RENAULT'S Enstone-based F1 team spent two days last week at the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France preparing for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most traditional and exciting events on the F1 calendar.

The Monaco Grand Prix, round seven of the 2006 FIA World Championship, is the one race which all drivers want to win at some time in their career.

The narrow, twisty and bumpy street circuit presents a unique challenge, with a good qualifying position being crucial as over-taking is extremely difficult and the armco-lined streets leave no margin for error.

Testing for Monaco was carried out by Fernando Alonso and Heikki Kovalainen and focused on tyres. Christian Silk, Renault F1 chief test engineer, said: "We worked pretty well these past two days and it was a productive session for the preparation of Monaco. We did good progress and the drivers seem to be pleased with the set-up of the car. We are satisfied and confident."

The race is a home GP for Brackley's Honda Racing Team's drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, both of whom live in Monte Carlo.

It is also a race where both drivers have done particularly well in the past, with Barrichello finishing on the podium at Monaco four times during his career and Button securing second place in 2004.

Following a two-car points finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, the team have been hard at work on the test track in Vallelunga, Italy, to fine-tune the set-up of the RA106 race car and its Michelin tyres.

Button said: "I'm really looking forward to this year's Monaco Grand Prix. I had a good race there in 2004, finishing second after a really exciting battle. It's a crazy place to be racing, the circuit is tight and twisty and you can really feel the speed of the car when the barriers are so close to you.

"It's a different race than any other on the calendar, with so much history, and it means even more to me as I live in Monaco so it's one of my home races. You need good mechanical grip from the car and this is also a circuit where the driver can make even more of a difference to the race outcome.

"We've been really strong in qualifying all this year and that will be very important for the race as it's almost impossible to overtake except in the pit stops. It's also a fantastic race for the fans who can get so close to the action."

Leafield's Super Aguri F1 new signing, Franck Montagny, has visited the Oxfordshire factory since the Spanish Grand Prix and said he was looking forward to Monaco.

He said: "It has been good to have a ten-day break after the Spanish Grand Prix. I have been able to relax, visit the factory to see the guys and prepare for the race next week.

"I am pleased to be going to my first Monaco Grand Prix with the Super Aguri F1 Team and I would like to thank Aguri for having the confidence in me to do it. It will be a hard race for sure."