It was grimace soup for Williams in Barcelona: qualifying was very bad for the team, and the race may not have been better the next day. Grove fell in the hierarchy: was it due to the Catalan circuit? In the heat ? Hopefully as the paddock heads to Monaco.

Alexander Albon could, why not, create a (third) surprise on his side by entering the points, if the Grand Prix is ​​crazy next Sunday. At least he has already forgotten his frank Spanish disappointment (his race had been completely compromised by damage that led to a significant loss of aerodynamic downforce).

“Monaco is one of the biggest races of the year. It’s a really cool circuit and I live a three minute walk from the paddock so it’s easy to get around in the morning. The circuit itself is a real street circuit with a great atmosphere, it’s always special there. We will give it our all. »

Nicholas Latifi is only living his second career Grand Prix in Monaco. While he has not been confident with his Williams since the start of the year, his primary objective will be not to repaint the princes rails blue and black.

“It’s always exciting to return to Monaco. It’s a circuit that has so much history and a special feeling about it, more so than any other street circuit we race on. This will be my second year here in Formula 1, and I expect the challenge to be greater with these new regulation cars. I’m looking forward to this challenge, and I hope we have a good weekend. »

Dave Robson, head of vehicle performance, gives an update on Monaco’s unique technical approaches, particularly in terms of set-up.

“Monaco is always a difficult circuit which requires a specific approach to set-up. With the new 2022 cars, the challenge will be even greater, as the car will have to be taken away from the aerodynamic optimum to be able to face the bumps and vibrations of the streets of Monte Carlo. Other than a few additional options regarding brake cooling and steering, we don’t have any test items or upgrades for this event so we’ll be free to spend the free practice sessions exploring the settings of the car and helping drivers gain maximum confidence in the car. »

“The tires are the softest in the Pirelli range, including the C5 compound, which we last used in Melbourne. This very soft compound worked well at Albert Park and it may take a different approach to get it into the best window in Monaco. »

“Although it is normally hot and dry, there is always a risk that the cloud cover over the mountains will move quickly across the circuit, completely changing the characteristics of the track. We will have to be alert to this and seek to take advantage of it if it happens. »