Live - Monaco Grand Prix

LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST)

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the action

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By Caroline Cheese

1242: Sir Cliff Richard... I despair. Anyhoo, Jenson Button is in very chipper mood as he is collared by Martin Brundle. He says he's going for the win and isn't thinking about protecting his lead.

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Monaco: "Will you forgive me for not getting my tyre information this Sunday? It's Monaco - and I know Caroline is more interested in celebrity-hunting than rubber. So, I've just dashed up to the paddock to see who was keeping the snappers busy. Well, Star Wars creator George Lucas was at the heart of it all, five-time Olympic champion - and BBC athletics guru - Michael Johnson was also striding up and down while former world champion Jacques Villeneuve seems to be keeping himself busy. I also bumped into Sir Cliff Richard earlier and rushed back to tell my BBC colleague, who drily replied: "Congratulations". PS: Most drivers are expected to go out on the super soft tyres rather than the soft option."

1239: Speak of the devil, there is Prince Michael of Kent, who informs Martin Brundle is wearing his "RAC hat" today. Although he is not actually wearing a hat - which may not be wise with the sun beating down.

1236: The pit lane is open - which should mean a procession of glamorous people sashaying down the grid. To be honest though, Monaco has failed to deliver on the celebrity front this year. I've seen far too much of James Blunt and far too little of Brad Pitt and P Diddy. There's not much fun to be had from the official race guest list either. As well as Blunt, we have: Jesse Metcalfe, Chris Evans, Geri Halliwell, Princess Beatrice, Prince Michael of Kent, George Lucas, Michael Johnson.

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Monaco: "Here's some more inside track on the, um, track. The Swimming Pool complex in the final sector of the race, where drivers negotiate a fast left-hand curve and then a slower turn to the right, is also a revealing place to stand and watch the cars. The combination used to be much more dicey before the concrete walls were removed and now the cars plough through at 125mph. Standing there at the side of the circuit during final practice, the smell of sea-salt from the marina hit me from one side, while on the other the drivers raced past three metres from my feet. It was like an assault as the cars roared by, one, two, three, four… The wheels hummed over the curbs and the inside of my ear buzzed with the sound vibration. When I woke up this morning, my hearing definitely felt a little fuggy - that's the downside of being up close to an F1 car."

1235: Nigel Mansell is a man who knows about how to win a world championship. He began 1992 with five straight wins before being forced to settle for second behind a much slower Ayrton Senna at Monaco in 1992. His advice for Button: "You have to keep your head down because you never know when the tide will turn but hopefully it's too late now."

1230: With such a commanding lead in the world championship, there is a suspicion that Jenson Button could play it safe and go for a podium rather than risk everything. David Coulthard reckons that's nonsense and Button will only have his eyes on the top prize.

1226: Kimi Raikkonen - not the world's most optimistic man - isn't convinced Kers is going to be a massive help to him today. If he doesn't take Button off the start, he could have another chance at the harbour chicane. The Finn is second in terms of overtaking manoeuvres this season.

1221: If you've been following this live text commentary all weekend, you'll already know my feelings about… ugh, I don't even want to say it. Let's just say it rhymes with 'fudge-it bap cow'. If you want the latest, read this - and as you can see, it's good news:
F1 budget cap solution in sight

From MrSport88 on 606: "It isn't just Kimi's Kers, but the Brawns are also quite poor off the start, the combination will mean Kimi will have Button before the first corner. Rubens will not be able to help him out, he'll be more concerned with Massa behind him."
Join the debate on 606

From Jamie, Nottingham, via text on 81111: "It will be interesting to see how Kers cars will do in the race and where they deploy it. Will the winner be decided with a drag race down to the first corner or will safety car change the race completely? I love Monaco!!! And I love Formula 1!!!"

1213: Whoop, whoop. BBC1's coverage is under way - streamed live on this website for those of you in the UK. It begins with Jake Humphrey going back in time to interview the stars of Monaco's past. What's that you say? You want to see behind-the-scenes footage? Here ya go then...
Humphrey steps into the past

Jenson Button arrives at the track with girlfriend Jessica Michibata

1207: Jenson Button reckons winning races has turned him into a "right boring..." well, let's just say "so-and-so" and reckoned his girlfriend Jessica Michibata would tell him in no uncertain terms. On the contrary, I'd say she doesn't look all that bothered to be on the arm of the world's best driver.

From Jeffrey, Liverpool, via text on 81111: "I'm just hoping Kimi's Kers car doesn't hit the back of Jenson's when he tries to block him at the start."

1200: The fuel-adjusted grid shows Jenson Button was indeed the quickest man around Monaco yesterday - but it was bad news for Sebastian Vettel. The Red Bull man qualified in fourth - but when his light fuel load is taken into account, he's actually back in seventh. Vettel, who appeared to be held up by Kazuki Nakajimi in qualifying, will also have to contend with the Kers-boosted Felipe Massa right behind him off the start.
BBC F1's fuel-adjusted grid

1155: Button would also become the first driver to score a hat-trick of wins since Schumi in 2006 and the first Brit to do so since Sir Damon of Hill in 1996. I love knighting people. I wonder if the Queen would let me take over for the day?

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson in Monaco: "Monaco is at its most perfect as the start of the race looms. The temperature is just right, there is a soft breeze, and light clouds lace the pale blue sky. There are definitely less boats here than usual as the credit crunch bites but it's a fair bet that's not on many people's minds right now."

1150: So Button very much the favourite for this race - and he would join Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Graham Hill, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir David Coulthard and Sir Lewis Hamilton as British winners of F1's toughest race.

1147: The all-conquering Jenson Button, of course, starts on pole at 1300 BST - and if you want to know just how good that lap was yesterday, here's Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello: "My car was perfect and I was almost flat out through the first chicane by the swimming pool, which tells you how hard I was trying. I was really proud of what I had achieved and I honestly thought I had the upper hand on Jenson. He must have had a fantastic lap because there wasn't much more I could have done with mine."

BBC Sport's Andrew Benson points to the tyre marks only inches from the barrier

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Monaco: "One of the most awesome things about the Monaco GP is that unlike any other race you can stand at the side of the circuit and almost reach out and touch the cars. There had been warnings about how scared I'd be, but for the most part it was just a burst of noise and a chance to clock the cars up close in a blink of the eye. The only exception to this was at Tabac where you can lean as close into the barriers as you dare. Every time a car hurtled past, I flinched. Romain Grosjean spectacularly ploughed into the barriers here on Saturday, taking himself out of the GP2 race. Standing at the exit of the tunnel was also a little unnerving as the amplified engine noise rumbled up through the tarmac and into my toes before the cars flew past with a rush of following wind."

1136: Cynics - grrrr - will tell you Monaco is nothing but a procession of cars wending their way around a circuit - albeit a very picturesque one. With Lewis Hamilton starting at the back of the grid? With Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa having the advantage of a Kers power boost off the start? I predict a riot.

1130: Hello there. What a truly fabulous day it is to be throwing an F1 car around the streets of Monte Carlo at 180mph.

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