Monaco Grand Prix presentation: F1 back in its dream setting
Its prestige, its iconic circuit, its port, its stars... The weekend in the heart of the principality is a must-see event on the calendar... sometimes more for its side events than its on-track spectacle. Spotlight on the Monaco Grand Prix, which celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2024.
After the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix last weekend, head south to the seaside in Monaco for the 8th Grand Prix of the season. The track on the Rock is undoubtedly the most mythical circuit of the year. Glamour, stars, passion… make this marriage between Monaco and Formula 1 a must-see event every year.
From a sporting point of view, the gaps are narrowing between the top teams, which will provide us with a great spectacle, at least in qualifying.
A brief historical point.
The first car race was held there in 1929, nearly a century ago now. More than 20 years later, Monaco hosted the second Grand Prix of the first Formula 1 World Championship in history: on May 21, 1950. Juan Manuel Fangio triumphed then, behind the wheel of his Alfa Romeo. Since 1955, the Monaco Grand Prix has never been interrupted. This year will be the 70th edition in the principality.
The characteristics of the circuit
The shortest distance circuit of the season (3.337 km) is not the quickest to complete: logical, given the difficulty of the urban track winding through the city of Monaco. The pole position was secured in 2023 by Max Verstappen in 1:11.365.
The circuit has undergone several changes throughout its history, with several chicanes not originally present. This is the case for the swimming pool chicane, created in 1986, or the one just before the finish line, added in 1976. The hairpin turn at La Rascasse can be a daring spot for an overtaking maneuver, like the successful one by the late Jules Bianchi in 2014. The chicane after the tunnel is also one of the few opportunities for overtaking outside the DRS zone.
Precisely, this very narrow layout has only one DRS zone on the start/finish straight. You will have understood that the qualifying session is crucial in Monaco, as otherwise you risk getting stuck behind your opponents during the race.
Is the safety car… an unavoidable outcome?
It is almost systematic to see the safety car out in Monaco. It is a key piece, yet unpredictable, in the strategic chessboard of the teams. Pirelli indicates that there is a 77% chance that the safety car will come out this year. These are just statistics: last year there were no major incidents on the track requiring its intervention.
Without surprise, Pirelli brings its softest range of tires: Pirelli’s choice of slick tires focuses on the three softest available this year, namely the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium, and the C5 as Soft. As is usually the case on urban circuits, the track has a particularly smooth surface, given that it is used daily by road cars and the tires must therefore offer the maximum possible grip.
The FIA indicates that the circuit has been resurfaced: « from the exit of turn 4 to the entry of turn 6, from the exit of turn 6 to the entry of turn 10, and from the exit of turn 19 to the exit of turn 1.
For the Monaco Grand Prix, Pirelli’s choice of slick tyre compounds falls to the three softest available this year, which means the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft.#F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/yA0il8LERS
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) May 21, 2024
The weather forecast looks mild throughout the weekend, the absence of rain will be one less parameter for the drivers to manage. They will have to be in good form right from the Friday practice sessions, in order to be competitive during the Saturday qualifiers. Will McLaren manage to shake up Red Bull once again? Will Charles Leclerc achieve his first victory at home? Answers will come from Friday during the practice sessions.
