motor sports

The jewel in Formula 1's crown. The dash through the Principality's tortuous streets is the most prestigious on the calendar; it stands on a pedestal, almost distinct from the sport from which it was born. It's the social event of the season, but Monte Carlo is also one of the most challenging destinations on the calendar. The two-mile lap may be the shortest seen all year, but still places extreme demands on the car and requires a unique set-up. First and foremost, Monaco is a street circuit with the lap itself is dominated by slow speed corners and undulations playing havoc. Evocative corners, such as Lowes, Chicane and Rascasse are all taken in either first or second gear, so not only are the brakes worked considerably harder in Monaco than anywhere else, but the number of gear shifts made reaches over 4,000, approximately 500 more than at any other track. With speeds dipping to as low as 28mph on the entry to corners such as the Lowes hairpin, good traction to power the car out of the exit is crucial to set a competitive lap time. With just 45% of the circuit driven at full throttle, the longest period lasting just eight seconds through the tunnel where speeds peak at 180mph, drivers record the lowest average lap speed of all races at Monaco so engines are given a relatively easy ride over the weekend. The proximity of the barriers leaves no room for error and there are no straights along which they can relax. Overtaking is virtually impossible, which places extra importance on Saturday afternoon's qualifying session. Grid position is crucial. Add the glamour of the Monaco harbour and a handful of A-list celebrities into the mix and you have one of the biggest sporting events in the world. In summary, the playground of the rich and famous transforms itself into one of the season's greatest challenges, where only the best reap the reward.