There will be three rookies on the grid in this year's edition of the Monaco Grand Prix, Williams' driver Lance Stroll, McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne, and Force India's rookie racer, Esteban Ocon.

Ocon has had a strong start to the year with Force India with five points finishes from five starts so far this season, however Monaco is a totally different challenge and one that veteran drivers find difficult at times.

However, the young Frenchman isn't too daunted by the prospect and is eager to get his first Monaco GP underway here later today.

Esteban, five points finishes out of five and a career best fifth place in Spain, that's some start to the year. You must be absolutely delighted. Now presumably the target is to be really troubling your team-mate Sergio Pérez every weekend and getting front of him?
Yeah, I'm pleased with the start of my season with Force India. The target was to be scoring points at every race, that's what we are doing at the moment and the car is constantly improving as well. On my side we could have done a little bit better. For the first three races I was still learning and if we had put all the details together a bit more was possible. But I'm pleased with that, scoring points at every race, just keep improving all the time, keep getting closer to Sergio as well, and now we are having the same lap times and the same pace so we are fighting on the same step which is really good and that's what I want to keep doing for the future.

You've never raced at Monaco before, despite racing in some series that have been here but Force India has a strong record here, both cars finished in the top six here last season. How have they prepared you for this race and what's your own research shown you about how the race unfolds?
Yeah, unfortunately I've never been racing here, I've just been here to watch the race in the previous years when I was a reserve driver. I've been spending a lot of time in the simulator. It's like I know the track already, because I have been playing it on games since I was so young, I've been around as well. A lot of days in the simulator, a lot of research on the internet for me, watching just onboard laps from Jenson, from all the guys…
Jenson Button: The old guys.
The old guys, yeah! No, it has been good and I think I can't be more prepared to arrive.

Some of the drivers have described how much more physically tiring and demanding the race is this year. Can you give your feedback on that and how much more difficult you're finding that, physically?
I think it is a bit more difficult. To be honest I was expecting it to be more, much more than that. The main difference is you push harder in the race because the tyre lasts longer. But all in all it's not that much more difficult.

We have Fernando this weekend at Indy. Should he do as well as we would all like him to do, would you consider having a go at Indianapolis?
No, from myself, I don't think Indy or Le Mans actually now I want to do. I definitely want to focus on Formula One. Always been my goal to be here and I want to be successful here in Formula One. So maybe in the future but I'm even not sure I would want to do that in the future. I would be more a rally driver if I retire. I want to try that.

This special circuit, what's your favourite corner –which one are you looking forward to?
I think they said it: Swimming Pool and then the other right to left just after that. I don't know the names of the corners because I'm quite new – but those four in combination. I like chicanes and those look really demanding and challenging.

The start you've had this season, how does that make you feel about your potential in Formula One, do you think you can get a podium this season? What is your view following your start this season?
Yeah, it is my personal target to get a podium at some point and I want to have it as soon as possible. It makes me confident to have a great start like this, this season, progressing all the time, feeling very well into the team. The team welcomed me so well, working with them a lot at the factory as well. I think we can achieve great things, y'know? All together. I look forward to many more successful races like this and hopefully we can get a podium this year.

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