PARIS: When Sebastian Vettel headed to the Monaco Grand Prix last season, all the talk was of how quickly the Red Bull driver would wrap up the Formula One championship.
It could not be more different this year, with the two-time defending champion level on points with two-time former champion Fernando Alonso of Spain and seven drivers within 20 points of each other in one of the most wide-open seasons for years.
It started with six world champions on the grid for the first time ever, and after this weekend another record could tumble.
There has been a different winner at each of the five races so far – which last happened in 1983 – but a sixth different winner on Sunday would be a first in F1 history.
This remains a distinct possibility considering that former champions Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen are still looking for their first wins of the campaign.
“I’ve scored points at every race, and I’m only eight points off the lead of the championship,” the McLaren driver Hamilton said. “That’s a really encouraging statistic, and it’s reassuring to see my approach is paying off … there would be no better place for the cards to fall in my favor than at Monaco.”
Last season’s Monaco GP was one of most exciting of the season, featuring almost as many twists and turns as the famed street circuit itself. Vettel appeared certain to be caught by Alonso or Jenson Button, until a crash involving Vitaly Petrov and Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari swung the balance back in Vettel’s favor as a red flag came up.
This gave Vettel a priceless gift: Changing his worn out tires without the need for an official pit stop. When the race restarted, he comfortably held off Alonso.
The incident-packed race featured numerous crashes and prompted improvements to the track.
Various sections have been resurfaced to remove bumps, the tire walls in turns one and 14 have been replaced by barriers, and a crane on the end of the barrier in the chicane’s run-off area has been removed, providing 15 meters more space.
But Vettel does not expect this to make things any easier.
“It’s rough and, as it’s a street circuit, the road surface is uneven so you get shaken in the car and there is no room for mistakes,” the German driver said. “You have to push yourself and the car to the limit to be fast, you have to push as hard as on other tracks, but there’s no room. You need to be fully focused on the track.
“It’s a special thing to win in Monaco.”
Vettel will be desperate for a win to pull ahead of his rivals. (Agencies)
