🏎 Two top names with it all to prove in Monaco

The Monaco Grand Prix is perhaps the ultimate test of a Formula 1 driver’s talent, and going into this weekend’s event the guys in second and third places in the world championship have it all to prove. Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen both have poor records in Monaco, with fourth and fifth respectively in the 2017 running their best results. Anything less than a podium finish this weekend would be a disappointment, and with Mercedes showing strong form in sector three at Barcelona, the litmus test for Monaco pace, the pressure is on Bottas to keep up with points leader Lewis Hamilton’s pace. And he’ll certainly need a better start than he got in Spain… For Verstappen, his multiple crashes around the Principality just have to stop! Red Bull is unlikely to be as strong as in the past two seasons, although its brought some fresh updates to Monte Carlo, and we’ll start to find out in practice on Thursday (remember, Friday is a day off for F1). Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief [motorsport.com]( E D I T O R ' S C H O I C E [Red Bull removes nose duct for Monaco GP]( Red Bull has ditched its nose duct for the Monaco Grand Prix, emerging on Wednesday with a more conventional design along with small updates to the floor. J O N A T H A N N O B L E [Bottas, Mercedes have "taken measures" to prevent bad starts]( Valtteri Bottas says Mercedes has taken a host of measures - including removing the clutch he used at Barcelona from its pool - in a bid to prevent a repeat of the start issues that have cost him this year. P R O M O T E D [Explore the collection]( Inspired by Racing, Worn by racers. J O N A T H A N N O B L E [How Verstappen recovered from rock bottom]( When he crashed out of Monaco Grand Prix final practice 12 months ago, Max Verstappen had reached the lowest ebb of a run of errors in the first part of the 2018 Formula 1 season. A D A M C O O P E R [Grosjean: Haas may come to rue "avoidable" Magnussen clashes]( Romain Grosjean has warned Haas that it may come to regret not managing the “avoidable situation” with his Formula 1 teammate Kevin Magnussen at Barcelona. S C O T T M I T C H E L L [Ferrari "evaluating new concepts" for 2019 F1 car]( Ferrari has begun "evaluating new concepts" for its Formula 1 car after determining the extent of "different mechanical and aerodynamic settings" required to work Pirelli's 2019 tyres better. J I M U T T E R [International Speedway Corp. accepts $2 billion NASCAR offer]( International Speedway Corp. announced Wednesday it had agreed to a $2 billion merger with NASCAR in a deal that should be completed by the end of the year. J O N A T H A N N O B L E [Alfa Romeo, Haas switch to upgraded Ferrari engine]( Ferrari's customer teams Haas and Alfa Romeo have both elected to switch to the Italian manufacturer's Spec 2 engine for the Monaco Grand Prix. M O T O R S P O R T . C O M [Remembering Lauda: The comeback king who always spoke his mind]( Tributes to Niki Lauda have been flowing in from across the motorsport world following the triple Formula 1 world champion's death on Monday. Get the Motorsport PRIME app today! Because you deserve the best. Available on Copyright © 2019 Motorsport.com, Inc., All rights reserved. Top news of the week Our mailing address is: Motorsport.com, Inc. 5972 NE 4th AvenueMiami, FL 33137 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © MOTORSPORT NETWORK. All rights reserved.