NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Formula 1 heads to Monaco this weekend for its flagship race, the Monaco Grand Prix, and as the season has been dominated by Mercedes.
However, this race could present a golden opportunity for their closest competitors: Ferrari.
The Silver Arrows won every race – Grand Prix or Sprint – with the sole exception of the Sprint race in Miami, which was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The Monaco Grand Prix uses one of the tightest, twistiest and slowest circuits in the series, meaning some cars will be better suited to it than others. (Photo by Glenn Dunbar/LAT Images)
This opened up a significant gap in the standings between them and Ferrari; However, Monaco presents an opportunity for the Scuderia to break the dominance of Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Indeed, Ferrari’s car and powertrain should be well suited to the notoriously narrow and twisty Monaco circuit.
Throughout the season, Ferrari’s strength has been under acceleration. This was particularly clear during the race starts. Go back and look at just about any start to a season and the Ferraris look like they were shot out of a cannon while the Mercedes and others often look rather slow.
With as many slow corners as Monaco – some like the Hotel Hairpin and La Rascasse being among the slowest on the entire calendar – getting through them and accelerating out of them is a big problem. You can’t rely on straight line speed like at other circuits, and Ferrari will be OK with that because it’s not their greatest strength.
F1 DRIVER HAS HILARIOUS REASON FOR WHO KNEW REPORTS OF TEAM QUARREL WERE TOTALLY FALSE
A circuit with many slow corners should play into Ferrari’s hands. (Photo by Guido De Bortoli/LAT Images)
Finding time in those slow corners on Saturday in qualifying could mean starting from pole, and in Monaco it really gives you an advantage on a circuit where overtaking is almost impossible.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Even defending champion Lando Norris expects to see the Prancing Horses start up front.
“Honestly, I think Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco,” Norris said, according to Motorsport. “Their low-speed performance is much better than everyone else.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will be looking for his second victory in Monaco, which happens to be his home race. (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Image)
Now a million things could go wrong, even if one of the Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton, started in front. Weather could be a factor; they could hang on a wall; they might encounter a technical problem.
But the key to winning at Monaco these days is starting from the best position possible on the track, and Ferrari is looking for its best chance to achieve that so far this season.
