Track: Circuit de Monaco
Number of Laps: 78
Circuit Length: 2.1 miles (3.3km)
Race Length: 161.9 miles (260.1km)
Start Time: 13:00 BST
Fastest Lap: 1:13.532 (Kimi Raikkonen, Team McLaren Mercedes, 2006)
Fastest Race Lap: 1:14.439 (Michael Schumacher, Scuderia Ferrari, 2004)
2014 Pole Position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas, 1:15.989, Supersoft Tyres
2014 Race Winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas
Tyre Compounds: Supersoft, Soft, Intermediate, Wet
First F1 Grand Prix: 1950
Most Wins: Ayrton Senna (6)
A fortnight after the Formula E event took place, it is Formula 1’s turn to race around the legendary streets of Monaco. The race in the principality is the highest profile event on the Formula 1 calendar, the race where the most important celebrities turn up. The podium celebration takes place below the Royal box. Monaco is also home to most of the current drivers on the grid.
Legendary commentator Murray Walker summed up Monaco perfectly – “The place where if you need to ask the price you can’t afford it”. The Hairpin – slowest corner on the calendar – passes the Casino Monte-Carlo, where the winning driver spends the night. And his winnings.
Murray commentated on some of the most memorable races in history around this track – the race no one wanted to win in 1982, Senna’s near win in the treacherous conditions of 1984 and Olivier Panis’ first win in 1996 to name a few.
Last season, however, was arguably more memorable for its qualifying session. Nico Rosberg infamously ran down the escape road at Mirabeau, bringing out the yellow flags and preventing team mate Lewis Hamilton from setting a faster time.
Hamilton has vowed not to let that happen again. The championship leader will be wanting to bounce back after Rosberg took his first win of the year last time out in Spain. The reigning champion has only won the Monaco Grand Prix once – in 2008 – despite crashing into the barrier.
Mercedes showed pace improvements over Ferrari in Spain – as well as in the mid season test that followed the race. That could be crucial in securing pole position on the track that is said to be the hardest to overtake on. Should they falter though, the Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen will be waiting to pounce – as will the Williams if their pace from Spain is an indicator of things to come.
Let’s hope for another classic race around the streets of Monaco – a track described as “driving through a supermarket” by last season’s third place man Daniel Ricciardo.
Image copyright Mercedes AMG F1 Team
