Off we go to Monaco, the yearly pilgrimage to the most prestigious and legendary track on the Formula One schedule. It's time for all the glamour and glitz that the tiny Principality has to offer, time for the annual race that has been held throughout the streets since the circuit first appeared on the motor racing calendar back in 1929. Amazingly, it has changed very little since those early years, with only a few modifications to the actual layout with the basic shape remaining very familiar for the drivers, the blast to the first corner, Ste Devote, up the hill to Massenet, then Casino corner and its favourite bump on the exit. Down the hill to Mirabeau, or Upper Mirabeau corner as it appears on some maps.
Then comes the slowest corner on the circuit, the Fairmont hairpin at just 40kph, before the often unnamed right-hander, but called Lower Mirabeau on maps. Then there's the right handed sea-side Portier, followed by the tunnel, to the chicane followed by the short blast to Tabac. Then they wind around the swimming pool to Rascasse, a left and then hard right, followed, finally, by Virage Anthony Noghes, named after the man who, as president of the newly formed Automobile Club de Monaco, applied to the then governing body to hold a motor race around the Principality, back in 1928.
Since then, as a Grand Prix, it has earned many superlatives, the most scenic, the most prestigious, the most expensive, and the most difficult to overtake on. The list is extensive. But there are many other significant points about this wonderful race. It does, of course, have the shortest lap in Grand Prix racing at 3.367 kms and it is, of course, the slowest race at 147.354 kph in 1999, but only 106.937kph in the rain in 1997.
It's a race that holds several surprises and sometimes very few finishers. This tough circuit has no run-off areas, however, although the amount of classified finishers is usually in double figures, there were only eight in 2000, nine in 1999 and only seven in the 1996 wet race. Back in the sixties, when there were only 16 starters, there were two years when there weren't even enough finishers to claim all the World Championship points!
Amazingly, it was at this Grand Prix that the record for the most number of wins in succession at the same Grand Prix was held with Ayrton Senna winning five times from 1989 to 1993, and he'd already won it in 1987. He won it from pole, start to finish in '89, '90 and '91 and led home teammate Prost in 1989 for a McLaren one-two. But he was only 0.215s ahead of Nigel Mansell after 78 laps in 1992, the 11th smallest margin of victory of all time, remember Mansell weaving around behind him?
On the other hand, the winning margin has been over a lap on four occasions. Senna more than likely would have won again in 1984, however the race was stopped on lap 31 of 77, Alain Prost signalling to race officials that the wet conditions were too dangerous. (Some will say Stefan Bellof might also have won as he, like Senna, was gaining on Prost, but the Tyrrell's were subsequently disqualified from that year's World Championship) That was the first time the race was stopped that early. It was stopped again in 1990 and 1995 because of first lap accidents, and it was stopped at the two-hour mark in both 1996 and 1997 because of rain.
Senna of course helped McLaren to the most number of wins with 15, their last victory taken by in 2008 by Lewis Hamilton, who also won the event last year. Ferrari is next on nine and then Lotus and Mercedes both with seven apiece. While Senna is the most successful driver here, Michael Schumacher finished his career with only one less win around the streets of the principality with five victories to his credit. Graham Hill has won here on five occasions, the last time at the age of 40, as was Maurice Trintignant when he won his second Monaco Grand Prix in 1958.
Of this year's field, Mercedes has won the event for the past four years running, last year with Lewis Hamilton, and the three before that with Nico Rosberg. Prior to that it was Red Bull Racing for three years, Mark Webber twice and Sebastian Vettel just the once. Vettel, who was been on form in the Ferrari this season and is challenging the Mercedes at every track we have visited this year to date, has only one the event once, back in 2011. However, it wouldn't be advisable to take your eyes off the German this weekend with the Ferrari being the odds on favourite to win.
A new element added into this year's mix how the new generation cars adapt to it. The last time Formula One raced cars this wide around Monaco was back in 1993, the last of Ayrton Senna's victories. This means that there isn't a single driver on this year's grid that has had any experience of the wider cars around the tight and twisty streets. The lack of long straights here could pose a problem for the Mercedes duo because it means there are very few chances for cooling the car, something Lewis Hamilton especially has been struggling with this season. The layout will certainly test engines and brakes, however as it is round six, most engines should be fairly fresh and up to the challenge. Valtteri Bottas will have a new Mercedes power unit after his failed in Spain last time out while Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel had fresh units installed at the last event.
We can't rule out Kimi Raikkonen here either in the second Ferrari. He won back in 2005 for McLaren and will be eager to add another win to his Monaco tally as well as opening his scorecard for Ferrari this season.
We have several rookies here this year, Stoffel Vandoorne is one, however he has raced on the streets of Monaco on several occasions in the lower Formula's and the other is Williams racer, Lance Stroll.
At the end of the day, drivers will need to have the utmost confidence in the car beneath them because with the walls so close, there is no room for error, especially if it rains!
