Lights out in Monaco! Everything you need to know going into this F1 weekend

The picturesque Monaco will welcome Formula One to its backyard this weekend in what will be round 7 of the 2022 Grand Prix season.

World champion and current driver leader Max Verstappen will look to extend his slender lead when lights out is called on Sunday, while Ferrari will look to bounce back from their struggles last weekend in Spain.

For Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, this is a home Grand Prix.

Verstappen (110 points), however, will be buoyed by the fact that he comes to a track he won at last year.

Leclerc (who was meant to start from pole position last year) is currently second on the driver standings on 104 points.

The 24-year-old failed to take the start last year following a pre-race driveshaft issue.

As far as Constructor standings are concerned, Red Bull and Ferrari lead Mercedes, McLaren and Alfa Romeo to make the top five going into this weekend.

Red Bull - 195

Ferrari - 169

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 110

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 104

Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 85

George Russell (Mercedes) - 74

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 65

The palatial Monaco Grand Prix is always a hive of activity with celebrities and A-listers attending, and it was tennis ace Serena Williams who waved the chequered flag to signal the end of the race last year.

On the track itself, the Ferrari and Red Bull duel is set to continue; the Mercedes will look for more improvements while the McLaren will hope both their drivers can show consistency from first practice right through to Sunday.

The 2021 edition finished with Verstappen, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris on the podium, and few would bet against the Dutchman doing the business again here. 

Six more rounds remain for this half of the season after Monaco, thereafter the drivers will take a break beginning