Glitz, glamour, Szafnauer

Both Esteban and Fernando battled through the pack to score points in Spain, how do you reflect on the race?

Firstly, what an exciting race we had in Spain throughout the entire field. It was good fun with the multiple stops and overtaking, so I’m sure it was a great spectacle for all fans of Formula 1. From our point of view, considering our starting positions after a tough Saturday, we left Spain pleasantly pleased with our points collection. We moved from twentieth and twelfth on the grid to ninth and seventh, respectively, at the end with both drivers executing a strong race plan led by the engineers and strategists. It was a tough and hot race in scorching conditions, and all team members now have some recovery to do this week to be best prepared for the unique challenges of Monaco.

What did the team learn in Spain?

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is one of those circuits that ticks a lot of boxes. It has long straights, slow speed corners and chicanes as well as some medium to high-speed turns. It’s a good circuit where you can learn plenty about your overall package and, this weekend especially, we’re left with some things that we must further understand. There was no real change in climatic conditions from Friday to Saturday, yet it seemed our car dropped in competitiveness between the two days. We need to work on that to ensure we have consistency throughout the weekend to put ourselves in contention to score bigger points with both cars.

How is the team approaching this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix?

We’re all looking forward to going to Monaco. It’s an incredibly special place and a very historic and important racetrack for Formula 1, where we all enjoy racing. Clearly, with the nature of the close walls and tight corners, it’s a tricky place for overtaking on race day. We need to ensure our one-lap pace is good, which, in general, it has been, apart from the anomaly in Spain where we were not as quick on Saturday as we were on Friday. We have work to do this week in our meticulous preparation in understanding these things quickly to put ourselves in a position where we can once again have a strong Saturday. Where we qualify will undoubtedly play a huge part in how we race on Sunday, such is its importance.

Keep pushing!

Esteban Ocon enters the Monaco Grand Prix after collecting another haul of points from the Spanish Grand Prix. The Frenchman’s consistency has been key this season as he looks to master the streets of Monte Carlo.

How do you sum up your Spanish GP weekend?

It really was an awesome race right from the start. We didn’t have the smoothest of weekends up until Sunday but the team did a really good job on race day which is the day that really matters. We saw the car perform well and show some good pace to put both cars in the points and came off with a good recovery drive from myself and from Fernando. Barcelona is a track that will give a lot of valuable data and we hope to take some good learnings and this momentum to Monaco. We still think we can get more out of the car but results like these are always positive and it shows that the hard work in paying off.

Mighty Monaco next. What can we expect from the team at this track which is quite different from all others?

We’ll have to see. Monaco is a special track in many respects: the average speed is the lowest of the year and the corners are so tight that power is not as important as other tracks. You need some good stability under braking and a solid engine that responds well out of the corners. And as we all know, grid position in Monaco is crucial so a better performance than in Barcelona in Qualifying from us will be important. P9 there last year so just inside the points but we’ll of course be wanting to improve on that result and make sure we have a smoother weekend from start to finish.

Still the crown jewel of F1?

I think so, yes. Monaco has such rich history, and it is such an iconic location. It is one of those races that you dream about winning when you are growing up and there is definitely a special feeling you get every time you come back. It’s such a great atmosphere and we hope to have some good French support down there! I know the whole team is raring to get out on the streets of Monaco and give it our best as we always do.

Back-to-back home races

Fernando Alonso is set to race in his eighteenth Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, after a triumphant return to the points and ninth place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix. Now a Monaco resident, Fernando will look to put on another show in consecutive weeks for his now home away from home.

It was back in the points for you in Spain, tell us about that excellent drive from P20 to ninth?

It was a lot of fun racing in Spain. Last year we had no attendance because of the pandemic so it was great to see and hear the maximum support of the fans. We didn’t have a good Saturday, but we seemed to find pace on Sunday and we were able to jump from last to finish inside the points by the chequered flag. I enjoyed it and we had some nice overtakes in the race, the DRS seemed very powerful around there and it helped because it’s usually a very tough circuit to overtake on. Hopefully we can now put together a run of finishes in the points.

What is it like racing on the famous Monte Carlo streets?

I’ve always enjoyed racing in Monaco. It’s one of the biggest spectacles on the Formula 1 calendar. I think with this year’s cars it’s going to be even more challenging than normal, with all of the slow speed corners. As we know, one small mistake around the streets of Monaco and you end up in the barriers. Qualifying is also very difficult given the traffic you encounter on a lap. I’m looking forward to the challenge!

Do you have a favourite memory from your years racing there?

I think the wins in 2006 and 2007 were very nice and my fondest memories of racing there. It was a tough battle all season long in both of those years and winning in Monaco gives you a boost. I’ve enjoyed most of my races in Monaco and it’s great it’s now where I live too.

Alpine Academy

After a fantastic weekend in Barcelona, Olli Caldwell and podium-sitter Jack Doohan return along with Formula 2 to the principality.

The pair head to Monaco after a Barcelona weekend where Jack secured pole position, second place in the feature race and fastest lap. Olli too put in a good performance, running as high as fifth in the feature race.

Jack Doohan: “My goals heading into Monaco are the same as everyone else; everyone wants the pole and the win. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the reality. I’m focusing on staying grounded, improving lap by lap, staying on the black stuff and trying to execute our run plans as well as possible should put us at the sharp end to score good points. It’s an awesome circuit; so iconic, so historic. It’ll be a pleasure to drive here and find the limits. I’m really looking forward to it”.

Olli Caldwell

“I’m looking forward to heading to Monaco in a back-to-back race weekend with Barcelona. It’s my first time at the circuit, so I’d imagine it’s not going to be an easy weekend. The main goal is to learn as much as we can. I’ve done lots of laps on the sim, so let’s learn throughout the weekend and see what happens.”

Monaco Grand Prix Factfile

The Circuit

• Circuit length of 3.337km

• Race distance of 260.286km. This is the shortest distance on the calendar

• Top average speed in 2021 was 157.833kmh (98.072mph), the lowest average speed on the calendar.

• Highest speed of 290.8kmh (180.69mph).

• The Fairmont hairpin is the slowest corner in all of Formula 1.

• One of only three tracks in the history of the sport to feature a tunnel. Cars can lose between 20-30% of their downforce due the unique aerodynamic properties of the tunnel.

Driver and Team facts

• Renault-powered cars have achieved 14 pole positions, eight fastest laps, 24 podiums, seven wins and 449 points from 154 starts at the Monaco Grand Prix.

• Fernando Alonso is the only active Formula 1 driver who has completed two thirds of the fabled motorsport triple crown. Fernando won the Monaco Grand Prix with Renault in 2006 and has two Le Mans 24 hours titles’ to his name.

• Esteban Ocon’s best result in Monaco is P6 in 2018. Esteban also finished inside the points in 2021.

• Should he start Sunday’s race, Esteban Ocon will move into the top ten of most starts for a French driver in Formula 1 (96).

• Fernando has two previous wins in Monaco which is only bettered by Lewis Hamilton of the current drivers on the grid.

• Fernando can overtake Graham Hill as the driver to have completed the most racing laps at the Monaco Grand Prix. Fernando has raced 1,198 laps so far at the circuit and will beat the record if he completes 14 laps.