FLOYD ON F1: Monaco lives up to ‘Jewel in the Crown’ status

How to describe last weekend’s Monaco F1 Grand Prix? Was it a great race? Not really, with a Red Bull leading from start to finish, it was somewhat processional.

So why did I sit glued to the screen for the entire weekend? Simple. It was three days of some of the most magical and brilliant driving we have seen for many a year.

I have never been a fan of the “Jewel in the Crown” of F1. It’s a set of very narrow roads lined by hard walls and barriers ready to catch the unwary.

It was once the favourite place for the rich and famous and their accompanying paparazzi, but that’s now transferred to Miami.

Pulsating F1 track action

All rather superfluous and mundane, in my opinion. I prefer to watch antics on track not in the paddock club and pit area and Monaco 2023 supplied exactly this.

Pre-event media hype was at fever pitch, with talk of myriad upgrades arriving and speculation regarding the possible result.

Mercedes and Ferrari led the field here. The Brackley F1 team was seeking a large improvement, while the Maranello Scuderia already looking healthier under the watchful eye of new team chief Fred Vasseur. Even McLaren were upbeat.

The real excitement was around the Red Bull and Aston Martin teams. Could Fernando Alonso take pole and the race from the Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. The pundits believed it would be the Spaniard’s best chance of the F1 season.

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Verstappen swoops

Following the free practice (FP) sessions it did look a little more promising for Mercedes, apart from Lewis Hamilton parking his W14 against the barrier in FP3.

Qualifying (Q) was tight and all eyes were on Alonso and the Red Bull F1 pair. But an error by Perez made it a two-horse race. And in Q3 Alonso set an excellent time. It had to be pole position.

In Verstappen’s final attempt he set personal bests in sector 1 and 2, but trailed Alonso, then in sector 3 he produced an incredible demonstration of driving ability. He make up the deficit and beat Alonso by 0.084 seconds to grab pole. Unbelievable.

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One-horse race

With Verstappen and Alonso in the front row, it was set to be a chase to turn one. The Red Bull was first into the corner and despite the best efforts of those behind was never headed again, taking victory after 78 laps.

Even the weather gods could not stop Verstappen. His driving ability and the team’s strategy was superb.

Alonso took second and a great drive from Alpine’s Esteban Ocon resulted in third for the Frenchman.

I had to laugh at a comment from Toto Wolff of Mercedes, commenting on the upgrades to the W14.

He was quoted as saying: “We have been three-tenths behind pole. Last year was six-tenths. The car was awful last year and this time around the drivers said it’s not good. So, there’s a step in description.”

The next F1 race is the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, 4 June.