Monaco Grand Prix Heroes: An Analysis of Top Performers
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious races in the world, with drivers pushing the limits of their abilities on the narrow, winding streets of the principality. This year’s edition, the 80th in its history, was no exception, with several standout performances from some of the sport’s rising stars and seasoned veterans alike. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the top performers from the Monaco Grand Prix, examining their performances and what made them stand out from the pack.
Nyck de Vries, Alpha Tauri – P12
Nyck de Vries is a rookie driver in the 2023 F1 season, and while he entered the year with high expectations after a strong showing with Williams at Monza last season, his rookie campaign has been mostly lackluster. However, during the Monaco Grand Prix, De Vries started to find his way, demonstrating his potential in difficult conditions. Despite starting in P12, he drove defensively and error-free, surviving until the rain came and keeping his composure in the toughest conditions. This performance was a big step forward for De Vries and showed that he has the potential to make a name for himself in F1.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine – P3
Esteban Ocon had an incredible weekend at Monaco, starting from P4 and finishing on the podium in P3. Monaco qualifying is notoriously difficult, with the margin for error much smaller than other street tracks, and Ocon’s performance demonstrated precision and commitment. He kept his car out of the barriers and fended off the faster Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton to secure a well-deserved podium finish. Ocon’s performance was particularly impressive considering he had been between eighth and 10th in practice.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren – P10
Oscar Piastri’s F1 debut at Monaco was a mixed bag, with a lack of track experience hampering his performance during practice. However, he demonstrated champion driver form when it mattered and delivered in the tough Q2 session. Although he missed Q3 by a few hundredths, he lined up behind his teammate Lando Norris and had one of the easier races, securing one point. Though his garage may have wished they’d stayed ahead of Norris after an early stoppage, Piastri can be proud of his performance and his points finish.
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo – P11
Valtteri Bottas had a difficult weekend, with top-10 pace in some practice sessions but a 15th-place finish in qualifying. In the race, he kept his risks to a minimum and called the pit stop perfectly to be the first car to switch to intermediates, leapfrogging him ahead of the drivers he was racing with before the rain. Going up four positions to P11 was a good effort, although he may be disappointed with the lack of points.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing – P1
Max Verstappen’s exceptional performance in the 2023 F1 season has been the talk of the racing world, and his victory at Monaco only solidified his position as one of the sport’s most gifted drivers. Verstappen’s final sector on his last lap in Q3 was impressive, finding time where others couldn’t on the difficult circuit. During the race, Verstappen won in typical Max style, but it was his spatial awareness and precision during qualifying that impressed the most. He used every inch of available road and showed why he’s considered one of the greatest talents in F1 history.
Monaco Grand Prix: A Test of Precision and Daring
The Monaco Grand Prix is the ultimate test of precision and daring for drivers, with its narrow, winding streets and unforgiving barriers. Piloting an F1 car through the principality requires an exceptional level of skill and concentration, with the margin for error much smaller than on other street circuits. Despite the challenging conditions, the drivers who performed well at Monaco demonstrated a mastery of their craft, with each standout performance showcasing a unique blend of talent, strategy, and technique.
The Pressure of Qualifying at Monaco
One of the most significant challenges facing drivers at Monaco is the pressure of qualifying. The narrowness of the track means that passing opportunities are rare, and starting positions can be the difference between a podium finish and a middling result. The precision and commitment required to qualify well at Monaco are unmatched in the F1 calendar, making it a standout event in the racing calendar.
The Thrills and Spills of Monaco Racing
Despite its challenges, the Monaco Grand Prix is a fan favorite, with its stunning scenery and unique challenges captivating viewers worldwide. The race’s unpredictability, combined with the drivers’ exceptional skill, make for an event that’s sure to thrill and entertain F1 fans for years to come.
In summary, the Monaco Grand Prix showcased some truly exceptional performances from drivers across the field. With the pressure of qualifying, the unpredictability of the weather, and the unforgiving barriers looming at every turn, the race is the ultimate test of skill and determination. From Max Verstappen’s ultimate victory to Nyck De Vries’ impressive rookie performance, the Monaco Grand Prix never fails to deliver on its reputation as one of the most thrilling and challenging races in the world.
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This season, former IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe is taking stock after each Grand Prix and choosing his heroes for the weekend, exclusively for F1.com. These are your picks from the 80th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix…
Last weekend Formula 1 visited Monaco for the annual test of the precision and daring of the drivers as they thread the needle through the streets of the principality. Although the race is rarely exciting, the challenging circuit and some unpredictable conditions made this year’s edition more entertaining for the fans and more difficult for the drivers.
Nyck de Vries, Alpha Tauri – p12
De Vries entered 2023 with very high expectations after Williams’ stellar debut at Monza last season. The start of his rookie campaign has not been full of high points, but the feeling was that the start of the European leg of the season would bring some results as he returned to circuits with which he was more familiar.
Monaco was a good example of how he started to find his way, even though AlphaTauri wasn’t the tidiest pack. He did well starting 12th, only missing out on a place in Q3 by half a tenth. From there, the race was a great challenge for the Dutchman.
Before the rain fell, he was under immense pressure as his medium tires wore down aggressively and a train of hard-shod cars lined up behind him.
PALMER: Driving in Monaco is never easy, but the skill this time was super impressive
Taking the means more than 10 laps beyond the recommended window, he drove defensively and error-free to survive until the rain came. Once the intermissions were on, it was a race against yourself to survive the treacherous conditions. Keeping his composure in the toughest conditions, with his best result of the season to date on the line, was a great demonstration of his potential.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine – P3
It probably comes as no surprise to see Ocon on this list after an incredible weekend from start to finish.
Monaco qualifying is probably the toughest challenge of the year for the drivers. While F1 races on many street tracks, the margin for error here is much smaller than in Singapore or Baku. And passing opportunities are even rarer, which means the pressure and fallout from qualifying in Monaco is top of mind.
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Ocon’s fourth in pace (he moved up to third on the grid after Charles Leclerc’s penalty) was very impressive considering he had been between eighth and 10th in practice. That requires a level of precision and commitment that is so difficult to master.
Qualifying dictates a lot here, but after the team timed the challenge perfectly, Ocon did his part to keep the car out of the barriers and the faster Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton at bay to secure a deserved podium finish.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren – P10
Piastri’s weekend was a similar story to Ocon’s. Despite a decent amount of track experience, he worryingly languished behind teammate Lando Norris during practice.
In final practice, he was 19th while Norris was fifth, not a huge confidence boost for qualifying. But true to the champion driver form we’ve seen in his junior career, he delivered when it mattered in the toughest session of the season.
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Missing Q3 by a few hundredths, he lined up one position behind his teammate. He had one of the easier races, starting on the hard and running until the intermediates were the tire to have, and was rewarded with one point.
While I’m sure his garage side wishes they’d stayed in front of Norris after his too-early first stoppage, it’s still a result to be proud of.
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo – P11
Top-10 pace in some practice sessions gave Bottas hope of a good weekend, but a 15th-place finish in qualifying definitely made that much more difficult.
In the race, he was first in line behind a tire-tortured Nyck de Vries for much of the first half. With a 20+ second gap forming in front of them, it would have been so easy to try and make a desperate pass attempt and lose a winger, or worse, as we saw some others do.
READ MORE: 5 winners and 5 losers of the Monaco GP: who dominated the streets of Monte Carlo?
He kept his risks to a minimum and called the pit stop perfectly to be the first car to switch to interest, leapfrogging him ahead of many he was racing with before the rain. Going a bit below points will hurt, but going up four points is still a good effort around here.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing – P1
I’m not sure what else can be said about Verstappen this season, and we’re only in six races!
He won the race in typical Max style, but I want to focus on qualifying. There were some standout qualifying performances this weekend, but Verstappen’s final sector on his last lap in Q3 was impressive.
The nature of this circuit was always going to take away a big part of the huge advantage Red Bull has, which made the sheer amount of time he found at the end of the lap impressive.
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Slow-motion replays of him through the turn 15-16 chicane, or the exits of turn 17-18-19, showed him using literally every inch of available road. He made a face at the screen three times in about 10 seconds thinking that he had thrown it away.
The spatial awareness he displayed was on another level. Aryton Senna may still have the lap of the Gods in Monaco, but Max made a good case for the Gods sector.
Jolyon Palmer Analysis: Monaco Masterclass From Max | Workday
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hinchs-heroes-who-makes-hinchs-list-after-a-thrilling-weekend-of-action-in.1e0OxOXYEQ2sT5Hg5KD8Gb.html
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