The Monaco Grand Prix fascinates. Utterly different to any other circuit and entirely divorced from the realities of F1 – but you still get 25 points for winning it.
“Does Monaco still excite me? It still worries me! I think everyone’s adrenaline pumps a little more, more than at any other circuit. I think it's because so many simple things can go wrong and do a lot of damage.”
Sir Frank Williams
A few days earlier, Red Bull Racing dominated in Spain but few people expected Monaco to suit the RB6 so perfectly.
"I don't think we can say that Red Bull are favourite here. They are quick – if you arrive to Turkey, to Silverstone, to Canada, you can say they are favourites there, but here in Monaco it is difficult to say that."
Fernando Alonso – Ferrari
"Monaco is a unique circuit. Red Bull may have had impressive qualifying pace in Spain, but we got a bit closer in the race, and we have two drivers who are super and McLaren has won Monaco 15 times."
Martin Whitmarsh – team principal, McLaren
"The other teams who have a certain top speed advantage on other tracks at the moment do not have this advantage here, so the whole field comes a bit closer together which will make it a very interesting qualifying."
Michael Schumacher – Mercedes
“I hope we’re as good here – but this place is unique and you don’t design your F1 car around Monte Carlo. I think it’s going to be very competitive with Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes but from Singapore last year onwards, we’ve been pretty competitive at most venues, so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens this weekend.”
Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing
Still the discussion over qualifying carried on. The theory being the speed differential between the top runners and the new teams would cause chaos.
“It’s a short, narrow track and there will be problems. There’s nothing they [the new teams] can do about it. They are pushing as hard as they can and it’s not their fault they can’t go quicker. No one wants to hold anyone up – but it’s going to happen.”
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
“We have to accept there are six cars that are very difficult to avoid.”
Martin Whitmarsh
"I will be very upset if someone after qualifying comes and starts complaining. They had plenty of time [discussing] what to do here, and they didn't come up with a solution. So I don't think anyone should start complaining now."
Jarno Trulli – Lotus
Robert Kubica and Renault, this year’s surprise package, looked incredibly quick, but Alonso’s Ferrari was quickest after Thursday’s practice.
“I was happy with the session, but we know in qualifying it will be very close. Within three tenths of a second, there are seven or eight cars, so we cannot afford any mistakes. We need to be perfect on Saturday.”
Fernando Alonso
Michael Schumacher was back at the scene of his famous ‘parking’ incident. The Schu was characteristically unrepentant, labelling such questions ‘boring’
“Ask as much as you want, but I am moving on.”
Michael Schumacher – Mercedes
Mark Webber took his second pole position of the week.
“It was a bit of a blur at to be honest! I remember it was pretty quick. Pole is always nice obviously. They don’t come around that often. It is a sensational venue to get pole position. It is a very, very big test for the drivers.”
Mark Webber
"I can honestly say, no bullshit, I was delighted to see Mark performing like that. He’s worked very hard, he’s as straight as they come. Very impressive."
Sir Frank Williams
…and Robert Kubica snuck ahead of Sebastian Vettel to share the front row.
“Of course when you are so close it will be better to qualify first but we have to be happy.”
Robert Kubica – Renault
Seb is now being asked whether he fears his team-mate…
“I’m not afraid of him. He fell off a bike last year, so his leg is still a bit unstable, so I can always run away, plus I’m younger, so there are good chances for me.”
Sebastian Vettel
After a crash in Saturday's practice session ruled Fernando Alonso out of qualifying, he would start last for Ferrari.
"It's difficult to start from last place in Monaco but it's a long race and in 2006 Schumacher started last and finished fifth so the goal is to score some points. We'll see if we are that lucky."
Fernando Alonso
Toro Rosso, weren’t terribly pleased, lining up 13 and 17 after finishing final practice 8th and 12th.
"I’m not really happy, I was expecting a bit better after the free practice of this morning. We are in the middle of the grid, which is not too bad, but I was expecting to be P10 or P11."
Sébastien Buemi – Scuderia Toro Rosso
"It was tough! But tomorrow is a long race, we need to finish it and get to Istanbul with new targets."
Jaime Alguersuari – Scuderia Toro Rosso
Ironically, after all the talk of backmarkers getting in the way, the only real problem was Felipe Massa’s Ferrari impeding Jenson Button’s McLaren.
"It’s very annoying. I don't know what the lap time would have been but very annoying that he got in the way because it was blatantly slowing me down."
Jenson Button – McLaren
"There was a car in front of me, he slowed down and I slowed down as well. Then I pushed and when I see Jenson coming I pushed, so I didn't do anything on purpose, definitely."
Felipe Massa – Ferrari
Fernando’s start from the pitlane would put him directly behind the HRT of Karun Chandhok…
“He is? Shit! I could be the new Enrique Bernoldi!”
Karun Chandhok – HRT
Obviously Karun had other problem to consider…
“Our car is… let’s say ‘excitable’. I had one big moment coming out of the tunnel that meant I needed a new pair of boxers after qualifying.”
Karun Chandhok
Webber got away smoothly and strolled away with another convincing victory, despite four safety car restarts.
"It’s absolutely incredible and the greatest day of my life. With the backmarkers and the safety cars we were tested today – but to join drivers like Ayrton Senna by winning around here… wow."
Mark Webber
“I am very, very happy. I think we couldn’t have done better. A lot of good points and those count at the end of the year by quite a bit. It is a long season but I am very happy today.”
Sebastian Vettel (Second)
While the Red Bull Racing drivers jumped in the harbour, a row was brewing after Michael Schumacher (who else?) passed Fernando Alonso at the last corner as the safety car left the track. The stewards had a headache trying to decide whether this was legal or not.
"The team told me we couldn't overtake so when I saw Michael... Actually it’s better, as they will penalise him, so we will end up winning anyway."
Fernando Alonso
"There's a regulation which is new this year that says you can race between safety car line one and the start/finish line… But we were advised before the end of the race that the safety car was coming in. There was no instruction that the race was going to finish under the safety car, so for us as soon as we got the instruction 'safety car in this lap'… we considered the race was now on again."
Ross Brawn – Team Principal, Mercedes
Eventually the stewards (who included Damon Hill) decided to demote Schumacher. Mercedes announced their intention to appeal, but changed their minds a few days later. It lifted the Toro Rosso of Sébastien Buemi into 10th place and a championship point.
“It’s great to also get my first point, even if I did not take it on the track.”
Sébastien Buemi
“We have to be happy with this position and head to Turkey were we can do much more.”
Jaime Alguersuari
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