The GP in the principality of Monaco is considered the crown jewel of the F1 calendar. Regent Max Verstappen will have to pull out all the stops to keep crown prince Charles Leclerc behind again.
Pitlane looks ahead to the seventh grand prix of the season, which does not seem to suit Verstappen’s Red Bull in the base. “Every team is going to opt for maximum downforce, but Ferrari seems to have an advantage with its package on a circuit like this,” said L1’s F1 analyst Xavier Maassen.
Tire strategy
Verstappen has also won every race in which he finished this season. A perfect score that he usually couldn’t achieve from an ideal starting position: he was only on pole position once. “Verstappen knows how to get the best out of the car, especially with regard to tire strategy,” says Maassen. “I thought you saw that especially in Miami. In Spain it was different, there Leclerc was on course to win until he had to deal with malheur.”
‘Rider can make the difference here’
Known for glitter, glamor and a tight track where every mistake can be mercilessly punished, Monaco is pushed to the limit from Verstappen, Leclerc and the competition. “Here the driver, even with a less good car, can make a difference and perform excellently. That is what makes Monaco and qualifying so beautiful: who has that little bit extra to take pole, for example?”
In this episode of Pitlane, attention is paid to the adjustments that teams are making to the car for this race, the hotspots of the circuit in the streets of Monaco, the relationships between the title rivals and we visit the kart track in Vaals, where the young karters dreams of a career like that of Verstappen.
Live
The Monaco GP starts on Sunday at 3 p.m. The race can then be followed live via L1 Radio and the live blog on 1Limburg.
pit lane
Pitlane is L1’s motorsport program. Every Thursday before a grand prix you will be informed about the latest developments in Formula 1. Reports and interviews can also be seen in the program.
