Sebastian Vettel has given his take on whether visibility may be a concern for drivers at the Monaco Grand Prix. The new technical regulations that were introduced in 2022 have so far delivered on their promise to provide closer racing, but they have also come with compromises to visibility out of the cockpit, especially around tight street circuits like Monaco and Singapore. Several drivers have commented throughout the season that visibility in these new Formula 1 cars is tricky compared to previous years, although so far the calendar's more traditional circuits have not presented too much difficulty. Part of the technical regulations update was a move to bigger 18-inch wheels and tyres, with aerodynamic wheel fairings designed to help reduce the amount of turbulent airflow and assist with greater overtaking opportunities.
Speaking ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel was asked if visibility would be a concern around the Principality. "You’ve got the bigger wheels, and bigger tyres," the Aston Martin driver told members of the media, including RacingNews365.com. "We will see. In the other places we went this year it wasn't that bad. I think most of us got used to it by now." Vettel has outlined the key areas of the circuit where the issue will be put to the test. “I think the critical places are up the hill towards the Casino," he explained. "Then probably just getting close to the corner patches of the track. We don't have much choice, you can't fit smaller wheels or take the fairings off." On whether he sits higher in the cockpit in Monaco than at other locations, Vettel commented: "A tiny bit, but there’s very little room you can play with to sit higher in the cockpit. "Some tracks you like to sit a little bit higher, but we’re talking literally two or three millimetres.”
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