Formula 1 - 2017

[MIKA27]

Mercedes' radical approach to nose upgrades

From a design point of view, Mercedes has had an aggressive car for the last few years, but 2017 has ramped that complexity up even further.

Mercedes' introduction of a new nose at round five of the championship shows the level of planning that goes into the development of these large-scale update packages, given the need to pass a new crash test for the nose ahead of its use in a grand prix weekend.

A crash test was needed, as the nose is much narrower than its predecessor, slimming in the central portion before arching outward to meet with the chassis.

The challenge of designing a slimmer nose is no mean feat given the need to maintain its ability to pass the crash test - decelerating the car over the same distance in the event of an accident, without significantly increasing its weight either.

The team's desire to reduce the width of the nose is due to the other more radical solution that was mounted to the W08 in Spain - the turning vane cape (red arrow).

We've not seen anything used like this before, at least not around the nosecone, with the bold design draped around and under the nose creating a significant aerodynamic surface with which to shape and caress the airflow as it passes by.

Of course, this structure is in a particularly sensitive area of the car, helping to guide the Y250 vortex and limiting the impact of the front tyre wake by sheer virtue of its physical tunnel-like presence and the aerodynamic effect it'll undoubtedly have.

It's important at this point to show an image of the 'cape' from behind, illustrating the reason why some have compared it to a mini-diffuser.

Clearly it's not in close enough proximity to the ground to fulfill exactly the same purpose but the vortex that is generated at the edge of a diffuser is perhaps being generated here, too.

It's also important to note the geometry of the 'cape' side-on, with air being directed centrally under the nose and over the flat trailing edge of the cape with a vertical divider forcing the direction of the airflow as it meets on the centreline.

The winglet mounted behind (red arrow), which evolved from the team's previous use of a bat-wing, also fits in with this airflow scheme, guiding the airflow under the car's chassis toward their next set of aerodynamic structures around the sidepod.

It's worth noting that with the arrival of the turning vane cape the ride height sensor has been removed from the centre on this winglet to improve both surfaces' performance.

Micro detailing

One of the smaller details that was revised on the W08 in Spain was the winglet mounted on the front suspension's upright extension. A single-element winglet sprung up here in Australia but in Spain the team decided to revise that, changing it for a two-piece affair.

This might seem like a very small change but it just goes to show the level of detail that teams go into as they strive to improve performance.

[MIKA27]

Massa column: Alonso clash cost us fourth place

In his latest column, Felipe Massa reflects on another difficult weekend for him and his Williams team in Spain.

I feel a bit sad when I have to look back over the Spanish Grand Prix. The weekend had actually started well with Williams Martini Racing completing all that we wanted to do and having a real hope of being able to deliver a good race.

But unfortunately my race was ultimately decided by contact immediately after the start at Turn 2. I don't know what Fernando Alonso was trying to do at that point, but I did not have the chance to avoid a collision with his car.

The impact left me with a puncture and, although I was able to get back to the pits, it meant my race was pretty much over after two corners – at a time when I was running in front of Sergio Perez, who went on to finish fourth.

At the end of the first lap, I returned to the pits and for safety reasons the team replaced the front wing, and of course the tyre that had come into contact with Alonso. By the time I got back out on the track I was more than one minute behind the lead group. After a while I was lapped – which further complicated the situation.

Without the incident, I'm sure I would have had the chance to make a good race and, in the worst case scenario, I would have got fourth. My Friday long run was better than that of Force India, but once I had dropped back into the pack I was not able to show how quick I could run.

Then, in the middle of it all, came the episode with Stoffel Vandoorne. Looking at the way he went in to the first corner and came at me, I think he hadn't seen me. Luckily though my car didn't suffer any damage, and I was able to keep going to take the chequered flag in 13th place.

It was a real shame though because we had a very good opportunity to pick up important points – as we saw a Mercedes, a Ferrari and a Red Bull all retire.

In Russia I had lost out because of a late puncture, and then two weeks later my race at Barcelona lasted just a few hundred metres. It seems I am having a run of bad luck – so I hope that things will improve on this front for the next race at Monaco.

The Monte Carlo weekend is always a special one for me. After the Brazilian GP, it is my second home race – and is the only where I get to sleep in my bed and go to the circuit on foot.

In recent years Williams had not had a car that has been very well suited to the track, and it has been one of our more difficult races in the calendar. But this year, judging by how strong our car has been everywhere, I am hoping we can deliver a step forward.

I am curious to see what the first findings will tell us. Perhaps too there will be some technical novelties arriving for the Monaco weekend, after the updates that we brought to Barcelona worked well there and confirmed that the team is working in the right direction.

The Monaco week is a very long one. Track action gets underway on Thursday, and the sponsor and media commitments start on Tuesday. But there are some fun events too – which start with the traditional football match between the F1 drivers and a team made up of Prince Albert's friends. It is an event that my son has been waiting all year for!

So you will understand that I cannot let him down, as this year I will be taking Felipinho and a group of friends. Victory will be assured!

[Baldy]

So excited about Alonso's running of the Indy 500 this year.  Been a long time since I had any interest in the Indy 500 but this year I'm following it carefully.  I got 2 racers I'm rooting for this year Hinchcliffe and Alonso.  Hinchcliffe is a far superior Canadian racer than Stroll, unfortunately Hinchcliffe doesn't have a billionaire father to bankroll him.   Indycar is more about luck than skill.  It would be really really tragic if Alonso's Honda engine blows up on the warmup lap. 

I'll pay a little attention to Monaco but normally I don't watch Monaco that much anymore.  I'll watch qualifying then the start of the race.  After the start it's pretty much a parade unless there's a mechanical or complete incompetence.  Not a fan of processional tracks.

[LLC]

So excited about Alonso's running of the Indy 500 this year.  Been a long time since I had any interest in the Indy 500 but this year I'm following it carefully.  I got 2 racers I'm rooting for this year Hinchcliffe and Alonso.  Hinchcliffe is a far superior Canadian racer than Stroll, unfortunately Hinchcliffe doesn't have a billionaire father to bankroll him.   Indycar is more about luck than skill.  It would be really really tragic if Alonso's Honda engine blows up on the warmup lap. 

I'll pay a little attention to Monaco but normally I don't watch Monaco that much anymore.  I'll watch qualifying then the start of the race.  After the start it's pretty much a parade unless there's a mechanical or complete incompetence.  Not a fan of processional tracks.

Agree it will be the first time in a long time I'll watch the Indy 500 and qualifying. I will still be very interested in Monaco.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

CAREY: GOAL IS TO CREATE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS WITH TEAMS

Formula 1 chief Chase Carey is determined to negotiate a fairer and more transparent distribution of wealth system than currently exists with the Concorde Agreement, with the goal of establishing long term partnerships that benefit all teams equally.

Carey told media, “We have the infamous document called the Concorde Agreement. Which is this agreement that comes up every six to eight years – it comes up in 2020 – which defines the financial arrangements with teams.”

“I think our goal is to create much more of a long-term partnership, not a partnership that sort has a point in time that you go out and renegotiate the next eight-year partnership, that there’s a continuum.”

The current system where each team negotiates a bespoke, secret deal has always created a divide and rule ethos which Bernie Ecclestone engineered and kept at all costs.

Carey explained, “It creates gamesmanship. If you’ve got that point in time, you have people posturing and positioning, ‘what can I get out of it?’.

“What I’d like to have is everybody’s priority being continually looking three years down the road, not looking at a specific point in time. I think they all welcome getting there, but we’ve got to drive it.”

Carey is keen to develop a sense of partnership between the teams, working together for the best interests of the sport, “Really what we’re doing is we’re saying we’re working as partners that compete on the track, but share a vision of where we’re going as a sport, and share the benefits of doing that together.”

“It’s a sport that historically that was a little bit every man for himself, and how do you game each other and the like, and that leads to: one plus one is one and a half.”

“If you could pull together and figure out what is the right path forward for everybody, you make: one plus one is three.”

“There’s no question of changing a culture that’s been embedded for that long will take some time, but I think it’s a transforming opportunity to really build a longer term, healthier relationship that benefits us both,” added Carey.

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BLACKMAILER WHO THREATENED SCHUMACHER’S CHILDREN SENTENCED

A blackmailer threatened to kill the children of stricken Formula One legend Michael Schumacher unless paid €900,000 ($1 million).

The man, who cannot be named, has been ordered to seek psychiatric help and a German court also handed him a suspended jail sentence, a fine of €4,500 and 50 hours of community service.

“If the money doesn’t reach us by March 31, 2016, your children will be killed in some way. In Formula 4, many accidents occur,” wrote the 25-year-old in a chilling email to Schumacher’s wife in February 2016.

Schumacher’s son Mick, 18, now competes in Formula Three but was racing for a Formula Four team at the time.

His daughter Gina-Maria, 20, has a successful horse riding career.

Police were easily able to trace the blackmailer after he included his bank details in the email to Schumacher’s wife Corinna.

“To put it cautiously, giving your own bank account details is not sensible,” judge Eberhard Hausch told a court in the city of Reutlingen.

The convicted man’s lawyer said his client “can’t until this day explain why” he acted as he did.

Schumacher, 48, who won seven world titles during his racing career, is recovering at his Swiss home from a serious head injury he suffered in a skiing accident in December 2013.

His family and manager have given no details of his condition.

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McLaren confident of passing 2016 level by end of season

McLaren Executive Director Zak Brown says he remains confident that the outfit can surpass its 2016 performance level by the end of the year, despite its difficult start to 2017.

McLaren reunited with Honda at the start of 2015, slumping to ninth in the standings, before improving throughout 2016 to emerge in the thick of the midfield battle, placing sixth overall.

However, McLaren and Honda have struggled for reliability and performance this season, leaving the team at the foot of the standings, as the only entrant yet to score a point.

Brown, who joined the company at the end of 2016, is nonetheless confident that it can return to – and surpass – last year’s level before the conclusion of the current campaign.

“I thought we would have improved from 2016,” Brown said in an interview with Formula 1.com, referring to his pre-season expectations.

“Clearly we have not after the Barcelona race, where things looked promising for a blink of an eye with Fernando’s [Alonso] grid position. But it didn’t work in the race.

“But I am optimistic that we will catch and pass our 2016 performance at the end of the year.

“I am not saying that we are going to be ahead in the points, but I would like to think with the work and effort that everyone puts in, that we would be more competitive on track than we finished last year.

“But obviously we are starting with such a deficit into this first half year that I think when it is all said and done in points or tally at the end of the season that it is hard to imagine that we could be better than sixth place.”

Alonso secured McLaren’s first Q3 presence of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix, but slipped to 12th place in the race after a first-lap off, following contact with Felipe Massa.

Stoffel Vandoorne, meanwhile, retired with damage after a clash, also with Massa, for which he received a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix.

[MIKA27]

More hands-on role for Red Bull’s Newey

Red Bull's aerodynamic guru Adrian Newey has been playing a more prominent role in recent weeks as the team try to catch up to Mercedes and Ferrari.

Red Bull currently sit third in Constructors' Championship on 72 points, 89 behind leaders Mercedes and 81 behind Ferrari. There is just 19 points separating themselves and fourth-placed Force India, who have scored top 10 finishes with both cars in all five races this season.

Red Bull brought an updated chassis to the Spanish Grand Prix and Newey has been more involved after previously splitting his time 50/50 between Formula 1 and a hypercar project with Aston Martin.

"He has just been listening very carefully to what the drivers have been having to say and it is a bit like a trip to the doctors," said team principal Christian Horner.

"He has been very keen to understand what the drivers' feedback and comments are, and I am sure he will be looking to evolve this package accordingly.

"[Over the winter] he has been involved 50 percent of the time in the background of this car, but since the Barcelona test he has been very involved. I think that will continue for the time being."

Newey no longer wants to work in Formula 1 on a full-time basis and Red Bull have been pretty accomodating to his desires.

Horner added: ""He has obviously been involved.

"He has sat in the meetings weekly, he has been very involved in this development of the car and the concept of this car. The design group is designed to accommodate the way that Adrian works in a fairly unique manner."

[MIKA27]

Carey keen to replace "infamous" Concorde Agreement

F1 boss Chase Carey says he doesn't want to negotiate a new Concorde Agreement with the teams when the current one runs out in 2020 – and would prefer to set up a new form of open-ended "partnership."

All efforts by the sport's new owner Liberty will be constrained by the current agreement for the next three years, but Carey is keen to replace it with a system that is less contentious.

"We have the infamous document called the Concorde Agreement," said Carey. "Which is this agreement that comes up every six to eight years – it comes up in 2020 – which defines the financial arrangements with teams.

"I think our goal is to create much more of a long-term partnership, not a partnership that sort has a point in time that you go out and renegotiate the next eight-year partnership, that there's a continuum."

Carey said that always having a looming deadline for the next agreement creates issues as the various parties fight to get the best deal for themselves, which inevitably causes some uncertainty, making future planning difficult.

"It creates gamesmanship. If you've got that point in time, you have people posturing and positioning, 'what can I get out of it?'.

"What I'd like to have is everybody's priority being continually looking three years down the road, not looking at a specific point in time. I think they all welcome getting there, but we've got to drive it."

F1's new CEO remains confident that the teams will fall in line with his vision work for the common good when they realise that everyone will ultimately benefit if the sport expands.

However, he accepts that it won't be easy to change the existing culture.

"Really what we're doing is we're saying we're working as partners that compete on the track, but share a vision of where we're going as a sport, and share the benefits of doing that together.

"It's a sport that historically that was a little bit every man for himself, and how do you game each other and the like, and that leads to 'one plus one is one and a half'.

"If you could pull together and figure out what is the right path forward for everybody, you make 'one plus one is three'.

"That's our goal, to change the culture of this sport, which has had some very unique aspects to it, and create a new culture. And I feel good about it so far, there's a real welcomeness to wanting to do that.

"There's no question of changing a culture that's been embedded for that long will take some time, but I think it's a transforming opportunity to really build a longer term, healthier relationship that benefits us both."

[MIKA27]

RICCIARDO: NO REPLICAS!

Last year Daniel Ricciardo came desperately close to winning the Monaco Grand Prix, but his team got their maths wrong and as a result the big smiling Aussie had to settle for second – not a grin to be seen as he endured the podium ceremonies with a face of fury.

At the time he felt hard done by, as a week earlier a dubious strategy call cost him a win in Spain, and after the Monte Carlo debacle he was furious, “Two weekends in a row I’ve been screwed now. It sucks. It hurts.”

At the time he made it clear that it had not been his call to pit, but rather Red Bull had called him to pit, but they were not ready when he made his stop. They had the incorrect tyres resulting in a long stop which gifted the race win to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking a year later, ahead of the weekend in Monte Carlo, Ricciardo said, “Last year was disappointing for me as I felt we definitely had the win on the cards.”

“I am old enough and mature enough now to put that behind me and be able to look forward to racing there, and take back what I felt I lost last year.”

Monaco for Ricciardo, like most of his rivals on the grid, is now his ‘home’ town, “In theory I could walk to work while we are in Monaco, it is still a bit of a way but it could be done.”

“Luckily for me though we get boats to the Energy Station which is a nice change. Being able to sleep in your own bed and complain about the noise is also a treat,” he added.

Ricciardo relishes the tight confines and challenges of Monaco, he qualified on pole for last year’s race and recalled, “I don’ think I could have gone any quicker in my pole lap. Personally I felt it went really well, one of the best laps I have ever done.”

“Monaco is definitely my favourite track to drive, it is so tight and intimidating. From the outside some of the sequences look impossible to go through at the speeds we do. Once you are in the car it’s an amazing feeling.”

“If you kiss the wall it actually makes you want to do it again as opposed to scaring you. The whole spectacle of the weekend just makes it something unique and special.”

Victory will be a tall order considering the pace of the front-runners, Mercedes and Ferrari, nevertheless the Aussie who no doubt fancies his chances insisted, “If I do win the trophy it is staying with me. No replicas!”

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VERSTAPPEN: NO SUCH THING AS A LOW RISK LAP IN MONACO

Last year Max Verstappen arrived at the Monaco Grand Prix on a high, having just won his first race for Red Bull at the Spanish Grand Prix, but soon the mean streets of Monte Carlo brought he back to earth during a bent metal packed weekend.

His qualifying session ended when he tagged the Armco at the swimming pool complex and crashed into the wall. Then 24 hours later, during the race, he again slammed the barriers to end his race before half distance.

Speaking ahead of his second Monaco Grand Prix as a Red Bull driver, Verstappen said, “There is no such thing as a low risk lap in Monaco, it doesn’t exist if you want to be fast because you have to be on the limit.”

“Last year’s crash was very unfortunate but it doesn’t affect my confidence heading back there, it just makes me want to do better this year and learn from my mistakes.”

“We still have a lot to learn from the car in terms of setup as it is always developing and we haven’t driven it on a tight street circuit yet.”

Like many of the drivers on the F1 grid, Verstappen now calls Monaco home, “I have been living in Monaco for just over a year now and really enjoyed every minute of it.”

“I have a good crew of friends which means we always have plenty of fun. It is also nice being able to train in the Mediterranean sun, and experience the nightlife… in the off season.”

Faster and wider cars will add to the challenge of racing on the public roads of the principality, “Preparation for Monaco is a little different, you definitely build up a little bit slower throughout the weekend and pace yourself.”

“It’s important to find the limit carefully. With the new cars I think the chicane around the swimming pool will be the most challenging corner this year,” added the teenager who lies sixth in the world championship after five rounds.

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MONACO GRAND PRIX PREDICTIONS

Despite their teammates not completing the race, both Hamilton and Vettel showed spectacular racing acumen from start to finish. And now, the Monaco Grand Prix is just around the corner and – based on what we’ve seen so far – it is sure to be spectacular.

Who will be the king of the Circuit de Monaco this year? Will Mercedes continue its Monaco GP streak? Here are our predictions for the 2017 Monaco GP.

Hamilton as the favourite

Monaco is considered one of the slowest tracks on the F1 calendar, but that doesn’t make it any less challenging. Rascasse has always been a tricky corner to conquer and this year’s regulations make carrying as much speed as possible out of the Grand Hotel Hairpin even more important. The characteristics of the Circuit de Monaco will force Formula 1 teams to maximise the use of downforce.

The high-downforce nature of the racetrack plays into the hands of Mercedes nicely. Mercedes’s aggressive wing configurations and the team’s ability to find that sweet weight distribution spot will make Mercedes very competitive this year. Unfortunately, they can’t rely too much on straight-line speed.

After a win in Spain – and a victory in Monaco last year – Hamilton is also the favourite driver to win this year’s Monaco Grand Prix. Winning in Monaco is special for F1 drivers, including Hamilton. Should he win this year’s race, he would be the third British driver to have won the Monaco GP three times.

Ferrari catching up

The Spanish Grand Prix showed just how far Ferrari has come. Their latest upgrade package added a new gear lever and clutch mechanism, which allowed Vettel to have a great start and get a jump on Hamilton into the first turn. Ferrari were also much faster than anticipated, particularly through the tight corners.

The last time Ferrari won in Monaco was in 2001, when Michael Schumacher dominated the race. A win this year would be special for the team, and they have the cars to do it. Vettel, on the other hand, won the 2011 Monaco GP with Red Bull-Renault.

The real battle will be during the qualifying. Monaco isn’t the best race track for overtaking, so Vettel – or Raikkonen – can snatch the Monaco GP victory right out of Mercedes’ hands by doing better in qualifying. You can catch the latest online betting offers to bank on this prediction without risking any of your real money if you check out the Freebets.com website. Vettel’s odds are very rewarding at the moment, and there are plenty of bookmakers that are offering free bets and promotions on the next GP race.

A packed mid-field

Monaco will also be particularly exciting for Formula 1 fans thanks to the mid-field teams. The latest upgrade package from Red Bull Racing brought the team much closer to Mercedes and Ferrari. Bottas and Raikkonen had failed to complete the Spanish GP, and it was Daniel Ricciardo who completed the top three in his RBR.

HAAS also showed tremendous progress with the team’s upgrade package. Sauber F1 banked their first point – four points to be exact – through Pascal Wehrlein. He finished P7 in the race, but was then downgraded to P8 after receiving a 5-second penalty. Wehrlein nursed his Sauber with only one pit stop, showing how reliable and easy on the tyres the car was.

There is one more treat waiting for Formula 1 fans in Monaco. Jenson Button will be driving the McLaren F1 car again in this race, taking the place of Fernando Alonso who will be racing in the Indy 500 event. It will be great to see Button back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, especially after the positive signs MCL32 showed throughout the Spanish GP.

[MIKA27]

HAAS REVEAL STYLING UPGRADE FOR LIVERY

New look Haas cars will line up on the grid for their second Monaco Grand Prix, doing away with much of the red that has distinguished the cars since their debut last year in Australia.

The team said in their preview of the weekend in Monte Carlo: “In addition to keeping up with the Ferraris, Mercedes and Red Bulls at Monaco, one must also keep up with the Joneses. That’s why Haas F1 Team is bringing an updated livery to its already quick and ever-improving Haas VF-17.”

“Sleek tones of gray have replaced the red portions of the car, sans for the angular red accent mark at the rear which has been a trademark of Haas F1 Team since its debut last season. It’s a styling upgrade for a locale where upgraded style is a way of life.”

Team chief Guenther Steiner explained, “It is for the whole year now. With the change in the size of the numbers and its positioning, we looked into making the entire car a little more visible.”

 

[MIKA27]

ALONSO SEVENTH AS CARPENTER LEADS INDY 500 QUALIFYING

Fernando AlonsoTwo-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso qualified for the Indy 500 on Saturday as Ed Carpenter produced the day’s top speed.

Alonso, making his Indy debut, was seventh fastest with a four-lap average of 230.034 mph (370.204 kph) with Carpenter taking top honours at 230.468 mph.

Carpenter, who has clinched pole twice previously, and Alonso will join seven others in an nine-car shootout on Sunday to battle for pole to the May 28 race.

French hopeful Sebastien Bourdais suffered leg fractures in a crash and was scheduled to have surgery later on Saturday, officials said.

Despite rain that delayed qualifying for five hours, Alonso said he was pleased with his performance.

“I think the day was smooth for us,” the Spaniard told reporters. “I think this morning when the weather came in, (it) definitely put a little bit of a stress on everyone. Obviously you have only one attempt, one shot, so you cannot get it wrong.”

“I think (it) was not perfectly OK in terms of balance, in terms of driving myself, that I keep learning on this format. Useful run today, useful lessons. So tomorrow I will try to do better and find more speed.”

Carpenter topped Japan’s Takuma Sato (230.382) and New Zealand’s Scott Dixon (230.333) to lead qualifiers.

Carpenter was among the drivers who took to the track late in qualifying when the weather was cooler and it proved to be an advantage.

JR Hildebrand (230.205 mph), Alexander Rossi (230.148), Will Power (230.072), Tony Kanaan (230.007) and Marco Andretti (229.924) rounded out the top nine.

MIKA: Its great to see Alonso smiling

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Ross Brawn: Change needed to ensure F1 has only the strongest drivers

Formula 1 should only have the very best drivers according to Ross Brawn, who says the commercial and feeder aspect must be addressed to ensure pay drivers aren't as prolific as they have been in previous seasons.

Although the 2017 season has fewer 'pay drivers', past years have seen a number of drivers buy their way into the sport as teams have struggled with their finances, often being forced to turn to drivers that bring significant backing from sponsors.

Brawn, who met with MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta last weekend, is eyeing a similar junior set-up to what the superbike series has in place with its Moto3 and Moto2 series, which race on the same calendar as the pinnacle event, MotoGP.

Although F1 has both Formula 2 (formerly GP2 until this year) and GP3, they only race on a handful of F1 weekends, making it difficult for fans to follow the series and get to know the junior drivers.

"I like the meritocracy that they have between Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP. I like the progression that they have," Brawn told Reuters, adding the structure is "a great example of where we [F1] should be".

Brawn says the commercial side also needs addressing and lessons can again be learned from MotoGP: "I think it’s interesting looking at the commercial side, the way they structure the teams and the deals and the way it works for the customer teams. I think it’s an interesting element.

"We should have the 22 or 24 best drivers in the world in Formula 1," added Brawn. "There are commercial considerations... which means we don’t always achieve that.

"It’s a complex problem because you have to put the teams in a position where they don’t have to make those commercial decisions, they just make the decision based on the strongest drivers they can find."

[MIKA27]

Red Bull preview the Monaco GP

After last year’s disappointment, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo head to Monaco seeking retribution.

Max Verstappen: “I have been living in Monaco for just over a year now and really enjoyed every minute of it. I have a good crew of friends which means we always have plenty of fun. It is also nice being able to train in the Mediterranean sun, and experience the nightlife… in the off season.

“There is no such thing as a low risk lap in Monaco, it doesn’t exist if you want to be fast because you have to be on the limit. Last year’s crash was very unfortunate but it doesn’t affect my confidence heading back there, it just makes me want to do better this year and learn from my mistakes. We still have a lot to learn from the car in terms of setup as it is always developing and we haven’t driven it on a tight street circuit yet.

“Preparation for Monaco is a little different, you definitely build up a little bit slower throughout the weekend and pace yourself. It’s important to find the limit carefully. With the new cars I think the chicane around the swimming pool will be the most challenging corner this year.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “In theory I could walk to work while we are in Monaco, it is still a bit of a way but it could be done. Luckily for me though we get boats to the Energy Station which is a nice change. Being able to sleep in your own bed and complain about the noise is also a treat.

“Monaco is definitely my favourite track to drive, it is so tight and intimidating. From the outside some of the sequences look impossible to go through at the speeds we do. Once you are in the car it’s an amazing feeling. If you kiss the wall it actually makes you want to do it again as opposed to scaring you. The whole spectacle of the weekend just makes it something unique and special.

“Last year was disappointing for me as I felt we definitely had the win on the cards. I am old enough and mature enough now to put that behind me and be able to look forward to racing there, and take back what I felt I lost last year. I don’ think I could have gone any quicker in my pole lap. Personally I felt it went really well, one of the best laps I have ever done. If I do win the trophy it is staying with me. NO REPLICAS!”

[MIKA27]

Jenson Button 'very much looking forward to Monaco' return - McLaren

McLaren boss Zak Brown has dismissed comments from Mark Webber, who said Jenson Button isn't taking his one-off return for the Monaco Grand Prix seriously and it is therefore a "non-story".

Button will return from 'retirement' to compete for McLaren next weekend, replacing Fernando Alonso, who is participating in the Indy 500 on the same day.

Webber, a good friend of Button's, believes the Briton has little interest in the race after he opted not to drive the McLaren MCL32 during a Bahrain test when it was offered to him by the team.

"Jenson didn't do any testing in Bahrain, he doesn't take it so seriously – 'I want to stay in America and do my triathlon, I'm not bothered about the Bahrain test' – which for me was a surprise," said Webber.

He added: "I don't think he's very interested. I don't think he would have been first on the phone [about replacing Alonso]."

Brown however disagrees and says Button is "very much looking forward" to Monaco and has spent plenty of time in the McLaren simulator in preparation for the weekend.
"I saw Mark’s comments, I don’t know if Mark’s talked to him or not or if that’s just Mark’s observation," said Brown.

"I think Jenson is very much looking forward to doing Monaco," he added. "He was at the factory, has spent time in the simulator, we gave him the option, he knows Monaco, has won Monaco.

"He did F1 for 17 years, has really only missed four races, it’s not like he’s come out of retirement – [someone] who has not been in the car three years – he felt that [simulator work] was his best preparation, he knows what he’s doing, that was the option he wanted to choose."

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HAAS PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

Monaco is the epitome of Formula One. High-powered and sophisticated cars competing in a playground built for the high-powered and sophisticated. Monaco is the smallest and most densely populated country in the world, but its reach is global. It’s why Haas Automation – the largest machine tool builder in North America – uses Formula One to showcase its advanced machining technology to a worldwide audience.

Racing goes global May 28, and it’s the Monaco Grand Prix that kicks of motorsports’ most glorious day. For those in America – home to Haas F1 Team – it’s breakfast in Monaco, lunch in Indianapolis and dinner in Charlotte via the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.

But first, Monaco. Organized racing began in 1929 when Anthony Noghes, son of a wealthy cigarette baron, proposed a grand prix through the streets of Monte Carlo. On April 14, the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix was held and it was won by William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti. In this year’s 75th Monaco Grand Prix, the same basic layout crafted by Noghes will challenge today’s Formula One drivers.

Challenge is the key word, for there is no more challenging venue than Monaco. The 78-lap race around the 3.337-kilometer (2.074-mile), 19-turn street circuit features many elevation changes and the tightest corners on the series’ 20-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”.

Despite being the shortest track, Monaco is the longest Formula One race in terms of time and, if hampered by wet weather, it will certainly go to its full, two-hour time limit. As a result, the glitz and glamour of Monaco is juxtaposed by the gumption it takes to navigate a street circuit that is nearly 90 years old and lined with menacing Armco barrier.

Haas F1 Team drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen have seven Monaco Grand Prix starts between them – five by Grosjean and two by Magnussen. Grosjean’s best result is eighth in 2014 and Magnussen’s is 10th, also in 2014.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

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?
“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.”

Much will be made of Fernando Alonso’s drive in the Indianapolis 500. What do you think of it and how much of the Indianapolis 500 will you be able to watch?
“I’m not here to judge his decisions, so he can do whatever he feels is right. I think it’s cool for motorsports as it’s a good story. I hope he does well. He deserves it. He’s one of the best in Formula One. He can do well. He’s got the talent to do well in the Indy 500, no doubt. I don’t think I’ll be watching it as I’m on a plane this year, but maybe I’ll get the end of it when I get to England that night. I will, for sure, look at what happened. I wish him good luck.”

Jumping into Alonso’s car for the Monaco Grand Prix is Jenson Button. From what you’ve seen so far this year, what adjustments will he have to make to drive this year’s car compared to last year’s car?
“Jenson will be fine. He’s well trained. He’s always very fit. I don’t think he’ll have big struggles. He knows what is coming. He’s a world champion and he knows how to drive a car. He drove cars similar to this, before the regulation change and we went to the smaller tires and all that stuff. I think he’s one of the few that won’t be surprised with this car. He was always fast in Monte Carlo, so let’s see what he brings to the table.”

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?
“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 work load 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?
“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.”

Qualifying is always important in Formula One, but is it exceptionally more important at Monaco because it is so tough to pass?
“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.”

Monaco marks the one-year anniversary of the debut of Pirelli’s Purple ultrasoft tire. How has the use of that tire evolved and how does such a grippy, but short lifespan tire factor into a team’s strategy?
“We’re pretty happy to have the soft range of tires in Monaco. We need to find out about the ultrasoft – how well we can use them in Monte Carlo. With the big tire, and Monaco being Monaco, we need the softest tires you can get. We don’t know yet how long they will last – if they’re just short-stint tires or if we can do more. Sometimes this year we’ve been surprised by how long the softest tires lasted. The biggest example was in Barcelona. The soft tire was a very good tire and it lasted very long. I don’t know exactly what the tire will do in Monaco, but in the moment, we are happy to have these soft tires available. We chose a lot of them. If we get the pick wrong, we’re in trouble, but so will other people, so we’ll all be in trouble together. I think the cars will be pretty fast with these tires.”

Strategy sometimes can be thrown out the window when the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) is displayed. This seemed to be the case for the team in its most recent race in Barcelona. Are you able to plan for the possibility of a VSC, or is it a matter of when it happens, going with your gut and acting on experience?
“You always look at the history of how many Safety Cars or Virtual Safety Cars have come out in a race. You know that it will come, you just never know when it will come. When it comes, sometimes you’re in a good position, sometimes you’re in a bad one. In Barcelona, we were in a bad position because it threw our strategy out the window, while other ones, it came toward them. I would say, though, that’s racing. In Barcelona, two of the leading cars fell out, and that made it possible for us, in the end, to finish at least 10th. At the time, when the Virtual Safety Car came out, we were hoping to get better than 10th. Sometimes it comes against you, sometimes for you. To answer the question, you just need to react when the Virtual Safety Car comes out and do what you need to do. If it’s right or wrong, you will find out afterward.”

Because Monaco is so technical, do you consider it a driver’s track, where one’s skills can trump another car’s sophistication?
“It’s a combination but, for sure, in Monaco the driver input and the percentage of what the driver can do is higher. The car always needs to be good – a good car is good everywhere – but in Monaco, a good driver can make the 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?
“It’s difficult to succeed. It’s a very well-known and famous, glamorous grand prix. Therefore, it’s the one you want to win as a driver.”

Romain Grosjean

Monaco in Formula One is like the Indianapolis 500 in Indtcar and the Daytona 500 in NASCAR. Obviously, Monaco is special, but what is the Monaco Grand Prix like for you?
“Monaco is special to me because it’s kind of my home race. We’re beside France and there’s always a lot of people, a lot of fans. It is, of course, special because of all the glamour because it is Monaco. Everyone knows Monaco and everyone wants to be in Monaco. It’s a very challenging track and a very long weekend with lots of demands, but at the end of the day it’s a very nice show.”

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?
“I’ll have my wife and my Dad coming to Monaco, which is going to be great. Of course, there’s going to be a lot of French fans at the grand prix, which is really cool. I’m really looking forward to that. Monaco’s a special one as we don’t drive on the Friday. It’s an ‘off’ day on track, but I’ve got at least one meeting with the engineers, an autograph session and a fan forum appearance. It’s pretty busy even though you’re not running.”

You’ll have an actual home race next year 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?
“I don’t have that much experience at Paul Ricard. I raced there in GT1 and did the old GP2 tests, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually raced a single-seater there. Having a home grand prix is something special. Everyone’s very excited about it and I can’t wait to go there and see what it’s like.”

Much will be made of Fernando Alonso’s drive in the Indianapolis 500. What do you think of it and how much of the Indianapolis 500 will you be able to watch?
“It’s pretty amazing and he’s doing well in the testing. It’s a really good race. It’s a nice one, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch. I’ll have a look at the highlights.”

Jumping into Alonso’s car for the Monaco Grand Prix is Jenson Button. From what you’ve seen so far this year, what adjustments will he have to make to drive this year’s car compared to last year’s car?
“First thing he has to do is get used to the width of the car, especially in Monaco. Jenson is a great champion. He’s been world champion and he knows what he’s doing. He’s going to be on it pretty quickly. If we can take advantage of the fact that he’s not got much experience in the car at the beginning, we’ll use that for our own performance, but I’m sure he’s going to be good straight away.”

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?
“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.”

Qualifying is always important in Formula One, but is it exceptionally more important at Monaco because it is so tough to pass?
“Yes. It’s almost impossible to pass in Monaco, unless you take big risks, and in that case you may spend some hours with the stewards afterward. Qualifying is the key. You really want to be on the front row. Once the race starts, you want a good start and try to hang in there. It’s one of those races where the chances to overtake are very low. Something really needs to happen for you to be able to come back if you’re racing at the back.”

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?
“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?
“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.”

With this year’s car being so much faster than last year’s car, will it change how you approach or drive any section of the Monaco circuit? Will braking become even more important because of the speeds you’re carrying into a corner?
“It will probably go faster, but we just need to be more on it. I don’t think it’s going to change much. We just need to keep working. Braking is very important. Then the grip of the car, the confidence – mainly in Monaco, it’s the confidence that you’ve got in your car. If you can push it on the entry phase of the corner, that’s great. If you can’t, then it’s a bit more difficult.”

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?
“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’re a guy trying to convince his wife or girlfriend to come to a race. If it’s Monaco, where does he need to take her to ensure she gets to enjoy Monaco beyond just the race?
“I think in general, every track that’s in a city – Monaco, Melbourne, Montreal, Singapore, Budapest and Austin – they’re all pretty cool places. There’s obviously the race going on, but alongside that, there’s the city where your wife or girlfriend can explore. Monaco is a high-glamour track because you’ve got the boats, the marina and all of that on top of it. It’s definitely a cool place to bring your wife or girlfriend.”

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

What is your favorite part of the Monaco circuit and why?
“I quite like the run up the hill to Casino Corner. It’s a high-speed part of Monaco.”

Describe a lap around Monaco.
“So you start on the straight, where it’s very bumpy hitting the brakes into turn one at Sainte Devote. It’s easy to make a mistake here, but then you need to make a good exit for the run up to Casino Corner. Up the hill, blind corner, braking just after the bump, fourth gear, and then third gear for the next one. Going down then you want to avoid the bus stop, which is bumpy, then you head to turn five. There’s always a bit of front-locking, the front inside wheel is in the air. Then the hairpin is a very slow-speed corner. You turn the steering wheel with one hand. After that it’s the two Portier corners. The second one is important because it brings you to the tunnel, which is a straight line on the track. The tunnel is flat out before you have to brake big for the chicane, where there’s another bump. Then you have Tabac, which is quite a high-speed corner, followed by the swimming pool complex, also very high speed. The braking for La Rascasse is tricky, again easy to front-lock. Then there’s a tricky exit for the last corner – it’s not so easy as it’s up a small crest. When you then go down, you can get wheelspin, and then you’re back on the start-finish straight.”

Kevin Magnussen

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?
“Monaco is the most iconic race of the season. It’s also one of the most fun tracks to drive. It’s really challenging, especially with this new, faster car. I’m sure it’s going to be even more fun this year.”

Jumping into Fernando Alonso’s car for the Monaco Grand Prix is Jenson Button. From what you’ve seen so far this year, what adjustments will he have to make to drive this year’s car compared to last year’s car?
“It behaves a little differently and there’s a lot more grip, especially in the high-speed corners it will feel different. It’s still a racecar, though. It’s got four wheels and a steering wheel. It should be alright for him.”

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?
“It’s pretty difficult to race and it’s nearly impossible to overtake. You can only overtake if the guy in front of you makes a big mistake, really. At least with these big cars, I think it’ll be a bit like that. Qualifying will be very important.”

With this year’s car being so much faster than last year’s car, will it change how you approach or drive any section of the Monaco circuit?
“The section around the swimming pool is going to be very fast this year and around the casino as well. I think it’s going to be great fun.”

Monaco marks the one-year anniversary of the debut of Pirelli’s Purple ultrasoft tire. How has the use of that tire evolved and how does such a grippy, but short lifespan tire factor into a team’s strategy?
“Well, it depends which track you’re using it on. In Monaco, even the ultrasoft is going to be too hard. We kind of need a mega-ultrasoft tire for that race. It’s not there, so we have to make do with the ultrasoft. For sure, the soft is not going to be much use – even the supersoft will be way too hard.”

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?
“I think there have been so many good races in Monaco, so many historic ones, it’s hard to pick one out that’s the most special. The history is really alive there. When you go there, you feel part of Formula One.”

Because Monaco is so technical, do you consider it a driver’s track, where one’s skills can trump another car’s sophistication?
“In a way, because qualifying is so important, it’s all about your raw pace over one lap. I guess that makes it pretty intense – to get one lap right.”

What is your favorite part of the Monaco circuit and why?
“I would say the swimming pool section. It’s the best part. It’s fast and hectic.”

Describe a lap around Monaco.
“It’s bumpy, narrow and exciting.”

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE MONACO GRAND PRIX

Renault preview the Monaco Grand Prix, Round 6 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, in Monte Carlo.

Renault Sport Racing Managing Director, Cyril Abiteboul: “The Grand Prix de Monaco has a special place in the hearts of Formula 1 fans in general and has particular resonance for Renault. Since 2009, the event has been the nearest we have had to a French Grand Prix, and even before that we have always had a special relationship with the Principality.”

“As a constructor, Renault has won twice in Monaco, with Jarno Trulli in 2004 and in 2006 with Fernando Alonso. As an engine supplier, we have tasted the top step a further four times. Our expectation is not to add to this statistic in 2017, but we are making progress and we are ambitious for this new challenge.”

“Barcelona was a complicated weekend for us. However, we achieved Renault Sport Formula One Team’s best-ever finish and the points scored meant we moved up a position in the Constructors’ Championship. We were somewhat disappointed on Saturday with our qualifying positions, but we were able to make amends on Sunday with a better race pace.”

“Monaco presents our engineers and drivers with a unique challenge and it provides a fabulous showcase for Formula 1 to the world.”

“In Monaco we will start our celebrations of the forty year anniversary of Renault first entering Formula 1. We hope we can harness the force of our forty year history for a strong result this weekend.”

After a successful points finish in Spain, the R.S.17 will get a taste of the most famous circuit on the Formula 1 calendar – the Circuit de Monaco. Engine Technical Director Remi Taffin shares his thoughts on the twisting, street circuit and what challenges the bumps and dips bring.

What are the challenges in Monaco?
Remi Taffin: For Monaco you need consistency, so the job of the power unit is to give the driver a consistent power delivery without too many energy recovery strategies over the course of a very busy and frenetic lap. Fortunately, Monaco is unique in the way it is driven and some of the areas you need to pay attention to for a more normal track are not so relevant. As a driver doesn’t use full throttle as much as at other tracks, they can recover energy quite easily.
Historically, we would say that Monaco was hard on the engine because of the bumps and the driver maintaining high revs with the engine. We have addressed all the issues stemming from the bumps and the latest generation of engine revs lower and has a different torque curve so these areas are not as critical as before.
Ultimately, Monaco is about confidence. When a driver is confident it can make a big difference. So we do everything we can do from a power unit perspective to assist with the driver’s confidence.

How would you sum up the season so far?
RT: We knew it would be a challenging start to the year – testing illustrated this – but five Grands Prix in we have finished all the races without experiencing any problems. In Spain we were able to get more from the power unit in qualifying mode. We are not subject to the same constraints as before with tokens, so we can push and develop in a different way than for the past three seasons. We are continuing with our roadmap of adding performance, balanced to the requirements of reliability.

When will we see the new generation MGU-K?
RT: We ran with a new generation MGU-K in pre-season testing and this showed us that the concept was not ready for race conditions. The potential advantage it offers relates to its weight rather than direct PU performance benefits. This new generation of MGUK will be deployed when adequate with our power unit plan. In terms of performance improvement we are looking at every area, so the potential weight advantage of a new specification MGU-K is just one factor in a bigger equation.

A sixth place finish in Spain gave the team its best-ever finish, so a return to familiar surroundings gives Monaco resident Nico Hülkenberg added confidence to add to his points tally.

What makes Monaco so special?
Nico Hulkenberg: There is no track like Monaco, it’s the highlight of the year. It’s unique and special in every aspect and I massively look forward to it. It is probably the most glamorous Grand Prix on the calendar and there is no place like it to give you a buzz and a sensation of speed.

What challenges does Monaco bring?
NH: Physically it is not the most demanding track, but you have to really concentrate and be very precise. It is low speed, not a high G-force track, but very full-on which makes focus vital. An error puts you in the wall and ends your race. As a driver it is about confidence. Overtaking is hard but it is a thrilling race and a huge challenge, I really love racing at Monaco.

Are you confident going into the weekend?
NH: The track should suit us, especially with the Supersoft and Ultrasoft tyres. I am looking forward to race day and obviously I’m aiming for a good result. Last year I performed there quite well and with the new cars it will feel even quicker. You need a good rhythm and a good harmony with yourself and the car and feel comfortable. Lap times can be tricky to find, but in recent years I have done well, so hopefully we can have another strong performance.

Is patience the key to success on a street circuit like Monaco?
NH: You have to build it up step by step, session by session. The last thing you want to do is touch a wall as that will take all your confidence away. In qualifying you peak and take more risks and get closer to the barriers and really get on the limits. But it is a street circuit, we know what they entail and you have to be sensible and totally focused on the task.

What are the notable elements of racing in your back yard?
NH: I scooter and bike around the track, sometimes through the tunnel! It is kind of weird to go home every night between sessions, but it is a nice change-up to the normal routine.

Jolyon Palmer is aiming to do the business in Monaco.

How exciting is Monaco?
JP: It is really fun, there is nothing quite like it. It is a unique event with all the glitz and glamour, all the yachts, all the rich and famous. It all adds to make a really fun place and a great event to be involved in. It is a special weekend and one I always love. Monaco is a cool place and so different behind the wheel where you have adrenaline pumping from the first lap.

Talk us through a lap of the Circuit de Monaco…
JP: It is difficult to catch your breath as it is 75 seconds of chaos! From the moment you hit the brakes at Sainte Devote and up the hill, it is one corner after another, super quick and very bumpy. There are walls on the outside, you literally brush them and get as close as you can. It is pinpoint accuracy required and commitment for all of it, that is the challenge.

Have you ever hit a perfect lap in Monaco?
JP: I’ve got pretty close and it feels very good. It is probably the best feeling you get in racing. It is about commitment and chucking the car in and hoping it comes out the corner. When you do that for 19 corners, it is pretty special. I remember setting my GP2 pole position lap in 2014 knowing that nobody would beat it.

How do you prepare for this unique Grand Prix?
JP: You need to build up to it steadily. It is a normal road so the track changes as it evolves. You build up your confidence which is important to do piece by piece. This year will be tough with the new cars. It is pretty much a two-hour race, even qualifying will be hard. You have no chance to gather your thoughts or take a breath on the lap. Mentally it is the hardest race of the year.

Do you ever find time to take in the atmosphere?
JP: There are a lot of yachts and parties going on. I do get to scooter around when I head in or leave in the afternoon, which is fun and quite refreshing. It is great seeing the fans, but obviously I go quick on the scooter and get my knee down. Nobody is stopping me!

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BRAWN: SEBASTIAN IS THE KEY TO FERRARI SUCCESS

Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn believes that Sebastian Vettel is key to the success of Ferrari this year, and by leading the championship for Ferrari he is boosting the image of the sport.

Brawn told Sport Bild, “What Sebastian does in the red car is great advertising for Formula 1. Most fans want to see a successful Ferrari team. And Sebastian is the key to it.”

“Mercedes are pushing their limits, while Sebastian makes it onto the podium quite comfortably. Ferrari is more consistent,” added the Englishman who was instrumental in Ferrari’s turn of the century success in F1 and led his Brawn GP to title in 2009 before it morphed into Mercedes.

Indeed Vettel was disappointed not to win the recent Spanish Grand Prix, “We’re not entirely happy because the win was there. The car was quick enough but the way the race happened, it wasn’t meant to be. The most important thing is that we were there. Once again fighting, hanging in there, not much missing at the end.”

The German leads the 2017 Formula 1 Championship standings by six points, from Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, by six points after five rounds. The pair have each won two races with Valtteri Bottas winning one so far.

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Developments at Silverstone

The future of Silverstone as a Formula 1 venue is anything but certain. There is a contract until 2026, but this has a break clause at the end of 2019, although the Formula 1 group needs to informed of any break before this year’s Grand Prix in July. Representatives of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which owns Silverstone, were present at the Spanish GP for talks with the new F1 management and while there is talk of a better deal for the British track, nothing is yet decided. The BRDC had been trying to sell the rest of its land at Silverstone and remain only as the operator of the races, but this idea was shelved in February when the last of the bidders dropped out. The BRDC will go it alone once again and is now looking at ways to generate more revenues from its assets.

The change of management at Formula 1 is obviously a promising development but the club has also managed to find the funding for its Heritage Experience, which is due to open in early 2019. It has also secured a multi-year contract to host the British round of the World Rallycross Championship from 2018 onwards, using part of the Stowe circuit and its infield. These developments strengthen the argument in favour of the development of an on-site 4-star hotel with 225 rooms. This would be located next to the main entrance, backing on to what used to be the Abbey Corner. In order to move in this direction the members have agreed a deal with MEPC, which leases a lot of the original circuit land, to swap an area now owned by MEPC, which had been earmarked as retail, to a different location, away from the main entrance and accessible from the Dadford Road. In exchange for this the BRDC will take back 7.7-acres of land behind the Silverstone UTC, at the northern end of the track.

The club is also planning to push forward with a plan to lease 13-acres of land on the outside of the circuit between Copse and Becketts to a development company, in order to construct 60 luxury villas designed as short stay accommodation (and a clubhouse). Once completed these would be leased, proving the club with a large capital sum once the development was completed and then a share of the ongoing rental fees. There are also projects for a family entertainment centre next to the Heritage Experience and several possible ‘brand centres’for car manufacturers.

The aim with all of this is to clear up existing debts and to create revenues for the future so that the more expensive elements on the Masterplan (the hotel) can be developed. Does it mean that Silverstone will not action the Grand Prix break clause? These moves would suggest that the BRDC is not ready to give up the Grand Prix just yet, but it will be a while before we know that for certain…

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Verstappen breaks lap record at Zandvoort during F1 demo

Max Verstappen set a new lap record at Circuit Zandvoort on Sunday morning during a Formula 1 demonstration with the V8-powered Red Bull RB8.

The Dutchman clocked a 1m19.511s on the 4.307km Zandvoort track, which has been completely resurfaced this year. 

Previously, the lap was a 1m19.880s, which was set by Luca Badoer with a Ferrari F2001 sixteen years ago.

“It is super to be here and driving the Red Bull Racing RB8”, Verstappen told his fans on Saturday. “The V8 engine makes a nice sound, that always makes it extra special.

“It is a slightly different car that I am normally used to, but with a better sound, so that is also better to use here. 

“I know from my Formula 3 period that Zandvoort is a great circuit. There is way more grip now with the new tarmac. It is more comfortable to drive on, because there aren’t that many bumps anymore, that’s very positive.”

  

Dutch Grand Prix

Verstappen is doing a series of F1 demo runs this weekend as part of a big fan event, which has been organised by his personal sponsor Jumbo for the second year in a row.

Last year’s edition of the 'Jumbo Racedagen driven by Max Verstappen' drew over 100,000 visitors, and this year the numbers are expected to be even higher.

Zandvoort is currently looking into the possibility of organising an F1 Grand Prix race again, with a feasibility study set to conclude this summer.

“If it was up to me, we had it here already, the Grand Prix”, Verstappen said. 

“Of course, that would be very nice, but there is more to it, like a budget and the infrastructure. A lot needs to be done in order to be able to organize this.”

The last Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort was held in 1985, and was won by Niki Lauda.

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Maldonado "turned down" F1 race seat for 2017

Pastor Maldonado says he turned down the opportunity to return to Formula 1 this season because the seat offered to him wasn't competitive.

The Venezuelan was replaced by Kevin Magnussen at Renault ahead of the 2016 season, but had talks with a number of teams about a return this year and had his hopes raised when Nico Rosberg quit Mercedes.

But Maldonado says declined an offer to return and could not find an alternative that appealed.

"I have the experience and I had opportunities to come back here this year [in a race seat]," he told Motorsport.com.

"I was quite close to coming back but I decided not to. But if I don't have any good feeling, if I don't have any guarantees to do in the good way, it's better to stay away - so I turned them down."

Maldonado was personally sponsored by PDVSA, his country's state-owned oil and gas giant, to the tune of around $46 million per year.

PDVSA became involved in a dispute with Renault over payments that resulted in it opting to tear up its deal, leaving Maldonado without a seat.

The precarious state of the Venezuelan economy has cast doubts over that backing going forward, but Maldonado insists that is not a roadblock to his return.

"It's quite tough - there is up and downs in the economy and hopefully soon we can get out of this situation and the country will be strong again," said the 2012 Spanish GP winner.

"I don't think it's important - a return is still possible, it's not the only sponsor. I'm not here because I don't want to be right now."

Maldonado said he is not actively pursuing a return to F1 "at the moment" but said a return remains possible.

"I discovered there is something more interesting than F1 in life," he said. "It's not everything. But I'm missing it because I dedicated my entire life to motor racing - I started when I was six.

"When I wake up and decide 'OK, it's time to go back', I will."

When asked if he will do any racing this year, he said: "I will do something, but I don't know what."

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McLaren to bring more updates to Monaco

McLaren plans to introduce the second part of its major update package at the Monaco Grand Prix, after being hugely encouraged by the first step that ran in Barcelona.

New wings, floor and other bodywork elements helped Fernando Alonso deliver the team’s best qualifying performance of the season so far at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, as he lined up seventh on the grid.

But even more encouraging than the pace potential was the fact that the new parts showed such good correlation with the team’s windtunnel and CFD data – something which has given it a big confidence boost about the steps that can be expected from parts currently being worked on.

Racing director Eric Boullier told Motorsport.com that the team’s behind-the-scenes work to get its correlation sorted was now paying off, and that what was coming for Monaco should help it make another step forward.

“We have restructured and rebuilt the team and now it is working and operating very, very well,” said Boullier. “You can see the results: and our correlation rate is unbelievable.

“In Spain we brought a new front wing, new bodywork, new floor, and new rear wing and it is correlating 95 percent. And with this year’s new regulations meaning there are big gains every time you work in the wind tunnel or CFD, we see big potential still.

“So what we had on the car [in Barcelona] was the first part of the package and the second part will be in Monaco. It has allowed us and Fernando to step up into this midfield pack – and this is a fact not fantasy.”

Points target

Although Alonso’s hopes of turning his Spanish GP qualifying performance into McLaren's first points of the year were dashed after a collision with Felipe Massa at Turn 2 of the race, the team believes it now has a car capable of finishing in the top 10.

“It is not hope – we know that on the less power sensitive tracks that we can be in the points,” added Boullier. “That is it. But we are not racing to be seventh. I told Mansour [Ojjeh, McLaren shareholder] that on Saturday.

“He got excited about qualifying, and especially when you watch the telemetry live, you can see where he [Alonso’] was gaining and where he was losing, so for maybe three seconds you will go, ‘yes, another step done!’

"But the next thought is – ‘it is just seventh you know’. So nothing to be really excited about.”

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The story of F1’s unofficial 11th team

Formula 1's newest outfit might not actually compete on track, but Paul Stoddart - the man behind it - has pulled out all the stops to ensure it feels like an authentic part of the paddock.

The push by Formula 1’s new owners Liberty Media to do more for fans came alive at the Spanish Grand Prix as a bigger entertainment programme, enhanced activities and a festival atmosphere helped produce a carnival-style event for those at the race.

But there was change afoot in the F1 paddock too. For as well as an open bar, a bigger buzz and that special F1-branded robot, a new unofficial 11th F1 team appeared at the far end of the pitlane.

In fact, were it not for the fact that its cars featured two seats, you could have been forgiven for thinking that this was actually a new entrant that had turned up – because the garage was fully specced up and it even had its own motorhome ready.

Instead, this two-seater set-up was one of the cornerstones of F1’s new efforts to bring the sport closer to the fans – with media, celebrities and even a few competition winners being lucky enough to try out the experience of a high-speed lap of the track.

In charge of F1's two-seater project is former Minardi F1 boss Paul Stoddart, who has kept running his cars ever since he sold to Red Bull in 2005.

But rather than the whole effort just being about a crazy 90 seconds on track, the new project is about recreating a full team experience – so there is a working garage, where guests can really get to understand better what F1 life is like.

"It's all about F1 experiences and it's all about bringing Formula 1 up close and personal to the people," Stoddart told Motorsport.com. "Let them see it, feel it, smell it. And for the really lucky ones, they even get to ride in it.

"But even the ones that don't ride, the excitement in that garage now, you see the smiles on people's faces.

"And even if they've not actually gone into the car, just being around the cars, being so close to a Formula 1 car, there are so many people around the world that just have dreamed about something like this and they don't ever get the chance. So what this is all about, is actually opening up Formula 1 a little bit. But not too much!"

Manor equipment

While Stoddart has his own two-seater cars, which have famously run at the Australian GP every year, other equipment needed to be sourced.

One of the ways that Stoddart was able to recreate the authentic F1 garage feel was through buying up many of the assets that the defunct Manor team had – so at least some of the spirit of the old outfit can continue.

"This is very much the Manor equipment from last year, so it belongs in this paddock," he said. "We've been running the cars for years, so there's nothing new in that.

"But what's new is having the advantage to actually show the product and show the experience and share the experience with people that would never ever, ever have had the chance to do something like this.

"If somebody really wants to have their photo taken, we let them come into the garage and let them have their photo taken."

"A little down the road [later this year], not at this one because it was all done in pretty quick time, but we will be doing pitstop challenges. And you've seen out there the pitstop gantry. It's all a hundred percent today.

"It's not last year's or from 10 years ago. It's today's, so everything in that garage is ready and able and capable.

"We will have guests sitting and watching the race inside the garage. These are experiences that in previous times money couldn't buy. So we just bring it to the people."

China impetus

The idea of coming up with F1's 11th team was discussed briefly at Stoddart's home Australian GP, but a plan to put it into action only accelerated after the wet Friday in China – when limited track action because the medical helicopter couldn't fly left the sport facing fresh criticism.

"Originally when we discussed with Liberty in Australia about doing this, we were going to start in Austin," he said. "So we had many, many months to get prepared, because Austin being [in October] there was no pressure. There was no pressure at all.

"The cars could have come back from Australia, we would have months to prepare them and turn them around and do everything."

Stoddart had originally planned for the cars to return to the UK via sea freight, which would have meant them only getting back this week. But ahead of a meeting he had planned with Liberty in April, a sixth sense told him to switch to air freight

"I felt I needed to do this because otherwise I'm having a meeting and if they say 'We want to be in Barcelona', I can't do it. Physically, the cars would have been on the water. And so we changed it.

"That was on the Friday, we had the meeting on the Saturday, and they said: 'No, no Barcelona, we are not ready for it yet'.

"But then after the Chinese Grand Prix, when they had the problems on the Friday with not being able to run, I got a call to say: 'Can you be in Barcelona?' And I'm thinking: "That's three-and-a-half weeks before the trucks have to leave!'

"But I said: 'Yep, we'll do it.' And it's one of those moments you say 'yes' to something and then you think: 'Wow, are we really going to be able to do this?'"

Getting it together

Stoddart had limited time to get things in order – but, having been an entrepreneur all his life, he pulled out all the stops to get things sorted.

He arranged with the auction company selling Manor's assets to get permission for early purchase of items he wanted – which happened over the Easter weekend.

Plans to sort out team clothing nearly came unstuck when the order got mixed up. A last-minute change of company, and the dispatching of trousers and polo shirts on a delayed plane, meant crew were trying on their uniform in the back of the paddock.

There was motorhome drama too: "We had a real expensive lesson here on the Thursday, when this motorhome went up. We just trusted the circuit power and when we got a rain storm on Thursday afternoon we got shorted out.

"It melted down three sets of tyre warmers, just melted down. So we had to rewire.

"Luckily we brought an electrician. We brought a lot more people then we normally have, because we wanted to cover every eventuality.

"And luckily I had two electricians and an assistant that were on our staff and they ended up having to do their real job, which is to rewire this motorhome and run off the generator and not off the circuit power to protect against things like that. So it's just been a little learning curve."

But Stoddart's favourite story involves paint – and how the cars and motorhome have been given a coat of something normally reserved for the poshest of private jets.

"Because they were in orange and blue, from last year, we had to paint them in record time," he said. "We have a big aircraft painting facility, and I actually pushed a plane, a Boeing 737 that was due to be painted, pushed it out, brought all this stuff in.

"The paint was there for the aircraft, which is like way more expensive stuff then you would ever put on a motorhome. These things got a Boeing BBJ [Boeing Business Jet] paint job."

"It wasn't just the two motorhomes - there's a support truck and everything else, and all the garage panelling was blue and orange. So we had to change all that.

"We had to hire back people that were doing other jobs, get people to work weekends and night times. And kind of long story short, all the painting which was critical, was done literally in, four days on the motorhome, six days to finish the whole lot. 24 hours a day. They brought in extra people and shifted at two shifts at 12. And it was all done."

Bucket list

For Stoddart, the days of running an actual team may be long gone, but he seems happy enough being back in the paddock at the races where the experience will run this year – Austin will most likely be next - and putting a smile on people's faces.

"I take away great pride and I feel really privileged to be able to actually allow people to share the experience," he said. "I've done it for 20 years.

"And the best buzz I get is looking at the smiles on people's faces. Or if we put someone's little kid in the seat and let them play with the steering wheel. You just look at the parents and it's like they know that this is going to be that kid's photo for years to come, the day that he got in a Formula 1 car!

"There the kind of - well I won't say life-changing, that's a bit too far - but there the kind of almost bucket list experiences that people want to do."