Pérez eager to meet Monaco again with Sauber
After his accident during the qualifying session of the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix, Sergio Pérez is more eager than ever as the Monaco event approaches, where Sauber believes they have the tools to continue their momentum from the start of the season.
Author of a more than encouraging start to the season, where they find themselves battling with Williams and especially Mercedes for fifth place in the constructor championship, Sauber approaches the Monaco Grand Prix with confidence, as Kamui Kobayashi had achieved the Swiss team’s best performance there in 2011: « I have good memories of Monaco. I finished fifth there last year, which was really great. Monaco is a very special circuit for drivers. Our car seems strong on most tracks, now it will be interesting to see how competitive it will be on a street circuit, but I am quite confident it will be. »
Less fortunate, Sergio Pérez managed to get into Q3 before experiencing a violent crash at the harbor chicane braking. The Mexican, who won in the streets of Monaco in 2010 in the GP2 Series and was deprived of the race in 2011, is eagerly waiting: « This Grand Prix is the most special for me. I’ve wanted to race in the F1 Monaco Grand Prix all my life and, of course, after what happened last year, I’m even more eager to be there. […] Of course, I also think about the accident I had in Q3 last year. For me, it’s a key moment in my career: there is a before and after the accident. I learned a lot from what I had to go through, and I think it made me stronger. I really want to show what I can do in Monte Carlo. »
The native of Guadalajara aims to continue the strong start to the season for the Hinwil team: As a team, we are in good shape, and I want to carry this momentum into Monaco. I also think our car can perform very well on this unique urban circuit. Moreover, Matt Morris, chief designer for the Swiss team, is equally optimistic: The main challenge in setting up the car will be to optimize mechanical grip. I am confident that we will achieve this. The developments we tried for the first time in Barcelona will be used again in Monaco. Morris also believes that the circuit’s characteristics should suit the Sauber: The track has been resurfaced in some areas, such as the braking zone at the tunnel exit, so we’ve eliminated the bumps that were there. This is something the drivers will need to get used to, but it should be easier. One of the design focuses of the C31 was to improve its behavior on curbs, so we should be better in this area compared to last year. We have been competitive so far this season, and I am confident we can also be very strong in Monaco.
Sergio Pérez, for his part, strongly believes that on this circuit, drivers can make more of a difference than on any other track, which Matt Morris confirms: The Monaco circuit is undoubtedly where the driver has the greatest influence on overall performance.
To do this, it will be essential to “survive” on a track that leaves no room for error: At Monaco, a lot of things can happen, therefore, it’s important to stay out of trouble and reach the finish. If we do that, then I’m sure we will be able to fight for points, hopes Kamui Kobayashi.
But the main asset of the Swiss team should once again lie in its tire management, which proves to be one of the keys – if not the key – to success in 2012 and could once again catch teams off guard as Pirelli will provide its softest compounds: « This is truly the first time we are going to use super soft tires during a race weekend. We briefly tested them in Barcelona during winter testing, on a track that doesn’t really suit these tires, but I don’t see us encountering problems in tire management. »
