Jenson Button's lap of Monte Carlo.

BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button describes a lap of Monte Carlo - site of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix...

"The Monaco Grand Prix is a tough race. The circuit is really twisty and bumpy and it takes it toll, especially on your arms, because of all the tight turns.

"Most of the corners are blind so you have to take a leap of faith and hope nothing has happened on the track in front of you.

"The lap starts with a tight first corner with a quick run up to Ste Devote, which we approach at around 270kmh, then brake heavily down to 90kmh and second gear in order to get through. There's actually a little bit of run-off area here, which is a novelty in Monaco.

"Off uphill now and into top gear at 265kmh before braking for Massanet, a long left-hander which is taken in third gear at 130kmh.

"Now for the tricky part: Casino Square is a really difficult corner. It's a tight right-hander straight after Massanet and to get through we stay in third gear, but drop the speed a little. We have to do that as the car goes very light through the corner.

"Once through Casino there is a short downhill run to Mirabeau. We get up to speeds of around 210kmh and fourth gear before jumping on the brakes to drop down to second gear for the corner. A quick spurt of power then braking again for the tightest corner on the track: the Loews hairpin.

"Loews is taken incredibly slowly at around 45kmh in first gear. Straight after this are the two quick corners into Virage du Portier. The first is a tight right-hander, which is taken at about 70kmh. Then another spurt, before braking for the following right-hander before the long run through the tunnel.

"Going through the tunnel at top speed is an amazing feeling for a Formula One driver, with the amplified noise of the car and driving out of the sun and into the shade then back into bright sunshine. By the time we are out in the daylight we are up to around 280kmh and have to cut our speed down to about 50kmh to get through the New Chicane. Once through it's back on the throttle again up to 225kmh for the run up to Tabac. This is a relatively quick left-hander, taken in fourth gear at 150kmh with a bit of understeer on the exit.

"Next stop is the Swimming Pool complex, which is effectively two chicanes, the first of which is quite quick at 190kmh.

"On to Rascasse and once you're safely through, carrying more speed through the corner, it's a quick spurt to the last, second gear corner, which is another tricky part as there is very little traction up the blind slope. On the exit of the last corner the car can flick around pretty close to the barriers so we have to be careful, but also get full power down to cross the line at around 260kmh for another exciting lap!"