Monaco Grand Prix Race Advance

The Haas VF-17 has a new look for Monaco. What inspired the change and will we see it the rest of the year?

“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.”

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.” 

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 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.”

Circuit de Monaco

• Total number of race laps: 78
• Complete race distance: 260.286 kilometers (161.734 miles)
• Pit lane speed limit: 60 kph (37 mph)
• This 3.337-kilometer (2.074-mile), 19-turn circuit has hosted Formula One since 1950, and 2017 marks the 75th running of the Monaco Grand Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton holds the race lap record at Monaco (1:17.939), set in 2016 with Mercedes.
• Daniel Ricciardo holds the qualifying lap record at Monaco (1:13.622), set in 2016 with Red Bull in Q3.
• BUT, the above lap records came on a slightly reconfigured layout that debuted in 2016. Kimi Räikkönen’s qualifying lap record of 1:13.532 set in 2006 with McLaren is widely considered the fastest lap of this Formula One era at Monaco.
• There is no more challenging venue in Formula One than Monaco, which features many elevation changes and the tightest corners on the 20-race calendar. Monaco is the shortest circuit in Formula One and it is 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. 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. Monaco 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.
• DYK? Prior to 1969, there were no barriers around the Monaco street circuit. The circuit’s conditions were virtually identical to everyday, civilian use, sans the removal of people’s production cars parked on the sides of the streets. If a driver went off, he would crash into whatever was next to the track – buildings, lamp posts, windows, etc. In the cases of Alberto Ascari and Paul Hawkins, they ended up in the water. Because the concrete road the course used had no Armco barrier to protect the drivers from going off the track, each ended up in the harbor of the Mediterranean. In 1970 and 1971, Armco barrier in specific points was continually added, and by 1972, nearly the entire circuit was lined with Armco barrier.
• During the course of the Monaco Grand Prix, lows will range from 16-18 degrees Celsius (61-64 degrees Fahrenheit) to highs of 21-23 degrees Celsius (70-74 degrees Fahrenheit). The median cloud cover ranges between 41-49 percent (partly cloudy), and the average probability of rainfall on any given day is 30 percent. Relative humidity ranges from 57 percent (mildly humid) to 90 percent (very humid), with a dew point varying from 7 degrees Celsius/45 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) to 16 degrees Celsius/61 degrees Fahrenheit (comfortable). The dew point is rarely below 3 degrees Celsius/38 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) or above 19 degrees Celsius/66 degrees Fahrenheit (muggy). Typical wind speeds vary from 3-23 kph/2-14 mph (light air to moderate breeze), rarely exceeding 40 kph/25 mph (strong breeze).

• Pirelli is bringing three tire compounds to Monaco:
  • P Zero Yellow soft – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)
    • This is one of the most frequently used tires in Pirelli’s range, as it strikes a balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is still geared toward speed rather than long distances, but it remains capable of providing teams with a competitive advantage at the beginning of the race where cars are carrying a full fuel load, and at the end of the race where the fuel load is much lighter and the race effectively becomes a sprint. It is a high working-range compound.
  • P Zero Red supersoft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and for initial portion of qualifying)
    • This is the second softest tire in Pirelli’s range, and it is ideal for tight and twisting circuits, especially in cold weather, when maximum grip is needed. The supersofts warm up rapidly, which has made it a stalwart choice for qualifying. But with increased grip comes increased degradation. It is a low working-range compound.
  • P Zero Purple ultrasoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)
    • This is the softest tire in Pirelli’s range, with rapid warming and massive performance. It is best used on tight and twisting circuits that put a premium on mechanical grip. However, because it is so soft, it has a limited lifespan. It is a low working-range compound.
• Two of the three available compounds must be used during the race. Teams are able to decide when they want to run which compound, adding an element of strategy to the race. A driver can also use all three sets of Pirelli tires in the race, if they so desire. (If there are wet track conditions, the Cinturato Blue full wet tire and the Cinturato Green intermediate tire will be made available.)
• Pirelli provides each driver 13 sets of dry tires for the race weekend. Of those 13 sets, drivers and their teams can choose the specifications of 10 of those sets from the three compounds Pirelli selected. The remaining three sets are defined by Pirelli – two mandatory tire specifications for the race (one set of P Zero Yellow softs and one set of P Zero Red supersofts) and one mandatory specification for Q3 (one set of P Zero Purple ultrasofts). Haas F1 Team’s drivers have selected the following amounts:
  • Grosjean: one set of P Zero Yellow softs, two sets of P Zero Red supersofts and 10 sets of P Zero Purple ultrasofts
  • Magnussen: one set of P Zero Yellow softs, two sets of P Zero Red supersofts and 10 sets of P Zero Purple ultrasofts