F1 Preview: Tour de Monaco

If Formula One stands at the technological pinnacle of all motorsport with it being the richest, most intense, most difficult, most political, and most demading racing championship in the world then the Circuit de Monaco is surely the crème de la crème in the world of motorsport. The Monaco Grand Prix held each year on the Circuit de Monaco, is considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (with which it forms the Triple Crown of Motorsport). The legacy, spectacle and charisma result in the race being considered “the jewel of the Formula One crown”. The degree of audacious eminence on show can offend but Monaco is synonymous with the glamour and wealth of the most expensive sport in the world.

The famous tunnel at Monaco run under a hotel!

The circuit boasts of numerous elevation shifts, tight corners, chicanes, a blinding run through the tunnel section and a narrow course, all adding up to make it perhaps the most demanding track in Formula One racing. The famous tunnel section (which infact runs under a hotel) is touted to be one of the most formidable and ardous racing circumstances in motorsport since the tunnel has a flat out kink which is, by far, the quickest corner in Formula one(with drivers hitting the corner at speeds well over 260 km/hr). Apart from the body crushing g-force that is generated during the turn, what adds to the complexity is that the drivers have to cope with the quick switch from light to dark, and then back to light again, at one of the fastest points of the course. The fact that this track also possesses the slowest turn in Formula One(the Grand Hotel hairpin, taken at just 50 km/hr) perhaps simply sums up its difficulty. Despite the fact that the course has changed many times during its history, it is still considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One.

Get Set Monaco!

However, the tight and curvaceous nature of the track restricts manouverablity and greatly reduces overtaking opportunities. With the track being so narrow and dangerous, the slightest of errors on part of the driver can transform into a deadly acident. As a result, race outcomes here are greatly influenced by grid positions as well as pit strategies.It is one of the few tracks around the globe where a driver with better skill and finesse can outclass those who drive relatively faster cars. As Nelson Piquet puts it, “driving in Monaco is pretty similar to riding a bicycle round your living room.”

So as Formula One heads to its Mecca, the tension and apprehension among the drivers and the masses are becoming more and more palpable with every passing moment. The drivers love it, for Monaco’s tight and twisty streets provide a challenge different from anything else and the thrill is almost as great for spectators – nothing compares to the sensory assault of an F1 car pushed upto its limit. With only 10 points separating the top three drivers in the current standings, there will be a lot at stake when the five lights go out in front of a packed Grand Stand this Sunday.