In Monaco qualifying is more important than any other Grand Prix. You’re building up all the way through the weekend in the practice sessions for the crucial qualifying.
– Hamilton confident of ending Rosberg’s Monaco dominance
– Hamilton signs three-year contract extension with Mercedes
– Rosberg happy to see Mercedes battle with Hamilton continue
Pole position allows you to control the race and forces your opponents to compromise their tactics. Unless you have a nightmare start, the person in pole position should hang on to the lead.
It is a very different circuit and there are a couple of key factors that you have to focus on when tackling that track. You must stay on the road to maximise the track time.
The track is dirty but it evolves all the time. You have to stay out and do longer runs than you usually do on a circuit to get your eye in because it is narrower than other circuits and there are some tricky elements to the course.
Over and out for the day. See you tomorrow Monaco for some on track action! #MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/1uzcssKBXx
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 22, 2015
The other thing that you need to do in Monaco is set up the car in a sharp way at the front so it turns well. If you have a car that under-steers, you can’t have any confidence going into the braking zones so it is essential that your car is very pointy.
As soon as you turn the steering wheel, the car needs to react. This will make you confident and will allow you to brake deep into the corner of the braking area and react quickly.
In normal Grands Prix you can try out your braking and corners on Friday but in Monaco you can’t do that. You have to build up the rhythm and go for it in the qualifying.
You have to feel confident and completely in control before you encounter that critical qualifying. These circumstances make the weekend very special.
Drivers make a bigger difference in Monaco than on other circuits. However, you still need a good car to do well. With an average car you simply can’t challenge
Sometimes when the conditions change due to rain, it opens up the chances for an underdog to do well. If it is dry it is challenging to overtake so you need to produce the spectacular to succeed and finish on the podium.
Monaco memories
Away from the track, there is always a lot of interest because of the glitz, glamour and famous parties. But as driver you genuinely don’t really get to go to them.
It’s such a hectic and busy weekend you just want to get back home and wind down from the action. However, if you ask Kimi Raikkonen, he probably has some funnier stories!
Heikki’s prediction
1. Hamilton; 2. Rosberg; 3. Vettel
