2006 MONACO GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW
MONTE CARLO
The Honda Racing F1 Team heads to the tiny principality
of Monaco next week for one of the most traditional and exciting
events on the F1 calendar. The Monaco Grand Prix, round seven
of the 2006 FIA World Championship, is the one race which
all drivers want to win at some time in their career. The
narrow, twisty and bumpy street circuit presents a unique
challenge, with a good qualifying position being crucial as
over-taking is extremely difficult and the armco-lined streets
leave no margin for error.
Monaco is a home Grand Prix for the team's race drivers Jenson
Button and Rubens Barrichello, both of whom live in Monte
Carlo. It is also a race where both drivers have done particularly
well in the past, with Rubens finishing on the podium at Monaco
four times during his career and Jenson securing an excellent
second position in 2004.
Following a two-car points finish at the Spanish Grand Prix
last weekend, the team has been hard at work on the test track
in Vallelunga this week to fine-tune the set-up of the RA106
race car and its Michelin tyres for the Monaco race.
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Like most drivers, Monaco is one of my favourite races
and it's always a bonus to be based at home. I particularly
enjoy qualifying at Monaco, it's one of the biggest challenges
of the year and so important to get right. Overtaking is very
difficult around the street circuit so you have to qualify
well and get a good grid position. We had a positive test
at Vallelunga working on chassis set-up and tyres specifically
for this race. We know that the potential is there for the
car to qualify well so I'm looking forward to a good weekend."
JENSON BUTTON
"I'm really looking forward to this year's Monaco Grand
Prix. I had a good race there in 2004, finishing second after
a really exciting battle. It's a crazy place to be racing,
the circuit is very tight and twisty and you can really feel
the speed of the car when the barriers are so close to you.
It's a different race than any other on the calendar, with
so much history, and it means even more to me as I live in
Monaco so it's one of my home races. You need good mechanical
grip from the car and this is also a circuit where the driver
can make even more of a difference to the race outcome. We've
been really strong in qualifying all this year and that will
be very important for the race as it's almost impossible to
overtake except in the pit stops. It's also a fantastic race
for the fans who can get so close to the action."
GIL DE FERRAN
Sporting Director
"Monaco is unique in many ways and it certainly has a
special place in F1 history. For the teams, cars and drivers,
it also represents a tough challenge. The nature of the tight
and twisty circuit emphasises different performance areas
on the car than at other tracks. In preparation for the event,
we tested a configuration of the Vallelunga circuit that most
closely replicated the layout that we will encounter next
weekend. During the test, we evaluated aerodynamic, mechanical
and tyre specifications specially designed for the streets
of Monaco. All the preparation is done - our drivers enjoy
the track - let the weekend begin!"
SHUHEI NAKAMOTO
Management Board Member - Honda Racing F1 Team, Engineering
Director - Honda Racing Development
"Monaco presents its own special challenges for the engine,
and we have been working hard on improving its performance.
We had a positive test around a specially-adapted circuit
at Vallelunga, so we are feeling positive for this special
weekend in the calendar."
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Race Distance 78 laps
Circuit Length 2.075 miles (3.340 kms)
Conceived by Antony Noghès, and always held on the
weekend following Ascension Day, the Monaco Grand Prix remains
the most famous race on the F1 calendar. First held in 1929,
the street circuit is tight, twisty, bumpy, slow and totally
unforgiving - an anachronism for today's Formula One cars
that gasp and crawl around its 3.340 km lap. However, Monaco
remains the race that every driver dreams of winning.
In terms of chassis set-up, the one overriding concern at
Monaco is downforce. Overall speeds are low - cars may reach
a maximum of 290kph through the famous tunnel, but the average
speed for a lap is less than half that. The result is that
engineers throw everything they can at their cars to generate
downforce and optimise low-speed handling. Securing a good
grid position is vital since overtaking is truly problematic,
while fuel consumption and tyre wear are not significant issues.
It's a weekend that requires maximum concentration and consistency
from drivers and team members alike.
|
