The last time he was in the Principality to race - for his debut grand prix in the fabled Principality - he was hauled away in an ambulance, having been knocked unconscious in a huge qualifying crash.

"To me it's unbelievable to be back here after such an accident," the 22-year-old said on Wednesday, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Mexican Perez said Monaco is still his favourite track.

"It is definitely not a good feeling that the walls are so close, but we know the risks. It's a special place.

"I can remember everything right up to the crash. The next thing I know was that I was on the way to hospital -- I was unconscious for several minutes.

"After such an accident it is not easy to come back -- I cannot say for sure how I will feel when I come out of the tunnel for the first time. But I think it will be completely out of my head."

Perez said he really needed "four or five" races to recover from the heavy concussion, but that there was pressure from sponsors to come back as soon as possible.

"I wanted to get back into the car in Montreal, but it was impossible," he recalled.

"In Valencia it was very difficult for me."

Now, he is hoping for a very different Monaco weekend, after looking strong last year until his crash.

"Our goal must be the podium. I hope to find a good setup although we have recently had a little problem with the traction.

"We are so close to the top that every tenth can make a difference.

"After our second place in Malaysia, maybe the next step will be victory -- I don't know if we will succeed. But the opportunities are there," said Perez.

After handing over to his Mercedes deputy Nick Fry in Barcelona, fellow Briton Brawn is back in action as the team boss in Monte Carlo.

Rumours hinted there was more to the story, but Brawn insisted to a German newspaper earlier on Wednesday that he was simply advised by doctors to take the weekend off after a night in hospital for checks.

He then told reporters in Monaco his symptoms had been "arrhythmia", or an irregular heartbeat, insisting he is "back to normal now".

Brawn, 57, joked the heart problem was triggered by watching an exciting football game on television.

That is the admission of team boss John Booth, who told the Russian website championat.com that he is looking into adding the energy recovery technology to next year's Marussia package.

"First of all, I want to say that while it is said it (KERS) is a 'green' technology, in reality it's just a serious waste of money," he said.

"But in our situation it's time to start thinking seriously about KERS. Of the gap to Caterham, five or six tenths is due to KERS," added Booth.

"So we are thinking seriously about it for 2013, but so far there is no decision."

Both admitted the start of the 2012 season has been a disappointment so far for Marussia, which in its first two years was called Virgin.

He said the team has recently completed a phase of serious restructuring.

"We had a good team of people before, but now we have a good team of designers. Though we have been in F1 for three years, I have the feeling that we were actually born in July 2011."

Both is undoubtedly referring to the split mid last year with former technical chief Nick Wirth, and the relocation to a new headquarters.

Even in the Monte Carlo paddock, the huge Spanish blaze was still a hot topic.

The British team and the FIA conducted investigations, but there has been no definite finding about the cause of the fire.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported suggestions simple static electricity, caused by the specific weather conditions and the fact a container was not grounded at the time, was the culprit.

Williams has scrambled to be ready for Monaco, but the only obvious sign of the fire on Wednesday was one missing mechanic, who is still recovering from burns.

"He's on the road to recovery," said co-owner Toto Wolff.

It is believed the mechanic was pumping fuel from one container to another when the fire started.

Wolff confirmed the static electricity theory.

"This is extremely rare. The weather may have played a role, as we had low pressure over Barcelona that day," he explained.

Auto Motor und Sport said Williams lost mainly computers in the fire, but the crucial data survived. Of the team's 150 radios, only 40 were intact.

Wolff said Bruno Senna's chassis survived because of the partitions at the back of the main pit area.

"They are flame retardant," he confirmed. "This meant the fire did not come beyond the back (area). The walls melted in the heat, but they didn't burn."

And financially, the Oxfordshire based team is completely undamaged, due to insurance.

The German marque's Brackley based chief executive Nick Fry this week earmarked impressive Force India driver di Resta, earlier a Mercedes protege, as an ideal successor should Schumacher not stay beyond his 2012 contract.

Asked about Fry's comments and the media speculation on Wednesday, di Resta said in Monaco: "It's always nice to have the press interest and people looking out for you, but I need to stay focused on doing the best job I possibly can."

He told Sky Sports News: "It's no secret that I want to be a race winner and world champion -- and to do that, I need to be in a great car."

News of the sale coincided with the launch of pre-marketing ahead of one of the biggest ever sports floatations, data by the financial experts Thomson Reuters shows.

"It's cheap compared to Facebook," chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told reporters on Tuesday, confirming that the Singapore IPO looks set to go ahead soon "with no dramas".

"All the things that have to happen have happened. It will be finished by the end of June," the 81-year-old is quoted by the Telegraph.

F1's new one-fifth owners are US managers Waddell and Reed, the powerful Blackrock and Norway's central bank Norges.

"It's a great way to start the IPO and lets investors know what they can expect," said Ecclestone.

The diminutive Briton said he is keeping his 5.3 per cent stake, and staying in charge. His former wife Slavica controls another 8.5pc, the news agency Bloomberg said.

"You might as well have asked Frank Sinatra who he would appoint to replace him," Ecclestone insisted.

CVC said in a statement that is remains F1's biggest and controlling shareholder.

After a 112,771 spectator sellout for the inaugural event in 2008, organisers reduced the temporary seating capacity by 35,000 on lower demand the following year.

The capacity was shrunk again, to 65,000, for last year's race, and this year there will be only 45,000 places for spectators to sit amid Europe's economic crisis, according to El Pais newspaper.

It means Valencia's spectator capacity has more than halved since 2008.

We reported this year that although Barcelona is not convinced it should annually alternate Spain's F1 hosting rights, Valencia is insisting the arrangement go ahead starting next year, as suggested recently by Bernie Ecclestone.

Until then, only 13 grandstands have been erected for the June 24 race, a figure "that may increase depending on demand", an official said.

The report in El Pais explained: "The organiser's goal is to adjust the mounting costs to reduce the losses of previous years, especially in view of the high fees charged by Bernie Ecclestone."

Having handled his own career in the wake of Flavio Briatore's demise, Finn Kovalainen recently signed up with IMG, the sports and entertainment management giant.

The 30-year-old has rebuilt his reputation since 2010 in the wake of mixed tenures for top teams Renault and McLaren.

According to IMG Motorsport's head of clients Martin Anayi, Kovalainen is now regarded by formula one team bosses up and down pitlane as among the top best drivers.

"He is a great guy," Anayi is quoted by Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper.

"Heikki's potential is obvious and he definitely wants to succeed."

There have been rumblings in the paddock that Kovalainen is disappointed that, despite being consistently the best of F1's new teams since 2010, Caterham is yet to break into the midfield.

"This is only the team's third season, so there are still some growing paints," IMG's Anayi acknowledged.

"Heikki has a strong desire to compete, and not just with his teammate Vitaly Petrov. The team's boss Tony Fernandes wants to get in with the middle group.

"This means that the team needs to regularly get into the Q2 stage of qualifying and in the race be aiming for the points," he insisted.

On Tuesday morning, Italy's finance police the Guardia di Finanza entered the Autodromo Nazionale to investigate seven people involved with the operation of the circuit.

According to Il Giorno and La Repubblica, the Monza prosecutor suspects tax offenses, false invoicing and other discrepancies in relation to Sias SpA, the circuit operator, between 2007 and 2012.

Among the suspected offenses is the issuing of invoices for non-existent transactions in order to show a positive balance sheet for the running of some events.

The officers raided the Sias offices and also the home of the circuit director, Enrico Ferrari, and other high ranking officials.

Bild newspaper recalls that the Venezuelan, who defied his 'pay driver' critics by winning for Williams in Spain two weeks ago, was actually banned after an horror incident on the streets of Monte Carlo seven years ago.

Racing in the Renault World Series in 2005, the then 25-year-old ignored yellow flags before striking and severely injuring a marshal.

Organisers of the Monaco grand prix reacted by banning Maldonado from the street circuit for life.

Germany's Bild revealed that Maldonado's wealthy father intervened, promising to pay for the marshal's recovery and rehabilitation from a broken back.

That intervention saved Maldonado's future formula one career, as no team would hire a regular driver that cannot participate in the sport's most famous race.

Maldonado is therefore a favourite for victory this weekend, with his Williams now acknowledged as arguably the best in the entire field when it comes to slow-speed traction.

And in his four seasons of GP2 between 2007 and 2010, Maldonado finished on the podium each time, winning and achieving pole position twice. In 2006, he won in Formula Renault.

Last year, in qualifying for his first Monaco grand prix, he qualified his then struggling Williams in eighth place, comfortably ahead of Rubens Barrichello.

"He is very good at Monaco," agreed Barrichello.

In the 2011 race, Maldonado was fighting for fifth when he crashed with Lewis Hamilton.

"If the last sector in Barcelona is the marker, then the Williams will be unbeatable in Monte Carlo," Germany's Auto Motor und Sport quotes Dr Helmut Marko as saying.

The breakthrough success in Barcelona has piqued the interest of Maldonado's native Venezuela, having not had an F1 points scorer since the ignominious Johnny Cecotto in 1983.

"My country will be following every second of the next race," Maldonado is quoted by O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

"I love street circuits, this one in particular. My style of driving fits perfectly with Monaco. I am ready to get another great result."

Mercedes' team principal sat out the recent Spanish grand prix due to illness, but a scarcity of extra information triggered speculation.

One rumour was that he is seriously ill, whilst another was that his absence may in fact be due to his German employer's high-stakes spat with Bernie Ecclestone.

The latter theory gained traction since Barcelona, with acting team boss Nick Fry taking a much higher than usual profile, including naming Paul di Resta as a possible 2013 successor for Michael Schumacher.

Explaining his absence, Brawn told Bild newspaper: "On the Tuesday before Barcelona I felt unwell so I went to the doctor and then stayed a night in hospital for some tests.

"When I got home, I decided on the advice of doctors to give myself a weekend off, to be sure that I am fit for Monaco," the Briton said.

Partly because of Brawn's deputy Fry's recent comments, and also due to his paltry points tally and his crash with Bruno Senna, rumours about Schumacher's future have intensified since Spain.

"A lot has been said and written," acknowledged Brawn, "but we should not forget that we - the team - have let him down in three of the fives races, not delivering the job we should have.

"We must do better," Brawn, who worked closely with Schumacher during the seven time world champion's ultra successful Ferrari era, added.

"We saw Michael's real quality again in the first race, so it's for that reason that I believe we will see him on the podium this year."

As for a possible contract extension for the 43-year-old, Brawn insisted: "When the time comes, we will sit down together and talk about the future.

"I'm sure it will become clear very quickly in what direction we will go."

It's a scene that happens hundreds of thousands of times a day around the world: two people meet in a lift, greet each other and begin to chat about work and life. The twist in this particular story, though, is that the elevator is in Monte-Carlo; the two men are resident in the same apartment building, separated by little more than a few floors; and both have written their own chapters in the very exclusive grand prix racing history of Mercedes-Benz.

Nico Rosberg and Mika Hakkinen in the streets of Monte Carlo

Photo by: Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team

Mika Häkkinen was the first Mercedes-Benz world champion of the modern era, and a two-time title winner in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren Mercedes; Nico Rosberg is the first man to win a Grand Prix at the wheel of a Silver Arrow since the great Juan Manuel Fangio, in the third season of the return of the Silver Arrows. On the eve of the race around their home streets, the two men met to discuss their experiences as part of one of the most spectacular events in world sport.

The histories of Mika Häkkinen and Nico Rosberg have been intertwined for more than twenty years, when Nico was just a young boy and Mika worked with Keke Rosberg, who led his management team.

"I don't remember when we first met - maybe Mika does!" laughs Nico when the question comes.

"Well, I started working with Keke at the end of 1987," recalls Mika. "I think the first time we met must have been down here in Monaco in the early '90s. I was visiting Keke, and you were playing in your room! It's possible I was his first sponsor in karting - do you remember that?"

"Yeah, sure," laughs Nico. "It was 1997, I was 11 years old and competing in the French go-karting championship. I had a poster in my room with all my sponsors on there, and one of them was you!"

"My son is eleven now," says Mika, picking up the thread. "I'm sure I did a contract with Keke that one day, when Nico will win races and be world champion, he has to start supporting my son Hugo!"

If the early stages of Nico's career were supported by Mika - who today himself is a partner with Didier Coton in Aces Management and has, among others, young Finn Valtteri Bottas under his wing - the parallels between the two have only grown stronger as time has passed. Both Mika and Nico had to wait until their seventh Formula One season before climbing the top step of the podium - Mika after 96 races, at the 1997 European Grand Prix in Jerez; Nico in his 111th start, at this year's Chinese Grand Prix. And both in their third seasons driving Mercedes-Benz-powered cars.

"Your first victory in Formula One always feels like it is a long time coming," explains Mika. "And especially in my case - but when it arrives, the feeling is just amazing. But problems are part of life, and winning or losing, they don't disappear. You need to keep understanding the cause of disappointments and where you and the team can improve. There is no point having your face upside down for one week - it's better to pick up the phone, travel, see people, talk, organise yourself. Then you know that at the next event, you will be stronger - and if not the car, then yourself; you can always be better. Because the day when you have a car to win, you have to be ready. If not, it's too late. I knew that one day I was going to win, it just took a long time."

"I had exactly the same feeling - Ross, all the guys, kept telling me that the win would come, I just needed to stay patient and take my opportunity," agrees Nico. "Of course, you get frustrated if it doesn't go perfectly, but time takes that away and you keep going, follow the development, communicate constantly with the team."

Nico Rosberg and Mika Hakkinen in the streets of Monte Carlo

Photo by: Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team

"Nico did a perfect weekend in China and deserves full credit for that win," emphasises Mika. "It was not depending on circumstances or luck, but purely on his hard work. As a Mercedes-Benz ambassador, it was great not only to watch his achievements, but to enjoy seeing Mercedes-Benz back on the top step of the podium."

Inevitably, the conversation soon turns to the unique challenge of racing around the Monegasque streets, which have been home to both of them for more than 20 years. For Nico, the tunnel was once the route to school, in the passenger seat next to his Mum or on the school bus. And that 'local' feel is one that Mika says remains throughout the weekend.

"I had some great victories in my career, but Monaco was something special," remembers Mika. "I have lived here for 20 years and the thing you realise is that the people who work on the race track are also the people who live and work in Monaco - the police, the pompiers. In everyday life, these are the guys you see in the street and they say 'hi' as you walk past. To win in Monaco is like winning in your home streets, and you recognise faces all through the weekend."

"It's home for me too, of course," picks up Nico. "I've grown up here, all my friends are here and my family, I know everybody and it's very special to race here. Mentally, it's quite a demanding weekend. You have a lot going on, a lot of PR events and appointments. Plus on track, too, it's a bit more intense - but not so much. You need to be super concentrated at every circuit."

"That's true. But what changed for me was that, when I got a car that I would win races with, Monaco became more important for some reason. When you are hunting pole position in Monaco, your mind changes; you put yourself in a higher power, even though you think you are doing it already. When you are fighting for P11 or P12, you always think you are doing your maximum. But when I started fighting for pole, it just happened that I was working even harder to reach my goal - but not purposely. And of course, we changed the car, too: the steering lock, and the seating position to sit higher in the car, because the aero was not so important and we wanted to see the Armco properly."

"That's interesting, because we definitely make changes, too," says Nico. "But I don't think it's common practice, even today."

With that, the two men are off to inspect the circuit at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Over the years, Mercedes-Benz has been synonymous with success in Monaco - from the three consecutive victories in 1935, 36 and 37 for Fagioli, Caracciola and von Brauchitsch respectively; to the seven Formula One victories for Mercedes-Benz power, including three of the last five. And the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team will be working hard to add a new milestone to the company's heritage this weekend.

Pirelli motorhome

Photo by: xpb.cc

What's the story?

Milan, May 21, 2012 – The softest compound in Pirelli’s Formula One range – the P Zero Red supersoft – makes its first appearance of the year at the famed Monaco Grand Prix circuit: the slowest, tightest but also most prestigious race of the season. Alongside it, the P Zero Yellow soft has also been nominated. With the street circuit relying almost exclusively on mechanical grip, it is ideal territory for the supersoft – which benefits from a rapid warm-up time and is capable of generating very high levels of traction and cornering forces. This is particularly important during qualifying: with so few opportunities to overtake in Monaco, being as far up the grid as possible is even more important than usual. For the same reason, race strategy has a profound effect. It is often easier to make up positions in the pits through an effective strategy rather than by passing on the track. Tyre wear and degradation is the lowest seen all season, making a one-stop strategy a distinct possibility for some teams. As Monaco is a street circuit, there is a high degree of track evolution over the course of the race weekend, which lasts for one day longer than anywhere else as free practice takes place on Thursday with the circuit is open to normal traffic again for much of Friday. This consequently affects the amount of rubber that is found on the surface for qualifying.

Pirelli's motorsport director says:

Paul Hembery: “Monaco is a highlight of the season and a place where our supersoft and soft tyres have provided plenty of entertainment in the past. Last year, we had three drivers on three different strategies set for a grandstand finish – before a red flag got in the way. The supersoft is the only compound that remains unaltered from last year, as it proved to be so effective on circuits like Monaco, but of course the profile has been re-designed to better suit the 2012 regulations. With the wear rate being so low in Monaco, the drivers will be able to push at their hardest from start to finish. Tyre strategy will be very important in Monaco, where on-track overtaking is more difficult than anywhere else. Having said that, the Principality has a history of often springing a surprise. With the cars so evenly matched now, even the slightest advantage or smallest mistake can have a big impact on the final outcome of a race, as we’ve seen so far this season.”

The men behind the steering wheel say:

Jenson Button (McLaren): “Monaco is a very special place. It’s probably the grand prix track where the sensation of speed is at its greatest, particularly during your first laps on a Thursday morning, when it just seems unreal to be controlling 750bhp through the narrow winding streets of the Principality. But it’s also a place where you find a groove and a rhythm like nowhere else and, before, too long, it feels very comfortable to be reeling off fast laps and pushing the back end out around the corners. Monaco will be the first time this season that we’ll have used Pirelli’s supersoft compound, and I’m really looking forward to it. Obviously, we’ll start the weekend using the soft compound tyres, but when we first switch to the supersofts, I know the car’s going to feel very different. As always, it’s going to be fascinating to discover how the tyres react and behave across the weekend – particularly at a place where qualifying will be crucial – but I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

Pirelli's test driver says:

Lucas di Grassi: “Like many drivers I live in Monaco, but you need to work so accurately with the car balance and set-up for the race, that even if you drove on the roads every day it would give you no advantage at all. Monaco is one of the most complex races of the year, as you need to be so precise on every lap. Most people don’t realise just how bumpy the circuit is too, so there is a lot to consider when it comes to finding the right set-up and the best way to get the most out of the tyres. With the tyre nominations that Pirelli has made, there are plenty of opportunities for some very different strategies, as we saw last year. So far it’s been a fantastic season, but also I think there are some drivers who should have won by now who haven’t: anything can happen in Monaco. That’s just one of the things that makes it such a fascinating race.”

Technical tyre notes:

· The track surface is the least abrasive of the year, and added to the slow average speed (including the slowest hairpin bend on the calendar, taken at just 47kph) this leads to a very low level of tyre wear. The soft tyres are capable of lasting for 50 laps or more, making a one-stop strategy entirely realistic – although McLaren’s Jenson Button used a three-stop sprint strategy to finish on the podium last year.

· The tight and twisty confines of the circuit, with no run-off area, have an important effect on race strategy. With a high risk of incidents that can bring out the safety car, the teams need enough flexibility in their strategies to be able to adapt to changing circumstances.

· The brakes are used heavily in Monaco, and this transmits heat to the tyres that adds to the stress placed on the structure. Going into Sainte Devote, for example, the cars lose 160kph in just 100 metres. The tyres are also heavily challenged at the swimming pool complex. They hit the kerbs at more than 200kph, generating a lateral force of 3.65g.

Pirelli in Monaco:

· Apart from Sebastien Vettel’s success last year, Pirelli’s most high-profile event in the Principality has been the Monte Carlo Rally, which the Italian firm has won 13 times. The most recent triumph came in 2010, with Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen winning comfortably in a Ford Fiesta S2000.

· Pirelli’s commercial presence in Monaco is handled by Pirelli France. Based near Paris, Pirelli France has around 100 employees. The company is the third tyre manufacturer in France in terms of brand awareness.

· Pirelli has an extensive programme of activities for GT owners in France, such as the P Zero Experience: top quality track days held on the best circuits in France. There is also the P Zero by Night Experience: regularity rallies run at night for gentlemen drivers, attracting up to 80 cars at a time.

· Pirelli France is also actively engaged in rallying, supporting almost 100 young drivers through the Pirelli Trophee. In total, Pirelli France’s engineers are present at more than 25 rally weekends per year.

Other news from Pirelli:

· A new recipe book with a difference will be launched in the Pirelli Motorhome at the Monaco paddock on Wednesday evening at 1800, inspired by the cuisine that has made Pirelli’s kitchen legendary. Some special driver guests will also be on hand to try out some of the recipes.

· Monaco will host the GP2 Series together with the GP3 Series for the first time in the circuit’s history, giving the stars of the future the chance to shine in front of the most influential people in Formula One. This creates a big logistical challenge for Pirelli’s fitting crews, who will be fitting around 3100 tyres in total in the cramped confines of the paddock over the weekend.

· The first gravel event of the Italian Rally Championship took place the week before the Monaco Grand Prix: the Rally dell’Adriatico. The Italian firm used its K series Scorpion rubber, which uses similar technology to the tyres that had a failure rate of less than 0.02% when Pirelli was sole supplier to the World Rally Championship from 2008-2010. Pirelli driver Paolo Andreucci claimed another victory to reinforce his lead of the championship.

· Pirelli recently released its 2011 annual report in Milan. As well as presenting all the facts and figures about the company’s performance last year, the book is also designed as a work of art. The drawings were made by renowned Dutch illustrator Stefan Glerum and there are contributions from some of Europe’s leading writers and academics.

· Pirelli’s test driver Lucas di Grassi took part in the Nurburgring 24 Hour race the weekend before the Monaco GP, driving a McLaren MP412C running on Pirelli tyres. It was di Grassi’s debut at the endurance classic, but he was unlucky: his team mate crashed the car on Saturday evening and the crew were forced to retire.

Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo
24-25-26-27 May 2012

Timo Glock, Marussia F1 Team

Photo by: xpb.cc

All you need to know >>> Race date 27 May…Laps 78…Circuit length 3.340km...Race distance 260.520km...15 corners, 9 right-handers, 6 left...Direction clockwise…Lap record 1:14.439 - M Schumacher (2004)…The ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the F1 calendar and the one race every driver dreams of winning...2012 will be the 70th anniversary of the Monaco Grand Prix…Circuit hallmarks - track incredibly tight with no run-off areas or margin for error, demands precision, bravery and excellence from the drivers, cars run with maximum downforce and brake wear is heavy, overtaking difficult so qualifying position and strategy are crucial…Tyre nomination - Pirelli P-Zero Yellow Soft and P-Zero Red Supersoft, the first time these two compounds have been combined this season. Loews Hairpin, the slowest corner in F1…Charles Pic’s first Monaco Grand Prix…Busiest race of the season for guests and marketing…

Every race in the Championship is critical, but the Monaco Grand Prix is the one that has the X-Factor. It is without doubt the most celebrated and prestigious race on the calendar and the race every driver longs to win. Several street circuits have hosted Grands Prix since, but Monaco remains the original and the best. This year, round six of the FIA Formula One World Championship also represents the 70th year of racing on the tight and twisting streets of Monte Carlo, so the event is likely to have even more glitz and glamour attached to it than usual.

Timo Glock, Driver #24

“Monaco is every time a very special weekend. It’s the first real street circuit and always a big event; a big show. It is also a possibility for smaller teams as there are so many different factors which can come into play and situations which are out of your control more than any other circuit. If we have a trouble-free lead up to the weekend, then things can go well on race day with what are normally quite a few opportunities presenting themselves. For my side I hope we will show that we have got on top of the car balance issues which have affected my car in the last two races. I love Monaco so it will be fantastic to have a good car and really attack the race weekend. I can’t wait to arrive there and get going.”

Charles Pic, Driver #25

“Monaco is special and one of the races I’ve been most looking forward to in my debut season. Nothing can prepare you for a challenge like this - despite my GP2 experience here - and I can’t wait to taste it for myself when running gets underway on Thursday. The track is very unforgiving, so I hope to come away from the weekend feeling like I did a good job there. The last race came to a disappointing end for me and we need to get back to the good reliability we were enjoying, as this is one of our great strengths and will be key to maintaining our 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship. It looks like a busy weekend off-track also, but I intend to enjoy every moment of the experience.”

John Booth, Team Principal

“I think everyone is excited to see what surprises the Monaco Grand Prix will bring this weekend. We’ve had a bit of everything in the first five races, including five different winners, and Monaco always throws up something different. It is turning into quite a season for the fans and long may this continue. This race is all about the drivers because it is such a uniquely demanding track that calls for absolute precision and commitment. As such, it is down to us to give Timo and Charles a car they can be absolutely confident with and, whilst Charles has had a relatively trouble-free time with his car balance thus far, Timo’s car has been a little more troublesome in recent races. We hope we will find that we have conquered those issues when running gets underway on Thursday so they can both enjoy what is always an incredible experience for the drivers. Having said that, it is also a very enjoyable experience for the team and our partners, and we have many of those accompanying us this year. It will be great to share the occasion with them. The weather could be quite interesting; the early part of the week certainly presents rather less pleasant weather than one expects for the south of France, nor are improved conditions guaranteed for the balance of the weekend. It promises to be a very interesting race all round.”

22 May 2012 — Renault Sport F1 heads to its ‘home’ race this weekend, the Monaco Grand Prix, to the south of France. The Principality plays host to the sixth round of the championship, which has so far produced a different winner each time out. Williams F1 Team’s Pastor Maldonado sealed victory at the last event, marking the debut win for the Williams-Renault package in its latest incarnation.

Williams, along with Red Bull Racing, Lotus F1 Team and Caterham F1 Team, will require a highly responsive engine to be delivered by Renault Sport F1 to suit the tight, sinuous bends of the 3.340km Monte Carlo circuit. As such, the challenge is to deliver a highly responsive engine through maps that target torque through the lower rev limits of the engine (around 15 — 17,000rpm) rather than the top end (16 — 18,000rpm) to give drive and response on the entry and exit to the corners. Monaco Grand Prix facts and figures

The average speed round the track is the lowest of the year, just 160kph, and the engine spends a touch over 50% of the lap at full throttle, compared to around 70% at the purpose-built facilities. The top speed peaks at only 290kph through the tunnel section compared to well over 320kph (with DRS-activated) at the last event in Spain.

The curved pit straight is not really a straight at all and the run to the first corner from pole position is the shortest of the season: only 140 metres. The pole sitter will cover this distance in approximately four seconds, which will not give a significant amount of time for KERS to be activated fully.

The run from the first corner to Casino Square sees the circuit climb over 30m in just 10secs. A responsive engine is key here and engine maps will be designed to work with short gear ratios to hit the rev limit at the top of the hill. There could be a possibility to use KERS on this climb, but the steep gradient will reduce its effectiveness.

The streets of Monaco are notoriously bumpy and the engine will hit the rev limiter on several occasions throughout the lap. This is particularly hard on the internals of the engine, which become highly stressed. Even if it’s just for a nano second, running over a bump could cause the car to take off. With no load running through the wheels the engine suddenly hits the rev limiter, causing a loss of time and potential damage to the engine. Drivers try to avoid the largest bump on the run down from Casino into the Mirabeau by running off line.

The Grand Hotel Hairpin sees the engine running at the lowest speed and revs it reaches on track at any point in the year; just 44kph and around 6,500rpm. It is also the only point on the calendar where the driver needs to shift his hands on the wheel to get enough lock on the steering wheel.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus F1

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The tunnel section is the only chance the cars get to hit top speed and maximum rev limit apart from the short pit straight. The driver exits Portier in 2nd gear and shifts up through the gears through the tunnel. The engine needs to have good acceleration here so the driver can reach vMax quickly; the ‘straight’ is very short — only 670m from the exit of Portiers to the chicane, or around eight or nine seconds.

While the tunnel section provides a welcome breath of air for the engine as it reaches the top speed, it’s not clean air — the enclosed nature of the tunnel means the air going into the engine through the airbox is as hot as the ambient temperatures seen in Malaysia or Abu Dhabi.

The drivers’ view: Romain Grosjean, Lotus F1 Team

Every driver loves Monaco — the precision needed on each lap is just phenomenal, both from yourself and from the engineering team. In any formula this is the case, but even more so in F1 where the cars are so sensitive. Even though I know the track from GP2, it’s my first time driving an F1 car in Monaco, so I have been spending a lot of time preparing. We need to have confidence in the engine and know that it will deliver the power and grip into and out of every single corner so you can attack the track. In fact, I expect it will be the race where I spend the most amount of time working with the engine engineer as getting the right response out of the slow corners can win you tenths of a second.

The engineers’ view: Rémi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations:

Monaco is a massive challenge to get right. In terms of man power hours Monaco is the race that RSF1 engineers spend the most time preparing — anything from two to four days in the dyno and the design office compared to around one day for an average race such as Spain.

It’s incredibly slow so the focus is on delivering driveability through the lower rev ranges but also getting the gear ratios right to give effective acceleration between the corners. Getting the correct ratios is always a compromise; the right gear ratio for one corner is not necessarily right for the others.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing and Romain Grosjean, Lotus F1 Team

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In addition we have to provide effective cooling solutions as the high number of turns means that the engine isn’t given any respite over the course of a lap and systems can overheat if not monitored correctly. The dirt and debris from being a street track means the inlets can become blocked, but we can’t afford to put any cooling holes or additional louvre panels to help out — the tight corners demand such high downforce settings that every bit of bodywork affects performance.

The bumps are also a major issue for engine engineers. The drivers will run over manhole covers, kerbs, white lines and sometimes even huge bumps so the engine hits the rev limiter much more than we do at a permanent track like Sepang or Monza. To avoid this we pay particular attention to the shift light pattern and even encourage the driver to shift early.

It’s a difficult one to get right but we’re really keen to do well. So far this year our partners have been having a good run and we are pleased that our contribution has helped in some way. Renault engined teams have scored more than any other engine over the championship, with two wins and six podiums so we naturally very motivated to continue this form in Monaco.

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT Formula One Team HRT

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The Formula 1 World Championship arrives at one of the most special dates on the calendar because the history, glamour and originality that surround the Monaco Grand Prix make this race a pure spectacle. This year there will be an even more festive atmosphere as it’s the 70th edition of the race. 43 different drivers have come away with the winner’s trophy since Englishman William Grover-Williams crossed the finish line first with his Bugatti in 1929 and many will attempt to get their name on that coveted roll of honour this year. HRT Formula 1 Team attends the Principality after having lived a very emotional week in Barcelona in front of its home fans and with its drivers, Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan, very motivated to continue working and progressing at such a unique circuit.

The Monaco Grand Prix takes place on the Principality’s streets, just centimetres off the guardrails, meaning that any mistake, small as it may be, is very costly. It’s a high downforce track and very demanding on the brakes. Qualifying is very important because overtaking during the race is a difficult task.

Pirelli have elected their super-soft and soft tyres for this Grand Prix.

Pedro de la Rosa: "Monaco is by far the most difficult and technical circuit in the entire Championship. The only trick to this track is to do miles and not change the car’s set-up too much because you can find more time in the driver than in the car. We must try to do as many laps as possible on Thursday in order to build up some confidence for qualifying because it’s the most important thing in Monaco. Another major difficulty at this track is the traffic, it’s vital to complete a clean lap and make the most of it. Pirelli is bringing its soft and super-soft tyres so it’s even more important to do a good first lap with the super-softs as you won’t have two laps with them. In the race the most important thing is to manage your strategy well and it’s more than probable that there will be a safety car so luck can also come in to play. We’re all really looking forward to the race because it’s a less aerod ynamic track than Barcelona and, therefore, we expect to be closer to the leaders than in the last Grand Prix”.

Narain Karthikeyan: "Street circuits aren’t my favourite but Monaco obviously has a special place on the calendar. It’s not every day that you get to race in such a beautiful setting and with such a special vibe surrounding the race. It’s one of the toughest races because you’re so close to the guardrails that you know you can’t make one single mistake. Last year I had a decent outing despite facing many problems in qualifying and practice. Coming away from a disappointing weekend in Barcelona, I am hoping for better luck this time and to get a proper chance to work with the updates we brought in Spain and have a trouble-free weekend”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: "Monaco is a very special Grand Prix and a circuit that, in my day, I really liked to drive at because you’re always very close to the guardrails and you can’t make one mistake. It’s a very demanding track mechanically, where drivers need great ability and suffer physically and psychologically because you can’t make any slip-ups and therefore you need to be fully focused at all times. It’s a tough test for the car’s reliability and even more so if it is hot. We have minor upgrades for this race which we hope will help us to close the gap to the front pack. The team is really looking forward to taking on a beautiful race as is Monaco”.

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes AMG F1

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PREVIEW

The Monaco Grand Prix, Round Six of the 2012 World Championship, is without doubt the most prestigious and unique race on the Formula One calendar. Taking place around the streets of the principality on Sunday 27 May, this year's race will mark the 70th anniversary of the event.

• During a typical Monaco qualifying lap, the driver makes over 130 significant steering movements
  

• Including other functions like KERS, a driver makes around 200 car inputs per lap - not including brake and throttle pedals
  

• On average, the drivers change gear once every 54 metres around a lap - in Spa, it's once every 146 metres
  

Michael Schumacher

"Monaco is just a circuit of its own very unique character. In a way, you could look at it with a big portion of irony with regards to the contradiction that, for so many years we have successfully campaigned for more track safety, and then we deliberately race in Monaco. But in my view this is justifiable once a year, especially as the circuit is really so much fun to drive. Every time you go there, you just look forward to finally getting out and driving the track. Of course, knowing that I will lose five positions on the grid does not add to this feeling but this just means that I will have to try even harder. I'm actually quite confident that we should look reasonably good in Monaco due to the hard work that everybody in the team is putting into the development of our car. So let's make the best out of the weekend."

Nico Rosberg

"I love the Monaco Grand Prix weekend and it's a great feeling to be driving at home, knowing that all my friends and family are watching. I have always been quick around the streets here, and I believe a good result is possible for us next weekend. The nature of the track should suit our car but as we have seen at every race so far this season, tyre management will be crucial. With five different winning teams so far this year, at least ten drivers have the chance to win in Monaco so this could be one of the most interesting races there for years."

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

"The uniqueness of Monaco makes it one of those tracks where anything can happen, particularly in a season that has proved to be almost impossible to predict so far. Despite the logistical challenges of the weekend, Monaco is a race that everyone on the team and the drivers really enjoy, and the experience of winning in Monaco is something very special indeed. After Nico's win in China, we have had two more difficult race weekends, but I am confident that we will start to see an improvement in Monaco as the developments that we have brought to the car recently take effect."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

"With five different winners from five different teams in five races, it has been an exciting and unexpected first quarter of the 2012 season. Now Formula One visits the most atypical circuit of all, Monaco. It makes unusual, one-off demands of the cars: there are fast and narrow sections, but also eight corners taken at under 100 kph and over 4,500 gear changes during the race. It is also incredibly challenging and rewarding for the drivers. In Monaco, more than any other circuit, the driver can really make the difference, especially on a single qualifying lap. Both Nico and Michael have shown a great feeling for the circuit and the ability to master it in recent seasons.

After all the talk of unpredictability of the teams' performance levels this year, there are also clear facts: three of five races have been won from pole position, including Nico's victory in China. What's more, the five drivers who have completed every race lap are all in the top seven in the current championship standings. Strong qualifying speed has been rewarded at every race, and consistently finishing races appears to be even more important in 2012. In the last three races, Nico has scored a total of 41 points, the second highest total in the field after Sebastian Vettel with 43. Our focus in Monaco will be to extract the maximum from our further developed technical package. Giving the drivers a car they can trust and feel confident in is worth more here than at any other circuit on the calendar."

Start finish straight

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Reuters, the specialist financial market news agency, said US-based asset managers Waddell and Reed, Blackrock and Norway's Norges Bank have bought a $1.6 billion stake from existing owners CVC.

The report cited a source "with direct knowledge of the matter". The companies did not immediately comment.

It drops CVC's stake from 63.4 per cent to about 40pc, the source said.

We reported on Monday that the Singapore stock exchange approved F1's plan to raise as much as $3 billion in an initial public offering.

Other reports said pre-marketing for the listing, likely to go ahead at the end of June, will begin immediately.

"It is not our practice to publicly comment on our dealings with listing aspirants," said a Singapore bourse spokesman.

Some insiders have expressed concern.

"Look at the muted first-day response to Facebook's IPO," an unnamed banker told the Singapore broadsheet Straits Times. "The F1 listing is not nearly as attractive and long-awaited as that."

David Davis, a conservative backbencher and former party chairman, said the F1 chief executive's offer was made a decade ago ahead of the 2005 election, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.

Ecclestone's offer of money in exchange for a safe conservative seat for Mosley was reportedly made to Davis by Sir Alan Curtis, the former chairman of Lotus Cars.

Max Mosley, FIA President, Pasquale Lattuneddu, FOM, Formula One Management

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"He (Curtis) said Mr Ecclestone wanted to help Mr Mosley obtain a safe conservative seat and that if we delivered, we could expect a serious contribution from Mr Ecclestone," Davis said.

"I told him, 'We simply don't do that sort of thing'. After that, I heard nothing from him."

Former FIA president Mosley said: "It's a lovely idea but it's got no connection with the truth as far as I am concerned."

Curtis, however, confirmed meetings took place "but I can't believe I said he (Ecclestone) would (financially) support the party".

Ecclestone also confirmed the meetings, but as for the offer of money, the 81-year-old insisted: "I don't imagine that is what happened.

"We don't know Mr Davis is saying the truth do we?"

Race winner Pastor Maldonado, Williams F1 Team

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That is the claim of Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, arguing that the once-derided 'pay driver' Venezuelan's breakthrough win in Spain was not necessarily a one-off.

Some, including reigning world champion team Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz, have written off the 2012 season so far as little more than a Pirelli-fuelled "lottery".

But having offered odds of 500-1 prior to Barcelona, Maldonado is now 16-1 to repeat his victory in the famous Principality, according to the major British bookmaker William Hill.

Auto Motor und Sport reckons on "two main favourites" for Monaco, the other being McLaren's Hamilton.

"Both (Hamilton and Maldonado) are proven Monaco specialists, who were able to win on the Cote d'Azur in any class long before formula one," read the report.

"Hamilton was the fastest man in Barcelona but was hampered by the fuel problem in qualifying. And in addition to his Monaco-talent, Maldonado's Williams has incredible traction."

However, journalist Tobias Gruner acknowledged that "whoever has bet on the favourite this season has not been happy so far".

Two-time title winner Emerson Fittpaldi would bet on Lotus.

"I see them as the most consistent team," the Brazilian legend is quoted by Globo.

The 2012 'lottery' has polarised F1 pundits, but former driver and Williams mentor Alex Wurz counts himself among the delighted.

"There have been six winners so far: five different drivers, and formula one itself," the Austrian told Sportwoche.