FORMULA 1 : WILL HOME ADVANTAGE HELP LECLERC?

At the tightest track of the season – the streets of Monaco – the world’s best drivers will be engaged in a bare-knuckle brawl. Monaco has a habit of revealing the best drivers and in 2019 nothing less is expected.

The restrictive, Mount Rosser-like layout of the track and the immediate proximity of the intimidating, unyielding barriers, create an atmosphere where only the brave and the mm-perfect driver will reign. Mercedes has emerged as the benchmark for sublime speed and performance thus far and with their stranglehold on the top 2 positions, they are without doubt the team to beat.

HAMILTON

Hamilton leads the World Championship – a mere 7 points. Bottas is acutely aware that if he intends to pose a serious threat to Hamilton’s 6th World Championship quest, he must be prepared to endure what will be a bruising, physical and at times, intense psychological battle. In this duel there will be no timeout! Hamilton relishes a fight!

Ferrari’s 2019 season is stuck in bewilderment and we are all hoping for the light-bulb moment to appear. Vettel will surprise us all if he delivers a scintillating performance and soars to P1. If the team allows it, Leclerc, who will be within walking distance from his home, may be in with a better shot to challenge the Mercedes boys. Will home advantage help Leclerc?

VERSTAPPEN

The driver, who some argue, is quietly making huge strides is Red Bull’s Verstappen. Verstappen and his team were not in the conversation as the likely outfit to rattle Mercedes AMG . But, with Ferrari still not showing up for the party, a feisty, opportunistic Verstappen, who has matured significantly and is now driving with a title-contender’s perspective, has emerged as one to watch whenever the machines roll out at a track? Will Verstappen steal the show in Monaco?

Qualifying is of supreme importance in Monaco. It tells the first tale. But, at Monaco a lot can go wrong, nothing is certain.

Can anyone break Mercedes’ vise grip on P1 and P2? What about Bottas? Which edition (Bottas) will we see in Monaco?  Lewis will want to extend his lead. How will he perform on the affluent but treacherous streets? Leclerc has multiple battles to fight – within his team and elsewhere. Can he deliver the victory that slipped him earlier? And what about Verstappen? If the Honda-power is up to the task, can he deflect the Silver Arrows and win?

Who will win the Monaco GP?

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer