1 Processional drivers pictured
While the debate rages on as to whether Monte Carlo remains a suitable location to host a world championship Grand Prix, there’s no denying it has a mythical quality. Monaco is a unique place, distinct from the Tilkedromes around the world. If you have a ken for rummaging through bargain bins, the editor of this magazine once wrote a book about it.
But, as students sitting an exam on chaos theory might well be asked, to what extent did the designer responsible for the Haas high-downforce wing help Charles Leclerc win this year’s Monaco Grand Prix?
As the weekend on the Côte d’Azure unfolded, the two Haas drivers became central to the outcome. Procedural post-qualifying technical checks found the DRS flaps on both Haas cars opened more than the maximum permitted 85mm. Both Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were running with a new rear wing; the non-conformity was the result of the trackside mechanics not being informed that the gap had to be set using measurements from a different area of the wing than before, owing to its different profile.
While the team admitted its error and claimed no performance advantage eventuated, the rules allow for no mitigations in this area and
