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© wri2.net – Jean-François Galeron
This is an historical date for Williams Formula 1 Team: this Monaco Grand Prix will be the 750th in the history of the squad founded in 1975 by by Sir Frank and his partner in crime, Sir Patrick Head. This accounts for races entered by Frank Williams Racing Cars in 1975, then Williams Grand Prix Engineering from 1978, but without including the time in 1976 when the Williams FW 05 cars driven by Jacky Ickx, Michel Leclère and Arturo Merzario carried the banner of Walter Wolf Racing, founded by the Canadian billionaire.
Then Williams won 9 Constructors world titles, 7 Drivers crowns, 114 F1 races, and the Didcot started going down, until it was bought out last year by an American investment fund. The staff has changed, the Williams family has retired, but the name stays and high ambitions are set by the new owners.
In order to make this 750th GP memorable, the very talented George Russell, who had subbed for Lewis Hamilton at Sakhir GP, last November, in a Mercedes, will carry a special helmet. And he has another idea to celebrate the occasion : getting into Q2 on Saturday afternoon. This would be quite an achievement !
Two World Champions, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, discussed the glorious history of Formula 1 on the eve of the first free practice sessions for Monaco Grand Prix 2021. The oldest of the two, the Spaniard, has been crowned twice (2005, 2006) with Renault F1. He now drives a blue Alpine, ha has already won in Monaco (2006, 2007), each time starting in pole, and he also won Le Mans 24 Hours for Toyota, but not yet at Indy 500. His experience his immense and he believes that the races of our times will be appreciated, in 20 or 30 years time, just as much as the 70s races are lauded today by nostalgic fans who miss the fights between Lotus, Ferrari, Tyrrell, Williams and McLaren.
© Olivier Caenen
« I don’t think we can compare cars and years, championships and driving styles », Alonso said on Wednesday. « I think that in those years, it was amazing to drive these cars in Monaco. I can only imagine how hard it was, and how tricky it was at the same time. Now we have cars that go 15 or 20 seconds faster per lap. But the challenge is still the same and you have to maximise the package that you have in your hands. It doesn’t matter if you’re running in 1’30s or in 1’10s, at the end of the day it is the same spirit that has to go into the driving. So I respect a lot what the F1 drivers of the past achieved, and how they were able to drive those cars. And now I think it will be the same respect in 20 or 30 years’ time when fans watch the races that we are doing now.”
A Monaco resident, Hamilton already won three times in the streets of the Principality, for McLaren (2008) and Mercedes (2016, 2019). He is still very excited by this very special track, after all these years : « Just driving the track, in practice or in the race, going through the tunnel, up into Casino, the whole experience for the weekend is mesmerising. And that never changes. The feeling of winning here is never any less. Every year is unique and special if you are lucky enough to get the opportunity », he adds. By the way, in his own match against Alonso, with regards to Monaco wins, Sir Lewis is leading 3-2…
This digital catering service will give you the opportunity to follow the ontrack racing show with the respect of sanitary rules.
Rx Eat, a 100% foodie app, allows each user to get a large selection of meals delivered, with fresh, local, quality products prepared in a short circuit.
In partnership with the association FAR (Foi, Action, Rayonnement) for the Grandstand T and the AS Monaco Rugby for the Grandstand NOP, the free App will be deployed in order to offer a digital and quality catering service during the Grand Prix.
Spectators will have the possibility to lunch without to leave their seat.
In the current sanitary context, the App is applying with 2 objectives:
How does the RX Eat App work?
Spectators will be able to download the application for free, by scanning the QR code on the flyers distributed at the event entrance, directly on their smartphone or tablet.
After selected its grandstand, each spectator will be able to choose between a large choice of sandwiches, salty or sweet snacks, drinks, and popcorns.
Once order confirmed with the located seat filled and the order payed (by credit card or cash), your booking will arrive directly to you in the grandstand, by the service or the FAR and ASM Rugby association volunteers .
Download RX Eat App on Apple Store or Google Play
Formula 1 start time changes in 2018.
Find the new timetable of the 76th edition of the Grand Prix Automobile de Monaco that will take place from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 May 2018.
How excited are you to be starting on pole in Monaco ?
Obviously, it’s the best place to start for today, but it doesn’t guarantee anything for the race. Nevertheless, I’ll happily take it. It’s been all week-end quite ok. We’ve been struggling a little bit in certain places and we’ve been working and trying to figure it out and in qualifying it was better by no means perfect. I felt good so I was able to push. We have two cars in the front so let’s try to make the best out of it.
It’s your first pole since the 2008 French Grand Prix. It’s important for you to have done it in such a selective track as Monaco ?
No, I would like happily taken any other place also but it just happens. We’ve been close a few times lately but it’s something we haven’t really got in the last race. But if you take any circuit, here it’s the most important to be in front but it doesn’t automatically give you a win or a good result. There are so many things that can happen in a race that are nothing to do with you. You and the team might be doing a perfect job but other things might destroy the whole race.
The circuit is easier or more difficult with these new cars?
I don’t think it’s any easier. We end up going faster but then the same difficulties are there to go fast. It’s always tricky here, like it is in any place, especially here because you have to get very close to the kerbs and the walls. There is no chance to make mistakes. I think the resurface has improved a lot the circuit. It’s less bumpy, so it makes it a bit more nicer. But I don’t feel it’s any easier because the cars are faster and how more downforce. Everything happens a bit faster.
Michael Ammermüeller converted his pole position in a win during the Porsche Supercup race. Unbeatable in the Monegasque’s twisty streets, the championship leader got ahead Daniel Cammish (+2.162) and Dennis Olsen (+4.885).
Only fifteenth on the grid, the French Seven Palette (+24.673) managed to finish at the ninth place in a race where seven drivers had to retire.
Sacha Fenestraz won the race 2 of the Formula Renault Eurocup. The French led all the race for take his second win in the Principality after his victory under the rain last year. The Josef Kaufmann Racing driver got ahead Robert Shwartzman (+0.687) and the yesterday winner Will Palmer (+1.222).
A lot of things happened during this race. Six drivers have been involved in a collision at the Fairmont Corner. Frank Bird, Henrique Chaves and Jarno Opmeer were forced to give up. The race ended behind the safety-car after the crash of Thomas Neubauer at Sainte-Dévote.
Will Palmer won the race 1 of the Formula Renault Eurocup. The British started on pole and lead all the race to take the win with less than two seconds ahead of the French Sacha Fenestraz. The top 3 stayed the same of the qualifying session a long time before the championship leader Robert Shwartzman (4th) lost the last podium step in favour of Max Defourny.
Kevin Magnussen lacked regularity since his arrival at Haas and he has not managed to shine in the last round at Barcelona. Determined to be competitive here, the Danish opened his Monegasque week-end in a good way with the 13th place in free practice 1 and a 9th position in free practice 2.
« I’m pretty happy with the day, says the former Renault driver. We got everything done that was on our program. The car’s not feeling bad, so I’m looking forward to qualifying Saturday. »
Capable to go one second faster between the two sessions of the Thursday, the Haas driver has been impressed by the new F1’s performance on this twisty track.
« It’s very fast there, enjoyed the Danish. If feels amazing and it’s really good fun to drive. Let’s hope we can be competitive as well. »
