Monaco Grand Prix: Comments before the stage

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "The Monaco race is one of the most prestigious on the calendar. It is an event with a rich history, but the goals remain the same. We need to find good form in practice and deliver results when it really matters.

      Qualifying in Monaco is always interesting. With the more compact and agile new generation cars, the task will become even more challenging. To have a chance of victory on Sunday, we need to perform well on Saturday. An impressive spectacle lies ahead, which we eagerly anticipate.

      We approach this weekend with no expectations. The Monaco track is unique. A car that is competitive on other tracks may not necessarily be strong here. The advantages are minimal, the consequences of incidents are very serious, and past successes do not matter. We need to show our best form throughout the weekend to continue our recent streak of success."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frédéric Vasseur: "Monaco always hosts special weekends, and this year’s race will be very interesting, considering the new generation cars, which drivers feel should behave noticeably differently on this track. In Monaco, qualifying, confidence, and precision in driving mean even more than usual, and any small detail can play a decisive role.

      Of course, this is a special race for Charles Leclerc in front of his home fans. Moreover, Ferrari always has huge support from the spectators in Monaco, and we know how much Charles feeds off this atmosphere.

      Otherwise, our approach remains unchanged – we need to maintain focus, work step by step throughout the weekend, and do everything to ensure both drivers are in the best possible position and can extract the maximum from the car."

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Zak Brown: "Being on the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix as part of McLaren's thousandth race in Formula 1 is the perfect moment to celebrate the team's rich history in motorsport. We are only the second team to reach this incredible milestone, and it’s the best reason to reflect on the past, appreciate the present, and think about the future.

      Throughout our history, the team has always shown character and perseverance not only in successful periods but also in more challenging times. McLaren never gives up, and this livery, along with the planned event on Thursday, serves to highlight the journey we have taken.

      We look forward to getting the car on track and celebrating everything we have achieved since our first race in Monaco in 1966, right up to today. We have another thousand Grands Prix ahead of us."

      McLaren MCL40 livery for the Monaco and Barcelona races

      Lando Norris: "The team is in for a special weekend as we celebrate a truly incredible achievement. The livery looks amazing, and there’s no better place to celebrate such a milestone than one of the most iconic tracks on the calendar, where the team held its first Grand Prix.

      I am very proud to have made even a small contribution to such a rich history of McLaren. As a child, I looked up to McLaren with admiration, and it’s a great honor for me to represent the people who make up this team today in its thousandth Grand Prix."

      Oscar Piastri: "I am looking forward to getting on track in this special livery. The thousandth Grand Prix is a huge achievement for the team, and it’s a great honor for me to represent McLaren at such a moment.

      The car looks fantastic, and it’s symbolic that the celebration takes place on the track where the team first started in the World Championship 60 years ago.

      We will do everything we can to have a strong weekend and, if possible, bring home the trophy in honor of this event. Here’s to a thousand Grands Prix! I look forward to racing many more for McLaren."

      Haas F1 Team

      Ayo Komatsu, Team Principal: "We are looking forward to returning to the legendary streets of Monte Carlo, where the European part of the Formula 1 season begins. Monaco is a unique race on the calendar, as it is special not only in terms of the challenges we face but also because of the atmosphere outside the track.

      May has been challenging for the team, as some races did not go as we would have liked. However, the team has gathered a lot of information for analysis, both technically and in terms of work organization. We have drawn conclusions and are now looking forward with enthusiasm, preparing to return to a more familiar rhythm of work.

      Everyone is in a tight battle and constantly refining their cars, so we must show our maximum capabilities to remain competitive. As always, we are fully focused on becoming stronger step by step, working as one team."

      Oliver Berman: "The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most challenging races of the season for both drivers and teams. It is essential to find the right setup for the slow and bumpy street circuit while trying to achieve the maximum possible downforce.

      As in Montreal, much depends on the driver's confidence in Monaco. To set a good time, you need to attack at the limit and drive inches from the barriers, extracting the maximum on every lap.

      In Monaco, qualifying plays a more critical role than at most other tracks. But to be honest, that’s what makes this race special. There is no other track on the calendar that presents such a challenge."

      Esteban Ocon: "I am looking forward to the upcoming weekend, as the Monaco Grand Prix always remains one of the highlights of the season for both drivers and teams.

      I have many fond memories associated with this track. Additionally, the race takes place very close to France, so every year friends and family come to the stands to support me.

      The legendary streets of Monaco always host special races. Every driver dreams of starting this race since childhood. The atmosphere here is unique, and the track demands precise driving. Confidence and readiness to drive close to the barriers often become decisive factors.

      For our part, we will do everything possible to gradually improve throughout the weekend and approach the important Saturday qualifying in optimal shape. I hope this will allow us to have a successful Sunday race."

      Alpine F1

      Pierre Gasly: "I am looking forward to the weekend in Monaco; it is one of my favorite Grands Prix of the season. It takes place on a track with a very rich history, and driving a Formula 1 car here is a real pleasure.

      Of course, drivers consider qualifying in Monaco the most important event of the weekend, where we reach our absolute limits while experiencing an incredible adrenaline rush – it’s a unique feeling that few get to experience.

      In Canada, we achieved our best result of the season and earned a lot of points. While all of this is quite positive, we know that the weekend unfolded far from smoothly for various reasons.

      Last week, I visited the team’s base in Enstone, where I worked on the simulator and analyzed a large amount of data with the engineers, as we strive to make me more comfortable behind the wheel.

      We have dedicated a lot of time to preparing for the races in Monaco and Barcelona, which will take place back-to-back with a week’s interval, and we will try to continue our streak of productive performances at both tracks.

      I was also very pleased with Paris Saint-Germain's victory in the Champions League, and I hope our results this weekend behind the wheel of the A526 will be just as delightful!"

      Franco Colapinto: "The week after the Canadian Grand Prix was very eventful, and lately, our results have been quite good. The task now is to continue in the same vein.

      Right after the race in Montreal, on Monday, I was working on the simulator at the team’s base and had intense discussions with the engineers. Then there was a short visit to Paris, where I celebrated my birthday, after which I returned to Enstone and continued working with the team, preparing for the start of the European stage of the season and the Monaco race, one of the best races of the year.

      On this street circuit, where the barriers are very close, driving is very exciting, and I can’t wait to feel how the lighter and more agile new generation cars behave on this track.

      I live in Monaco, and when I was home, I saw how the track preparations were going. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel and start practicing on Friday. For the first time since Suzuka, we are returning to a familiar weekend routine, so we will be able to adapt to the track properly during the three practice sessions and build confidence with each session.

      This is a key moment, as we need to prepare correctly for qualifying when we will need to attack at the limit. When you gradually increase your pace, you experience real pleasure, and since overtaking in Monaco is very difficult, this Saturday can probably be called the most important of the year.

      The weekend promises to be eventful, and the goal is to finish in the top ten again and continue our streak of successful performances."

      Red Bull Racing

      Max Verstappen: "In Miami, we made some important steps; the car got closer to the desired pace, and I felt more comfortable. We continue to work to achieve more.

      In Monaco, a good strategy is needed. The key element will be the qualifying result. It’s great that we had a little time to recharge and see family before the back-to-back races."

      Ben Hodgkinson, Technical Director of Red Bull Powertrains: "In Formula 1, the main goal is victory, but the first podium earned with our own power unit is worth celebrating, considering the scale of what has been achieved in such a short time.

      Red Bull Ford Powertrains is a newcomer, entering the battle with the biggest names in the automotive industry and motorsport. And the fact that we are keeping pace with them at the front is a source