Kimi’s Column: Monaco GP Preview

Nothing compares

So far we have been around the world for a while, done five Grands Prix, but it’s still quite early times for the championship considerations. For me every race is as important as Monaco. But, however, there is no other race like this one.

This is the weekend, you cannot afford to waste any of the precious track time in practice. You have to find the best feeling with the car and with the tyres to go really fast. Obviously, we lost the FP1 last year, and paid heavily for that. I have been racing in Monaco so many times, I know, it’s no use to cry afterwards anything. This is the place, where it’s so very tricky to have a clean weekend. But while you get it, everything goes to the plan, so it feels great. It’s just like a part of magic of this legendary Grand Prix.

It’s always such a nice atmosphere down here in Monaco. You can feel it looking around from the car, as well. To be a fan or a spectator, you enjoy this race 100%. For the teams and for the drivers it’s not that easy weekend. The streets of Monte Carlo are so twisty and narrow. You have to be extra sharp and focussed for every single metre that you go fast there. You simply have less room for an error compared to any other race. Obviously, you cannot overestimate the value of a good qualifying session. While overtaking is almost impossible, you have to start from the TOP 3 positions. The only way really to enjoy racing in Monaco, is to be in the front of the pack.

Obviously, we struggled here last year, but I feel Lotus have really improved in many areas ever since. The target is do our very best weekend of the season. I always aim to win. Let’s find out, how it goes this time!