2006 Monaco GP - Preview
Following two weeks of intensive preparation at its Silverstone
headquarters, MF1 Racing heads to the Principality of Monaco
for Round 7 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
Since becoming a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar in
1955, the Monaco Grand Prix has grown in prestige to become
arguably one of the most famous and glamorous sporting events
in the world.
Over the years, drivers have compared the Monaco Grand Prix
to 'flying through their living room in a helicopter'. The
incredibly tight and twisty track demands total concentration
from those who challenge it. There is very little overtaking,
however, as the streets are so narrow and the barriers so
close that even the smallest mistake could spell the end of
a race.
Tiago Monteiro (POR), Car #18: "Monaco
is very different from any other circuit we race on all year:
different track, different strategies, different atmosphere.
It's a race unto itself, really, where anything can happen,
so I'm curious to see what will happen there this year - especially
during qualifying. I had a good race in Monaco last year,
and I'm looking forward to another one. I tend to prefer street
circuits, actually, because it's a very different feeling
for the driver, with so much more adrenaline! We raced on
a lot of street circuits when I competed in Champ Car in 2003
- maybe 6 or 7 of them - so I'm quite accustomed to this type
of track."
Christijan Albers (NED), Car #19: "The
Monaco Grand Prix is always something special. The glitter
and glamour, the street course, the big boats, it's what Monaco
is all about. The track is very exciting for a driver, as
there is no room for errors. The underdog stands a bigger
chance here because top speed isn't such a factor. It's the
type of track where a good driver can make a difference by
taking risks, so I'm really going to go for it. With all the
updates to the car - the new chassis, suspension set ups and
new engines - we hope to put on a great performance this weekend."
Giorgio Mondini (SUI), Test and Reserve Driver:
"Monte Carlo is the only completely urban street circuit
of the year, so in that regard, it's very special. (Montreal
and Melbourne are only partial street circuits). I've raced
there three times previously, in cars that lapped around 6
seconds slower than F1 cars, so it won't be too much of a
difference. It was good training, actually. It's important
to be familiar with every inch of this circuit, because there
is no room to make mistakes here - one wrong move and you're
into the barriers. Monaco is a very vibrant city and the surroundings
are beautiful - the swimming pool corner, for instance, is
gorgeous - but once you're in the car, you have to block out
all that scenery. This track demands your total concentration.
It might not be particularly fast, but it's one of the most
challenging."
Colin Kolles, Managing Director: "The
team has been busy working on various upgrades for the cars,
so hopefully we will be able to demonstrate these improvements
in Monaco. It's a very special track, and one that is definitely
better suited for us than Barcelona. I think our drivers will
be ready for the challenge and I am hoping to see good results
from them."
James Key, Technical Director: "Monaco
is very much a unique case that requires the car to be set
up completely differently. Typically, it is possible to run
very inefficient downforce, so we will be running at maximum
downforce with the addition of some new aero components. The
bumpy surface and tight corners require a soft mechanical
setup and maybe a shift in weight distribution. As well, the
soft tyres run at Monaco tend toward an understeer balance,
so we will be looking at ways of overcoming that while still
looking after the rear tyres. We have some suspension modifications
which will be introduced for Monaco, some of which will be
carrying through as permanent development. Toyota is continuing
its good development rate and has provided us with another
step on the engine. Monaco is always an event where anything
could happen. We have had a couple of setbacks this year,
but by and large our reliability record is still very good.
Provided we take a sensible approach to the race and maintain
our good reliability, there could be points for the taking
at the end."
Johnny Herbert, Sporting Relations Manager: "They
say that anything can happen at this circuit, and believe
me, it's true: I ended up on the podium here in 1996, in one
of the strangest finishes ever - I was last of only three
cars still running! Now, those were wet conditions, but it
really underscores the importance of being reliable. In Monaco,
you have to run a smart race and stay within your abilities
if you are to have any chance of scoring points. It's a tight,
difficult course with precious little room to overtake, but
with the right strategy and a few fortunate breaks, who knows?
This could be a good weekend for us."
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