Wins Wanted In Monaco

By Sam Cooper
May 21 2007

The team travelled to Paul Ricard to obtain vital car data, to help prepare the team’s two cars for the quickly approaching Monaco Grand Prix. Spains reigning double world champion Fernando Alonso didn’t test at the French circuit he still remains optimistic that he can win in Monaco, as he did last year, meanwhile Lewis Hamilton enters this weekend’s event having never lost a race there.

On the days that teams could test on the Monaco layout, McLaren and Lewis Hamilton finished comfortably ontop of the time sheets on both days, a major boost.

Even though the Spaniard has only won one race this season, he still is second, and hopes to repeat his performance that he showed last year, he had this to say about the circuit.

"Monaco is another of those races that, at the start of the year, you mark as one that you really want to win. I took the victory at the Grand Prix last year, and although it was an emotional weekend, it was an amazing feeling, one that I will race hard to try and repeat again this season with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

"I have not had the results I have wanted at the previous two races, however I have kept scoring good points and we have continued to develop the performance of the car. At Monaco you have to really keep your concentration at all times and push to the limit. It is very easy for things to go wrong at this track because it is very narrow and the barriers are very close, and this is why you have to stay focused. Because of the barriers and the need to be very accurate, you do have to use a slightly different driving style here to perform well over the weekend. You tend to be less aggressive in the braking zones."

Britain’s current championship leader Lewis Hamilton has won at Monaco twice in a row, he won in the Formula 3 Euro series in 2005, and triumphed in 2006 in GP2, he later won that championship later that year, Lewis had this to comment on the Monaco circuit.

"I am really looking forward to Monaco. It is one of the tracks I have always dreamed of racing at in Formula 1, particularly having competed there for the past two seasons in the F3 Euroseries and GP2."

As exciting as he is he furthermore said: "For me it is the best circuit of the year, there is nowhere like it for getting the adrenaline going, because the track is so tight and there are no run-off areas, you have to be incredibly precise, there is no room for error and as a driver that makes it all the more exciting. I have always run well at Monaco, having won there on my previous two visits to the race. I am going to the race again this year with the intention of fighting for the win, but that is the case at everything I compete in. However we do have to keep being realistic, this will be my fifth race in Formula 1 and I am still developing. We have to focus on keeping scoring points for both the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships and take it step by step."

The grand prix, will begin slightly earlier as practice begins on Thursday instead of the traditional Friday.