The expectation is for a very different Monaco Grand Prix compared to what we have become accustomed to over the years.
When the sun shines on this Mediterranean jewel, there is no doubt Monte Carlo is the most glamorous venue on the calendar, but then it produces processional races given the tight nature of the street circuit.
On this occasion, throw Pirelli's highly degradable tyres into the mix plus a potential handful of pit stops per driver, and there is every chance of a crazy race.
Venue: Monte Carlo
Circuit length: 3.340km/2.075 miles
Laps: 78
Race distance: 260.520km/161.879miles
Lap record: 1min 14.439secs (Michael Schumacher, 2004)
2010 winner: Mark Webber (Red Bull)
2010 pole position: Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1min 13.826secs
2010 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 1min 15.192secs
Tyre compounds to be used: Soft/super soft
Bumpiness: Medium
Overtaking chance: Very low
Engine severity: Very low
Brake severity: Medium/high
Average speed: 182kph (113mph)
Full throttle per lap: 53%
Gear changes per lap: 55
Number of corners: 19 (8 Left/11 Right)
No of safety cars deployed since 2001: 11
Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has started from the front row at every race since last year's Singapore GP, a run of 10 overall, including seven times from pole.
Sunday's win in Spain was the 14th of Vettel's career, moving him up to equal 14th on the all-time list alongside Graham Hill, Jack Brabham and Emerson Fittipaldi.
Vettel is now on a run of seven consecutive podium finishes, the best since Jenson Button at the start of the 2009 season.
The 23-year-old has won 10 of his races from pole, joining Mika Hakkinen in eighth place on the all-time list.
The late Ayrton Senna holds the record for most number of wins in Monaco with six, followed by Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher with five.
McLaren are streets ahead in terms of constructors' success as they have 15 victories between 1984 and 2008. Ferrari have nine, albeit their last was now 10 years ago in 2001.
As you would expect given the nature of the track, pole has resulted in victory in six of the last seven races. However, in the five seasons prior to that pole did not even result in a podium.
The highest winning grid position was 14th set by Olivier Panis in 1996 in a Ligier.
Last year there were just 20 pit stops, this year there could be four times that amount.
This year's grid boasts six former winners: Red Bull's Mark Webber (2010); McLaren's Jenson Button (2009) and Lewis Hamilton (2008); Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (2006-07); Lotus' Jarno Trulli (2004) and Mercedes' Michael Schumacher (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001).
It takes approximately six weeks to prepare the public streets for the grand prix, and three weeks to return them to their normal configuration.
The circuit has 33km of safety rails, 5000 tyres in the tyre barriers, 554m of Tecpro barriers and 20,000 square metres of protective wire netting.
Circuit safety features include: 650 race marshals in 22 marshal sectors, seven fire vehicles and three extraction vehicles, along with 120 professional fire fighters and 500 fire extinguishers - equivalent to one every 15m.
No comments:
Post a Comment