Fernando, Monaco is often called the ultimate drivers' circuit. Is it your favourite track of the year?Monaco is different to anywhere else, completely different. First of all, we run a special set-up to cope with the bumps and tight corners, so the car feels very different and is quite hard to drive. The circuit is so tight, that it is hard to get the car and tyres to the maximum, or to use maximum power on this track. At the end of the day, from the point of view of getting maximum performance from a Formula 1 car, this is not my favourite circuit.

So what do you enjoy about the race weekend in Monte-Carlo?For me, Monaco is a show for the people. As drivers, I think we have to help make that show we provide, enjoy it and try to be as spectacular as possible for the fans.

You mentioned a special set-up on the car. How easy is it to find the sweet spot of the handling in Monaco?It is nearly impossible and in Monaco, sometimes you have to guess a little bit with set-up, and make changes thinking about qualifying and the race, not the immediate moment. The circuit starts the weekend very dirty and cleans up with every lap, getting better and better all the time. So you have to have some guesses, and put a set-up on the car, then work from there.

People often say that the only important thing is to qualify well in Monaco, because overtaking is so hard. Do you agree?For sure, we set-up the car for qualifying, and work all weekend to get that perfect lap. If you are on the front row, then if you finish the race, it is almost 100% certain you will be on the podium. If you are not in the top five in qualifying, then you can forget the podium. So qualifying is where you need to take a lot of risks, but necessary risks. It is the key to the race.

A lot of people have expressed worries about how the 2006 qualifying format will work at such a tight circuit. What do you think?I think everybody will be a little bit worried about qualifying. Already in Monaco, you normally have a lot of traffic in every session, and this year qualifying will be very tough. I think the first 15 minutes will be hardest because one yellow flag, or if the guy in front has problems, then you could be out. So we need to be careful, and for sure we will have a different strategy to make sure we get into the top ten.

You won the last race in Barcelona, a circuit that shows the quality of the overall package. What are the chances for the R26 in Monaco?I think the car will be quick there. You need good traction at this circuit, and that has been a strong point for the R26 all the way through the season so far. Michelin did a fantastic job in Spain, and they have always been very strong in Monaco, so they should be there as well. This has been a good Renault track in the past but more than ever, we will need a perfect, mistake-free weekend to fight for the win. That will be what we are focusing on.

Giancarlo Fisichella: "I am very confident the R26 will be quick in Monaco"

Giancarlo, you have always been known as something of a Monaco specialist. What do you enjoy about driving in the Principality?It has always been a great circuit for me, and I have always been quick there. It is a very difficult circuit, but I have always enjoyed it and, more importantly, felt very comfortable driving there. I think that the race is going to be very tough physically and mentally, but I am really looking forward to it.

What does it feel like on Thursday when you do the first laps?It is really unusual! The feeling is very different compared to the first laps of the weekend at a normal circuit. You know, you go round the first few times and you're telling yourself that it's impossible to drive on the limit at this track. Then, after ten or fifteen laps, you get more confidence, you feel more comfortable, you start braking later, and you find the limit.

How important is it to have a driveable car there?You have to feel comfortable with everything. The R26 is a really easy car to drive – you can trust it when you are on the limit. As we build up the speed during the weekend, we will be getting closer and closer to the kerbs and the barriers, as we push to go flat out for qualifying. You need a car that is going to react how you want, and I think the Renault will do that.

So you are feeling confident for the performance in Monaco?I am sure the R26 will be quick there, yes. The last race in Barcelona was good for me: after some difficult times, I had a weekend without problems and got to the podium, so I was pleased with that. We know that the battle is very tough at the moment, and a lot will depend on the Michelin tyres this weekend. The test team worked hard to find the right choices last week at Paul Ricard, so I think we can be optimistic. I am very confident I can have a very good weekend in Monaco.

Flavio Briatore, Managing Director, Renault F1 Team

Flavio, at the last race in Barcelona, the Renault F1 Team committed to Formula 1 beyond 2008. How important was that act?It sent out the message that Renault is strong and is staying in Formula 1. That was important for our people in the company, and those outside too. Ever since Mr Ghosn arrived last year, he has said that if the results we get are in proportion to the investment, then we will stay. But there had been a lot of rumours that there were doubts for the future. So it was important to send a strong sign, that Renault is committed.

You have been outspoken on the need for cost-cutting in Formula 1 from 2008 onwards. Can you explain your vision?Everybody needs to be more cost-efficient. Whether it is Honda, Toyota, Renault or Ferrari, we are here to make a good show, and race. Not to have a development competition between the manufacturers. I think we can put on the same show, for much less money.

You talk a lot about the show, and the need for cost-cutting. What makes you think this would work?I look at the race weekends. We have Formula 1 and GP2, both putting on a fantastic show. From the fastest guy in GP2 to the slowest in Formula 1, you have maybe seven or eight seconds per lap. But one team is spending $2 million, the other half a billion. There's something not right there, don't you think?

So what is the solution?We need to look at Formula 1 in a different way. We have to take care of the event, respect the public, and give them the product they want – not just what the engineers think we should have.

You talk about drastic cost reductions. Where can the money be saved?The big issue for the costs is the technical side of the sport. There is potential for a drastic reduction of costs on the engine side, and in other areas like testing. But what people don't seem to realise is that time is running out. We talk, and talk, but the 2008 rules are already done. They can only be changed with unanimous agreement, and people don't seem to realise that. We have one month to sort out the technical situation.

Of course, there has been speculation that your concern for the future of F1 is also self-interested: namely, that there is financial pressure from Renault to reduce spending…Renault wants a team that is healthy, and competitive. There are these rumours that Renault doesn't have the money, or Renault won't spend the money. Just pick up the balance sheet for Renault-Nissan, and you will see that there are no money problems. That is not the issue. What we have is a vision for Formula 1: to be more efficient, and to have the results and investment in proportion. We don't see the point in going racing with a blank chequebook, the challenge is to win with efficiency.

The other concept that is often mentioned is "technology" and that it must be maintained at a high level. What do you think?If somebody should complain about cutting technology, it is Renault. We are winning, which means we have winning technology. So why throw away our advantage? All these other people are talking about technology, but some have never won a race, others have not won a championship for years. The fact is that the teams who have dominated in Formula 1 in the past six years, are in agreement. Renault is in line with Ferrari, on wanting the same show for less cost. It is a simple vision: to make Formula 1 a centre of profit, not a centre of loss.

But people say technology is a key part of the appeal of Formula 1…For sure, they are right, and even with lower costs, we will still have the high level of technology. But what do you think gets more interest: developing a twin clutch that you then hide away from the people, or having Sylvester Stallone on the grid in front of the TV cameras? We need to entertain people, and understand that Formula 1 is an event. With the manufacturers, we are there to build their image and help their communications. We want to discover new markets, and to be ambassadors to help sell a product. I think Formula 1 needs to start to look at the big picture, not just worrying about technology.

Have you decided on your own plans for the future?That is not relevant for me at the moment. Whatever I do in the future, I need to be doing the best thing now for the company I represent, Renault. I need to make sure that we have a healthy, competitive team for the future. That is the priority.Next year's Renault F1 Team will be without Fernando Alonso. Will it be a big loss?Of course. But he is young, he has won a lot with the team, and he has been here for five years. So he wanted a new challenge and motivation. If he had talked to me, I would have given him a different opinion on what he should have done for his future. In the end, though, maybe this change is good for the team as well. You get into a cycle, and if you don't change, the winning ends. It happened to Benetton ten years ago, with Ferrari last year, and maybe it could have happened to Renault as well. Now, we have a fresh motivation for 2007: to make sure Renault is beating McLaren and Alonso.

When will you announce your driver line-up for 2007?The situation has not changed. In our car, today, there are three or four drivers who could win races. Michael Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen and Fisichella, who has shown he can win races with us. For the future, there are drivers like Hamilton, or Kovalainen who could possibly win championships. Our job is to make sure we have the car to attract those drivers, and to do that, we need to be quicker than the opposition. That is the priority and at the moment, we are delivering.

Now we arrive in Monaco, the jewel in the crown of Formula 1. What are your expectations?Monaco is what Formula 1 is all about: putting on a fantastic show for the fans, for the TV, for everybody. Renault will be strong, and we want to win there – like we did two years ago with Trulli. But the important thing is that people are excited by this season, and we are having a fantastic battle with Ferrari. We need to look at everything in a simple way: what matters is the show on the track, not the talking. So far, I think we are entertaining our public, and we want to continue doing that in Monaco.

Monaco Tech File

Monaco is a unique circuit in the Formula 1 season. It is often talked about as THE race of the year, and the tight, twisting street circuit needs a special approach to get the best from the R26.

Chassis

Ride heights:  Monaco is not only a very twisty circuit, but it is also extremely bumpy, sharply cambered and slippery, particularly early in the weekend when little rubber has been put down on the racing line. We therefore raise ride heights by between 5 and 7 mm relative to normal in order to cope with the surface variations on the circuit.

Suspension:  In order to obtain the best possible level of grip, we use soft suspension settings, which also help the car ride the bumps and cope with the sharp cambers. The bumpy surface means the wheels must be able to move independently to ride the bumps, and we soften the anti-roll bars to achieve this. Camber angles are also a focus of special attention, and we run them fairly high – but not so much as to make the car unstable in the bumpy, high-speed braking zones.

Aerodynamics:  Monaco sees us run the highest downforce level of the year, and the cars often sprout extra appendages for this race to claw back even more aerodynamic advantage. The downforce brings benefits not just in the corners, but under braking and acceleration. Straight-line speed is of little importance at this circuit, and we sometimes runs higher drag levels than normal in order to get more downforce.

Steering angle:  The Grand Hotel hairpin is the tightest of the season, and demands the highest steering angle of the year. It is, for example, two times more than anything required at the last race in Barcelona. We also calibrate the traction control system and differential to help the car turn on the throttle.

Engine

Performance:  Monaco does not initially seem a demanding engine circuit, as the drivers spend just 50% of the lap at full throttle – the lowest value of the year. However, that is something of an urban myth, and numerous challenges must be tackled to get the maximum from the RS26. The bumpy surface means there is a real risk of over-revving. In terms of performance, it is important to have a driveable engine with good torque, even from very low revs, in order to launch out of the slow corners.

Gearbox:  We use closely-spaced gear ratios at this circuit in order to optimise acceleration, and get the most from the engine at slow speeds.

Cooling:  The absence of significant straights makes cooling the engine difficult, especially as the short gear ratios mean the engine is often running at high revs even though the car is moving relatively slowly through the air. This presents a challenge for cooling the car effectively, and we sometimes have to open up the bodywork to ensure the engine does not overheat. However, with aerodynamic efficiency less of a priority here than elsewhere, this does bring its usual lap-time penalty, should it be required.