Monaco GP - 11th May 1997

If you can imagine having a track in your back garden, that's how it feels to race at Monaco for those of us who live there!

And you can imagine how I felt on Thursday when my Red Bull Sauber-Petronas was fastest in free practice. That was a buzz, especially since the last time that happened was back at Brands Hatch in August 1988.

I know times don't mean much on the on the first day, but it's still a good feeling when you are quickest and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Why not? I think it reminded a few people that I'm still here, and it made the BBC news! The trouble was, my weekend started well and just got worse.

On Saturday, I really felt we had a chance to do well, so it just really annoyed me when I had that spin at Mirabeau. Basically, the first two runs I had in qualifying were what I should have done in the morning. If I hadn't gone off, I think I could have been fourth or fifth. It was just a shame that I lost those first two runs. I was really annoyed with myself.

The trouble was, we were trying a few things with the set-up, I just pushed a bit too hard, and the camber at Mirabeau is a bit funny anyway because it drops away quite sharply there. So all together, once the tail came out, I couldn't do anything about it.

On Thursday I'd been taking a bit more front wing off each time out, but by Saturday the track conditions had changed and I found I was having to put more front wing back on. And though my last run initially got me up to sixth before David Coulthard improved [in the last minute of the session], the car wasn't as good as it had been on Thursday or on Saturday morning, especially in Tabac. That was where I was losing time compared to Thursday. The car was very good through there, and it was my best section. But by Saturday it was the worst.

As for the race, it started pretty well for me even though Rubens Barrichello slipped by me when I was trying to pass Jacques Villeneuve's Williams on the outside at Mirabeau, and then I lost touch with Rubens and Giancarlo Fisichella in the fight for second place when Ralf Schumacher half spun at Loews and I had to back off to avoid hitting him.

Funnily enough, though they looked bad, the conditions were okay, but my car was very twitchy and on the 10th lap, a bump at Ste Devote just threw it off into the left hand barrier. It glanced off that and went straight across the road, where it hit the barrier on the exit head-on at almost undiminished speed. It pushed the barrier back a bit, but I was okay.

That was my third shunt of the weekend; I got blown off my Harley by a gust of wind on Wednesday!

Max Mosley spoke in Monaco of the 1998 regulations, and I have to say that that adopting grooved tyres is not a direction I think Formula One should take. It doesn't make much of a difference whether it's slicks or grooved tyres. We'll still be doing almost the same speed. So you're still going to be in danger if you go off somewhere. I still believe it's actually going to be worse if you spin, because the narrower tyres won't slow you up as much.

It was also suggested that it's going to be better when you go off line. But that will make no difference whatsoever! Dust is still dust, and if it's on your tyres, you're going to have to clean them up. And if the other guy isn't off line and doesn't have dust on his tyres, he's going to be quicker.

What I'd like to see is slightly less downforce, wider tyres and the rest kept as it is. Treaded tyres aren't going to be any easier to slide than the current slicks for any sort of prolonged period, because they're not designed for that. If you slide them, then they overheat.

One thing I just cannot understand whatsoever, is Damon saying that he agrees with it, that treaded tyres are good. Because to me anyone will be able to drive them. And because of that it'll get closer for the wrong reason.

I agree far more with Jacques. Yeah, drivers always want things as quick as they possibly can have them, and want to get on the limit, that's the way we are. And that's where the show is so good. If you watched the cars at Monaco, through Tabac and the swimming pool, they looked bloody good. Formula 1 has got to look good to retain its appeal.

Speaking of Damon, somebody pointed out to me the rumours that he has been approached to join me at Sauber next year, and I have to say that I wouldn't have any worries about that. He's a nice bloke and we know each other from F3 and several years in F1 together. I think it would be quite good. A nice little challenge to show him who's boss!

With thanks to Johnny, Red Bull Sauber-Petronas and Bob Herbert
Photos (except crash photo) used by kind permission of Sauber.
This page prepared 15th May 1997. All rights reserved.