It was perhaps inevitable that Lewis Hamilton’s sensational victory in Monaco last week would evoke comparisons between him and the late great Ayrton Senna. Indeed, only twenty-four hours before the race Hamilton was explaining to reporters how he wanted to emulate his childhood hero’s success at the Principality.

The diamond encrusted helmets that Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will sport in today’s Monaco Grand Prix have been rigorously proofed for aerodynamic efficiency, Forumula1.net has learned.

The McLaren-Mercedes duo will make the dash around the Monte Carlo streets this year in special personalised helmets; their signatures paved in a line of hundreds of Steinmetz diamonds.

Super Aguri refugee and Monaco specialist Anthony Davidson is chomping at the bit to go racing again, no more so than this weekend when he’ll watch his peers go hammer and tongs at the most prestigious circuit in the world.

Max Chilton, one of motorsport’s youngest and most exciting new prospects, is causing a stir in racing circles. Forumula1.net’s very own Chris Hayes catches up with the teenage sensation following his explosive debut in one of Formula One’s most long-standing recruiting grounds.

Words: Christopher Hayes
Photographs: Jakob Ebrey

“There’s a question mark over fuel loads and we won’t get an answer to that until the first pit stops tomorrow afternoon,” reflected Kimi Raikkonen after qualifying.

Indeed, the rumor in the Istanbul paddock is that Hamilton fudged it on the option tyres while gunning for pole on a lighter fuel load.

It all started so well for Williams: cream of the crop in winter testing and then a triumphant charge to the third step of the rostrum at the chaotic season curtain-raiser in Melbourne. True, the Australian Grand Prix was a one-off with a final classification of only eight cars, but the manner in which Nico Rosberg hustled the gearbox of Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber underlined the raw pace of the FW30.

A hundred thousand Spanish hearts shattered to pieces on Sunday as Fernando Alonso’s Renault V8 buckled and spluttered with agonising corollary. But the real damage, the lethal silent kind, came a day earlier when the double World Champion signalled to his rivals, with devastating effect: “I’m back”.

BMW Sauber arrived in Melbourne with a bang after dazzling the paddock with their qualifying pace and clinching a superb second-place. But could they – or is that should they – have delivered more in Sunday’s race?

With less than a week to go before the F1 circus revs into action in Melbourne, Forumula1.net takes a quick look at the 2008 runners and riders.

Ferrari

Car: F2008
Engine: Ferrari 056
Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen; Felipe Massa
Testers: Luca Badoer; Marc Gené

The introduction of Standard Electronic Control Units (SECUs) to prevent drivers using electronic aids marks one of the most radical regulation changes to date. Christopher Hayes assesses the impact of the common unit and looks at the reaction in the paddock.