2015 Monaco Grand Prix : 'A GREAT RESULT FOR THE TEAM TODAY' SAYS HORNER, AS KVYAT FINISHES FOURTH AND RICCIARDO FIFTH IN MONACO
By InfinitiDANIIL KVYAT, Finish Position: 4th, Start Position: 5th'I am happy with today's race. It was my best finish in Formula One and it was a great result for the team to finish fourth and fifth. I had a good start and was able to control my race from then on. We took a gamble with strategy allowing Daniel past after the last safety car to try and fight for a podium position, as he was on the faster Supersoft tires. But as he was unable to pass anyone, as agreed, he gave the place back on the last lap. We hope we can carry this momentum onto the next races.'
DANIEL RICCIARDO, Finish Position: 5th, Start Position: 4th'It was a good race today and a good result for the team. I had some fun in the last few laps trying to get close to Hamilton and Vettel to fight for a podium position. I knew we were in a position to attack in the end which made it exciting I think. The team worked well. Dany let me past to have a crack at the podium and I gave back the place on the last lap when I couldn't get past Hamilton. I had a little incident with Kimi and it's hard to get a clean move without a little contact in Monaco, I appreciate the stewards not taking any further action, and I think the crowd and the fans enjoyed it. We'll try and keep up the pace in the next few races to hopefully stay in the top five.'
CHRISTIAN HORNER, Team Principal
'It was a great result for the team today and we maximised every opportunity that came our way in the race. It was all fairly static until the last safety car, which gave us the opportunity to have a free stop with Daniel and put a set of Supersofts on the car. He was able to get past Kimi on what was a great move to grab fifth. As Daniel was on the faster tire, we switched the cars to see if he could have a go at the two guys fighting ahead, on the understanding that if he didn't make the place he would give it back to Dany on the last lap. Dany drove a very strong race, his best race so far this season and best ever result in F1. It was a great team performance, and I think that was the best result we could have hoped for today.'
THIERRY SALVI, Renault'This weekend has been extremely busy as we knew we could make a difference on this city track. We did the maximum we could at Viry over the last weeks to ensure reliability, but we also worked on the driveability, knowing that it is a key factor here. I think we're back in the right direction and got the first good result of the year. Both drivers had a very exciting race and were able to challenge the frontrunners right until the end. It's a strong result for the team and for Renault and we all deserved these precious points.'
MONACO GP – QUALIFYING5/23/2015
DANIEL RICCIARDO, Position: 4, (3rd Practice – 4, 1:17.120)'I'm a bit frustrated because I think we should be P3. There was a miscommunication from the pit wall starting the last lap and it's a missed opportunity for us. At Monaco, every grid position counts, but we're in a good place to attack and we'll go all out to try for a podium finish in tomorrow's race. I always enjoy this track and having to fight the car over the kerbs; I'll try to have a bit of fun tomorrow.'
DANIIL KVYAT, Position: 5, (3rd Practice – 7, 1:17.471)'It's a positive qualifying result for the team. But we're not where we want to be, although we're making progress and heading in the right direction; we're in a good position for tomorrow's race. The rain didn't affect us too much during quali but we'll have to wait and see if it's a factor tomorrow.'
CHRISTIAN HORNER'It was a great performance by both our drivers to finish fourth and fifth, despite Daniel dropping a couple of tenths due to a miscommunication. I think they got everything out of the cars today and it puts us in a strong position for tomorrow's race, and hopefully we can make some progress from there.'
Thursday Practice on May 21, 2015 DANIEL RICCIARDO First Practice Session: Position: 3, Best Time: 1:19.086, Laps: 27
Second Practice Session: Position: 16, Best Time: 1:19.639, Laps: 13
'The car felt good today. I think we're more or less where we need to be and on the right track. With each passing race, we are managing issues better and if we put a good lap in for quali, we'll hopefully be in a good position. I think some teams are catching up to Ferrari, but it will still require a big effort to get in front of them. But hopefully we can get ahead of the Williams. We'll see how we go on Saturday.'
DANIIL KVYAT First Practice Session: Position: 7, Best Time: 1:19.520, Laps: 33
Second Practice Session: Position: 5, Best Time: 1:18.548, Laps: 16
'The car felt all right today, and we are heading in a good direction, I think. I did a couple of good times. Monaco is a unique track – a bit unusual, and I think the package we have is working well so far. We had a limited run in second practice because of the rain, but we were able to get enough laps in the wet to get a feel for how the car handles. The re-surfacing has made the track slightly smoother, and changes to the swimming pool entry are good. We have the day off tomorrow here and we'll start again on Saturday with better weather hopefully.'
Monaco GP Preview:Daniel Ricciardo
Q1: So, you're the unofficial chief cheerleader for the Monaco circuit, what makes you like it so much?
Ricciardo: From the driver's point of view – and maybe teams see it differently – the best thing about coming to Monaco is that it's a circuit where the driver has more influence on events. Driving a Formula One car anywhere is special: The speed, the power and the acceleration just blows you away. But here it's like trying to do a lap in a supermarket, and that's just so, so cool. I know there's that quote about racing at Monaco being like riding a bicycle around your bathroom. Well, when I was a kid, I used to love riding my little bike around inside the house. It was more fun. There were more obstacles and a bit more danger. That really is what this is like. You have the walls around the circuit and the bumps on the track that make it a bit more real. The circuit has a lot of character. You can feel that in the car. You can't afford mistakes. Your concentration levels rocket and you tend to amaze yourself with how quickly you manage to do everything. Just completing a lap feels like an achievement. It feels like a challenge.
Q2: Is it all about the track?
Ricciardo: Not at all. The Monaco Grand Prix is the real deal. There's so much energy surrounding it: the big boats, the big spenders, the cool people, the Hollywoods – it's all there. I wouldn't say I'm massively into that stuff at any other time of the year, but it creates a crazy atmosphere over the weekend here, and that really makes the adrenaline rocket.
Q3: You're now a resident of Monaco. Will you walk down to the paddock and take it all in over the weekend?
Ricciardo: I could – but I won't. I'll be in team kit and I reckon I'd end up stopping for a chat every 10 paces and get to work a couple of hours late. People in the garage tend to frown on that! Maybe I could wear a disguise. Hey! Perhaps I'm that guy with the moustache, sunglasses and baseball cap standing next to you right now.
Q4: What's Monaco like for the other 11 months of the year? Where do you hang out?
Ricciardo: You'll be shocked to hear that there are some cool clubs and restaurants. You can't see it from TV but there's a really nice place – it keeps changing its name but I think it's one of Flavio's – underneath the entrance to the tunnel with a really nice view out into the Mediterranean. Then there's the bars around Rascasse; they're always fun – not that I'm a big hitter on the club scene or anything. Another fairly regular place for a lot of the guys is Sass Café. It has the advantage of being open seven nights a week and even on a Sunday night it's open until 3 a.m. That can be pretty handy if you're getting back late from a race or team event and don't fancy a dinner of instant noodles.
Daniil KvyatQ1: It's often said that Monaco presents drivers with the ultimate test. Is that a fair description? Is it a daunting prospect for a racer?
Kvyat: It's a real 'confidence' circuit. You need to be in tune with it. You need to find yourself – find the flow. You need to find the right approach mentally, and with the car you just have to make it happen.
In the beginning it's a big test. To go out and find that confidence is not easy, and you always question yourself, asking: 'When is it going to happen? When am I going to feel it enough to really go for it?' But at some point in the weekend, it just happens. You find the rhythm and the lap time comes. When it works like that, when you get yourself in the right place and you find a good understanding with the track, it's great.
Q2: It's a circuit you've only ever raced in Formula One. Are you still discovering new things about it?
Kvyat: Yes, definitely. I did pretty well in qualifying last year (9th), but I only did a handful of laps in the race because I had a problem with the car, so I would yes. I'm not sure there's a special secret about it, and there's no one area that holds the key. It's just a really massive lap. The whole thing seems to go by in one breath. It's just as well it's a short lap.
Q3: What about the sense of history in Monaco and the crazy atmosphere on the streets? Do you find yourself getting caught up in those things or do they get in the way?
Kvyat: In terms of the atmosphere and so on, I'll be perfectly honest and say that, for me, it's not the best. It's really confined and there's not much chance to get some space for yourself. It is totally unique, and it is an amazing place, but for me the trick is to try to remove myself from that and focus on what we're there to do.