The sixth round of the 2015 Formula 1 season takes place around the tight and twisty streets of Monte Carlo.
The Monaco Grand Prix is often described as the jewel in F1’s crown. It is the race every fan wants to attend and every racing driver wants to win.
This year’s event will be the 62nd time that Monaco has appeared on the Formula 1 calendar, having first been included in the sport’s inaugural season back in 1950. It has been a permanent fixture on the schedule since 1955.
Since then, the circuit's safety standards have changed drastically. However, the actual layout has remained largely the same. Obviously it is a temporary facility, taking around six weeks to construct and three weeks to dismantle.
The race weekend also has an unusual schedule, making it even more unique. The opening two practice sessions take place on Thursday, to allow the public roads to re-open on Friday. Despite having the lowest average speed, it is an incredibly demanding layout that requires full confidence, concentration, commitment and precision. One slip of focus and a driver will hit the unforgiving barriers.
With a stunning backdrop, multi-million pound yachts bobbing up and down in the harbour and 22 cars streaming around the Circuit de Monaco, it is the most glamorous and highly anticipated weekend of the F1 season, with the grid always being packed full of celebrities and VIP guests.
A lap of the short but challenging 2.075 mile track begins on the start/finish straight, which isn’t straight at all and gently curves to the right. This is where the only DRS zone will be positioned. The first corner, Ste Devote, is a notoriously tricky and slow right-hander. A good exit is crucial here for the run uphill to Turn 3.
Overtaking is incredibly difficult around the Monte Carlo streets, but a (brave) pass can be completed at the first corner. Expect a little bit of chaos here on lap one. Turn 1 leads on to the flat-out blast through the second bend (a barely-there kink) to Massenet. This long left-hander is swiftly followed by the medium-speed right of Casino Square.
Using as much of the track as possible and getting as close to the barriers without actually touching them is, of course, vital to carry speed through the exit of the corners. A brief burst on the power down the Avenue des Beaux Arts, moving to the right mid-way down the straight to avoid a large bump, leads on to the tight Mirabeau corner.
The famous Fairmont Hairpin (often known by its former name the Loews Hairpin) follows. It is the slowest corner on the F1 calendar and requires full steering lock, which means it is very difficult to run side-by-side with another car through here (although that doesn’t stop drivers from trying to overtake). The double right-hander of Portier is next up and is followed by the iconic tunnel (one of just three in the history of the sport).
As well as the changes to visibility due to the lack of light, a car can lose up to 30% of its downforce at this part of the track due to the unique aerodynamic properties of the tunnel. After the fast right-hander of Turn 9 and the exit of the tunnel is the heavy braking zone for the Nouvelle Chicane, which is the best overtaking place on the circuit.
The harbour-side corner used to be a fast left-right complex but it was modified to its current layout (although kerbing and barrier changes have taken place) in 1986. It is made up of two parts. The first is a left-right chicane, which is then followed by a right-left section that leads cars onto the short burst to Tabac. This tight left-hander is tricky to master and is followed by the high-speed Piscine complex. This is made up of a fast left-right chicane and a slower, tighter right-left section.
The 17th corner on the track is La Rascasse, another full-lock right that is followed by the Anthony Noghes corner – named after the organiser of the first Monaco Grand Prix. It is another tight right-hand turn that completes the lap. The pit entry is just prior to this corner and sometimes catches drivers out when they in the middle of a battle. Unusually, the current pit lane (which debuted in 2004) faces away from the start/finish straight. The exit was also altered to allow cars to feed back out onto the circuit just after the first corner.
Overall, it is a difficult race to negotiate for anyone in the F1 circus, as the paddock is situated over a bridge on the other side of the penultimate corner. It isn’t easy for the support categories either, with the GP2 area situated in a multi-story car park.
Cars will run with a high-downforce set-up for the Monaco Grand Prix and grip levels will increase as the weekend progresses. Around such a demanding circuit, getting as much track time as possible is incredibly important, so contact with the barrier can prove to be costly. Due to the bumpy nature of the track surface, the ride-heights of the cars will be raised for the event.
There are very few overtaking opportunities so a strong qualifying performance is very important and strategy plays a big role in deciding the race result - particularly as there is a high probability of safety cars. The two softest tyre compounds (the super-soft and soft) will be taken to the race by Pirelli, due to the low-grip track surface and number of slow corners that rely heavily on mechanical grip.
Ayrton Senna is the most successful driver around the track with six wins. "Mr Monaco" Graham Hill registered five victories, as did Michael Schumacher. Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg are the only drivers on the current grid to have won the race multiple times, which Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have one victory each.
Rosberg bounced back last time out in Spain, breaking Hamilton’s run of success both in qualifying and the race. It was a commanding victory and an important one for the title fight, moving slightly closer to his team-mate in the standings. Mercedes will be the team to beat once again, but with a shorter lap and less dependency on the power unit, Ferrari should remain close. The battle behind looks to be more competitive.
Williams is still some way off the top two, but Red Bull and Lotus appeared to be slightly closer in Spain. Toro Rosso is certainly in the midfield fight too, with Sauber dropping back slightly towards Force India and McLaren. Manor is still some way off and it will be an emotional weekend for them, one year on from scoring the team’s first points.
Monaco Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Track length: 2.075 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 19
Laps: 78
First race: 1950
Lap record: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, 1:14.439
Tyre compounds: Soft and super-soft
2014 race winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2014 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:15.989
2014 fastest lap: Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:18.479
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC)
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
This year’s event will be the 62nd time that Monaco has appeared on the Formula 1 calendar, having first been included in the sport’s inaugural season back in 1950. It has been a permanent fixture on the schedule since 1955.
Since then, the circuit's safety standards have changed drastically. However, the actual layout has remained largely the same. Obviously it is a temporary facility, taking around six weeks to construct and three weeks to dismantle.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The race weekend also has an unusual schedule, making it even more unique. The opening two practice sessions take place on Thursday, to allow the public roads to re-open on Friday. Despite having the lowest average speed, it is an incredibly demanding layout that requires full confidence, concentration, commitment and precision. One slip of focus and a driver will hit the unforgiving barriers.
With a stunning backdrop, multi-million pound yachts bobbing up and down in the harbour and 22 cars streaming around the Circuit de Monaco, it is the most glamorous and highly anticipated weekend of the F1 season, with the grid always being packed full of celebrities and VIP guests.
A lap of the short but challenging 2.075 mile track begins on the start/finish straight, which isn’t straight at all and gently curves to the right. This is where the only DRS zone will be positioned. The first corner, Ste Devote, is a notoriously tricky and slow right-hander. A good exit is crucial here for the run uphill to Turn 3.
Overtaking is incredibly difficult around the Monte Carlo streets, but a (brave) pass can be completed at the first corner. Expect a little bit of chaos here on lap one. Turn 1 leads on to the flat-out blast through the second bend (a barely-there kink) to Massenet. This long left-hander is swiftly followed by the medium-speed right of Casino Square.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Using as much of the track as possible and getting as close to the barriers without actually touching them is, of course, vital to carry speed through the exit of the corners. A brief burst on the power down the Avenue des Beaux Arts, moving to the right mid-way down the straight to avoid a large bump, leads on to the tight Mirabeau corner.
The famous Fairmont Hairpin (often known by its former name the Loews Hairpin) follows. It is the slowest corner on the F1 calendar and requires full steering lock, which means it is very difficult to run side-by-side with another car through here (although that doesn’t stop drivers from trying to overtake). The double right-hander of Portier is next up and is followed by the iconic tunnel (one of just three in the history of the sport).
As well as the changes to visibility due to the lack of light, a car can lose up to 30% of its downforce at this part of the track due to the unique aerodynamic properties of the tunnel. After the fast right-hander of Turn 9 and the exit of the tunnel is the heavy braking zone for the Nouvelle Chicane, which is the best overtaking place on the circuit.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The harbour-side corner used to be a fast left-right complex but it was modified to its current layout (although kerbing and barrier changes have taken place) in 1986. It is made up of two parts. The first is a left-right chicane, which is then followed by a right-left section that leads cars onto the short burst to Tabac. This tight left-hander is tricky to master and is followed by the high-speed Piscine complex. This is made up of a fast left-right chicane and a slower, tighter right-left section.
The 17th corner on the track is La Rascasse, another full-lock right that is followed by the Anthony Noghes corner – named after the organiser of the first Monaco Grand Prix. It is another tight right-hand turn that completes the lap. The pit entry is just prior to this corner and sometimes catches drivers out when they in the middle of a battle. Unusually, the current pit lane (which debuted in 2004) faces away from the start/finish straight. The exit was also altered to allow cars to feed back out onto the circuit just after the first corner.
Overall, it is a difficult race to negotiate for anyone in the F1 circus, as the paddock is situated over a bridge on the other side of the penultimate corner. It isn’t easy for the support categories either, with the GP2 area situated in a multi-story car park.
Cars will run with a high-downforce set-up for the Monaco Grand Prix and grip levels will increase as the weekend progresses. Around such a demanding circuit, getting as much track time as possible is incredibly important, so contact with the barrier can prove to be costly. Due to the bumpy nature of the track surface, the ride-heights of the cars will be raised for the event.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
There are very few overtaking opportunities so a strong qualifying performance is very important and strategy plays a big role in deciding the race result - particularly as there is a high probability of safety cars. The two softest tyre compounds (the super-soft and soft) will be taken to the race by Pirelli, due to the low-grip track surface and number of slow corners that rely heavily on mechanical grip.
Ayrton Senna is the most successful driver around the track with six wins. "Mr Monaco" Graham Hill registered five victories, as did Michael Schumacher. Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg are the only drivers on the current grid to have won the race multiple times, which Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have one victory each.
Rosberg bounced back last time out in Spain, breaking Hamilton’s run of success both in qualifying and the race. It was a commanding victory and an important one for the title fight, moving slightly closer to his team-mate in the standings. Mercedes will be the team to beat once again, but with a shorter lap and less dependency on the power unit, Ferrari should remain close. The battle behind looks to be more competitive.
Williams is still some way off the top two, but Red Bull and Lotus appeared to be slightly closer in Spain. Toro Rosso is certainly in the midfield fight too, with Sauber dropping back slightly towards Force India and McLaren. Manor is still some way off and it will be an emotional weekend for them, one year on from scoring the team’s first points.
 |
| © Formula 1 |
Monaco Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Track length: 2.075 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 19
Laps: 78
First race: 1950
Lap record: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, 1:14.439
Tyre compounds: Soft and super-soft
2014 race winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2014 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:15.989
2014 fastest lap: Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:18.479
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC)
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