On 5^th June, more than a thousand famous faces from the Northern Russian capital descended on the St. Petersburg theatre for a celebration of renowned sport stars, actors, television presenters and businessmen. In the sport category, Vitaly claimed the prize ahead of stiff competition in the name of tennis player Svetlana Kuznetsova and football star Aleksander Kerzhakov.

Unable to attend the ceremony, Vitaly spoke through a video message from the LRGP factory in England. His manager, Oksana Kossatchenko received the award on his behalf.

"This is another good win for Vitaly! We would like to thank all the people who voted for him, and who have helped him over the past ten years", said Kossatchenko.

"We promise to give all of Vitaly's fans the real victories on the racetracks as soon as possible. St. Petersburg is a beautiful and modern city, and I'm sure that sooner rather later we will see Formula One races nearby the Neva river".

Vitaly, how are you?

I'm fine, thank you. It's been a big crash but I'm ok. First of all, I would like to thank all my fans for all their well wishes, the medical teams at the circuit, the hospital for their efficient and friendly assistance, and the team for their concern. After the impact, I could not feel my legs very well. I thought it was best for the medical team to assist with removing me from the car as it was difficult for me to move and my legs were trapped in the cockpit. I did not lose consciousness but I was in quite a lot of pain when I was inside the car.

You were on your way to a possible 4^th place in Monaco…

It is a shame as I made a good start, gaining two places straight away. After my pitstop, I was stuck behind Kamui Kobayashi - who was very slow- and Adrian Sutil -who was defending his position really too aggressively- but I was being cautious as it is very difficult to pass on this track. Then I got caught in the incident. It is a shame, as we could have got quite a few points this weekend.

Are you ready for Montreal?

Of course! Actually, I'm now looking forward to Montreal. We need to sort out our problems in qualifying and we will get some good results, as our race pace is usually very good.

It was an eventful race in Monaco, what's your verdict now you have had time to reflect on that weekend?

Firstly, I was relieved to learn that Vitaly had not broken or fractured anything after he was caught up in the crash. It was a worrying moment when it happened but we were glad to learn soon afterwards that there was nothing seriously wrong at all. After that, came the disappointment of missing a good opportunity to score points. Vitaly was in a strong position to finish in the top three or four so we view that as a missed opportunity, but we also need to work on our qualifying to give ourselves a better chance each Sunday afternoon.

Some drivers (such as Jenson Button) have called for improved safety in Monaco following the crashes we saw last weekend – what's your view?

I can understand the views of some drivers when they see the dramatic crashes like we saw in Monaco. However, I think we need to keep a cool head on this issue. Our sport – in fact, any sport including speed – can be dangerous, and what has been impressive is that when there have been serious crashes, most drivers have emerged from the car without injuries. That, in itself, is a clear indication that our sport is quite safe. Formula 1 and the FIA have really raised their games in the last twelve months in terms of safety; there has been a lot of work on improving track design and car safety. I think that we now need to start working on more specific areas like the exit to the tunnel in Monaco. If we do this, there won't be so much drama in the future.

Last year in Montreal, Robert finished eighth and Vitaly fourteenth – how do you think we will fare this time around?

Canada is a special case because it's a low downforce track and a street circuit too. We expect Vitaly to perform stronger than last year because he has really stepped up to the plate so far this season. We've also got a better understanding of the Canadian Grand Prix now, after what we learnt when we were there last year, so I'm pretty sure both cars should be able to finish in the top eight.

You mentioned the need to improve qualifying performance – what steps can be taken to achieve this?

James Allison and the guys on the race team are working really hard on this. They have looked at the various issues and are starting to have a really clear understanding about what is missing. Our car is fast - sometimes very fast - and I'm confident that we can put everything together to ensure we are quick at any given time. There's no magic wand though, so we'll need to put in the hours in the wind tunnel to get to where we need to.

As a household name on the F1 calendar, what importance does the Canadian Grand Prix hold?

Canada is a massive asset for the sport because it is the one race in North America. The atmosphere and the fans are just amazing. A lot of races could only dream of having the attendance Canada has, and of getting such a great level of support. It really is magical to come back because of the tremendous level of support from everyone in the city.

What is your reaction to the decision of the FIA to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix?

Lotus Renault GP acknowledge the decision made by the FIA World Motor Sport Council today (Friday 3^rd June 2011). That decision is likely to be discussed internally within FOTA, and a more detailed joint position may be defined after those discussions have taken place. I have already spoken at length about our team's position recently: we are happy to go to Bahrain as long as our safety and the security of the people living there is guaranteed.

Driving Simulator

With in-season testing all but extinguished from the sport, the teams have sought to create a virtual testing environment using sophisticated driver simulators. Achieving this has proved to be a significant engineering challenge and there have been several false starts made and blind alleys pursued trying to create a simulator capable of mimicking the behaviour of the car accurately. Here at LRGP, we have judged that the technology is now sufficiently mature and the time is right to make a considerable investment in a state of the art simulator. The facility will be brought online towards the end of 2011 and will be a valuable performance tool over the coming seasons.

Upgraded wind tunnel

The wind tunnel that was built at Enstone in 1998 was the first of a new generation of Formula 1 wind tunnels. At the time, it was a ground-breaking development, but after 12 years of sterling service it was in need of a midlife upgrade. At the end of 2009 we took the first step in upgrading the facility when we fitted the tunnel with a new rolling road. In the first quarter of 2011 we have completed the upgrade by modifying the tunnel to accommodate a bigger model and installing a much more capable 60% scale model into it. The term "model" does not really do justice to the sophisticated piece of engineering that we use as the backbone of our wind tunnel testing. The new model has many man years of design and hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in it. It is stuffed full with new sensors and equipment that will allow us to perform much more accurate experiments than our old 50% model. We are looking forward to reaping the benefit of this investment over the coming months and years.

Faster CFD Supercomputer

In Formula 1, Computational Fluid Dynamics is a vital complementary tool to traditional wind-tunnel testing. LRGP was one of the first teams to invest heavily in this technology. Our CFD Centre, supported by a strong network of technical partners and suppliers, has been able to push the boundaries of CFD use, capable of simulating on-track conditions to an unprecedented degree of accuracy and enabling an accelerated aerodynamic development programme. With computing, nothing ever stands still, and although the original CFD Centre Supercomputer was only two years old, the time was right to invest in new hardware.

In January we installed a new Supercomputer cluster using the latest chipsets. Our new cluster has been designed to work optimally within the FOTA Aerodynamic Restrictions, delivering us greater computational efficiency and saving us money on our electricity bill. While the electricity bill reduction is welcome, the real prize is the improvement in efficiency. Aerodynamic downforce rules in F1 and this investment will pay us back very heavily in improved on track performance.

Four more points for the team in Monaco – what is your reflection on the last race?

Well, naturally we went to Monaco expecting more from the weekend. We were predicting a better performance and more points all around - we thought we would be quite strong there. I do feel, however, that we have come away from that weekend having learnt a lot more about the car, which is positive, and I'm sure we can take that knowledge into Canada and the races beyond in order to bring our performance up to a higher level.

There has been much discussion about the need for the team to improve its qualifying performances. Do you think this is currently the main obstacle to more points?

This is actually the area I focus on the most with the team, with the aim of maximising our potential there. If you look at my race performances, I think it is as good as it can be, and that's really helped us get the points we have this season. However, in Monaco especially, you cannot capitalise on the race pace if the qualifying is not at a high enough level. We know that qualifying is extremely important at all the F1 circuits.

The Canadian Grand Prix is a different type of race with long fast straights and slow, tight corners – how will you approach it?

Well, Canada is not as unique as Monaco but it does still stand out in its own way. It has slow chicanes and fast straights, so it is going to be a different kind of drive than the last race. We tend to have fast straight line speed which should help us.

You have been on the podium here in Canada before, are you looking forward to coming back?

I look forward to every race, yes, but this is a very special one because I've finished second here before. The race itself is unique - Montreal is a big city and it must be the only venue in Formula 1 where the city lives and breathes the sport for that week. There are postcards and souvenirs everywhere, and the support really is fantastic. It's not every day you come across an F1 venue where the whole city gets behind the race like Montreal does.

You are now 6^th in the 2011 Drivers' Standings – is this a personal motivation for you to do well at each race?

This is what I targeted two races ago so it is nice having achieved this short term goal. I'm now ahead of Nico (Rosberg) and Felipe (Massa), so it is a motivation for me to keep striving to do well and scoring points to stay ahead. I am quite a way off Fernando (Alonso) in fifth position still, however the season is long and my target is to move further forward. What's more important, though, is that we continue to understand and develop the car so that our performance improves as a team. Once this happens, the chance of securing big points will become more and more likely.

However, the team has agreed to work with the Quebec authorities on a more noticeable way to keep complying with the local legislation in 2012.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal and Managing Director: "We're delighted to be able to race in Montreal in our usual colour scheme. The Quebec authorities noted that the current livery makes a reference to images from the 1980s when the car was sponsored by the tobacco industry, but it has also accepted the fact that Lotus Renault GP receives no direct or indirect financing from the industry in question. We would like to thank them for acknowledging our good faith. We are fully aware of the stringent restrictions imposed by the law in Quebec on promotional associations with tobacco. As a result, we will use all means available to dispel any misconceptions that our identity and that of our partners is somehow associated with this industry".

Are you happy with your season so far? (asked by Tasha Dragonfly)

VP: Not entirely happy as we are still not yet at 100%, and we can go a lot further than we have done already. We can achieve better results once we have upped our game in qualifying. Then, more points will come.

In what ways have you improved as a driver since last year? (asked by KIMLAWL)

VP: I now know what I can ask of the team in order to improve my results and how to get a better understanding of the car. I know the circuits better this year too, so that is obviously a massive help.

What's the best thing about driving an F1 car? (asked by LIAM_PC79)

VP: Everything about it is amazing. The speed, G-Force, everything is great. It really is an incredible feeling being in that car.

What do you say to yourself if you have made a mistake in a race? (asked by NAUSE8)

VP: You don't have time during the race. Of course you know when you do something wrong and you will want to improve on it next time, but there is no time to think about saying any particular words during the race.

What is your favourite track and why? (asked by CHRISHALL)

VP: I love all the tracks. It's very special to drive at each individual circuit because they are unique in their own particular ways.

After the first Race Day took place for the Spanish GP the previous Sunday, this time guests were treated to a spectacular and eventful race in Monaco, which saw Sebastian Vettel claim his maiden victory in the Principality after the race had to be restarted due to a large crash.

The Lotus Renault GP Race Day included a fantastic package for fans of the team. Starting with a read of the Sunday papers over breakfast, guests were given a review of the previous day's qualifying, brunch and live pre-race broadcast links from Sporting Director Steve Nielsen and Race Engineer Alan Permane. Additionally there was the F1 simulator, Batak machine and the Pit stop challenge to have a go at, with prizes for the winners!

After live uninterrupted large-screen broadcast of the race in the on-site Auditorium, there was a Race debrief and Q&A by the professional host.

The Race Days offer an exclusive opportunity to be a part of the action right at the heart of the Lotus Renault GP team. If you would like to be a part of it, there are plenty more Race Days this season, starting with the next one for the British Grand Prix on Sunday 11^th July.

The 2011 Monaco Grand Prix will be one that's hard to get. Firstly, of course our collective LRGP thoughts went to Vitaly who got caught up in an unfortunate crash between Adrian Sutil and Jaime Alguersuari when he was closing in on a fourth place finish.

Thankfully, after being taken on a precautionary visit to hospital, it was found that Vitaly had not broken or fractured anything, and just had some pain to his left ankle. Our very own 'Vyborg rocket' was in good spirits and we are looking forward to him taking the field in Montreal at the end of next week.

Nick put in a sterling performance to finish eighth (after starting in 16^th ). Doing what Nick knows how to do best - weaving his way up the lineup - he was able to salvage four points for the team. What was disappointing, however, was that despite what looked a gloomy outlook prior to the race, we could have actually scored some more points.

Yesterday was a real shake-up for the Monaco Grand Prix. For those who say that overtaking is impossible at the street circuit, and that you have to have 100% reliance on qualifying, were proved wrong. Perhaps the 2011 race will be a one-off and next year we will return to a Monaco Grand Prix where cars finish the race where they started it. Perhaps. But, this year, we were given a spectacle which has led us to believe something different. There is more to this race than tradition and memories. The Monaco Grand Prix is very much alive and well, and anyone who thinks that the sport should all be about modern, out-of-town, convenience-based tracks in the new world should take a leaf out of the old world's book, and just look at what such a unique race as yesterday's offers us.

I would even go as far as saying there should be more circuits like Monaco on the calendar. Not too many, but just a sprinkling to keep the drivers and the viewing public challenged.

Yesterday's race had everything - two safety cars and a restart, ensuring that the outcome was anything but clear. We saw agressive driving, errors, unexpected pit stops and yes, traffic. Prior to the Sutil-Alguersuari crash, there was quite a scene. A queue of five cars all vying for position on a fairly narrow stretch of track. Who would have thought it?

A combination of the heat, crowded streets, small team garages and narrow roads all created a race day reaching boiling point, with the adrenalin running high. You would not want that every race; it would not be sustainable. One thing's for sure - the logistics of a race like Monaco are challenging and put added strain on all involved. But, we would not have it any other way. It's all part and parcel of the Formula 1 circus.

As for LRGP, well we will travel to Canada next week knowing that we must take a step up in our qualifying session in order to give ourselves less of a hard time during the race. If we do that, with our respectable race speed, we should be challenging at the top end for points again.

To the Prinicipality of Monaco, for now, it's goodbye.

Vitaly, how are you?

I'm fine, thank you. It's been a big crash but I'm ok. First of all, I would like to thank all my fans for all their well wishes, the medical teams at the circuit, the hospital for their efficient and friendly assistance, and the team for their concern. After the impact, I could not feel my legs very well. I thought it was best for the medical team to assist with removing me from the car as it was difficult for me to move and my legs were trapped in the cockpit. I did not lose consciousness but I was in quite a lot of pain when I was inside the car.

You were on your way to a possible 4^th place in Monaco…

It is a shame as I made a good start, gaining two places straight away. After my pitstop, I was stuck behind Kamui Kobayashi - who was very slow- and Adrian Sutil -who was defending his position really too aggressively- but I was being cautious as it is very difficult to pass on this track. Then I got caught in the incident. It is a shame, as we could have got quite a few points this weekend.

Are you ready for Montreal?

Of course! Actually, I'm now looking forward to Montreal. We need to sort out our problems in qualifying and we will get some good results, as our race pace is usually very good.

Here at Lotus Renault GP we are very well. The disappointment of yesterday's qualifying result (of P11 and P16) has bettered. It's not all that bad. Vitaly will not have to start the session on the same tyres he used yesterday, and Nick the terrier could just have a flying start.

Alright, it might not happen, but we know this race is unpredictable and we know it pushes drivers to the very limit.

Here at LRGP Motorhome HQ we are in more buoyant spirits. THe sun is shining and there is little to worry about. Let's go out and enjoy it, have some fun and try to make a point. Whilst we are at it, let's get some points why not!

Historically, Enstone teams have hit top form in Monaco (although history doesn't always repeat itself). And with a disappointing pace shown on Thursday, we were hopeful our form would improve today as it has done so often this season come P3 and qualifying.

Given this, there was real reason for optimism that things might come good just at the right time. Unfortunately that did not happen; we struggled (as we did on Thursday) when using the supersoft tyres, seeing little marked improvement in lap time. Q3 did not beckon for either Vitaly or Nick today, as we had hoped heading into this weekend, however that should not be reason for despair. We know that we can start well – we saw that in Malaysia. And there will be even more emphasis on the importance of this tomorrow because if we don't, then it will be a real battle to achieve the points the team wants.

As we know, anything can happen here in Monaco over 78 laps. And we are not just saying that as a reason for false optimism, not at all. There is a real possibility for mistakes here, cars scraping into the sides of the tight turns can lose time and that is when the passing opportunities (which are few and far between normally) will present themselves.

In 11^th, Vitaly is the first car on the grid not having to use the tyres he qualified with. Looming just outside the top 10, the Vyborg rocket will be very much ready to pounce. In 16^th, Nick's tenacity may just prove more fruitful than we imagine. Though much of our success tomorrow may be out of our hands, points are still very much up for grabs. And if we do score some points, we might just prove people right.

Qualifying: P11, 1.15.815, 21 laps

Nick Heidfeld, R31-04

Qualifying: P16, 1.16.124, 22 laps

Neither LRGP cars were able to seek the pace necessary to secure spots in Q3 today, despite improving their times since Thursday's practice sessions.

Vitaly finished in P11 with a time of 1min 15.815secs, missing out on a place in Q3 after finding himself more than three-tenths of Sergio Perez in 10^th.

Nick, meanwhile posted a best time of 1min 16.124secs, leaving him in P16 on tomorrow's grid.

Free Practice 3: P15, 1:17.779, 17 laps

Nick Heidfeld, R31-04

Free Practice 3: P16, 1:17.880, 17 laps

Nick and Vitaly came out on soft tyres for their installation laps before the session was suspended early on due to Nico (Rosberg)'s crash coming out of the tunnel.

Returning to track on their scrubbed softs, Vitaly put in a time of 1min 18.279secs whilst Nick clocked in with a 1min 18.945secs.

On Pirelli's super soft compound, Vitaly's posted his best time of 1min 17.779secs putting him 15^th fastest. On the same compound, Nick finished 16^th quickest with a best time of 1min 17.880secs.

VP: At the beginning of the year we didn't know how quick we would be, because pre-season testing didn't give us a clear idea, and there was also Robert's accident. This of course was bad news for the team and affected our preparations too, so it was a difficult way to start to the season. Having said that, we achieved podiums in our first two races which was great for our morale. The team has worked hard but we would like to, and can achieve, more. We need to continue to work hard and if we do, we will get some good results.

How have you improved since last year?

VP: I know a lot more compared to last year and I think I have made a big improvement at all the tracks. I know how Formula 1 works and I feel that I am a completely different person within myself compared to last year.

Do you now live somewhere different?

VP: I moved to Oxfordshire in the off-season. I find that it is very good as it is very easy for me to visit the factory whenever there is anything new for the car. Whenever my engineers want to talk to me, I can be at the factory within half an hour. This has been very important for me and helps me in being a part of the team. In many ways, where you live is not too big a thing, because you are only ever home for three days before you go off travelling again.

Do you get distracted by things going on away from the track?

VP: I prefer to stay focused and not become involved in too many activities. Sometimes I even have dinner alone because it is quiet and you don't get many opportunities for peace when you are at a race meeting.

Monaco, Montreal and Valencia are all street courses – how do you find these?

VP: It is just a different type of track. They are completely different from a permanent race circuit so you need to prepare in a different way. You need to stay very focused and concentrate all the time as street courses do not allow for mistakes.

A big change for this season has been the Pirelli tyres. How have you found these?

VP: For us drivers there is a big difference from before because we are now experiencing big degradation, and it's not easy to drive when the tyres are almost finished. This is a new challenge and one where we have to work very hard with strategy. For spectators it has been good as they can see a lot of strategies and a lot of overtaking, so I think for them it is more interesting to watch Formula 1.

Did you expect to have such early success this year?

VP: We did not really expect that podium in the first race of the year, and for everyone it was a good experience. The performance from the car was strong and our preparation and tactics were better than our opposition, so we did a good job in Australia. Of course, we know it's not easy to fight with strong teams like Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren, but we have shown that we can battle with them. For the rest of the season, I want more and the team wants more, so with hard work it (success) will happen.

NH: It's been a great experience so far. Obviously it was a very late call for me to come into the team; from the first day on I felt extremely welcome and I have really enjoyed working with the guys. We started trying to improve things together during winter testing and I'm still trying to work together with everyone to improve things further. As the season progresses, it becomes trickier to go into specific details (like you can when you are testing) because you are focusing just so much on the actual racing, but all in all it has been a positive experience so far.

How easy was it to come in at such short notice?

NH: Lotus Renault GP made it very easy for me. It could have been very difficult, but actually in this instance it was not. Also for the team, I don't think it was an easy situation having to make a plan after what happened to Robert who is still very much a part of the team and did a great job last year, but we had to deal with the circumstances as they happened. But the team is a very open one and we all knew we had to deal with the situation and make the best we possibly could out of it. We are able to have lots of dialogue and suggest things, and LRGP has been the most open out of all the teams I have driven for in my career – that is something I like a lot and it is the reason I feel so at home here. From the very beginning there has been a lot of trust in each other, so it fits very well for me.

How does the challenge of joining Lotus Renault rank alongside the other ones you have had in your career?

NH: Well, the challenges I've faced in F1 have all been very different. The unique thing about this season is that I was pretty sure I would not start the season as a racing driver because I was expecting to start as a test or reserve driver. Obviously the news came very late in the day, the year had already started and one test had already taken place, so then to get the opportunity to have a driver's seat – and in a good team – was a very special situation.

At the current stage of your career, do you approach things differently than you did say 5 or 6 years ago?

NH: Yes, you develop and mature as a person and driver over the years but just in a normal and natural way. Of course, to have experience as a driver helps a lot when you go out on track.

There has been plenty of talk among fans and media that the R31 has not yet reached its potential – do you agree?

NH: There's always room for improvement and, as a driver, I'm never completely satisfied unless I achieve the absolute maximum – I am always striving for more. I think we did reach our best at the beginning of the season when we got onto the podium two races running, but then on the other hand in a couple of races I have not started at particularly strong places on the grid. Some of the poorer grid positions have been down to bad luck but I don't feel you can just call it bad luck and leave it there, you could say you make your own luck. There is always room to plan and prepare things differently to avoid getting into those unlucky situations. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my race performances this season and I think given the conditions and situations at various races we have put in our best efforts.

Last weekend you came from the back of the grid to finish 8^th – do you like driving in those sort of conditions where you can race unnoticed?

NH: The best thing as a driver is to fight at the front and win, but if you are starting last and finishing 8^th it really is so much fun. Fighting your way through the field and having to be at your absolute limit right through the race is a unique situation and a lot more fun.

Some might say "well this is only the dress rehearsal, I'm only going to tune in on Sunday". Well, that may be the case to a certain extent – today was, after all, a practice day. But this was a day of trialling new tyres, reminding oneself about the twists and turns of this most unusual of circuits and concentrating 100%.

In short, this was a day of absolute concentration. The time allocated to try out this season's F1 cars here in Monte Carlo is very much of the essence. There is today and Saturday morning to practise. On Saturday afternoon, it's Qualifying. And because the amount of time is so limited, drivers have to use it well. Picture yourself driving around a street in a pleasant Cote D'Azur town, travelling at 280 kilometres per hour – not everyday stuff really, is it?

And that's why this weekend's race, and today included,requires such immense driver concentration. This is no ordinary circuit - there are tight corners, chicanes and a tunnel to contend with. Aside from all that, there's the gleaming blue water, picture postcard mountain backdrop and thousands of style icons in every direction you look. For the drivers, concentration is absolutely paramount, and the training for that begins today because come Saturday, there will be no second chances. Qualifying, as everyone in the sport will say, sets the scene for Sunday.

Overtaking chances are few and far between this weekend, and so where you qualify could well be where you finish come the chequered flag on Sunday afternoon.

Concentration is what it is all about here. Absolutely no-one will want to take their eye off the prize.

Free Practice 2: P10, 1:17.126, 38 laps

Vitaly Petrov, R31-03

Free Practice 2: P11, 1:17.337, 35 laps

LRGP enjoyed a full outing in FP2, with both Nick and Vitaly trialing the soft and supersoft tyres provided by Pirelli this weekend.

On his fourth stint on-track, Nick posted a session-best time of 1min 17.126secs on the supersoft tyres.

Vitaly managed a time of 1min 17.337secs on the same compound, but had to finish the session before his teammate after an incident where he lost control when he faced some oversteer and understeer problems.

LRGP managed to complete the programme it set out to on Day 1 of the 2011 Monaco GP.

The target of the day was also to understand the supersofts Pirellis. Evaluating these tyres was key to the day, as a good grid position is always a priority in Monaco. In the end, they seem to be well over a second quicker than the soft spec.

Overall, There were fewer incidents than in first practice, although Vitaly slid into the barriers on the approach to the chicane and did minor damage to his R31 (front wing, essentially).

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso put his Ferrari on top of the timesheets. The Spaniard led the session for the majority of the afternoon, staying ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button, while championship leader Sebastian Vettel was back in fifth.

In the end, Nick just go into the top 10, while Vitaly finished with the 11^th performance of the day.

Free Practice 1: P9, 1:18.733, 16 laps

Nick Heidfeld, R31-04

Free Practice 1: P11, 1:18.928, 19 laps

In hot conditions (26°C), the first practice session of the 2011 Monaco GP got underway, with Nick and Vitaly both getting out onto the famous street circuit.

It was a frenetic session with plenty of action on-track, including a burst water pipe bringing a short halt to proceedings 30 minutes in.

Vitaly went out for his installation lap on Pirelli's soft tyres and, despite reporting understeer and poor traction, posted a session-best time of 1min 18.733secs, leaving him in P9 having completed 16 laps.

Nick, meanwhile put in a best time of 1min 18.928secs, leaving him 11^th fastest after the 90 minutes, following 19 laps of the track.

Nick, second here in 2005. Renault reckon they are historically good here. What are your thoughts about this race coming up?

NH: I am definitely looking forward to it. Renault has been strong here the last couple of years. Robert (Kubica) did a strong job here last year qualifying second and finishing on the podium. Obviously, it is going to be the first time for me with this car here. It seems that our car performs strong over a bumpy surface, which we always have here in Monaco, so it is going to be interesting.

And you have finished nine out of your 10 Monaco Grands Prix. What's the secret to that?

NH: Not crashing into the barriers! I didn't know that. I think that is quite a high rate of finishing and probably that's why even in weak cars sometimes you score points here, so that's obviously quite important.

This year you are saying that tyres are the key?

NH: Well tyres this year have been important in each of the races. For the first time this year we are on the supersoft tyres. We have used them in testing but that was quite a while ago and it is going to be crucial and quite interesting to see how the tyres are going to behave. We will try to use Practice One and Two to get a good understanding for them.

Monaco is also special because you don't drive on Friday. Do you like that and do you have a routine for what you do on Friday?

NH: Pretty much the same; I would prefer to drive on Friday. As it is now, you have some meetings with the engineers, some PR stuff to do, but basically in your mind, you're just looking forward to the next day, you want to get into the car and get on with it.

Qualifying seems to be most exciting but not so important. Would you suggest changing the system again and maybe to come back to the system of some years ago with only one lap, to make it more exciting?

NH: Well, the reason why qualifying might not be as important as in the past any longer is nothing to do with the way qualifying is now, in three sessions. It's down to the tyres, why some teams over the last few races chose to save some tyres. I think the way qualifying is now with the three sessions, down to ten cars at the end is good, but we have to see if we want to have it the way it is now, that people chose not to go onto the quicker tyres.

I don't know if you are aware but there was a huge lorry fire down at turn one last night and they've had to replace a very large section of tarmac there, going into the apex and it's in the braking zone as well. I just wondered if any of you have been down there and viewed it at all, and if you haven't, your thoughts on it, how dangerous it might be?

NH: Well, I don't know if it's true, but from what I heard, it was dangerous of the guy to smoke and fuel the car at the same time. I don't know if there really is a reason but that's the one I was given! I walked the circuit before and it looked OK, it didn't look… it looked like they did a good job.

We know now that overtaking is possible; I want to know what you think about overtaking here on such a narrow track, Monaco? What's going to happen?

NH: I think we've seen a lot more overtaking everywhere so far, but I think in Monaco it will still stand out in the way that there will not be more overtaking than in the past, even though we will be allowed to use the DRS on the start and finish straight. First of all, it's (the zone is) very short, like 350meters or something like that – the whole straight – and in the past we've had like 800meters. And on top of that, even if you use it, there's no way you can go, because the car in front of you is taking what we call a straight line, it takes the corner on the right hand side, on the inside. You cannot go to the left on the outside because there's no way you're going to pass there, so I think it's a bit useless to use the DRS here to be honest, but we're going to use it. If we will see more overtaking? It might be more down to the tyres, but as we've discussed earlier on, we still have to fight out how big the differences are between soft and supersoft and how long the tyres are going to last.

It was a race of contrasting fortunes in Spain, what are your emotions following such a mixed result?

EB: On the one hand it was frustrating. Vitaly qualified sixth on the grid, could have been even quicker on his qualifying lap on Saturday and then during the race he dropped some places today, so we had greater expectations with his car. On the other hand, we are pleased for Nick who started the race at the back of the grid and came all the way up to 8^th before crossing the line, so that was positive. On top of that, he was fast chasing both Mercedes so it could have been even better.

The season is looking more settled now, and a pattern appears to be emerging with race results – what does the team need to do to keep up with the improved Mercedes team?

EB: We're not very far away at all. Our car seems to be fast, we just still need to find some consistency in our way of creating successful strategies and, of course, pit stops. If we do that, we will be there. If we do not miss any laps (in qualifying), we will get a good grid position for the race, and during the race itself it looks like our car can compete for top six. Once we are all in line together, we will be there.

As we look to Monaco this week, what are your thoughts going into this unique race?

EB: Historically Enstone cars have been good in Monaco, and I think our car will be good there this time too. The tyre strategies will be very complicated, but it could also work well for us so we will see how we get on. The track itself is so different to anything else you will see in the sport's calendar – it is twisting and turning with very few chances to pass other cars. Not only that, but the track evolves over the weekend (because of the fact it is a public road normally – so we can expect to see cars improve their performance after Thursday. As a team, we can hardly wait for the weekend.

As a Team Principal, what is the experience like at the Monaco GP where you feel that much closer to the action?

EB: The Monaco weekend is like stopping breathing! We have a very busy weekend, with less sleep and lots of work to ensure we get the best we possibly can out of it. I'm confident we will do well here.

How significant is the Monaco race to the sport of F1?

EB: Monaco is one of the key races we have in the calendar, for historical reasons, for glamour reasons and even for sporting reasons because it's a very specific track. It's a very unique race on the calendar, which makes Formula 1 magic.

With DRS authorised for the race, do you think it can be used safely and at what stage of the lap can we expect to see it?

EB: The concern about DRS usage in Monaco is focussed on its potential use in the tunnel. This will not be a factor in the race, as the DRS sector will be on the main straight only. However, in Free Practice and Qualifying, DRS use is unrestricted. The teams will therefore attempt to use the wing as much as possible around the lap. There will be some places where it will be possible to use without difficulty, and other places where the drivers will not feel confident. In this respect it is identical to every other track this so far this season - the driver has to judge where he can safely activate the DRS. All attention is focussed on the tunnel, as there will be a good lap time benefit for using the DRS here if the car can manage it. Some feel that the incentive to benefit will force drivers to take unnecessary risks. My own view is that the drivers will build up their confidence gradually during free practise and by the time qualifying arrives they will know in how much of the tunnel they can safely use the DRS wing. Often in the past the tunnel has been very tricky to take flat out at the start of the race weekend when the track is poor. This has not caused the drivers to crash, they have simply built up their pace gradually until they were confident that it could be taken flat – I think the same approach will emerge with the DRS

• Nick had more fresh tyres than his rivals after missing qualifying yesterday.

• Nick started on new hard tyres, taking on fresh sets of softs on laps 21, 36 and 50.

• Vitaly started on scrubbed soft tyres, changing to scrubbed softs on laps 11 and 26, then to new prime on lap 41.

• Nick set his fastest time, 1:26.958, using soft tyres on lap 61. It was the third fastest of the race;

• Vitaly set his best time, 1:29.592, on lap 35 using soft tyres.

Vitaly Petrov, P11, R31-03

"I am naturally disappointed not to make better use of my grid position and not pick up some points. It seems that my qualifying position had little effect for the race today, so we need to analyse in detail exactly why that happened. I managed to start ok and move up a position into fifth, but it was then difficult to get to the leading pack, which is where we want to be. But, this is one result and one result only and I want to put things right in Monaco, where qualifying will be extremely important. Of that there is little doubt. At least as a team we picked up some more points with Nick, so we must take the positives and move forwards."

Nick Heidfeld, P8, R31-04

"I'm satisfied with eighth after starting from last position. Just like in Turkey, with one or two laps more I could have gained one or two more positions from the two Mercedes, but it's still a good result if you look at where I started and everything that happened to the car over this weekend. I had a good start then I had to fight through the field with many overtaking moves so it was good fun for me behind the wheel. It's always encouraging to put in a strong performance, and I'm more happy and relaxed heading to Monaco."

Eric Boullier, Team Principal and Managing Director

"I think frustrated is the right word to describe Vitaly's result, because yesterday he could have been even faster on his qualifying lap. And then today, even when he was in a promising position at sixth on the grid, he dropped down some places, which was not what we expected. On the other hand, we are happy for Nick who came from the back of the grid to finish in eighth. He was chasing both Mercedes in the final lap, and he almost finished ahead of Nico (Rosberg), so all in all he had a good race."

Alan Permane, Chief Race Engineer

"Our strategy with Nick paid off. We decided to run the prime tyre first, the hard tyre which we ran for 21 laps which was our target, then we had three relatively short sprints on brand new options. Nick was a little bit unlucky as one more lap he would have had both Mercedes. Unfortunately Vitaly didn't have a great race. His first stint was very good and he was pulling away from the cars behind, but then he seemed to struggle on his second and third sets of tyres so we have to investigate and understand what went wrong for him. Our pit stops weren't as slick as they should have been today, so ultimately we could have done a better job."

Riccardo Penteado, LRGP Engine Support Leader, Renault Sport F1

"A great result for Nick. We're seeing the result of the tyre degradation quite obviously here – Vitaly started three of the four stints on used tyres, so unfortunately just missed out on the points in 11^th while Nick was on new sets after every pit stop. What we are seeing this year is that the extra pit stops allied with the use of the DRS and KERS are having a big effect on fuel consumption, so there is a lot of extra strategy about when to use certain settings and maps. We tried to give Nick as much power as we could without sacrificing performance and having too much fuel in the end – it worked pretty well, Nick did a really good job and was even close to taking another place."

• Did you know?

Nick was just 0.231secs away from the fastest lap time of the day

There may well be other contenders for those races that like to consider themselves the Grand Prix. The British GP at Silverstone, the home of motorsport. The name of Spa-Francorchamps is synonymous with any competition on four wheels. Singapore even, as a new contender for most memorable race because it takes place at night. However, there is nowhere quite like Monaco for wow factor.

This time yesterday, we were still in Barcelona chewing over what was a mixed result for the team on Sunday. However, there was little time to dwell as all thoughts were now turning to a little race in Monaco.

As our team minibus set off from the hotel at 10.30am, we cruised up the A9, before enjoying a stop-off for some moules-frites at a delightful fishing town just across the French border (see photos). With a cloudless sky above, and the thermometer rising to the top end of the twenties, the mood was buoyant ahead of our arrival at (I'll say it once again) Monaco. Well, Monte Carlo to be precise.

Five hours on from lunch, having skirted past the likes of Montpellier and Aix-en-Provence, we found ourselves emerging and exiting the renowned tunnels of the Cote d'Azur. For anyone that knows this part of the world, there is a certain thrill to exiting these tunnels and seeing what view lies to the side. Enter a tunnel with nothing other than a Intermarché hypermarket on the right. On exit, nothing but clear blue ocean and yachts-a-many moored at the port.

Ask any other driver – even ask our Nick or Vitaly – and they will tell you it is this race that has the x-factor. A street circuit that's close to the crowds, hugs the water and one that twists and turns into Monte Carlo's very heart. This is Formula 1's trump card, and it plays it splendidly. Being given a newspaper's calendar of sport supplement on January 1 ^st each year, a sports fan may mark out the likes of a World Cup, an Olympics, Wimbledon, perhaps the Champions League Final, the Ashes (if you're English or Australian!), and you can add to that, the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. Not a little scribble, not some footnote, but firmly at the heart of any sporting calendar in bold and underlined. This is where it happens.

The glitz, the glamour – you will hear these words tossed around in abundance over the next few days as the race approaches. Yes, there is a heavy dose of 21^st-century excitement and lavishness, but one ingredient of the successful Monaco GP recipe that should not be forgotten is tradition. This ingredient is one that certainly is not forgotten by the drivers competing here – they will be heading into the race knowing that the legends have won here. Sir Jackie Stewart won here three times, as did Sir Stirling Moss. Alain Prost four times, Michael Schumacher five, Graham Hill five and Ayrton Senna a magnificent six. For the F1 grid of 2011, there is an opportunity to join these greats on the winners' board, and come Sunday that is exactly what they will be hoping to achieve.

VP: "We learnt even more about tyre degradation, and it's clear that we need more new, fresh tyres because they wear very quickly. To start on the grid in P6 and finish 11^th is not what I'd hoped for, but we must now start looking at improving for Monaco which is only a few days away. We've had a chance to analyse some aspects of the race already and we will come into Monaco with a stronger performance.

How was the reception from the Spanish fans this weekend?

VP: "It was great actually. I did the Driver Parade earlier and they were all clapping and cheering me, so I was really pleased about that.

Looking ahead to Monaco, what are going to be the key challenges at what is a very unique circuit?

VP: "One thing is clear – qualifying will be crucial there, because of how the track is. That is the key to success, and I think we can have one of our best races there."

How different is F1 now compared to this time last year?

VP: "Well, I have mentioned the tyres but the DRS is useful – it takes some getting used to but it's very helpful in overtaking, and it can benefit us if we use it well. We should not forget KERS, which is another thing for the teams to consider but it adds another side to the competition.