Monaco Grand Prix Preview
Yes, it's that time of the year again. Time to watch highly powered racing cars darting through streets barely wide enough to accommodate them, all for the pleasure of the royal family of Monaco and Bernie Ecclestone's cash register. However, I'm not complaining as Monaco is one of the high spots of F1 calendar, one of the only circuits left with any kind of character and provides a stern test for the drivers.
Precision is the name of the game in Monaco, an inch off line and you could find yourself eating Armco or coming off worse with a concrete wall. There is next to no run-off, no gravel traps, no overtaking opportunities and absolutely no room for error. A good qualifying position is key and a knack of 'hustling' the man in front to make a mistake is also handy. Last but not least, reliability is probably your biggest ally here, Monte Carlo is a car breaker par excellence. Seventy-seven gruelling laps can break gearboxes, transmissions, engines and drivers who've been indulging in too many pies.
So who's hot and who's er...not? Well, Lewis Hamilton was looking very handy around the track yesterday as the McLaren is improving with every race. On paper, the Ferrari's look strong, although don't be surprised if Raikkonen is off the boil and Massa puts his prancing horse in the barriers. The BMW's are currently looking good, so don't be too surprised if they pull off a coup and win it. Red Bull's David Coulthard is also worth watching as Scotland's finest is always impressive at what is practically his home race.
As for me, I'm not going to relax on my yacht with a couple of lady friends and watch the qualifying. Martini anyone?
