Lotus confident over qualifying gains ahead of Monaco GP

The narrow confines of the Monte Carlo street circuit always puts a premium on grid position, with Lotus an outfit that has sometimes struggled to extract single-lap performance from its car.

After a difficult Monaco last year, Lotus' trackside operations director Alan Permane thinks the situation should be better this time around, although admits the outfit is not taking anything for granted.

"It's no secret that this is an area we've been looking to improve and we haven't done a bad job in this regard," said Permane.

"We took a front row slot in China and - disregarding Mercedes - we were less than a tenth from the front runner in Spain.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say our qualifying pace is perfect as it's clear there are still gains to be made, but we've certainly made significant inroads into understanding how to get the most out of the tyres over a single lap, in addition to balancing setup for both qualifying and race pace."

Lotus will be using a high-downforce specification rear wing, as well as an updated front wing and floor modifications in Monaco.

Permane added: "We're confident in the upgrade package for this race and the car has worked well at every circuit so far this season, so there's no reason it won't be strong here."