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Ralf Schumacher has tipped one F1 team that no one is ‘keeping an eye on’ to be a thorn in the side of Ferrari as they enter the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix as overwhelming favourites.
Amid the build-up to this weekend’s trip to the streets of Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari have emerged as the paddock favourite due to the aerodynamic prowess of their 2026 challenger, the SF-26.
The jewel in the crown is upon us! Who’s your pick for the Monaco Grand Prix? 👑
It comes after total domination by Mercedes in the Grand Prix format this year. The German constructor has resided on the top step of the podium since the new regulations were enforced, but that may change in the Principality.
The only other team to nick a race win is McLaren, following Lando Norris’ victory in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race. The Woking-based outfit showed impressive pace in Florida, with Norris missing out on the win in Sunday’s race after Mercedes ran the optimal race strategy.
Despite the limited track time that the MCL40 has had in the Grand Prix format, it has been mightily impressive. As such, Ralf Schumacher has outlined McLaren as a strong dark horse to take the plaudits at the jewel in F1’s crown.
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Ralf Schumacher thinks McLaren ‘might well be favourites’ for the Monaco Grand Prix
Speaking via the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, the six-time Grand Prix winner was asked for his opinion on how well he thinks McLaren will do following the disappointment of their points-less finish last time out in Montreal.
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The race has been the subject of intense debate due to a lack of overtaking
“I have faith in McLaren; the car has always performed well so far,” he replied, before highlighting how the MCL40 shares some characteristics with Ferrari’s SF-26: “It also has a great operating window, plenty of aerodynamics and seems relatively easy to drive.
“Everything could work out well for Monaco, both drivers are also really quick on this circuit. That means they might well be favourites, whom we’re not really keeping an eye on, or Ferrari’s biggest rivals in this case.
“Provided they get everything right, in the sense that they really nail it. I think the team’s performance wasn’t good in Montreal. [Oscar] Piastri wanted to come in, but they didn’t let him in. Of course, everything has to be spot on.”
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“That means you have to recognise at the right time which direction to take with the set-up, because the track changes so much. That’s another big challenge for the driver, because they don’t have any data this year. Simulation is a question mark.
“That means the driver has to work with the team to anticipate what it will actually be like on Saturday and Sunday. And that’s really difficult in Monaco. And that’s where the driver is called upon again.”
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