Monaco Grand Prix – The outlook for the race

Will Charles Leclerc be on pole position?

The question is not trivial but it is on everyone’s lips. That the Monegasque driver managed to set the best time of the qualifying session is indisputable. That he ended up in the wall is just as much and this is what is stirring up the paddock.

This is not the first time that the author of the best lap on the first try causes a session interruption in the narrow streets of Monaco. We remember when Michael Schumacher had “parked” in the last turn in 2006, which led to the German champion being disqualified and starting from the pit lane. In 2014, Nico Rosberg made a mistake before the Loews hairpin, but the stewards did not find fault with it and the German retained the benefit of pole position.

This time, the question is not whether the Monegasque intentionally destroyed his car in the barrier in the chicane of the swimming pool, but rather to to know if the damage will not be too important, particularly at the level of the gearbox. If the latter were to be too damaged before facing a test that puts it to the test due to the number of necessary gear changes, the Ferrari driver would then suffer penalties, which could push him back to the back of the grid.

Will Max Verstappen manage to win?

If he has eleven wins in F1, Max Verstappen has not yet managed to win in Monaco. However, he has already had a car capable of winning. Especially in 2018, but the young Dutchman then showed a lack of experience by making a mistake during the third free practice session, which prevented him from participating in the qualifying session. He had then left the way open to his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, who had taken the gem of the F1 calendar crown. Verstappen had then gained a lot of maturity and subsequently made much fewer mistakes.

Ironically, this famous off-track incident is a mirror image of Charles Leclerc’s this past Saturday! Whether the Ferrari driver is able to line up in pole position for the race or not, his rival at Red Bull is frustrated but he does not give up and believes it is still possible to win his second race of the year. As always, the start and pit stops will be crucial moments where the Dutchman will have his chance to regain the lead.

This victory is important in more ways than one. Symbolically, a victory in the Principality allows one to be among the greats of F1. Especially from a strategic point of view, it would allow to continue putting pressure on Lewis Hamilton, all the more so as the Briton is set to start far back on the grid.

The first points for Sebastian Vettel or Alfa Romeo?

Struggling since the beginning of the season, is this the beginning of an upturn for Sebastian Vettel? In good shape this weekend, the four-time world champion made it into his second Q3 of the year. Especially with an eighth place, this is the best ranking for an Aston Martin in 2021.

On a notoriously overtaking-unfriendly circuit, driver number 5 can hope to open his points account, as he hasn’t scored any since his podium in Turkey at the end of last season.

But another team also hopes to take advantage of Monaco’s specificities to score precious points. This is Alfa Romeo, which saw Antonio Giovinazzi achieve a real feat with his tenth place. His two-tenths lead over his teammate Kimi Räikkönen in Q2 made the difference between entering Q3 and finishing in 14th place anonymously.

At all levels, the race therefore holds significant stakes for all participants!