Monaco: Figures and Technical Data

Monaco is one of the most well-known events on the Formula 1 calendar, and for good reason; the race was part of the first Formula 1 World Championship held in 1950. After 4 years without an official race, the Principality rejoined F1 in 1955 and has not abandoned it since – for what will be the 71st Monaco Grand Prix in history.

In the winding streets of Monaco, where overtaking is difficult, qualifying well is almost essential for winning – indeed, since 1950 only 10 drivers have managed to win starting beyond the top 3 on the grid, the latest being David Coulthard in 2000, Juan-Pablo Montoya in 2003, and Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

If Valtteri Bottas will discover the Monaco circuit for the first time in his career in a single-seater, other drivers have more experience, notably Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber, each winner of the trophy twice. In case of victory, Alonso could even make history by being the first to win in Monaco with three different teams – he has already won in 2006 with Renault and in 2007 with McLaren.

On the side of the FIA, it is noteworthy that Tom Kristensen – eight-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – will be the driver steward this weekend in Monaco, where there will be only one DRS zone unlike recent Grand Prix events, it will be located on the pit straight.

Monaco chassis side

Mike Coughlan, Technical Director of the Williams F1 Team:

« Monaco may be one of the shortest circuits of the year, but it is the most demanding, especially for the drivers. Even though the cornering speeds are the slowest on the calendar, you have to use the maximum of the circuit, and the closer the drivers are to the rails, the faster they go.

Since it’s a street circuit, the level of grip changes throughout the weekend, so it’s important for the drivers to have as much track time as possible to build confidence. Due to the bumpy nature of the circuit, a good mechanical platform is necessary. We need to increase the ride height and increase the steering angle for the tight and twisty corners. We also use maximum downforce here.

Monaco engine side

Rémi Taffin, Director of Track Operations at Renault Sport F1:

Monaco is one of those races that puts everyone under pressure, because the quest for optimum settings is always a matter of compromise. This requires enormous effort, and we spend more time preparing for this race than any other during the season.

This circuit is unnatural, as we work at low speeds, whereas almost all other circuits are medium or high-speed. With an average speed of 160 km/h and a maximum speed of 280 km/h, we are far from the characteristics of other tracks: in Barcelona, during the last race, we reached 315 km/h! Moreover, the engine is at full throttle for only 35% of a lap. The mappings are therefore programmed to deliver torque at low revs, in order to improve driving ease and response coming out of a curve. The gear ratios are calculated to favor efficient acceleration between corners.

The high number of turns also means that the engine doesn’t get much of a break, and cooling is a crucial factor. The pursuit of grip with aerodynamic downforce hardly allows us to open up the bodies to evacuate the heat. We therefore look to disperse the heat using the water and oil circuits.

It is evident that an urban track is particularly bumpy: cars jump over curbs, manhole covers, and other debris that can be found on the track. The most significant bump is located in the descent from Casino to Mirabeau, which is why it seems that the single-seaters leave the ideal line. In fact, they take the most logical path to avoid taking off over the bump. If the rear wheels left the ground, the engine would suddenly hit the limiter, causing a loss of time and potential damage to the mechanics. There are other examples of bumps and grounding throughout the lap, but it’s not always possible to avoid them. We pay particular attention to programming the lights indicating to the driver when to shift gears. We also encourage them to upshift a bit earlier to avoid hitting the rev limiter too often.

When we have defined all the settings, we work a lot live with the driver. The challenge is to give him a level of confidence such that he has no comments to make about the engine. This means that the mechanics perfectly meet his expectations. If we achieve this result, it means we have done a good job!

Monaco on the tire side

The tires available for the drivers in Monaco are as follows:

• Super-Soft (red sidewalls) ;
• Soft (yellow sidewalls) ;
• Intermediate (green sidewalls) ;
• Rain (blue sidewalls).

Opinion of Paul Hembery, director of Pirelli Motorsport:

« We expect an average of two pit stops per car in Monaco, which is in stark contrast to the last race in Barcelona: Monaco is a circuit that generates very little wear and degradation. However, this does not make the race any less strategic: we have seen drivers attempt completely different strategies in the past and finish very close to each other at the end.

Last May 12 in Barcelona, never before had a Spanish Grand Prix winner started from so far back on the grid. It will be interesting to see if this pattern repeats in Monaco, on a track known for the difficulty of overtaking. As a result, strategy will be even more important than usual, with teams trying to use tactics to improve their starting positions.

The opinion of Jean Alesi, Pirelli ambassador:

Monaco is a circuit that I have always really loved: I think I’ve been on the podium there three times, set two fastest laps. I finished second there in my first race on this circuit, behind Ayrton Senna. My first taste of the Monaco circuit was with Pirelli, when I was driving for Tyrrell in 1990 and we had the qualifying tires. Driving them was so much fun! The place is simply magical. When you go out for a qualifying lap, the crowd erupts! Qualifying as high as possible on the grid is important, but maybe not as much as in the past.

We have seen several times this year that the race is the most important and that with a good strategy it is possible to score points, even with a starting grid position that is not advantageous. Even if the qualifications are not perfect, there is an opportunity to make decisive moves and this is a great advantage brought by Pirelli in Formula 1.

The wear and degradation of the tires are low in Monaco, but it’s something to consider as the track gains a lot of grip over the weekend, perhaps more than anywhere else. We always use the soft tires in Monaco, so we can push hard, which is a great feeling.

Monaco in numbers

The Monaco Grand Prix 2012

Pole position.

Mark Webber (Red Bull) in 1:14.381

Podium:

1 – Mark Webber (Red Bull)

2 – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

3 – Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

Fastest lap in the race:

Sergio Pérez (Sauber) in 1:17.296

[From the press releases published by the FIA, Pirelli, Renault Sport F1 and Williams F1]