From the F1 paddock in Monaco: Verstappen and Red Bull need to get down to business

Logistics are certainly not all well organised in Monaco, but you can't complain about the train. From my accommodation in Menton, it is a short walk to the train station, and by that train, you can be in the heart of Monte Carlo in ten minutes. On the way to the train, I stopped for breakfast at the corner bakery and also stocked up on food for the rest of the day.

The biggest stumbling block in Monaco is the organisation. As is well known, the Grand Prix in the principality is completely self-contained. This causes some problems around the circuit. Signposts are incorrect or send you via very long diversions and steep climbs to your final destination. The same goes for the police and regulators. Either they have no idea what you are asking, as they do not speak English, or they point at the word 'paddock' in a random direction just to get rid of you.

The organisation in Monaco

By now on Friday, I know the way to the paddock, although I still cannot find the perfect exit from the station. There are numerous exit routes from the station; whichever one takes you closest to the paddock is still a mystery to me. There are no less than two bag checks from the station to the paddock. Why can't that just be done at the paddock entrance? I have no idea.

That efficiency, by the way, is nowhere to be seen. There are also four queues in the media centre for something that happens with one click on a tablet at all other Grands Prix. Registration, grid access, locker and seat selection are all done at a different desk. Food is limited. Sometimes, a box of sandwiches is laid out, and you must be quick. It already seems to be more than was the case in previous years, but bringing a lunch is therefore not a luxury.

Logistically, of course, Monaco is a bizarre operation. In the city, you only realise how little space there is for how big F1 has become. The fact that Monaco also manages to host F2, F3 and Porsche Super Cup on the same weekend is a miracle.

By the way, those paddocks are scattered all over Monaco. I climb to the F2 paddock on Friday, hoping to encounter the entire paddock there for all the support events. However, in the car park where the F2 is located, there is only room for F2 and some trucks from F1 teams. When I ask about the F3 paddock, I am told that the F3 paddock is on the other side of Monaco. It turns out to be no joke. That paddock really is on the other side of town. Quite a disadvantage for teams that have F2 and F3 teams.

Red Bull under pressure in Monaco?

The FIA presented the list of updates at the end of Friday morning. As expected, many teams have brought a special rear wing and beam wing for Monaco. This particular wing is also likely to be seen at places like Hungary and Singapore, tracks where top speed is not important but the amount of downforce is.

An hour after the list was announced, the media were also allowed into the pitlane to take pictures of the cars. Monaco is quite tight, so it is also more difficult for teams to mark everything off immediately before eager photographers can strike. In the pitlane, Paul Monaghan, Red Bull Racing's chief engineer, speaks to the press. He sees the competition approaching and laughs at Sergio Perez's comment that he wants more updates.

In the background, there are still some big issues for Formula 1. Andretti continues to push for an entrance into F1 and the agencies interfering with F1's stance are increasing. The team bosses' words about Andretti seemed unanimous, but can F1 hold back this storm for a long time and force Andretti-Cadillac to buy out another team?

Richard Verschoor secured pole position in F2. It is Verschoor's fourth season in F2. The Dutchman has already won three races in the class but never started from pole. The fact that he took his first pole position in Monaco is, of course, special. That will make for a tricky sprint race on Saturday, but on Sunday, he obviously has a huge chance of winning in the principality.

Throughout the day, it became clear that Red Bull are struggling in Monaco. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, in particular, looks good, but Mercedes and McLaren drivers were also in good shape in both sessions. In Imola, Red Bull managed to recover; the question is whether it will succeed again from Friday to Saturday in Monaco.