Formula One drivers give a press conference in Monaco yesterday. (Top L-R) Williams’ Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, Lotus’ French driver Romain Grosjean, Sauber’s Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson. (Bottom L-R) Ferrari’s Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen, Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s British driver Jenson Button.

DPA/Monte Carlo

For Lewis Hamilton, second place at the last race in Spain was a mere “hiccup” which he aims to overcome by denying Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg a third straight win at the most prestigious race on the Formula One calendar on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Hamilton saw Rosberg’s tail lights for the first time this year a fortnight ago in Barcelona, and the German will be his biggest rival again Sunday having won what is his home race the past two years.
Hamilton won race on the famous 3.340-kilometres course in the principality in 2008 but only has two further podiums there.
“I haven’t had the best of luck in the past - but I’m not interested in what’s been and gone or in making any predictions. I’m just here to get in this fantastic car we have, race it hard and give it everything I’ve got, like always,” he said.
“I’m now fully focused on Monaco the race that everybody looks forward to and one I particularly love. It’s the biggest challenge of the year for a driver and, when you get it right, that feeling is hard to beat.
“You have to be inch perfect at every point, as the slightest slip can ruin your weekend. It’s about pure driving skill and pure bravery behind the wheel, which for me is what makes it so special.”
The world title holder Hamilton, who has renewed his contract with Mercedes by three years until 2018, has won three of five season races and finished second in the other two to command the standings with 111 points from Rosberg (91) and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel (80).
But Rosberg has had his confidence restored with his first campaign win in Spain and his Monte Carlo wins from the past two years will only further boost this feeling.
Rosberg named the race “the most legendary, exciting and challenging event in the calendar” and is more than happy that he can do without the regular hotel life and sleep and live at home during the GP days, which start with practice today.
“It’s a home race for me and it’s strange to just walk or take a scooter to the racetrack    but also very cool to sleep in your own bed each night!” he said.
“We had a perfect weekend in Spain and, for me personally, it was good to close the gap a little in the points. There’s still a long way to go this season so it’s all there to fight for, I’m just taking it race by race.”
Last year’s race was not without controversy as Rosberg overshot the Mirabeau turn while holding provisional pole in qualifying which ruined a possible pole for Hamilton. The incident raised eyebrows but Rosberg was not found guilty of a deliberate move by race stewards.
Rosberg went on to win the race but the incident was not forgotten as the relationship between the two Mercedes drivers soured.
Mercedes kept their big advantage over all rivals in Spain, with Vettel a distant third some 45 seconds behind.
Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff praised his drivers as “mentally tough, resilient and hate to lose - they push each other all the time to lift their performance and that lifts the performance of the whole team.”
But he also insisted that “there is no point talking about any gap to the opposition. You have to earn every advantage and it can turn around very quickly if you’re not on top of your game - especially in Monaco.”
Vettel, who won the Malaysian race ahead of the Mercedes duo, knows that a good qualifying Saturday is the key for a good result the next day.
“You have to maintain total concentration all the time and give 100 per cent on your qualifying lap, because overtaking in the race is almost impossible,” he said.