AT&T Williams F1

It’s the social event of the season, but Monte Carlo is also one of the most challenging destinations on the calendar. The two mile lap may be the shortest seen all year, but still places extreme demands on the car and requires a unique set-up direction. First and foremost, Monaco is a street circuit, so soft tyres and a high downforce configuration are pre-requisites to counterbalance the poor grip levels which play havoc with the track in the opening sessions. The lap itself is dominated by slow speed corners and undulations, so a solid mechanical and aero balance is key. Evocative corners, such as Rascasse, Tabac and Ste Devote, are all taken in second gear, so not only are the brakes worked considerably harder in Monaco than anywhere else, but the number of gear shifts made reaches 3,300, 500 more than at any other track.

With speeds dipping to as low as 30mph on the entry to corners such as Portier, good traction to power the car out of the exit is also crucial to set a competitive lap time. With just 45% of the circuit driven at full throttle, the longest period lasting 9.5 seconds through the tunnel where speeds peak at 175mph, drivers record the lowest average lap speed of all races at Monaco so engines are given a relatively easy ride over the weekend.

The tight, twisty nature of the track means precision is also paramount for the drivers, for the smallest of errors will be brutally punished by the unforgiving, and menacingly close, armco. Physically, the 78 lap race is also one of endurance and separates the men from the boys as the drivers invariably have to wrestle their power-packed machines round streets more suited to cruising convertibles. In summary, the playground of the rich and famous transforms itself into one of the season’s greatest challenges, where only the best reap the reward.