Hamilton chasing Monaco glory
Lewis Hamilton is determined to recapture that special feeling that only comes with winning a Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg head into qualifying on Saturday as favourites to land pole position ahead of Sunday's race. The duo were quickest in practice on Thursday, with Rosberg 0.3 seconds clear of Hamilton, who has had to watch the German snatch top spot on the grid at the last two races in Bahrain and Spain.
Unlike Rosberg, however, Hamilton at least knows what it feels like to take the chequered flag at the end of 78 punishing laps around the streets of the principality after winning in 2008. "Monaco is spectacular," said Hamilton, now a Monaco resident. "I don't feel like it's like any other race. Winning here is unique and special in its own way."
He added: "When you do win here, when you finally get that, you have the most incredible feeling, and every time you come here that's what you're chasing for."
Jenson Button, who followed Hamilton's victory with his own in 2009 en route to winning the world title, does not quite share his fellow Briton's sentiments.
That is despite the fact the 33-year-old's triumph when he was then with Brawn GP will always be remembered for his run along the start -finish straight to get to the podium ceremony after parking his car in the wrong place.
Now with McLaren, Button said: "Is it the greatest of them all? I don't know really. They're all pretty special in their own right. Some of them have more history than others and Monaco is definitely one of them.
"A lot of us also live here, so it's a very special race for that reason too. I think if you've had the opportunity to fight for a win and cross the finish line first, it's a very special race, yeah.
"You feel as though you celebrate that win - obviously with your team - but also with everyone watching here, because it's such a confined space. It's a very special place to win.
"But there are so many other races that mean a lot to us and certain other races that mean more to us as individuals than Formula One as a whole."
