25/05/2011
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of the most iconic race on the calendar, there are fears that as to whether Monaco is still actually fit to host a Formula One Grand Prix.
"When I look out of my window it is hard to believe they have P1 tomorrow morning," says a Pitpass source who has lived in the Principality for many years. "It's complete chaos!"
First there was a truck fire at Ste Devote which necessitated the laying of fresh asphalt, not exactly what you want twenty-four hours before an F1 practice session.
Then, as everyone struggles to be in place for "showtime", 2009 world champion Jenson Button was lucky not to be hit by an errant forklift driver as the teams struggle to erect their facilities in time.
"I was never going to be injured seriously," Button told reporters. "He wasn't going to kill me. He would have bumped into me. They are doing all they can but when it is back to back it is very difficult. The guys are working non-stop to get it built. It makes it a bit difficult and dangerous - maybe we should be wearing hard hats in the paddock.
"I was walking along talking to the guys," he added. "I was looking but he wasn't as he was reversing."
Getting Monaco ready for its starring role is never easy however, coming off the back of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, everyone is under great pressure, mistakes are bound to happen.
Looking none the worse for his ordeal, Button, whose father still lives here, believes that in future it might be better to leave a week between Monaco and the preceding race.
"I would prefer it not to be back to back," said Button. "I love this race and would love it if we could arrive on a Wednesday and it looked as beautiful as it does at every other race. It doesn't, yet, and because it is such a special event we should have a good space before the race.
As ever, the F1 action gets under way on Thursday leaving the drivers supposedly twiddling their thumbs on Friday - though in reality they are either carrying out all important debriefs or even more important PR work. However, most admit they don't benefit from a day off and would rather run on Fridays as they do at all other events.
"For me, I'd rather we practised on Friday and went straight into qualifying on Saturday, because it's just an extra day of work," said Button.
"I would prefer to drive on Friday," added Nick Heidfeld. "As it is now, you have some meetings with the engineers, some PR stuff to do, but basically in your mind, you're just looking forward to the next day, you want to get into the car and get on with it."
"I would prefer to drive on Friday and have Thursday off," said Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello. "It's kind of a boring Friday, really, because you cannot sleep because it's more noisy because other people are driving on the track, so I would rather have the weekend as a normal one and have Friday and keep on going."
However, the last word goes to our mysterious Monaco resident. "The organisation to fill the paddock and garages was never this bad, you just cannot move anywhere this year," he says. "This has never happened before. It's chaos!"