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From Renault Sport F1
The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix is run on a tricky and challenging street circuit located downtown Monaco. It's on this track that the F1 cars reach the slowest speed of the season!
Monaco Grand Prix
Length (km) 3.34
Average Speed (km/h) 153
Top Speed (km/h) 279
% of lap at full throttle 34
Fuel consumption (kilos per lap) 1.5
Fuel consumption (litres per 100km) 64
Monte Carlo: three corners in detail
Sainte Devote to Casino Square
The distance from pole position to Sainte Devote is just 140m - the shortest run to the first corner we see all season and the pole sitter will reach it in a touch over four seconds. From pole there is not enough time for KERS to be activated, but cars starting further behind may choose to use it. After braking down to 105kph for Sainte Devote, drivers get quickly back on the power for the climb up through Beau Rivage to Casino Square. The circuit gains over 30m in altitude in 10secs so engine maps will be designed to work with short gear ratios to maximise acceleration and hit the rev limit at the top of the hill. There is a possibility to use KERS on this climb, but the steep gradient will reduce its effectiveness. In fact, overtaking here comes down to who can get the best acceleration out of Sainte Devote so particular care is paid to pedal and torque maps in this corner.
Grand Hotel Hairpin
From the Mirabeau the circuit suddenly descends in altitude down to the Grand Hotel Hairpin. The drop and almost 180° turn make it the tightest corner of the season. When the cars round the hairpin the engine is running at the lowest speed and revs it reaches on track at any point in the year; just 44 km/h and around 7,000rpm. The driver's pedal and torque maps must be completely on point and the driver may even declutch to avoid too much push from the engine, which could result in a surge and cause a collision with a car in front or the wall. Large chunks of time can be won or lost by correct mapping here.
Tunnel section to chicane
The tunnel section is the only chance the cars get to hit top speed apart from the short pit straight. The engine needs to have good acceleration here so the driver can reach top speed (‘vMax') quickly as the straight is only 670m from the exit of Portiers to the chicane, or around eight or nine seconds. The cars reach 290 km/h just before the braking point for the chicane so in theory KERS could be used, but principally only for defending rather than for overtaking as going off line is very dirty. This chance for the engine to ‘breathe' is important as there are very few opportunities for the engine to intake fresh air. It is however somewhat of a poisoned chalice - the enclosed nature of the tunnel means the air going into the engine through the airbox is extremely hot. The air is also full of dust and rubber chunks that cannot be blown away due to the roof and walls of the tunnel building.
The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix is run on a tricky and challenging street circuit located downtown Monaco. It's on this track that the F1 cars reach the slowest speed of the season!
Monaco Grand Prix
Length (km) 3.34
Average Speed (km/h) 153
Top Speed (km/h) 279
% of lap at full throttle 34
Fuel consumption (kilos per lap) 1.5
Fuel consumption (litres per 100km) 64
 |
| Photo: Red Bull Racing |
Monte Carlo: three corners in detail
Sainte Devote to Casino Square
The distance from pole position to Sainte Devote is just 140m - the shortest run to the first corner we see all season and the pole sitter will reach it in a touch over four seconds. From pole there is not enough time for KERS to be activated, but cars starting further behind may choose to use it. After braking down to 105kph for Sainte Devote, drivers get quickly back on the power for the climb up through Beau Rivage to Casino Square. The circuit gains over 30m in altitude in 10secs so engine maps will be designed to work with short gear ratios to maximise acceleration and hit the rev limit at the top of the hill. There is a possibility to use KERS on this climb, but the steep gradient will reduce its effectiveness. In fact, overtaking here comes down to who can get the best acceleration out of Sainte Devote so particular care is paid to pedal and torque maps in this corner.
 |
Grand Hotel Hairpin
From the Mirabeau the circuit suddenly descends in altitude down to the Grand Hotel Hairpin. The drop and almost 180° turn make it the tightest corner of the season. When the cars round the hairpin the engine is running at the lowest speed and revs it reaches on track at any point in the year; just 44 km/h and around 7,000rpm. The driver's pedal and torque maps must be completely on point and the driver may even declutch to avoid too much push from the engine, which could result in a surge and cause a collision with a car in front or the wall. Large chunks of time can be won or lost by correct mapping here.
Tunnel section to chicane
The tunnel section is the only chance the cars get to hit top speed apart from the short pit straight. The engine needs to have good acceleration here so the driver can reach top speed (‘vMax') quickly as the straight is only 670m from the exit of Portiers to the chicane, or around eight or nine seconds. The cars reach 290 km/h just before the braking point for the chicane so in theory KERS could be used, but principally only for defending rather than for overtaking as going off line is very dirty. This chance for the engine to ‘breathe' is important as there are very few opportunities for the engine to intake fresh air. It is however somewhat of a poisoned chalice - the enclosed nature of the tunnel means the air going into the engine through the airbox is extremely hot. The air is also full of dust and rubber chunks that cannot be blown away due to the roof and walls of the tunnel building.