Monaco Grand Prix- Talking Points

Formula 1 returns to its spiritual home this weekend as it embarks on Monte-Carlo.

Lewis Hamilton leads the world championship by 20 points but Nico Rosberg is hot on his tail after his win in the Spanish Grand Prix.

Here are the talking points ahead of this year’s event, where we are in store for another fascinating Mercedes battle.

Rosberg can join the greats

Winning at Monaco is among the most prestigious things to achieve in Formula 1. The twisty, hallowed streets have come to epitomise the essence of the sport. Glitz. Glamour. Sunshine. Wealth.

Only the greats triumph at Monaco. Moss, Clark, Lauda, Prost, Senna and Schumacher have all registered famous wins. Lewis Hamilton has also won, back in 2008 but it is his Mercedes team-mate who is attempting to add his name to Monaco folklore.

Start of the 2014 Monaco F1 GP

Nico Rosberg knows those streets better than any other driver. He not only lives there, but he grew up there.

If the German wins on Sunday, then he will join a select handful of drivers to have won the famous race three years in a row. Only Graham Hill, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna have achieved such a feat.

Hamilton, buoyed by the confirmation of his new contract, will be desperate to stop him. But Rosberg is chasing history and may just be too good.

Cracks appearing at McLaren

In truth, it’s a surprise that it has lasted this long, but the smiles seem to be falling off the faces of McLaren after their disastrous start to the season.

Their collaboration with Honda has not worked so far, and Jenson Button called his car unsafe during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ron Dennis

That set-back in Barcelona, where the team thought that they could have scored points, has had an impact. Ron Dennis held a meeting with employees this week, and told them there work so far wasn't good enough.

He also lambasted racing director Eric Boullier, who was apparently given “a good kick in the arse”.

The team chose to remain positive despite having had a poor start to the season, and insisted that they would be competing for wins by the end of the campaign.

However, things seem to have reached boiling point in Spain and Dennis has let rip. Points are possible in Monaco, and they would be a timely boost following the events of the last two weeks.

Red Bull and Williams could swap places

Christian Horner

Red Bull must be relieved to arrive in Monaco. Not only for the sun, sea, glitz and glam which dominate the weekend, but because they have a chance of scoring some good points.

The team have suffered at the hands of their awful Renault engine and sit fourth in the Constructors Standings.

But, luckily for them, engine power matters little around the streets of Monte-Carlo and their renowned aerodynamic advantage could help them get closer to Mercedes and Ferrari.

On the flip side, Williams, who are the third best team on the grid, could struggle as the power from their Mercedes engines will be nullified.

Red Bull will fancy a battle with them this weekend, and could come out on top.

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