Sebastian Vettel: New cars make Monaco feel a 'lot different' to the past

Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel has said that the new cars Formula 1 has introduced for 2022 make the Monaco Grand Prix circuit feel a lot different compared to previous years.

The four-time world champion has won twice around the streets of Monte-Carlo – once for Red Bull and once for Ferrari – and so knows the circuit very well and how to get the very best out of a weekend.

However, despite all that experience, he admits that he is feeling a lot of new sensations this weekend when driving the track in his AMR22, such is the difference these new cars are throwing up in terms of driving compared to their predecessors.

Vettel actually had a positive Friday despite that, with him posting top ten times in both FP1 and FP2 in his Aston, and he’s hoping for a good qualifying session later on today.

Speaking yesterday evening, Vettel reflected on his Friday showing:

“Although I have raced here many times, this circuit feels a lot different in these new cars.

“The main difference is that the tyres are much bigger so it is more difficult to see the track around you.

“The cars are also much stiffer and going through the tunnel is not as easy as it used to be. I was lucky to save the car during a mistake at the Swimming Pool, despite my heart rate definitely going up!

“We tried some new things today, so we need to see what worked well and learn how to fine-tune the set-up more.

“Tomorrow the key will be making sure we have a clean lap in qualifying, especially during Q1 when the track will be busy.”

The stiffness of these cars is certainly generating a new dynamic for the drivers with many complaining that they are bouncing around the circuit, which is inherently bumpy in nature.

Lower profile tyres are also meaning the