Monaco GP preview | Another tense Hamilton v Verstappen qualifying session
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- GPblog.com
The Monaco Grand Prix is back on the Formula 1 calendar after a year's absence, and the 2021 edition will be held in front of a handful of fans. It may not have the glamour we've come to expect from this event, but it's still a weekend to look forward to. Find out all you need to know about the Monaco Grand Prix in this preview from GPblog.
Circuit de Monaco
Monaco circuit is the unique opportunity for the Formula 1 drivers to show their talent, because with hardly any straights and especially many turns, the talent comes out here. There are plenty of corners that are interesting to watch in Monaco. It already starts with the first corner Sainte Devote, but also the Grand Hotel Hairpin, the section near the swimming pool and La Rascasse are unprecedentedly beautiful corners.
It is not surprising that the great drivers often win in Monaco. You need confidence in your car, but also in your own abilities. Ayrton Senna won six times in Monaco and is still the record holder. Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher each won five times. Of the current driver's Lewis Hamilton won the most often (3 times), but Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso also stood on the highest step of the podium twice. Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen are the other drivers who managed to win here before.
Monaco Grand Prix 2019
It has been a while since we had a Grand Prix in Monaco, as the race was not organised in 2020 due to the coronavirus. For the last edition, we have to go back to 2019, where Lewis Hamilton managed to grab the victory from pole. Max Verstappen fell just outside the podium after he received a five-second penalty for an unsafe release.
Formula 2021
The 2021 Formula One season is currently going in all directions. At the start of the season, Red Bull Racing seemed to have the best car, but after the Grand Prix in Portugal and Spain, it seems to be falling back to Mercedes. On Saturday Max Verstappen is still close to the Mercedes and pole is even possible, but on Sunday Mercedes is doing a better job with their tyres. Monaco is a completely different event though, so who knows what the situation will be like here.
Weather forecast
For this weekend no strange things are expected in Monaco. On Thursday and Saturday it will be 19 degrees, and on Sunday it will rise to 20 degrees according to Weather.com Sunday it rises a bit to 20 degrees. On Saturday there is the biggest chance of rain with 24 percent, on Thursday and Sunday there is less than 10 percent chance.
Prediction GP Monaco
There is one driver who shines on Saturday this season, and that is Lewis Hamilton. The Brit took pole in Spain for the 100th time of his career and seems far from reaching his peak. Verstappen keeps making mistakes and missing out on the pole, and Red Bull also seems to be losing ground on Mercedes when it comes to the car.
Looking at this season, we have to assume that Verstappen and Hamilton will be next to each other on the first row of the grid. It's often so close that it's hard to say who has the advantage.
If the two start next to each other, and Verstappen is again so aggressive at the start, it could also end in tears. We don't rule out the possibility of a surprise winner at Monaco this year. If there's one place where things can go wrong at the start, it's Monaco.
Timetable Monaco Grand Prix 2021
Thursday
First free practice: 10:30 - 11:30
Second free practice: 14:00 - 15:00
Saturday
Third free practice: 11:00 - 12:00
Qualidying: 14:00 - 15:00
Sunday
Race: 14:00 - 16:00