When you think of Formula One, you think of Monaco. It’s the most important race and the one we all want to win. When I was a child, I dreamed about driving on the famous streets and I still feel excited every year I race there. To finish on the podium last year shows that anything is possible. It’s such a unique race; a big highlight of the year. Monaco is my favourite track because it’s the biggest challenge. I think the contribution of the driver is greater compared to other tracks. There is no room for mistakes and you need to take small risks to find extra performance. It’s a test of concentration for almost two hours, which is why it’s such a difficult race. The best parts of the lap are the quick sections. The swimming pool is impressive because we carry so much speed and you have to be very precise on the kerbs. Casino is also very quick and with these cars will be quite a challenge. There’s no room for error so you need to be careful that the car doesn’t step out of line through these parts of the lap.

Driving in Monaco is going to be a new experience for me because I’ve never raced there before. I used to come and watch the Formula One races when I was young, but I never had the opportunity to race there. It’s strange, because it’s such a famous lap and I know it so well in my head, but it’s always a different experience when you drive a track for real. To get ready for Monaco I’ve spent a lot of time in the simulator at our factory, but I still have a lot to learn during the practice sessions on Thursday. It’s a case of taking a step-by-step approach and getting to the limit gently. I normally enjoy street circuits and I am sure I can get up-to-speed quickly. This year Monaco is the closest thing I have to a home Grand Prix because it’s next door to France. It’s a very special place and I always feel a sense of history when I go there. The city is forever linked with Formula One and it’s currenly the number one race of the year. For the drivers it gives a big rush of adrenaline and it’s the same for the fans watching. Everybody knows it’s a big challenge.

I’m very pleased with our performance over the first quarter of the year. 53 points from five races is a tremendous achievement and I’m proud to see Sahara Force India strengthen its fourth place in the championship. There is a great atmosphere in the team at the moment and plenty of determination. The VJM10 has improved race by race; we’ve continued to develop and we are performing well across some very different tracks. Monaco this week is always a special case with its unique layout, but we simply need to keep up our consistency and pick up points at every race. Our podium in Monaco last year was a special moment and those memories are still strong.