The Monaco Grand Prix is the only event on the Formula 1 calendar that runs over four days instead of three. Traditionally, practice always takes place on the Thursday of the weekend instead of the regular Friday, and festivities do not resume until Saturday morning with FP3.
However, that does not mean Friday is a quiet affair in Monaco. Instead, the fans descend on the track to get close to the drivers and meet their idols, whilst the teams continue to analyze their data and plot their assault for the rest of the race weekend.
In Ferrari’s case, this extra day has come as a blessing. Kimi Raikkonen endured a difficult Thursday that ended with him parking up in the garage with a gearbox failure. He should avoid a five place grid penalty should they need to change it as it is not yet Saturday, but the repair job was due to take some time.
Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat would have woken up this morning with a smile on his face after realizing a life-long dream for any racing driver yesterday: driving at Monaco. The 20-year-old had never raced around the principality’s streets before, and he made no secret of his happiness after practice.
“I enjoyed driving here in Monaco finally and it was a good day overall, in which I was able to learn the track quite well,” he said. “We will now look at all the data between tonight and tomorrow to get the best out for Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.”
Last night was a rather exciting one in Monaco as Force India team owner Vijay Mallya held the annual party on his yacht, the Indian Empress, playing host to the Monegasque royal family and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
“By now it’s tradition and I am proud having started the ‘opening ceremony’ of the Monaco weekend some years ago,” Mallya said, having first held the event back in 2008. “Monaco is about glamour – and I am paying tribute to that. The rest is about having fun before the competition heats up on Saturday and Sunday!”
However, it was not the only star-studded event to be at. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton spent last night at a gala dinner in Cannes with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, which was also attended by the likes of Leonardo di Caprio, Heidi Klum, Lana del Rey and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, raising money for AIDS research foundation amfAR.
Today, Hamilton took time to speak to the fans and signing merchandise for them. He has also released this video thanking his fans for all of their support so far this season.
Further down the grid today, Felipe Massa caught up with former marathon runner and occasional training partner Paula Radcliffe, Daniel Ricciardo was interviewed in style on the roof of Red Bull’s floating energy station, and McLaren’s drivers also went to see the fans who came out in force.
Felipe’s friend and sometime training partner @paulajradcliffe pops into the motorhome before training. pic.twitter.com/yJQnkzA4aJ
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) May 23, 2014
Not a bad spot for an interview @danielricciardo,only in Monaco 😉 pic.twitter.com/RICtjQFsOv
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 23, 2014
Fans head to the pitlane to meet the drivers ahead of this weekend’s #MonacoGP. #BelieveInMcLaren pic.twitter.com/4uILlI43PE
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 23, 2014
The only on track action today came courtesy of the GP2 racers, and without wishing to give too much away, it’s an absolutely thrilling race. Be sure to watch at 11:30pm ET on NBCSN this Saturday.
They might call it rest day in Monaco, but as ever in Formula 1, there’s no rest for the wicked.