The Monaco roulette wheel continued the run of bad luck that has struck the reigning double championship team. Marcus Ericsson, in particular, was the unwitting victim of the huge pile-up in Sainte Devote in the first race. Stéphane Richelmi was able to salvage some points. While Monaco yielded a lean harvest, the overall performance gives cause for optimism. As the car set up was not perfect, the drivers lacked a little confidence and had an average qualifying session even though they had been on the front rows in the previous events. The system of two groups particular to Monaco only served to emphasize this discrepancy. Ericsson qualified on the sixth row and Richelmi on the ninth.
The first race only lasted a few hundred metres for Ericsson who was an unwitting victim of the collision triggered by Johnny Cecotto. His car was damaged and he had to retire. Richelmi managed to avoid the chaos and was in sixth place at the restart. But after changing his tyres too early he was unable to fend off his rivals at the end of the race and he finished ninth having lost eighth place – which would have given him pole for the sprint event – on the last lap. The second race was hell for Marcus who was stuck behind slower drivers and finished eighteenth. Stéphane was in a similar situation, but managed to bag the point that went with eighth place. Despite these difficult conditions, the times set by the drivers show that there is now light at the end of the tunnel.
François Sicard, Managing Director: “We have mixed feelings after the weekend. Bad luck seems to pursue Marcus. Without making any mistakes, he was again eliminated by an accident through no fault of his own. Stéphane drove a very good, solid, quick and consistent sprint race. Maybe our cars weren’t as quick as in the last heats and that didn’t help the drivers. We have a long break before the next round and we’re going to work very hard. I’m convinced that we’ll soon be back fighting at the front!”
Marcus Ericsson: “More bad luck! But that’s racing especially here in Monaco. There was absolutely nothing I could do about the crash at the start of the race, and of course it also handicapped me in the second one as I was stuck behind slower cars. We’re going to continue working and I know that the team has the resources to fight at the front. So I’m feeling confident for Silverstone.”
Stéphane Richelmi: “After a poor qualifying session I was able to avoid the first lap mayhem and restart in sixth place. Although I was supposed to do a long first stint I had to come in early, and I then did thirty-three laps on qualifying tyres. They were completely shot at the end and I wasn’t able to fend off Quaife-Hobbs in the last lap. Throughout the sprint race I was quicker than the drivers in front of me although I was unable to find a way past. Thus, I’m disappointed, but given the car’s performance I’m certain we’ll be fighting at the front in England.”
Next round: Great Britain: Silverstone 29-30 June.