Don’t get me wrong, Martin’s Grid Walks and other items are worth watching, but he sometimes comes across as a bit arrogant and totally unenthusiastic, almost to the point of sounding bored sometimes.

Croft/Davidson, as James did, show a great deal of enthusiasm and technical knowledge.

I say – go there, then criticise. It’s the best opportunity in the season to get really close to the action and to the personnel after the race. I got jostled by Adrian Newey in 2007, nearly bumped him into the harbour. And met Max in 2006, not sure I’d shake his hand (eeewwwww) if I met him again.

It’s clean and accessible (hello Silverstone, hello Donnington).

It’s historical (hello Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Korea, India).

It’s cramped but extremely well organised and because you are in the centre of town you’re never far from a decent bar or cafe – and not as expensive as you’d think.

Everything suggests that Lewis has some winning chances – he is quick around Monaco (he would have you believe that he’s the reincarnation of Senna at Monaco) and the McLaren’s main weakness (high-speed grip) will not really come into play. But I’d be wholly unsurprised if Lewis stuffed it in the wall or into another car. There seems to be some desperation showing through at the moment in his driving.

Who else? I’d be interested in Trulli – the Toyota too has very good rear-end grip and traction with its well-developed double diffuser and Trulli is something of a Monaco specialist. I expect to see Trulli on the front row. Rosberg too for similar reasons (2nd at Singapore 2008 – street circuit, and I dimly remember him showing well in Monaco – at least in free practice…).

The others have to be outside favourites…

On the subject of KERS, it is really designed to overtake, not to set up good lap times, and since Monaco is…look, Monaco is no track for KERS. Period!

(whaddya’ll reckon. just a question of how much the lack of efficient aero can be hidden by mechanical grip, and how ineffective kers will be: if the kers boys can somehow find a coupla bits of non-traction limited track, then they have 78laps worth of 6.6seconds, most kers output of anywhere.
will it be enough to get past anyone, surely the tunnel/chicane?)

… much better than the stingy 3 and a bit you’ll get for vettel to upset the brawns.
surprisingly, webber is way, waaay out at 15-1, that might tempt Dominic J (above). 15 what’s that all about? i might even have a chunk of that for myself come to think of it.

weather forecast is all dry and sunny … so far