Monaco. Perhaps the most iconic race on the F1 calendar with the picturesque backdrop of the harbor replete with yachts, celebrities, royalty, and one of the more unique track layouts of the season. With 15 wins, no team has a better history at Monaco than McLaren. However, 2015 may put McLaren in unfamiliar territory as the team, with its Honda Power Unit, has yet to score a single point. McLaren have said that of all the races to-date this is the one where the team has the best chance of a strong [points] finish because the circuit lends itself to driveability over outright power, something the Honda Power unit is light on at the moment. Everything being relative, it stands to reason that Honda wouldn’t be the only team to benefit from these attributes so it will be interesting to see whether Alonso and Button, two of the most experienced drivers in the Monaco Grand Prix, can put the McLaren Honda in a respectable position for the first time this year.
Elsewhere on the grid, recent history tells us this is Nico Rosberg’s race to lose. Ferrari’s new-found pace should be quite a good challenge to the Silver Arrows here. Eyes are also shifting to Red Bull whose growing and uncharacteristic struggles were unforeseen by many up and down the grid.
US TV SCHEDULE
Practice, Thursday May 21rd, 8:00AM
EST
,
NBCSN
Qualifying, Saturday May 23th, 8:00AM
EST
,
NBCSN
Race, Sunday May 24th, 7:30AM
EST
,
NBC
CIRCUIT
INFORMATION
Lap data
Lap length: 3.34km (2.075 miles)
Race laps: 78
Race distance: 260.52km (161.88 miles)
Pole position: Right-hand side of the track
Lap record*: 1’14.439 (161.528 kph) by Michael Schumacher, 2004
Fastest lap: 1’13.532 (163.521 kph) by Kimi Raikkonen, 2006
Maximum speed: 283kph (175.848 mph)
DRS
zone/s (race): Pit straight
Distance from grid to turn one: 210m
Car performance
Full throttle: 30%
Longest flat-out section: 669m
Downforce level: Maximum
Fuel use per lap: 1.2kg
Time penalty per lap of fuel: 0.024s
Strategy
Quickest complete pit stop in 2013: 24.316s by Red Bull (see full list)
2014 prime tyre: Soft (2013: Soft)
2014 option tyre: Super-soft (2013: Super-soft)
*Fastest lap set during a Grand Prix
Data sources:
FIA
, Williams, Mercedes
2014 (V6
TURBO
ERA
) RESULTS
Laps: 78
Pole: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
Fast race lap: 1:18.479
Podium
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Renault
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