Motor Racing: Hill drives street blues clean away: Senna still feared

THEY ARE talking about a new Hill in the principality this weekend; yes, even in the bars the old man frequented a generation ago. And yet it comes back to another name, the name it always seems to come back to here these days: Senna.

Damon Hill's strategy and control in the wet earned him provisional pole position for tomorrow's Monaco Grand Prix and his praises were being sung at every sunlit party and on every yacht during yesterday's traditional break from practice. Hill and others were golfing, some were playing tennis, some later looked in on their teams.

If the weather stays fine for today's qualifying, the contest for pole will start all over again, a contest which could significantly affect the outcome of the race on a circuit where overtaking is, at best, exceedingly difficult. Much as Hill has impressed, he cannot convince the likes of Ken Tyrrell and Johnny Herbert that he can sustain his dominance.

Tyrrell is renowned as one of the shrewdest judges of talent in the business. He was Jackie Stewart's boss when the Scot drove to the last of his three successes here, 20 years ago. No Briton has won the Monaco Grand Prix since. Tyrrell concedes he has already been confounded by Hill this week, but victory tomorrow? He cannot see it.

He said: 'I spoke to Damon before qualifying on Thursday and told him not to bother thinking about winning this race, just stay close to Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Then what does he do? He puts it on provisional pole. It was a terrific performance in the conditions. Frank Williams has really done it this time. He must have done the deal of the century. He's got a driver with hardly any experience, doing the business for next to nothing and probably has an option on him for the next 10 years (It is understood Hill is being paid pounds 150,000 for his services this year).

'Damon will win a race this season, but it won't be here, will it? He can't win at Monaco, he can't beat Senna and Prost. Can he? Despite how well he did on Thursday I would have to back Ayrton to be on pole. It would be something for British motor racing if Damon won before Silverstone. I believe ticket sales have been poor but he would give things an impetus.'

Herbert, currently a modest 11th on the grid for Lotus-Ford, admits he has been surprised by Hill's level of performance in the Williams-Renault yet still feels the race will fall, for a record sixth time, to Senna, in the McLaren-Ford.

'I certainly believe Damon can be at least second,' Herbert said. 'But for me Senna is the clear winner. He is the best driver by miles. Prost will probably be champion this year because the Williams is so good, and somehow that's not quite right. He's good, but he just gets the job done. He doesn't excite. Senna has got everything. He knows this place and he sets up the car for here, which is crucial. Then he goes out and drives it.

'Damon should win one or two races this year. You could drive that car badly and still come second, but Damon is not settling for second. He's done well and he's genuinely challenging Prost.'

Herbert is less content with his own progress. 'I'm a bit disappointed because the car was good from the start and we've not gone on from there as I hoped. I'm only too aware I'm the only current British driver who hasn't been on the podium and I want to put that right. It could come here. Anything can happen in this race.' Even defeat for Senna?

MONACO GRAND PRIX (Monte Carlo) Leading first qualifying times: 1 D Hill (GB) Williams-Renault 1:38.963 (121.063kph, 75.225mph); 2 A Prost (Fr) Williams-Renault 1:39.649; 3 M Schumacher (Ger) Benetton-Ford 1:40.780; 4 G Berger (Aut) Ferrari 1:40.853; 5 A Senna (Bra) McLaren-Ford 1:42.127; 6 R Patrese (It) Benetton-Ford 1:42.136; 7 J Alesi (Fr) Ferrari 1:42.160; 8 P Alliot (Fr) Larrousse-Lamborghini 1:43.031; 9 M Blundell (GB) Ligier-Renault 1:43.449; 10 C Fittipaldi (Bra) Minardi-Ford 1:43.829.