Honda F1 preview for Monaco
29 May 2000
FIA Formula 1 World Championship - Round 7 Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo - 1/3/4 June 2000 - Preview BAR HONDA TARGETS DRIVEABILITY FOR MONACO SUCCESS The Formula One teams head to the principality of Monte Carlo this weekend for the Blue Riband event of the motor racing calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix. Lucky Strike Reynard BAR Honda will be aiming to rediscover the reliability that was a feature of the team's early season success and secure a strong finish in the most glamorous race of the season. Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta both live in Monaco and the BAR Honda drivers will be hoping that local knowledge will count over the coming weekend. Villeneuve, however, has only completed the street circuit once, finishing fifth in 1998. This will be Zonta's first Monaco Grand Prix after his Brazilian accident forced him out of last season's race, but the Brazilian does have experience of the peculiarities of the circuit from his championship-winning F3000 campaign. From an engine perspective, the twisty nature of the narrow track places less emphasis on outright horsepower and rather more on driveability. The modern Grand Prix engine has little opportunity to reach its peak during a lap of Monaco, but a smooth delivery of power, as offered by the Honda RA000E engine, is essential to cope with the constant braking and acceleration of the cars. With this in mind BAR Honda spent two days testing at the tight Nogaro circuit in France last week, replicating the demands likely to be placed on the engine this weekend. "Monaco is unlike any other circuit in Formula One," confirms Takefumi Hosaka, Managing Director of Honda R&D. "We are normally looking for outright power improvement, but we know that additional power is not necessarily a big advantage in this race. We have been testing with new engine maps to ensure that the drivers are able to get the maximum benefit out of the Honda engine at lower speeds and revs." Monaco Although something of an anomaly, Monaco remains the most famous and glamorous venue on the Formula One calendar. The glitzy principality may have changed in recent years, but the historic harbour-side street circuit dates back to the 1920s. Some 50 gear changes during a lap used to leave drivers hands heavily blistered after races, an occupational hazard now avoided thanks to the semi-automatic gear-selector paddles. In Monaco, more than any other circuit, the race can be won or lost in Saturday's qualifying hour, as a successful overtaking manoeuvre is rarely seen on Sunday. Honda in Monaco With six Honda victories in the principality, Monaco shares with Monza the privilege of being the most successful circuit of Honda's distinguished Formula One pedigree. Yet it was not until 1987 that Honda even made it onto the podium of the most glamorous event in world motorsport. Thereafter, however, the race became a Honda procession. The late Ayrton Senna made the race his own, winning no fewer than five Monaco Grands Prix with Honda power between 1987 and 1992. Four times Senna succeeded with McLaren-Honda but on the first occasion it was a Lotus-Honda in which he took the flag, 30 seconds ahead of Nelson Piquet's Williams for a Honda-powered 1-2. Senna's run of success was punctuated only by the victory of McLaren-Honda team mate Alain Prost in 1988. Information Circuit Details Circuit Name Circuit de Monaco Circuit Address 23 Boulevard Albert 1er, 98012 Monaco Circuit Length 3.367km/2.092miles Lap Record M Schumacher 1:21.076s (Benetton-Ford, 1994) Timetable (all times are local, CET is the same, UK time is one hour behind) Thursday Free Practice: 11.00-12.00 & 13.00-14.00 Saturday Free Practice: 09.00-09.45 & 10.15-11.00 Qualifying: 13.00-14.00 Sunday Warm-up: 09.30-10.00 Race (78 laps): 14.00 1999 Results Winner M Schumacher (Ferrari) 1hr 49min 31.812sec Average Speed 143.864km/h Fastest Lap Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.259s Pole Position Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:20.547s BAR 1999 Jacques Villeneuve Qualified: 8th Race: DNF Ricardo Zonta DNS Mika Salo Qualified: 12th Race: DNF Previous Monaco winners Hakkinen (1998), M Schumacher (97/95/94), Panis (96), Senna (87, 89-93), Prost (88) Honda in Monaco Grands Prix: 12 Podiums: 9 Wins: 6 (Senna 87/89-92, Prost 88) Honda F1 winners Ayrton Senna 32, Nigel Mansell 13, Alain Prost 11, Nelson Piquet 7, Gerhard Berger & Keke Rosberg 3, Richie Ginther & John Surtees 1 Teams McLaren-Honda 44, Williams-Honda 23, Honda 2, Lotus-Honda 2 2000 BAR Honda Results Jacques Villeneuve Aus Q8, R4 - Brz Q10, DNF - SM Q9, R5 - GB Q10, DNF - SP Q6, DNF - EUR Q9, DNF Ricardo Zonta Aus Q16, R6 - Brz Q8, R9 - SM Q14, R12 - GB Q16, DNF - SP Q16, R8 - EUR Q18, DNF 2000 Jordan Mugen-Honda Heinz-Harald Frentzen Aus Q5, DNF - Brz Q7, R3 - SM Q6, DNF - GB Q2, DNF - SP Q8, R6 - EUR Q10, DNF Jarno Trulli Aus Q6, DNF - Brz Q12, R4 - SM Q8, DNF - GB Q11, R6 - SP Q7, R12 - EUR Q6, DNF 2000 Points Jacques Villeneuve - 5 Ricardo Zonta - 1 Heinz-Harald Frentzen - 5 Jarno Trulli - 4 29/5/00 -------------------------------------------------------------- Honda Formula 1 Press Office, 19 Heathmans Road, London, SW6 4TJ, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7384 2133 Fax: +44 (0)20 7384 1238 Mobile: +44 (0)7771 868207