The Monaco Grand Prix is one of two great and historic races taking place on Sunday.
After the chequered flag falls in Monte-Carlo, 33 turbocharged IndyCars will assemble for the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500.
There's no denying the race lost some of its lustre during the dark days of the IRL-Champ Car split. But in recent years the series has tried to recapture some of that missing magic.
This year's race marks the return of competition between engine manufacturers and has already produced the closest ever battle for pole position.
There's plenty of interest for F1 fans having a look-in as well. Former F1 drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jean Alesi are making their first starts in the race which has been running for more than a century.
They'll be competing with the likes of Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves, Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan to win the 500-mile classic.
New car, new engines
The field which assembles for this year's race looks very different to that of 12 months ago. With new chassis and new engines, an unpredictable and spectacular race is in the offing.
The new Dallara DW12 IndyCar has already done service in four races but this will be its first appearance on an oval. The bulky rear bodywork may be of questionable aesthetic merit, but the turbulence it generates produces a more powerful slipstream for drivers, which should produce some exciting racing.
For the first time since 2005 there's competition between different engine manufacturers. Chevrolet had the upper hand in qualifying, taking nine of the top ten places on the grid. It remains to be seen if Honda can compete on fuel mileage in the race ' the two have been closely-matched in the races so far.
However the two Lotus-engined cars qualified in the last two places and may struggle to stay in the race. Five of the 26 cars in the first race of the season were using the Lotus powerplant, a figure which has dwindled to two out of 33 this weekend. Teams have been quick to drop the underpowered engines.
Race director Beaux Barfield has said cars which are more than 5% off the pace during the race will be disqualified. Simona de Silvestro was 5.34% off in qualifying and Jean Alesi (pictured) 7.24% in his first IndyCar race weekend.
Read more about the new cars here:
- IndyCar 2012 season preview: A new beginning
In memory of Dan
This year's race will inevitably be tinged with sadness as since then we have lost the driver who won it so spectacularly this year.
It is the first IndyCar race on an oval since Dan Wheldon lost his life in the appalling crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th last year.
The car Wheldon won last year's race with will be driven on a lap of honour before the race starts by team owner Bryan Herta.
2012 Indianapolis 500 practice and qualifying
Ryan Briscoe starts from pole position for Penske after the closest ever content for pole in the 101-year history of the speedway. He beat Andretti's James Hinchcliffe by 0.0023s over four laps of the circuit, average 364.49kph (226.484mph).
Hinchcliffe's team mate Ryan-Hunter-Reay joins them on the front row as the Indianapolis 500 grid is three cars wide.
Championship leader Will Power starts from fifth. He's won the last three races on road and street courses but his record on ovals is less strong. He's flanked by Marco Andretti and three-times Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves.
The highest Honda-powered driver is American rookie Josef Newgarden driving for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. He shares row three with KV duo Tony Kanaan and EJ Viso.
The third KV car belonging to Rubens Barrichello is tenth on the grid, the highest he has started so far in his IndyCar career.
Reigning champion Dario Franchitti is in the middle of the pack ' 16th, having not enjoyed a good start to the season with the new car.
JR Hildebrand, who came within one corner of winning last year's race, is 18th. Former F1 drivers Takuma Sato, Justin Wilson and Sebastien Bourdais are 19th, 21st and 25th ' the latter making his first start with a Chevrolet instead of a Lotus.
The punishing 500-mile race often comes down to who can tune their car in to the shifting conditions at the track, manoeuvre themselves into the best strategic position at the end of the race and ' of course ' sustain almost three hours of flat-out racing without striking the unforgiging walls.
This is one of the supreme challenges of motor racing ' that it takes place on the same day as the Monaco Grand Prix is an embarrassment of riches for a motor racing fan. Join is with us and enjoy both great races this weekend.
The 2012 Indianapolis 500 on F1 Fanatic Live
We'll be following every lap of the 2012 Indianapolis 500 on F1 Fanatic Live. Keep an eye out for the live page appearing after the Monaco Grand Prix.
The race is shown on Sky Sports 4 in the UK, covering starting at 4:30pm.
You can follow F1 Fanatic Live on Twitter for updates during the race and catch up on more pre-race news in the forum:
- F1 Fanatic Live on Twitter
- 2012 Indianapolis 500
2012 Indianapolis 500 starting grid
The 2012 IndyCar season so far
IndyCar Grand Prix of St Petersburg
The new IndyCar era began in Miami. Will Power led early on but an early pit stop dropped him back into the pack, letting team mate Helio Castronever in to win.
IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama
Power battled through the field in Alabama to win ahead of Scott Dixon in an action-packed race.
IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach
Mass penalties for the Chevrolet drivers put Dario Franchitti on pole at Long Beach. He came under attack from Josef Newgarden at turn one but the rookie's move proved too optimistic and he crashed out.
Franchitti slipped back and Power claimed the win despite Simon Pagenaud hunting him down quickly in a thrilling end to the race.
Sao Paulo Indy 300
Power made it three wins in a row in Brazil, this time after starting from pole position. Takuma Sato took his best IndyCar finish to date with third behind Ryan Hunter-Reay.
The 2011 Indianapolis 500
No-one who witnessed the closing laps of last year's Indianapolis 500 will forget the moment of pure drama on the final lap. As a motor racing fan, it was up there with Interlagos 2008 as one of the most astonishing moments I've ever seen on a race track.
In the closing stages Dario Franchitti looked well-placed to claim the lead after his last fuel stop. But he was passed by JR Hildebrand, the American making his first Indy 500 start.
So it was Hildebrand who inherited the lead after Bertrand Baguette's effort to make it to the end without a final stop failed on lap 197.
Hildebrand had led earlier in the race and with three laps to go he was out in front and seemingly uncatchable. Behind him Dan Wheldon, who had been fifth when Baguette pitted, passed Scott Dixon for second place.
Wheldon had lost his full-time IndyCar seat at Panther Racing to Hildebrand during the off-season, and this race was supposed to be his only start of the year. As the final lap began he looked set repeat his second place finish of the previous two Indy 500s.
But as Hildebrand approached the last corner for the 200th and final time, he ran wide lapping Charlie Kimball, got onto the slippery asphalt on the outside of the corner, and smashed into the barrier.
Hildebrand's shattered car had more than enough momentum to carry him across the line, but the charging Wheldon but him to it by two seconds. It was a stunning and emotional second win in the race for Wheldon.
- Wheldon wins Indy 500 as Hildebrand crashes at last corner
You can watch the race in full here.
Indianapolis 500 history
This year sees the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500. The race was first held in 1911, and last year marked its 100th anniversary.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed marked the centenary with a parade of race-winnind cars including the inaugural winner, the 1911 Marmon Wasp. Have a look at some of the great, weird and wonderful cars to have triumphed at the Brickyard:
- Indianapolis 500 centenary celebration at Goodwood
IndyCar
- 2012 Indianapolis 500 preview: America's great race gets a new look
- Live: 2012 IndyCar Sao Paulo Indy 300
- Live: 2012 IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach
- Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama
- Live: IndyCar Grand Prix of St Petersburg
Images © Ron McQueeney, Chris Jones, Chirs Jones
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