Ferrari is the talk of the town in Monte Carlo. Many paddock insiders view the Maranello squad as the leading candidate for victory through the narrow streets of the Principality, and not just because engine power takes a back seat here. Andrea Kimi Antonelli believes the SF-26 possesses numerous qualities that perfectly suit the Monegasque track, though he warns that being fast in qualifying will be a necessary but not entirely sufficient condition to bring home the win.
Ferrari enters as the favorite
The championship leader met with the press in the Monaco paddock and did not hesitate when asked to name the car to beat: “Ferrari will be strong, definitely. For me, they are the favorites for the weekend.” In the Principality, the outright superiority of the Mercedes power unit will be less influential, and the smaller turbo on the Scuderia’s engine could even prove to be an advantage when accelerating out of the tight hairpins. Furthermore, rival teams are deeply wary of the SF-26’s chassis characteristics.
“The Ferrari is a car that is very strong under braking,” Kimi Antonelli explains. “Plus, the winglet they have behind the exhaust reduces top-end power but gives a bit of extra downforce in the corners, especially in the medium and slow ones. It is also a car that handles track bumps very well. Looking back at the various generations of cars, Ferrari has always been strong here, even when they struggled massively in other races. Usually, they always match up well with this place.”
Keep an eye on race pace
Once again, qualifying will be a crucial moment in Monte Carlo, drawing the absolute focus of every garage. However, Kimi warns that neglecting race pace would be a serious mistake: “We have done some simulations. Overtaking is still very difficult, even if someone were to purposely drive three seconds slower. Qualifying, the start, and strategy will count, alongside Safety Cars, should there be any, and whatever tricks the weather plays. Furthermore, you need to have a good race pace because while the undercut makes the difference at most tracks, here it can be the exact opposite—the overcut.”
“Warming up the tires is not easy; this year it is much harder than last season,” the Mercedes driver added. “On top of that, we have a harder range of tire compounds this weekend compared to last year. So yes, starting and staying in the lead will be important, but you also need to have a good pace to open up a gap when it’s required.”
Overall, Mercedes does not view itself as the favorite through the streets of Monaco, but that does not stop them from dreaming of the top step. Monte Carlo is a circuit that has cemented the legacies of many racing greats, and Antonelli hopes to follow in their footsteps: “Of course, I would love to win every single race, that goes without saying. Monaco, however, has its own unique charm, just like a home race. Winning is beautiful everywhere, but obviously, there are those select venues where it feels just a bit more special.”
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