Monaco 2011 - GP Preview - Virgin Cosworth

John Booth, Team Principal: “After five races at purpose-built race tracks it’s always nice to come to a street circuit, which provides a huge challenge for the drivers but which also gives the engineers an opportunity to shine in terms of perfecting the mechanical setup of the car. Whilst aero is as important as ever and will require our highest downforce settings, the engineers also have to pay a lot of attention to the ride of the car and also allow for the cambered nature of the road surface that we run on here. For the mechanics the challenge is to be as prepared as possible ready for any misfortune given the very tight and twisty nature of the circuit here, with extra assemblies on standby. This race always requires an extra level of preparation which, coming as it does just a week after the Spanish Grand Prix, makes it a tough logistical challenge. You never know what you might get caught up in at this circuit and track time for the drivers is absolutely crucial; a missed session can result in heavy penalties for them in terms of honing their car for the race. We have taken the decision to run with our previous version of the blown diffuser; as was the case in Barcelona we will run according to the technical directive from the FIA in terms of the engine settings. Whilst we are realistic in terms of the gap to the midfield at present, we will be looking to keep our noses clean and aiming for another two-car finish.”

Timo Glock: “It was good to get both cars to the finish in Spain and having performed a little better than expected, so it’s a nice basis for heading to one of our favourite races, the Monaco Grand Prix. Monaco is a race that every driver wants to do well in, but generally it’s just huge fun and a great spectacle. It is also one of the busiest races as we have a lot going in with promotional activities and guests. The thrill of racing here never fades no matter how many times you drive here. I think we are in for an exciting race weekend with plenty of action.”

Jérôme D’Ambrosio: “I’m really looking forward to racing in the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time. It is really something very special and though I’ve raced here before in GP2, the thrill of driving an F1 car in the streets with the narrow track and very close Armco is pretty hard to beat. It will be a real test for me - you have to be very quick but you can’t afford to make any mistakes. We have the additional interest value of using the DRS here. I don’t think it will significantly help overtaking here because of the nature of the circuit, but it will add to the workload whilst driving and that in itself will be quite tricky.”