The 2018 Formula One season has been hectic over the first five races as we head into the Monaco Grand Prix.

Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton sits at the top of the standings with a 17 point lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel - not that things have been as straightforward as the standings suggest.

Mercedes have been consistent, Ferrari quite erratic, and Red Bull impossible to predict - the Austrian team has a mix of victories, fastest laps, and retirements, including crashing into each other in Baku.

We've had accusations of conspiracies to put Mercedes on top, blame games played all over the place, and an incredible start in Spain that saw Romain Grosjean wipe out himself and two rivals just seconds into the race.

Considering the fears before the season that F1 had become dull, repetitive, and predictable, it's been a hell of a season so far.

And yet, still to come is the Monaco GP - the most famous race in the calendar and one that is expected to go some way towards defining the season.

Fireworks are being predicted, too, with many drivers setting their sights on records.

“It’s going to be a track record for sure, by quite a lot,” said Esteban Ocon of Force India. “It’s going to be impressive to watch.”

Renault's Carlos Sainz explained why the expectations are there.

“This tyre around Monaco could be something special," he said. "We will see very quick lap times if that is the case."

“I’m excited to get on the hypersoft,” said Daniel Ricciardo, one of three men to win a race this season. “I don’t know what the lap record is here but I’d like to think we’d beat it this weekend.

“It would be nice if I do it.”

Last year's race saw Ferrari end a four-year streak of Mercedes victories as Vettel pipped teammate Kimi Raikkonen to the top of the podium.

A repeat of that and the door to the F1 title is smashed back open.