Making the case to keep the Monaco Grand Prix
FINAL CONRNER, CHEQUERED FLAG: The crown jewel event of the F1 calendar should be here to stay
The Monaco Grand Prix should be here to stay.
Every year the debate restarts on whether F1 is better with or without its annual trip to Monte Carlo.
The track has been used in every season except for the pandemic-hit 2020 campaign, and has etched itself into the fabric of the sport by cementing its place as part of motor racing’s triple crown — the other two stages being a victory at Le Mans and at Indy 500.
The races are processional, with F1 cars both big and small struggling to compete against each other on the street circuit over the course of many decades now.
The issues around Monaco’s track are not a new phenomenon, even Ayrton Senna’s win there in 1992 is best remembered because Nigel Mansell in a much faster Williams was unable to pass the Brazilian in his McLaren.
There are very few realistic solutions the sport could implement to try and make racing better around the 19-turn circuit, and frankly that’s fine.
The F1 calendar now features 24 venues scattered all across the world, having one race that’s effectively decided on Saturday is something the sport should be able to live with.
Monaco is the ultimate test of the drivers’ qualifying pace.
The narrow track and close proximity to the barriers are features, not bugs, with competitors having to get as on the edge as possible without ever going over the limit to extract lap time.
Watching the cars at full tilt on a Saturday is electrifying, especially in this ground effect era in which the teams are all quite close over one lap.
The battle for pole in 2023 was one of the best qualifying sessions in the sport in quite some time, with Max Verstappen just edging Fernando Alonso by 0.084s, with Charles Leclerc and Esteban Ocon extremely close behind in third and fourth.
In fact, all three challengers had thought they had the most coveted pole position of the season at various points in that Q3 session until the Red Bull driver snatched p1 right at the death.
The race itself wasn’t quite as entertaining, although the elements played their part in spicing up the action.
Even then, from 2023 to 2003, 13 of the pole sitters have converted that into a win at a rate of 65%.
Seeing the drivers take on the challenge of converting that qualifying victory into a race win is still quite tense a lot of the time.
Strategy is key, but so is a drivers’ nerve.
Even someone as legendary as Senna himself made a race-ending mistake in 1988 that cost him the victory from pole.
It is a race that all the drivers want to win, more than almost any other (the exceptions really only being a person’s home Grand Prix).
This adds to its legend, with so many great moments in the sports’ history coming from Monaco.
Some recent concessions have also helped make it a more enjoyable viewing experience, with TV direction moving away from ill-equipped local broadcasters.
Moving Thursday’s traditional practice day to the more usual Friday has also smoothed over the overall flow of the weekend.
At a time when the sport is going all in on street tracks, the original venue in Monte Carlo remains the king.
Recent additions like Baku and Jeddah haven’t been able to bring the same appeal, with Singapore at least distinguishing itself as the ultimate test of stamina, along with a night-time aesthetic.
F1 could survive without Monaco, look no further than that 2020 season, but it wouldn’t quite be the same if it left the calendar.
Its place in the sport should be safe for the time being, no matter how uninteresting this Sunday’s race may end up being.
Prediction corner
I will avoid making any Monaco-based predictions as the weekend is well underway by the time I am writing this.
However, the driver market seems to be reaching a tipping point, with decisions potentially coming soon.
With that in mind, I’ll make three picks for 2025: Sainz to Williams, Gasly to Sauber/Audi and Tsunoda to Haas.
Race Rating
Imola was the definition of a slow burn, with the action at the front ticking along nicely until a dramatic last few laps.
Norris’ battle with Verstappen didn’t quite go wheel-to-wheel, but the tension continues to build between an inevitable dual on track between the pair.
The midfield pack was locked into a generic one-stopper, but there was still some fun action in the battle for the final points positions. 2/5.
Driver Power Rankings - Imola
Verstappen earned one of his best wins in quite some time, with his quality proving the difference between first and second.
Lando Norris came second in the race, but falls behind Charles Leclerc in the ranking due to struggling to match Oscar Piastri’s pace at times during the weekend, while Carlos Sainz was easily beaten in the Ferrari.
Yuki Tsunoda’s stock continues to rise, with Nico Hulkenberg also quietly enhancing his reputation ahead of his switch to Sauber in 2025.
While Lewis Hamilton was gifted the position ahead of teammate George Russell, his outright race pace was longer stronger anyway, and an overtake on track was on the cards regardless of Russell’s extra stop.
Storyline to watch out for - Monaco and beyond
The driver market is in full swing, with the rumours flying out of the paddock left and right at Monaco already this weekend.
Expect further intense speculation in the weeks to come.