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F1's seventh race of the season will take place in Monaco this weekend. The Monaco GP is one of the most prestigious and unforgiving races on the F1 calendar, which is why every driver wishes to win here at least once in their career.
F1 is bringing its ground-effect cars to the track for the very first time and it remains to be seen what kind of impact the regulation changes will have on these cars in Monaco.
With the title fight as close as it is and numerous teams bringing regular upgrades, there are many unanswered questions that need to be answered. So without further ado, let's jump straight to it.
#1 Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes: Who will be the fastest?
Until the Spanish GP last weekend, the title fight was strictly limited to Ferrari and Red Bull, since Mercedes struggled with severe porpoising in the first five races of the season. However, the German team seems to have taken a massive step forward in Barcelona, where George Russell scored a podium and Lewis Hamilton showed great pace in the race, finishing P5 after having to drop to the back of the grid. The question is whether the eight-time world champion will be able to recreate its strong form in Monaco.
Ferrari arrives in Monaco as the favourite this weekend. While Red Bull's car is faster in a straightline, the Italian team has had the edge in the corners so far this season. However, will Mercedes be able to challenge the top two teams again this weekend?
There is a high possibility of a tight battle between the top three teams during qualifying. We'll have to wait to find out which team will ultimately prevail.
#2 Will Charles Leclerc break his Monaco GP curse?
Charles Leclerc unfortunately does not have the best of records when it comes to his home race. He remains unable to have a clean weekend in Monaco ever since his F1 debut. One such instance was last year when the 24-year-old driver had managed to acquire pole position, but then went on to immediately crash his car into the wall. He was then unable to partake in the race.
This year, he heads to the Monaco GP with the stakes being higher than ever before. He is part of a tight championship battle with Max Verstappen, who is currently in the lead. Will Charles Leclerc be able to finally break his Monaco GP curse and have a clean weekend? Or will he crumble under pressure and continue his streak? Only time will tell.
#3 Will rain give us more action and unpredictability?
Rain around the principality is rather unusual at this time of the year. Hence, it's extremely rare for the weather to play a part in the Monaco GP. The last time it did was in 2016, when Lewis Hamilton claimed an unlikely victory over Daniel Ricciardo. It seems, however, that 2022 is our lucky year, since rain has been predicted for two out of the three days this weekend.
It will be interesting to see the impact rain has on the new generation of cars and the tire strategy that each team will choose in the Monaco GP. Will rain finally be able to make the Monaco GP interesting to watch?
#4 Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell: What's next?
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been trailing his new teammate George Russell for the entire season so far. However, he showed strong form last weekend in Spain after Mercedes remedied their porpoising issue.
The 37-year-old is currently on a five-race losing streak and we all know he hates losing. Will Hamilton be able to revert to his winning ways after Barcelona? If Mercedes truly does stand a chance in the championship, will it be Russell or Hamilton who leads the charge?
#5 Who will be the king of midfield?
After the Spanish GP, with Mercedes sorting out some of its teething issues, the midfield has become a bit clearer now. Alfa Romeo, especially Valterri Bottas, has been the leading the midfield in the last three races. The car was in a bit of a no-man's land in Barcelona as it was clearly a few tenths slower than the frontrunners, but at the same time, it was clearly a few tenths quicker than the midfield contenders chasing it.
The Finn is extremely excited about the Monaco GP as he expects the car to suit the track. However, could we see McLaren or Alpine jumping to the front as well? The midfield pecking order is ever-changing and it will be worth keeping an eye on how it sorts itself out this weekend.
Watch the Monaco GP qualifying and race this weekend to receive the answers to these questions.
