Uralkali Haas’ F1 team is ready to hit the road for the first time in two years as the FIA Formula 1 World Championship prepares for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.
The Automobile Club de Monaco, which had already founded a popular rally, decided in 1929 to transform the prestigious streets of the principality into a temporary racing facility according to the wisdom of Antony Noghes. It quickly became an important part of the motorsport scene. Its status was elevated by the challenging layout and desirable location, drawing the elite to the glamorous Riviera. It was included in the first Formula 1 calendar in 1950 and was an integral part from 1955 to 2019, which in 2020 – his first absence in 65 years – no longer ran due to the pandemic.
The Circuit de Monaco is a tough test for all drivers as the barriers are dangerously close together, the tarmac evolves over the weekend and it is important to complete a qualifying lap. Position on the track is of the utmost importance as passing is very important, while teams prefer mechanical grip in terms of line-up.
Gone are the days when bales of hay, lampposts, and a steep descent into the harbor would mark the race track, but the layout itself remains largely recognizable compared to the 1929 layout, leading competitors past landmarks like the Sainte Dévote Chapel. Hotel de Paris and Casino de Monte-Carlo. While it’s the shortest route on the calendar at 3.3km, it’s one of the busiest and most challenging for those behind the wheel. The line between joy and despair can be measured in Monaco in millimeters.
For the newcomers to the Uralkali Haas F1 team, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, it will be their first experience with the Circuit de Monaco in the Formula 1 machine, although both know the venue from 2019 when they were in the FIA Formula 2 competed. Mazepin secured a top position 10 finished both races, while Schumacher started third after a strong qualifying.
In accordance with the traditions of Monaco, free practice one and two take place on Thursday, a rest day for Formula 1 on Friday, before the usual format for the rest of the weekend.
What are your key observations about the progress Nikita and Mick have made so far in embedding on the team?
Günther Steiner: “At the moment we are very happy with how they are getting along with the team. You can always get better, but we are at a very good point and the relationships with the people you work with directly are improvement – you started off on good terms and it’s just a work in progress. There are a lot of people who work on a Formula 1 team and the drivers need to get to know them better, especially the people who have been working with them directly until now however, it is a very positive step forward. “
In your opinion, how big is the Monaco Grand Prix for rookie drivers – not least for Nikita and Mick it is only their fifth career start in Formula 1? What specific instructions will the team give the drivers to prepare for their first starts in Monte Carlo?
GS: “Regarding the briefing – stay away from the walls and the barriers. We will let you know. Once you get into the barriers in Monaco, your session is lost. You can’t get the car back and it is normal.” The challenge is great. It’s a very narrow track, it’s obviously a street track, and you have a lot of people watching – anything you don’t want in a race like this. On the other hand, you do the I want it, that’s why we do it. There should be little pressure on the drivers as we know our performance. You should watch the race just to get some experience. If they return with a better car, they will have learned how to deal with Monaco – which is obviously a very special race on the Formula 1 calendar. “
After missing a Monaco Grand Prix last season, how good is it for the sport to return to one of its marquee events and introduce a limited number of fans each day?
GS: “Driving to Monaco is always fantastic. It’s a historic event – in my opinion the most historic event for Formula 1, and it’s also good for Monte Carlo that we’re back. It’s open for business again. As much as we deal with the challenges and issues of limited space, all of the logistics and so on. Being back is fantastic. Having fans there, at least a small number of them, is very good. We are very much looking forward to it . “
Monaco hosted the team’s first colon in 2017, with Grosjean in eighth and Magnussen in tenth. How memorable was this result as one of the first milestones in the team’s short history and did it have additional meaning on the highly competitive streets of Monte Carlo?
GS: “This year we are far from coming home in eighth and tenth place. We know that and we can handle it. We are patient. When we think back to 2017, it was very cool, this result to have scored in Monaco. ” It was another first for the team, and they kept coming back during that time. We want to return to this level of performance. So good memories, but we look forward to the future of the team, to be able to do these things again and to do better. “
Monaco holds a special place in the history of Formula 1. What does it mean for you personally as a driver to make your first Formula 1 start in such a legendary place?
Nikita Mazepin: “It’s always something special to drive in Monaco, regardless of the car, because it’s a city that then switches to a racetrack again – that’s something special. For the Formula 1 debut, it’s definitely cool, but also.” very challenging. “
Are there moments from the Formula 1 formula catalog with the highlights of Monaco that you notice? Are there any special driver performances that you admired growing up at the Monaco Grand Prix?
NM: “I remember very well when Lewis (Hamilton) and Max (Verstappen) had a fight in 2019 – with Lewis winning, almost no tires. I was on the track back then; I saw it myself and thought it was very special . “”
You had two top 10 finishes in Monaco in your first season of F2 competition in 2019. When you know the challenges of the track layout for overtaking, is the key to success in Monaco a good qualifying performance? Do you focus on your race engineers qualifying first and then second?
NM: “Yeah, I had a very good time in Monaco in F2 – unfortunately we didn’t go back there last year. I think it’s a track that is pretty good for me. With the engineers, you obviously focus on yourself qualifying first because on such a track in qualifying is very important and offers very little opportunity to overtake. “
How much of a driver’s track is Monaco and what is the greatest challenge for you that you can achieve with just four race starts in the VF-21 on your first street track in Formula 1?
NM: “I would say Monaco is mostly a racetrack when it comes to mistakes, but a good car with a lot of downforce is important. So I expect a pretty big challenge this year. In terms of four races.” starts in VF-21 outside Monaco, well, we can’t choose the calendar as it is. “
A limited number of fans will return to the stands at the Monaco Grand Prix. How different is it for you to have raced lately without the atmosphere that fans bring to an event?
NM: “It’s obviously been a long time since the grandstands were really full. It’s a real shame people can’t be there because the atmosphere wasn’t the same. So I’m glad F1 is taking its first steps Open doors. “
Monaco holds a special place in the history of Formula 1. What does it mean for you personally as a driver to make your first Formula 1 start in such a legendary place?
Mick Schumacher: “It’s a historic track and also a challenging track. Of course it’s a place that every racing driver generally only wants to visit or experience once. I saw it in Formula 2 – that was the first time.” Time in 2019 and i loved it. I’m really looking forward to driving in Formula 1 this year. “
Are there moments from the Formula 1 formula catalog with the highlights of Monaco that you notice? Are there any special driver performances that you admired growing up at the Monaco Grand Prix?
MS: “You probably won’t find a Monaco twice if that makes sense – you will never find the same race twice or the same weekend there. It’s always something special, something always happens – something else happens. I wouldn’t really know . ” Which race to choose, to be honest. In general, driving Monaco is always a crazy feat for any driver. It’s a real challenge to be this close to the wall over 70 laps every time. Mentally it’s super hard, super difficult, but it’s a challenge and that’s why it’s so much fun to go on a track like this. I’m really looking forward to it. “
You drove in your first season of the F2 competition in Monaco in 2019. How was it for you to take part in the Grand Prix weekend this season and drive on the streets of Monte Carlo for the first time?
MS: “Formula 2 was obviously a little slower than Formula 1, so I’m excited to see how it will look in a Formula 1 car. The Formula 2 car is still a very fast car in general, and that it is.” A heavy car, but it lives and moves a lot. It was definitely a challenge and fun for me to experience Monaco. I had only gone to Baku and Macau before, which is pretty similar in terms of road routes. Part of the weekend in Monaco in general was great for me. To see Formula 1 racing there was great, but being in Formula 2 was also something special for me to experience it and learn from it. “
How much of a driver’s track is Monaco and what is the greatest challenge for you that you can achieve with just four race starts in the VF-21 on your first street track in Formula 1?
MS: “It’s definitely a race track – the driver can make all the difference there. If you have a car that you trust, that you feel comfortable in, it will most likely help you drive to Monaco and FP1.” a little more open to learning the route. If you also have to learn to drive or if you don’t feel comfortable in the car, it definitely makes it a lot more difficult. I feel super comfortable in the car and I’m looking forward to learning how to drive the VF-21 through Monaco. “
A limited number of fans will return to the stands at the Monaco Grand Prix. How different is it for you to have raced lately without the atmosphere that fans bring to an event?
MS: “It will be nice to have some atmosphere on the track again, even if it’s not the way it normally is. Hopefully we will return to a normal life in the next weeks and months – obviously that is everything. But it’s definitely great to start small and be on the safe side, better to be on the safe side. I’ve been on the track with no atmosphere like no other since last season. I missed it. I have misses having fans on the track and seeing them enjoy us racing and cheering when we do well. Let’s get that back soon, if not entirely this season, then hopefully by next season. “
