Another December, another trip to Monaco for one of the league’s two evergreen tracks (Austin has also been raced at every season).
Monaco is, of course, nothing new to the SBMRL and nothing new to racing. It’s hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1950 and racing on the famed streets dates back to the 1920’s.
The short start-finish straight always results in tight, wheel bumping action in Sainte Devote on the first lap. The straight that follows lets drivers open it up a bit… more so on the second lap for those who haven’t pitted.
The second sector starts slow and then gets fast in the tunnel. Coming out of the Loews hairpin complex with speed for the tunnel is key, and the Nouveau Chicane is a favorite passing spot.
The final sector is trickier than it looks at first glance. There isn’t a break anywhere. Hardly anything separates one corner from the next. The key here is the exit. If drivers can get Rascasse and Anthony Noghes right, they can fly down the start-finish straight.
Starting Grid
Monaco’s grid will see cars line up in the following order:
- Luigi (SM)
- Rask Sjofar (SB)
- The Stig (SB)
- Delilah Whipplefilter (FR)
- Mario (SM)
- Launch Bornado (FR)
- Whiplash (RM)
- Jaap Snellrijder (RM)
Luigi had best be on his form at the start. Despite starting on pole position, he’s got two excellent drivers around him in the Stig and Rask. The Scandinavian Blitz pair finished 1-2 here last year, and the Stig has taken 3 of the 4 wins to be had.
Pit selection in order of team standings looks like this:
- Regency Motors
- Force Ravenswood
- Scandinavian Blitz
- Switch Motorsport
Delilah and the Stig both claim Monaco as their home race this year.
Track History
As mentioned above, the Stig has 3 wins and easily the most points. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, either, that Jaap and Launch follow him in that regard, with Jaap taking the remaining win. Whiplash is the only other driver on the grid with more than one start, and he has yet to finish higher than 5th. Rask, who starts 2nd this year, also started 2nd last year when he took 2nd place. In fact, the driver starting in 2nd has never finished lower than 4th.