FLYING BETWEEN THE BARRIERS – GUSTAV MALJA HEADS TO MONACO
300 km/h through the most glamorous streets of the world – the Monaco Grand Prix is the undeniable jewel in motor racing’s high-speed crown. The 2017 edition of Formula 1’s beloved barrier-glancing extravaganza takes place this weekend, with Gustav Malja and his FIA Formula 2 Championship rivals headlining the support bill.
“Monaco is one of the true highlights of the season,” says Malja. “It’s a tremendous challenge and there is absolutely no room for mistakes. It’s a great event, both on the track and off it.”
Malja completed a weekend of double points finishes last time out in Barcelona a fortnight ago, and intends to add to his tally on his third visit to Monte Carlo in single-seater racing.
The Racing Engineering driver first acquainted himself with the demanding street venue two years ago in Formula Renault 3.5 Series, and returned for a second time in 2016 in GP2 (rebranded F2 ahead of this season).
“I’ve raced in Monaco a couple of times now,” Malja continues. “I’ve loved it on both occasions, but historically it hasn’t been my best track. It’s a place which demands confidence and experience, but I really feel I’ve got that now. We had a good weekend in Barcelona and I’m aiming for points in both races again in Monaco.”
With overtaking virtually impossible within the tight confines of the principality, a strong qualifying performance is likely to be crucial in the quest for success on the Riviera.
“Qualifying will be key this weekend, as always in Monaco,” Malja concludes. “That hasn’t been our strength so far this season, but I’m confident that we can and will turn that around this weekend. I will give it my all and if we can just get ourselves some good grid slots, I think that we’ll be fast in the races.”
The F2 field will be running to an alternative time table this weekend, with on-track action in Monaco traditionally kicking off a day earlier than at other events. That means free practice and qualifying will take place on Thursday, followed by the feature race on Friday and the reverse-grid sprint race on Saturday.
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