Formula One will chalk up a notable first if Lewis Hamilton wins the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

Never before has the sport seen six different winners in the first six races of a season and McLaren's 2008 world champion has yet to open his 2012 victory account going into his favourite race.

Hamilton, winner in the Mediterranean principality in his title year, has every chance of standing on the top step of the podium, as well as chalking up McLaren's 150th pole after being denied it in Barcelona due to a fuel error.

Bookmakers William Hill have the Briton as their 3-1 favourite, with double world champions Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso both at 5-1 for Red Bull and Ferrari respectively.

In this most unpredictable of seasons, anything could happen however. "We go to Monaco with the belief that we can win but anyone who makes predictions at the moment in this sport would be nuts," said McLaren team chief Martin Whitmarsh.

Despite his love of the tight and twisting street circuit, Hamilton has never started on pole in Monaco where overtaking is extremely tricky, even with KERS and moveable rear wings, and grid position has been crucial. He has, however, made the podium twice and in the points on four of his five visits.

"I think he is [a favourite]," said Whitmarsh. "And he thinks that and that's good and he's in that frame of mind. He deserves it. We've got to work hard and make sure he's got a good car, don't make any mistakes and that he's in a position to fulfil his potential at a circuit where he's won in Formula Three, GP2 and Formula One."

Hamilton has started two of this season's races on pole and it would have been three had McLaren not made an error with that fuel calculation in Spain. The team have also had a string of pit lane blunders that have cost them dear.

If Hamilton fails to win on Sunday, there are still plenty of others who could add to the list of different winners – starting with the Lotus pair of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

Lotus, formerly Renault, are celebrating the 500th race for the Enstone-based team and 2007 champion Raikkonen also has previous in Monaco. The Finn won there from pole in 2005 with McLaren and also started on the front row in 2003, 2008 and 2009.

Vettel's Australian team- mate Mark Webber was a Monaco winner in 2010 but has yet to stand on the podium this season.

If there is to be a repeat winner for the first time this year, then there are three Monaco masters lining up – last year's winner Vettel, Hamilton's team-mate Jenson Button, who triumphed in 2009 and Alonso, who won with Renault in 2006 and McLaren in 2007.

Nico Rosberg grew up in the principality and knows every twist and turn while Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, winner in Spain, cannot be ruled out, either.