GP2 Series Round 3, Monaco Preview.

21/05/14 GP2 Series Round 3, Monaco Preview.

Round three of the 2014 GP2 Series sees the GP2 cars and drivers at that most glamorous of racing venues, the streets of Monte Carlo where the smallest mistake can mean instant retirement and where, more than any other track, a good performance in qualifying is vital to a good race result. For Stefano Coletti this is his home race and the young Monegasque already knows how to win here in a GP2 car whilst for Raffaele Marciello driving a GP2 car at Monaco will be a whole new experience for the young Italian.

In the last two rounds of the 2014 GP2 Series both Stefano and Lello have proved to be very fast in both qualifying and in the race and they will be looking to turn this speed into the positive results that so far have eluded them.

In a change to the normal GP2 programme practice and qualifying will take place on Thursday with the Feature race on Friday and the Sprint race on Saturday and for qualifying the drivers will be split into two groups, one driver from each team in each group, to avoid overcrowding on the track when looking for a fast lap. Due to the relatively low speeds at Monaco Pirelli will be supplying their P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft compounds to the teams.

Timetable:

Practice: Thu 22 May 2014, 12:00 (GMT+2)
Qualifying Group A: Thu 22 May 2014, 16:15 (GMT+2)
Qualifying Group B: Thu 22 May 2014, 16:39 (GMT+2)
Race 1: Fri 23 May 2014, 11:15 (GMT+2)
Race 2: Sat 24 May 2014, 16:10 (GMT+2)

Length of lap:	3.340 km

2013 best result Racing Engineering:	P4 in Qualifying – DNF in R1 – P13 in R2

Tyre Wear:	Low

Brake Wear:	Low

Downforce:	High

Throttle Average:	52%

Fastest turn:	T9 (tunnel)

Hardest Braking Point:	Chicane at the Exit of the Tunnel

Gear shifts per lap:	37

Top Speed:	270 km/h

Average Speed (Qualifying) 2013:	148.186 km/h

Average Speed (Race) 2013:	140. 319 km/h

Pole Position Time 2013:	1:21.141

1.    The first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco took place in 1950 and was won by J.M. Fangio.

2.    It’s a particular race weekend as there is no race on Sunday, everything’s moved to a day earlier.

3.    There isn’t a lot of space to work for the pit crew as the pitlane is very narrow.

4.    The curved start-finish straight is not really a straight and the run to the first corner from pole position is the shortest of the season, only 140        meters.

5.   The streets of Monaco are notoriously bumpy and the engine will hit the rev limiter on several occasions throughout a lap.

6.    The tunnel section is the only part where the cars reach top speed and maximum revs apart from the short start-finish straight.

7.    A good grid position is a major advantage in Monaco.

8.   Sainte Devote is one of the few turns with an emergency exit. It’s necessary because drivers may miss the braking point.

9.    Monaco is Stefano Coletti's home race and he will carry an on-board camera. Let's hope he shows us how to cross the finish line in 1st place.

10. Monaco is the only circuit on the calendar where the GP2 drivers qualify in two groups due to the track being so short. There is one group of cars        with even and one with uneven numbers.

1.   The average speed around the track is the lowest of the year, just 160km/h in F1 and only 140 km/h in GP2.

2.    There is big difference when it comes to throttle use during one lap, 50% in F1 vs. 52% in GP2.

3.    F1 top speed (including DRS) is 285 km/h – GP2 (without DRS) is 270 km/h.

4.    F1 drivers will change gear 62 times per lap against the 37 times that a GP2 driver will have to do.

5.    Race distance is different: F1 goes around the circuit for 78 laps and GP2 does a total of 72 laps during its two races- 42 laps in Feature Race and        30 in the Sprint Race.

6.    Downforce levels are alike but still different: Maximum downforce levels in F1 against high levels in GP2.

7.   Pole position in F1 was set in 2013 at 1:13.876 – Pole position in GP2 was set in 2013 at 1:21.141.