a home race for you. Is your family able to join you? Are you able to enjoy the area on Friday when there is no on-track running?
RG: “My wife is probably going to be onsite working, but my kids are not going to come. I love being in Monaco. Having the Friday off is cool. There are always meetings in the afternoon, and meeting fans, which is great, but in the morning you can have a quiet one far from the crazy glamour that is Monaco.”

You’ll have an actual home race in about a month with the return of the French Grand Prix. How important will that race be to you and what experience do you have at Circuit Paul Ricard?
RG: “I don’t have any experience at Circuit Paul Ricard. I’ve only raced there once in a GT car, so it’s kind of going to be like a new track for me, but I’m very much looking forward to it. It’s going to be amazing to race in front of my home crowd, and I’m hoping we’re going to have a good race there.”

What is your favourite part of Monaco and why?
RG: “I quite like the run up the hill to Casino Corner. It’s a high-speed part of Monaco.” (Of course you do Romain  )

Is there a specific portion of Monaco that is more challenging than other aspects of the track?
RG: “Every part of Monaco is quite challenging, even the straight line going into turn one is very bumpy, the same under the tunnel. It’s one of those circuits where you cannot rest.”

Explain a lap around Monaco, especially now after having competed there with the faster, current-generation car.
RG: “It’s one of the places where we’ve gained the most time, and you really feel a lot of difference with the new cars. There’s a lot of minimum speed you can carry and you’ve got to be much more precise than you were before, which is great fun.”

Do you have any milestones or moments from your junior career that you enjoyed at Monaco?
RG: “I won the GP2 race there in 2009. I would say that was a good moment.”

Kevin Magnussen

Haas F1 Team continued to show speed in the Spanish Grand Prix. How satisfying was that considering it’s the benchmark venue for teams because of all the time spent testing there, and because of all the new upgrades other teams outfitted on their race cars?
KM: “We obviously had a good weekend in Spain. We’re especially satisfied with that result because a lot of other teams brought upgrades for their cars and we didn’t. We still managed to stay ahead. Our upgrades are coming, and we’re looking forward to that. We’re not going to sit still.”

Qualifying is always important in Formula One, but is it exceptionally more important at Monaco because it’s so tough to pass?
KM: “Monaco is a very tricky race as you’re constantly building up speed. It’s not an easy track. You’ve got walls everywhere, and the consequence of a mistake is very high in Monaco. You build up all the way through the weekend, and on top of that, the track is evolving a lot as it’s a 100-percent street circuit, with all of the streets used for traffic even within the weekend. There’s a lot of track evolution. The track is changing all the time. You have to adjust and adapt to that. Then, of course, it’s flat out for qualifying. The race is very difficult in terms of overtaking. Basically, the whole race is more or less decided by qualifying and the first lap. Of course, you can overcut or undercut with the pit stops, but I’m guessing we’ll have a one-stop race this year, which means you only have once chance to do that. Qualifying, for sure, is very important.”

You sampled the Pink hypersoft tire extensively during the recent in-season test at Barcelona. How did it perform and how helpful will your time spent running that tire be when it makes its race debut at Monaco?
KM: “We did run the hypersoft tire in the Barcelona test. Obviously, the tire is going to perform a lot differently in Monaco, where tire energies are a lot lower, and temperatures will be different as well, tarmac, etc. We’ll get there and try to learn as much as we can about the hypersoft tire at Monaco.”

With the racing debut of the Pink hypersoft tire, how will that play into your strategy for qualifying? The tire will give you a fast lap, but it won’t last as long in the race.
KM: “We’ll approach it exactly the same way as any other race. I don’t think the hypersoft is going to be wearing out any faster than the softest tire has done at any of the other races this year. It’s going to last well. Again, the tire energies in Monaco are quite low, so I don’t think the hypersoft tire is a particularly soft tire for Monaco. It’s actually a very good tire in terms of how good the performance is versus wear. I don’t think we’re going to see too many problems with it in terms of extreme graining and so on. It’s going to be fine.”

It seems Haas F1 Team has a better handle on tire management this year. Is that accurate?
KM: “I feel like we’ve made steps in the right direction with tire management and tire understanding, in general. We’ve got Tommy-san (Hiroshi Tomitsuka) who’s come in this year, who is our dedicated tire engineer. Together with him and the rest of the team, we’ve moved closer to a better understanding of the tires, in general. That’s a very positive thing and part of the reason why we’re stronger and more consistent this year.”

The posh, elegant lifestyle around Monaco meets head-on with one of the most demanding and unforgiving circuits in Formula One. Monte Carlo is obviously a cool place to visit, but how difficult is it to race there?
KM: “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.”

Because Monaco is so technical, do you consider it a driver’s track, where one’s skills can trump another car’s sophistication?
KM: “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.”

It seems like good days at Monaco become great, but bad days turn even worse. Is success at Monaco so cherished because it’s so difficult to succeed?
KM: “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.”

What is your favourite part of Monaco and why?
KM: “I would say my favourite part of Monaco is probably around the casino, or the swimming pool complex. All the fast bits are exciting.”

Is there a specific portion of Monaco that is more challenging than other aspects of the track?
KM: “Around the casino, again, is a very challenging part of the track. The chicane around the swimming pool is flat with these new, fast cars. It’s not as big a challenge as it used to be, but it’s still a cool feeling.”

[MIKA27]

RENAULT PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

Renault Sport Formula One Team previews the sixth race weekend of the 2018 Formula 1 season, the Monaco Grand Prix on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz share their thoughts on the legendary Circuit de Monaco, while our management and technical staff give the latest on the team and on the Renault R.S.18-R.E.18 package.

Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport Racing: “From a racing point of view, we know what to expect. Monaco is very much a drivers’ circuit and the speed combined with the excellent working relationship between our driver pairing and the engineering department is definitely a strong asset in this regard. Naturally we will be targeting double points at every race from now on.”

Nico Hülkenberg: “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.”

[MIKA27]

RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Round 6 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

Daniel Ricciardo “Monaco is my favourite race of the year because it creates the most adrenaline and excitement. The circuit is insane; I don’t want to say that we shouldn’t race cars on it because we should and it’s the best thing ever, but it’s crazy to think we race around the streets so close to the walls like we do. I just love the whole atmosphere, there’s a lot of intensity and the risk and reward is the best of the year. Hopefully, I’ll also get some redemption. Tabac and the swimming pool, I love all of that. Turns 12, 13 and 14, over the kerbs and pretty much the end of the second sector and start of the third is my favourite. The encouraging thing from Barcelona is that we were quick in the third sector and that is probably the closest to Monaco, so hopefully that shows what we can do.”

Max Verstappen “It was great to be back on the podium in Barcelona and our car was very strong in the last sector there, which is mainly low speed corners and what we need for Monaco. I also had a really positive test in Barcelona this week and hope for a good weekend in Monaco if we can find the right set-up. Monaco also doesn’t have any long straights, so I think it should be a good circuit for us. It is a nice weekend in general and also very good to sleep in your own apartment, it’s a busy week but also a special week. The track is of course very challenging but I will enjoy it even more knowing that we have a chance of a good result.”

[MIKA27]

Fernando Alonso: Monaco Grand Prix leveller like throwing a dice

McLaren Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso says the Monaco Grand Prix is a performance leveller that makes the race "like throwing a dice".

The two-time Monaco winner is seventh in the 2018 championship, the leading driver behind the Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bulls.

McLaren has struggled to make a major impact so far this season but Alonso said the unique demands of Monaco was an opportunity to score a big result despite knowing "the limitations of our package".

He also said the first-lap crash in the Spanish GP, when Romain Grosjean spun in front of most of the field, was a reminder that nothing could be taken for granted.

"Monaco is one of those tracks that tends to level the playing field a little and it's a bit like throwing a dice," he said.

"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 maximise everything on Saturday, and then fight hard on Sunday to earn as many points as possible."

Alonso missed last year's Monaco GP to make his Indianapolis 500 debut and said it was "really exciting" to be returning to the principality.

"I loved the Indy experience of course, but Monaco is also a really special place to go racing," he said.

"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."

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said the race gives the team "all to play for".

"This track divides those who can and those who can't more than any other circuit we race at," he added.

"It'll be great to see Fernando back in the cockpit around this track alongside Stoffel, and interesting to see how we fare there with our updated package.

"It goes without saying that reliability is a key factor in Monaco, and since there tends to be a fair amount of drama, finishing the race with both cars intact is the first step."