After his excellent performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he achieved his best result so far in the Formula 1 (6th), Franco Colapinto is already starting to focus on one of the most complex challenges of the season: the Monaco Grand Prix.
After the race in Montréal and practicing on the simulator for the next stop of the season, the Argentine driver spoke with the specialized media Motorsport and was emphatic: he believes that, with this year's single-seaters, the race in the Principality will be considerably more complicated than in previous seasons. "I think it's going to be much harder than last year. 100%", he assured.
One of the aspects that caught the attention of the Alpine driver during the virtual tests was the energy management. "I'm not sure how the energy issue is going to be, but from what I know, it doesn't feel very fast on the straights. In fact, it feels very slow because in Monaco we have a clip (when it cuts the electrical power in the power unit) earlier than in normal circuits", he detailed.
This peculiarity creates an unusual driving sensation. While the car delivers all its power when exiting corners, the top speed decreases before reaching the braking zones, altering the traditional reference points for drivers.
"It's really strange: You have a lot of power when exiting corners on a pretty complicated circuit, where you might normally have to manage more, but then you're quite slow at the end of the straight. We'll see how it turns out. Hopefully, it will be something more natural and better", commented the driver from Pilar.
On this topic, the FIA has already anticipated some specific measures for the Monaco Grand Prix. With the aim of reducing risks, active aerodynamics will be eliminated during the weekend and a special engine mapping will be used to limit the top speed in sensitive areas such as the main straight, the tunnel, and the climb to Massenet.
Beyond energy management, Colapinto believes that the main challenge will be the overall behavior of the new single-seaters. "These cars are a bit more unpredictable than they were before in terms of braking, corner entry speed, energy deployment, among other aspects. So it could be quite complicated in Monaco, but I'm sure that will also bring excitement", he concluded.
When Colapinto will race again
After his historic sixth place in Canada, Formula 1 will cross the pond and land at the urban circuit of Monaco. The race in the Principality will take place in two weeks, between Friday, June 5, and Sunday, June 7.
Monaco Grand Prix Schedule
