Why Monaco could be “quite sketchy” for 2022 F1 cars

However there are aspects of the 2022 cars that add an extra layer of complexity to this year’s event, and which will put a little extra pressure on everyone.

“I think it’s going to be interesting to see how it is,” said Pierre Gasly when asked about this weekend by Autosport.

“Because even on smooth tracks and normal tracks, in terms of ride compared to last year, it is definitely worse.

“It’s the first time we come on a proper street track since the start of the year, so it could become quite sketchy.

“But it’s going to be same track for everyone, and it will be up to us drivers and the team to find the best compromise.”

The current machines are big, heavy and cumbersome, and as Martin Brundle noted in his Sky Spanish GP commentary, they have a tendency to act like a pendulum when drivers lose the back end.

They now run on less forgiving low-profile tyres, with much stiffer suspensions. That in turn relates to ride height, a parameter that they are incredibly sensitive to.

Drivers will have to be more cautious than usual on some of Monaco’s kerbs, especially those at the chicane beyond the Swimming Pool that have so often pitched cars straight into the barrier.

Then there’s the question of porpoising, if speeds are high enough to set it off. Drivers find it uncomfortable when going down a normal straight, but consider prospect of it happening as they go towards Ste Devote, up the hill to Casino Square, or through the tunnel and down to the Chicane. Even a modest amount of bouncing will capture their attention.

While the teams that suffer the most may naturally dial porpoising out with higher ride heights – which Monaco generally encourages – that will cost downforce, impacting performance, and potentially making the cars difficult to drive.

If all of that is not enough, don’t forget the visibility issue that drivers highlighted at the start of…