Nicholas Latifi explains Monaco drink drama

Monaco Grand Prix

Latifi explains Monaco drink drama

Latifi finished 15th in his maiden Monaco Grand Prix

Ewan Gale

Tuesday 25 May 2021 14:57

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The Monaco Grand Prix can be the ultimate test of an F1 driver at the most simple of times due to the high concentration needed around the narrow and twisting streets of the Principality.

So imagine hustling a car around for 78 laps with no ability to drink. That is what Nicholas Latifi had to contend with after forgetting to hook up his drinks tube during pre-race preparations.

The Williams driver, who was contesting his first Monaco Grand Prix, said: "There was nothing exciting about the race, no Monaco chaos but that is how it goes sometimes here.

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"The only mistake I made was forgetting to put my drinks tube in my mouth at the start of the race so I just did the whole race and didn't realise until afterwards that I didn't drink anything."

Monaco failed to suit Williams

Latifi finished 15th in Monaco, leaving the Canadian and Williams still searching for their first points since he joined the team before last year's Covid-hit campaign.

"It was tough out there for sure," he added. "I was expecting a very tough race, just from a concentration element.

"First time here, you start off on your first laps in FP1 and you do consecutive laps. It is one thing to do push, push push, which is difficult in its own right.

"But keeping that concentration, being on the limit, the tyres going away, heavy fuel, it is a very, very tricky race. Probably the trickiest I have done so far in F1.

"I feel I managed it quite well. It is definitely a track that doesn't suit our car. Both low and high fuel, the slow speeds, the bumps, it was very tough out there to manage and I am sure it was for George [Russell].

"I feel like I looked after the tyres the best I could, think I had some more pace than George at various points in the race but ultimately we weren't in a position to score points anyways."