Petrov making waves in F1
Monaco just isn't Monaco without a walk up a gangplank for a peek inside one of the luxury yachts fringing the famous harbour.
Luckily, breakfast with driver Vitaly Petrov on board a boat hired by one of Renault's sponsors ticked the requisite box on Friday's rest day for the Formula 1 fraternity.
While the media scurried around the table laid with , and , Petrov stood like a figurehead, alone at the bow of the boat watching the cars hurtle out of the tunnel and along to the Nouvelle Chicane.
The broad, 6ft tall Russian is an imposing figure in the F1 paddock, where most of the drivers are not much bigger than jockeys, but he is a hard person to get to know.
Russia's first F1 driver, Vitaly Petrov, poses in the Monaco harbour
Petrov's pricey Formula 1 foray has been fully-funded by his father Alexander but says he fought for the 25-year-old to fill the second seat alongside because of what he had seen behind the wheel.
Boullier had been impressed by Petrov's calm composure and metronomic focus, and the driver soon got into a rhythm to politely the media's questions:
Would you like your own yacht?
"Of course, it's nice."
Do you like the glamour of F1?
"Yeah, it's OK."
Can you get a table at any restaurant in Russia now?
"No."
Is there more interest in Russia since you got into F1?
"Yes, I think so."
What have your first five races been like?
"Too many mechanical problems.
But how do you feel about them?
"If I finished all five races then I would be much more prepared for this race."
Interview technique aside, Petrov is ably finding his feet in F1 after finishing as runner-up to driver in the 2009 GP2 Series.
And as it happens, Petrov isn't in too bad a shape for the unique challenges of Monaco's twisting street circuit.
Despite retirements in the first three races and two hefty crashes in practice, the Russian has quietly impressed in his first season.
He earned his six points by passing F1 master and 's on his way to seventh in a chaotic Chinese Grand Prix.
"It's much more work," said Petrov. "It was a little bit difficult but it's F1 and you need to adapt. You need to learn a lot of things.
"F1 has a completely different driving style; braking, turning, everything is different to GP2.
"It's more complicated; it's quicker, you must work faster, and concentrate."
After being quizzed by the media, Petrov had a few of his own questions answered by two-time Monaco winner .
"He explained some things he did in years before, some little things," said Petrov.
If Petrov can avoid a crash for the third race in a row he might think himself lucky but the clear-minded Russian has higher ambitions.
"For me, it's the top 10. I must always be in the top 10 - this is my target," he added. "And I must always be in . This is what I try to do.
"The car is improving. We still need to be closing down the top teams, we are looking forward - but I hope we will improve quickly."
People often ask how I came to be the Formula 1 lady for the 91Èȱ¬ website. Well, after being dragged around vintage car rallies and auto jumbles by my Dad, motor racing got under my skin. I am now a fully paid-up member of F1's travelling circus after a year on the road as part of the 91Èȱ¬ team. I look forward to bringing you more on- and off-track adventures here. You can also follow me on .
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