The notorious Monaco circuit, which has no room for error. A number of rookies. The removal of traction control and now a good possibility of rain. Three drivers busting up their cars before practice was even completed.
No wonder Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton are expecting trouble.
Button was the first to publicly predict trouble, telling the BBC that under these conditions Monaco was “ten times more dangerous” than any other race.
He said: “With the white lines going up to Casino Square, if you touch one you’ve a big chance of putting your car into the wall.
“People have driven in the wet at Monaco with no TC before. If they can’t hack it they shouldn’t be there.
“So it’s going to be pretty intense, and you just hope we get some practice in before the race. The last thing we all want is to be barrelling into Casino with no practice in the wet.”
But he did say that he was hoping for rain as it would give him his best chance of a points finish: “It’s what I enjoy because you can make a difference with your driving, and it means I’ve a better chance.”
Next to express concern was Lewis Hamilton who, despite enjoying two excellent practice sessions, said he feared the race itself could be a disaster.
“It will be especially difficult here in the wet, especially this year without traction control. Pedro de la Rosa made a comment at the last test that it is incredibly difficult to get to full throttle here in the wet.
“With this circuit being so tight, I think it’s going to be a disaster.”
Every team is expecting rain and planning accordingly – especially since it is forecast to appear during both qualifying and the race.
Monaco five-day forecast from the BBC is available here >>
Check out the weather for yourself on the Monaco Live webcam here >>