2015 Monaco Grand Prix Preview - MotorSportsTalk

The Indianapolis 500 may dub itself “the greatest spectacle racing”, but the Monaco Grand Prix has a very strong case to claiming that moniker such is its history, legacy and popularity.

Taking place around the streets of the principality, Monaco is often called the “jewel in the F1 crown”. Not only does the race pose one of the biggest challenges in motorsport, but it also sees the rich and famous come out in force for the weekend. The rule in Monaco is if you’ve got it, flaunt it.

The championship arrives on the Mediterranean coast finely poised following Nico Rosberg’s victory at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago. The German driver ended a barren run of form to finally beat Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton on-track and bring himself back into the title hunt.

Hamilton is the talk of the town this weekend after his new three-year contract with Mercedes was announced on Wednesday, thought to be worth over $150m. Although it has been something of a formality for some time, to finally have it signed and out in the open will be a weight off both Hamilton’s and Mercedes’ minds.

The Mercedes duo will now be solely focusing on winning this weekend’s race, and both have history around the famous Monegasque streets. Hamilton won the 2008 edition of the grand prix racing for McLaren, but it is Rosberg who is the form driver as he has won the last two events in his hometown city.

Here is our complete preview for the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix.

2015 Monaco Grand Prix – Talking Points

Rosberg chases a Monaco three-peat

Only three drivers have won three consecutive Monaco Grands Prix: Graham Hill (a.k.a. Mr. Monaco, 1963-1965), Alain Prost (1984-1986) and Ayrton Senna (1989-1993). This weekend, Nico Rosberg bids to become the fourth following wins for Mercedes in 2013 and 2014. The German driver’s victory in last year’s race was rather controversial following a ‘mistake’ at Mirabeau in qualifying that denied Hamilton a shot at pole position, but he remains the man to beat.

Can Hamilton break his Monaco hoodoo?

Despite winning the 2008 race, Lewis Hamilton hasn’t enjoyed the same kind of success around the streets of Monaco. In fact, his second-place finish in last year’s race was his first podium finish in the principality since his victory. As he bids to emulate his idol, Ayrton Senna, in 2015 by winning a third world title, Hamilton will know securing a race win at Monaco will go a long way to doing exactly that. With Rosberg cutting the gap in Spain, the pressure is now on the Briton to hit back by doing what he does best: winning.

Ferrari hopes to get in the mix once again

After fading towards the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari hopes to bounce back this weekend at a track that should suit the SF15-T, according to Sebastian Vettel. The Italian marque has been a step closer to Mercedes this year than any of the teams did in 2014, and if either Vettel or teammate Kimi Raikkonen – both former winners in Monaco – can get between the Silver Arrows on the front row of the grid, Ferrari could yet stage something of an upset on Sunday.

Forza Jules

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most eventful on the calendar. Overtaking may come at a premium, but races of attrition are common thanks to the beckoning walls that will punish any drivers that pushes too far. As we saw in last year’s race when Jules Bianchi scored two points for Marussia, surprises can easily be sprung here. Although it is unlikely we’ll see a similar fairytale this weekend, the entire paddock will be thinking of Jules and his heroics 12 months ago.

Track changes

Some small changes have been made to the circuit for this weekend’s race, including resurfacing at various points on the track. The Formula E drivers that raced in Monaco two weeks ago reported that it was quite slippery, meaning that the F1 field will need to be on guard across the course of the lap. Further to that, the track has been widened at Tabac and on the exit of the Swimming Pool chicane to improve the sight lines for drivers. It should result in a quicker lap, but drivers will need to be careful not to abuse their new-found freedom at these parts of the circuit.

2015 Monaco Grand Prix – Facts and Figures

Track: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 78
Corners: 19
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher 1:14.439 (Ferrari, 2004)
Tire Compounds: Super-Soft (Option); Soft (Prime)
2014 Winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2014 Pole Position: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:15.989
2014 Fastest Lap: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:18.479
DRS Zones: Main Straight (T19 to T1)

2015 Monaco Grand Prix – TV Times

Free Practice 1: NBC Sports Live Extra 4am ET 5/21
Free Practice 2: NBCSN 8am ET 5/21
Free Practice 3: NBC Sports Live Extra 5am ET 5/23
Qualifying: NBCSN 8am ET 5/23
Race: NBC 7:30am ET 5/24 (F1 Countdown on NBCSN from 7am ET)

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As the SuperMotocross season heads outdoors, the NBC Power Rankings change significantly with results from the Motocross opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. The Power Rankings assign a numeric value to each individual moto (90 points maximum) as well as the overall standings (100 points) and averages that number over the past 45 days. Included in the Power Rankings are results from the final five Supercross rounds, which fit into that 45-day timeframe.

*Dylan Ferrandis finished on the podium in his first race back after experience a concussion in Supercross Round 4 at Houston. – Align Media*

It didn’t take long for Jett Lawrence to rocket to the top of the SuperMotocross rankings – only about 74 minutes in fact. Lawrence dominated his first moto and beat his teammate Chase Sexton, the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross champion, to the line by 10 seconds. He had to fight a little harder for the second moto win as Sexton stalked him throughout the race and ended up less than a second behind.

Beginning this week, we have added the SuperMotocross points’ ranking beside the rider’s name and in one fell swoop, Lawrence went from being unranked in the 450 class to 26th. To qualify for the inaugural SuperMotocross’ guaranteed 20 positions that automatically make the gate for the three-race championship series, Lawrence needs to be inside the top 20 in combined Supercross and Motocross points. The bubble is currently held by Justin Starling and Lawrence needs to make up 44 points to overtake him.

Sexton’s second-place finish in the overall standings at Fox Raceway marked his ninth consecutive top-five finish. After the race, Sexton compared the battle he had with Lawrence to the one he experienced with Eli Tomac in last year’s Pro Motocross championship. These two riders had a significant advantage over the field in Pala, but there is still a lot of racing to be completed.

MORE: Jett Lawrence wastes no time, wins first 450 race

After missing 13 rounds to a concussion, Dylan Ferrandis told NBC Sports that he was not going to do anything risky in the season opener at Fox Raceway. If he dialed back his effort at all, one would be hard-pressed to notice. He finished third in both motos and was third in the overall standings. Ferrandis began the weekend just outside the top 20 in combined SuperMotocross points and climbed to 19th. In the next few weeks, he will get a little more breathing room over the cutline and then challenge for wins.

Adam Cianciarulo’s three-race streak of top-five finishes ended with a sixth-place overall at Fox Raceway, but that was enough to advance him one position in the NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings and land him eighth in the combined points standings. His individual motos were moderate, but Cianciarulo is still battling the effects of injury and a nagging loss of strength in his wrist.

Aaron Plessinger returned from injury in the Supercross season finale to finish second at Salt Lake City. He added another top-five to his season total and now has six of those in the 13 rounds he’s made. With Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac not currently racing in Motocross, Plessinger has an opportunity to rise to the third seeding in short order.

450 Rankings

This Week	Driver (SMX rank)	Power Avg.	Last Week	Diff.
1.	Jett Lawrence (26)	93.33		NA
2.	Chase Sexton (1)	92.36	1	-1
3.	Dylan Ferrandis (19)	89.00		NA
4.	Adam Cianciarulo (8)	82.89	5	1
5.	Aaron Plessinger (5)	81.20	9	4
6.	Justin Hill (9) Not racing MX	79.75	8	2
7.	Ken Roczen (4) injured \| Not racing MX	79.13	3	-4
8.	Jose Butron (30)	75.67		NA
9.	Lorenzo Locurcio (29)	75.00		NA
10.	Eli Tomac (2) injured	74.50	2	-8
11.	Dean Wilson (10) Not racing MX	72.88	7	-4
12.	Cooper Webb (3)	71.17	6	-6
13.	Jerry Robin (32)	70.33		NA
14.	Justin Barcia (6) injured	70.00	4	-10
15.	Kyle Chisholm (15)	65.36	11	-4
16.	Dante Oliveira (36)	65.00		NA
17.	Shane McElrath (11) Not racing MX	63.63	12	-5
18.	Ryan Surratt (38)	63.33		NA
19.	Josh Hill (13) Not racing MX	62.38	13	-6
20.	Justin Starling (20) Not racing MX	62.13	19	-1

Motocross 450 Points

A bad start to Moto 1 at Fox Raceway was not enough to deter Hunter Lawrence. Neither was the fact that he was riding with sore ribs after experiencing a practice crash earlier in the week. He was a distant 10th to start the first race and for most of the 30 minutes, it seemed he would finish off the podium. Lawrence did not win the 250 East Supercross championship by giving in to hopelessness or pain, however.

Lawrence picked off one rider and then another until he found the battle for the top five in front of him at the halfway point. Once the field started to lap riders, Lawrence used the opportunity to continue forward through the grid. He passed third-place Jo Shimoda with two laps remaining and challenged Maximus Vohland for second on the final trip around Fox Raceway, but had to settle for the final spot on the podium. Lawrence dominated Moto 2 and claimed the overall victory in Pala.

Justin Cooper made his first start of the season at Fox Raceway and earned enough NBC Power Average points to climb to second. Partly this was due to consistently strong runs in both motos and a 5-4 that gave him the fifth position overall, but he is also not weighed down with moderate Supercross results. It will take a week or two to see where his strength lands him on the grid.

Motocross 250 Points

*In only his third Pro Motocross National, Haiden Deegan scored a second-place finish in the overall standings. – Align Media*

RJ Hampshire may feel he has something to prove after finishing second to Jett Lawrence in the 250 SX West division. He certainly rode like that was the case in Moto 1 and easily outpaced the field on his way to victory lane. In Moto 2, he crashed twice on Lap 1 and dropped back to 39th. It took half of the race to get inside the top 20 and salvage points. By the end of the race, he was 11th and while that was enough to get him on the overall podium, it cost him points in the NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings.

Haiden Deegan surprised the field in Houston in his 250 Supercross debut by finishing fifth. At the time, he said his strong result was because there were no expectations. He echoed that statement after the Motocross season opener. His second-place finish in the overall standings was enough to project him five positions up the SuperMotocross Rankings. In 11 rounds in the combined series, Deegan has earned seven top-fives and a worst finish of eighth.

Jo Shimoda did not make his first Supercross race of 2023 until late in the season. He finished fourth on the hybrid track of Atlanta, which had some similar elements to Fox Raceway. His fourth-place finish in Moto 1 of the Motocross opener made it seem likely he would score an overall podium, but a sixth in the second race cost him points in the NBC Power Rankings in a field that promises to be extremely tight.

250 Rankings

This Week	Driver (SMX rank)	Power Avg.	Last Week	Diff.
1.	Hunter Lawrence (1)	89.56	2	1
2.	Justin Cooper (42)	84.67		NA
3.	RJ Hampshire (3)	83.67	3	0
3.	Haiden Deegan (4)	83.67	8	5
5.	Jo Shimoda (16)	82.33	7	2
6.	Guillem Farres (46)	79.33		NA
7.	Levi Kitchen (6)	79.11	5	-2
8.	Max Anstie (5)	77.83	12	4
9.	Max Vohland (8)	77.50	14	5
10.	Enzo Lopes (10)	76.00	11	1
11.	Mitchell Oldenburg (13)	74.25	16	5
12.	Carson Mumford (19)	71.22	17	5
13.	Jordon Smith (7)	70.56	9	-4
14.	Ryder DiFrancesco (48)	70.33		NA
15.	Chris Blose (12)	67.00	13	-2
16.	Chance Hymas (27)	66.00	19	3
17.	Tom Vialle (9)	65.78	18	1
18.	Jett Reynolds (55)	63.33		NA
19.	Michael Mosiman (28)	62.33	20	1
20.	Garrett Marchbanks (64)	59.00		NA

* The NBC Power Rankings assign 100 points to a Main event winner in Supercross and overall winner in Motocross. It awards 90 points for each Moto, Heat and Triple Crown win. The points decrement by a percentage equal to the number of riders in the field until the last place rider in each event receives five points. The Power Ranking is the average of these percentage points over the past 45 days.

POWER RANKINGS AFTER SX FINALE AT SALT LAKE CITY: Chase Sexton ends with win
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 15 AT NASHVILLE: Eli Tomac back on top
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 14 AT NEW JERSEY: The top 20 settle in
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 13 AT ATLANTA: Justin Barcia leapfrogs the Big 3
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 12 AT GLENDALE: Eli Tomac gains momentum
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 11 AT SEATTLE: Cooper Webb, Eli Tomac overtake Chase Sexton
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 10 AT DETROIT: Chase Sexton narrowly leads Webb
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 8 AT DAYTONA: Chase Sexton unseats Eli Tomac
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 7 AT ARLINGTON: Jason Anderson narrowly trails Eli Tomac
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 6 AT OAKLAND: Perfect night keeps Eli Tomac first
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 5 AT TAMPA: Chase Sexton, Cooper Webb close in
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 4 AT HOUSTON: Eli Tomac rebounds from A2 crash, retakes lead
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 3 AT ANAHEIM 2: Consistency makes Ken Roczen king
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 2 AT SAN DIEGO: Ken Roczen moves up, Chase Sexton falls
POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 1 AT ANAHEIM 1: Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence gain an early advantage

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