Raikkonen: There’s nothing like the Monaco Grand Prix

Ferrari drivers Massa and Raikkonen at Monaco

F1 Championship leader Kimi Raikkonen is excited about the upcoming race. Formula 1 travels to the legendary streets of Monaco for the 55th Monaco Grand Prix. The most prestigious race on the calendar every driver hopes to win one day.

Raikkonen managed to win the Grand Prix of Monaco just once so far. In 2005 Raikkonen won his first and only Monaco Grand Prix when the Finn finished with his McLaren well ahead of Williams drivers Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber.

This weekend Raikkonen hopes to fight for his third win of the season. "For me every race is important for the Championship. But as a race there is nothing like the Monaco GP," Raikkonen said looking ahead of the upcoming race. "To race in the Principality is really different from everywhere else: it is really difficult to have a perfect weekend here. When you manage it you know the great feeling you get by winning the race here.

"The race in Monaco is the race. It's a legend amongst all the races. My success here in 2005 is maybe the most memorable of all my races. So to win it again would be just as special. The streets of Monte Carlo are very twisty and narrow and you have to be very precise and concentrated on every single meter you go. This year there is even less room for an error now that we don't have the traction control anymore. especially when it's wet.

Raikkonen is confident the team made a good step forward after having tested at Paul Ricard last week. "Last week we had a test at Le Castellet and it went very well. We tried a few new components and improved the set up. The car is stronger at this type of circuit – slow and bendy – compared to last year. I think that Ferrari has made a big step forward in the areas where we weren't strong last year," he said. "It is difficult to say how it will go in the end. Ferrari will be very competitive, but there's also McLaren and BMW. Having said that Monaco can always be good for a surprise; it's the most open of all the races this year. Last year we only got one point here in Monaco. I wasn't happy that day. But in the end it was a very precious point for me."