Lewis Hamilton thinks there is more to come from his Mercedes despite topping both Thursday practice sessions in Monaco.
Hamilton topped FP1 in the morning, before his early soft tyre run kept him fastest in a rain-affected afternoon session. While team-mate Nico Rosberg appeared to struggle to find a rhythm throughout the first day of practice Hamilton, whose only win at Monaco came in 2008, looked comfortable from the start of the day.
When asked how the day went, the world champion replied: "Great, it's been a good day so far. Here is really about getting on the pace as quick as you can, and you're always finding time, every lap you get, then being very specific with the changes you make. You don't make too many, unless you're unlucky and the car balance is quite far off, but generally now with car simulations it's not really the case.
"Sometimes it does happen but today the balance was not far off so we've just been tweaking it here and there trying to gain a bit of performance and learn the limitations. The first session was really good and then this one was really good as well so I'm generally happy with the balance. There's still things I can improve on balance-wise but also on the track so that's what I'll work towards."
There was a lull of 50 minutes when the rain fell, with Hamilton only venturing out for one intermediate lap at the end of the session. He said he and the team saw no benefit from going out with no rain forecast for the rest of the weekend.
"We decided not to. There's no need to take the risk then. If it rains in the race then we have to go and drive but everyone is in the same boat then."
The period of inaction in FP2 meant there were no qualifying simulations, which are generally the most important part of the second practice sessions. Despite not yet having a supersoft tyre run Hamilton does not foresee any issues making the switch on Saturday morning in FP3.
"It'll be easy. You just feel it. It's not much difference from what the supersoft usually is."
Asked about his confidence in getting pole, he said: "Saturday is another day, but today was positive steps forward, one step at a time. The car is getting there."