How can the Monaco Grand Prix be fixed?

Another glorified procession around the streets of Monte Carlo has left more questions than answers

Fans of Formula 1 went into the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix with a little more curiosity than in previous years.

For the first time, the FIA, the sport’s governing body, introduced a mandatory two-stop strategy for the race, requiring every driver on the grid to go into the pits at least twice. Despite the race going for 78 laps, the twists and turns in the Principality’s circuit mean that the tyre stress is the least on the entire calendar. This has meant that only previously mandated one stop was ever needed, and it led to some of the most uneventful races to be had in Formula 1. On his way to a sixth place finish in 2024, Max Verstappen complained on his team radio during the race: "This is really boring. I should've brought my pillow."

But this year it was different. The new rule came with the promise of change, and it may even “improve the sporting spectacle”, in the words of the FIA on the eve of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Did the new rule change the spectacle in any way? Not a jot. In fact, it could be argued that the race turned into an even more strategic affair with actual ‘racing’ replaced by a game of pit-stop cat and mouse, where nothing remarkable of any note happened. As is usual in Monaco, pole sitter Lando Norris was able to convert his position on the start line to win his first Grand Prix at the Principality ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. It was a great moment for Norris and possibly his most important career win. Max Verstappen, who officially led the race after waiting to complete his second pit stop, was left hoping for a crash and a subsequent safety car that would enable a shorter time in the pits than usual. No crash materialised. Perhaps the drivers were spooked by events earlier in the day in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and Formula 2 races, which saw multiple crashes on the first corner leave landfills of debris and swimming pools of oil across the streets of the Principality. In the end, it was another glorified procession.

So, once again, the question is being asked - how can the Monaco Grand Prix be fixed?

The case for a Monaco Grand Prix

Let me put my feelings out there. I am an advocate for the continuation of the Monaco Grand Prix on the F1 calendar.

I’m all for honouring heritage and preserving as much nostalgic feeling around an event as possible. Classic circuits on the F1 calendar have been at risk of being replaced in recent years, thanks to the emergence of new circuits with the promise of greater riches in places like the Middle East and America. While I’m all for F1 evolving, maintaining its heritage and preserving the tracks that contributed to people falling in love with the sport should be considered.

Just like when a classic car or old country house is restored to its former glory, sometimes it is worth taking a chance to preserve it, however painstaking that may be. The result can be something beautiful and with soul in abundance, compared to starting again and building something new.

The first Monaco Grand Prix took place in 1929, and it has been an almost ever-present event since 1950, when the F1 World Championship was established. It is an event that goes beyond motorsport, as seen by the large-than-usual presence of A-listers on Martin Brundle’s grid walk before the start of the race. As one of the unofficial ‘Triple Crown’ races, winning a race in Monte Carlo is one of the most prestigious prizes in motorsport, and many drivers cherish a win there more than any other race.

Actor Patrick Dempsey was among the dozens of A-listers in attendance at Sunday’s race in Monaco

As a setting, you couldn’t ask for anything better. The country of Monaco is located in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, on the French Riviera. The sight of the Mediterranean filled with superyachts is only bettered by the cityscape of the Principality, which takes in the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Casino Square and densely packed apartment blocks. It is pleasing on the eye, and as well as its obvious tax benefits, it is clear to see why many of the world’s richest people, including the majority of the F1 grid, call it home.

Is that enough to warrant a place on the calendar, though? Especially when the race doesn’t contain much actual racing. Like I previously mentioned, this event manages to trickle through to the consciousness of non-motorsport fans, so surely it is a golden opportunity to showcase the best of racing?

The Problems

When it comes to Monaco, one problem by far outweighs the rest - it is almost impossible to overtake.

This is all down to a combination of the narrowness of the Circuit de Monaco and the increasing size of modern day Formula 1 cars. Traditionally, drivers have found just before the Nouvelle Chicane (10 on the map below) as the best opportunity for an overtake, where the track slightly widens following the tunnel section. Yes, we saw an overtake from Gabriel Bortoleto of Sauber on Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the Fairmont Hairpin (6) during Sunday’s race, but with a slight crash all but ruling you out of contention, many do not want to take the risk.

And with the warm up races in the Porsche Cup and F2 both featuring heavy pile ups on the first corner at Sainte Devote (1), drivers were understandably cautious in F1’s Grand Prix. Last year’s race saw a big crash between Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Haas' Kevin Magnussen, which also took out the car of Nico Hulkenberg, resulting in a red flag.

Another issue is traffic. Friday’s practice sessions and Saturday’s qualifying had several incidents in which drivers were audibly frustrated by their competitors failing to move aside when trying to put down a quick lap. While many drivers’ etiquette could justifiably be questioned in those moments, the Circuit de Monaco doesn’t exactly leave much room to keep out of the way, especially with 19 other cars on the grid. With Cadillac joining the grid next year, the thought of 22 cars squeezing onto the track next year fills me with horror.

Sunday’s race was no different. One example of this resulted in a drive-through penalty for George Russell of Mercedes. Bizarre tactics from Williams, in which Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz took it in turns to hold up traffic in the midfield battle, led a frustrated Russell to cut the corner at the Nouvelle Chicane and overtake the Williams car, taking the chance of risking later punishment. In a race of little action, this was weirdly one of the more memorable moments.

Stick or twist?

After scrolling through the replies to some of the post race tweets, trying my best to ignore the blue tick bots, it would seem that the majority of F1 fans are now in favour of dropping Monaco entirely. The overwhelming verdict was that, once again, the race was uneventful and that Saturday’s qualifying session all but decided proceedings. When speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Max Verstappen said, “You can't race here. It doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops."

As the Indy500 - another of the unofficial ‘Triple Crown’ races - showed later on Sunday, exciting racing is an easy recipe to make, when your ingredients include a wide track, narrower cars and plenty of overtaking opportunities.

Admittedly, it is unlikely to be possible to change the Circuit de Monaco’s layout anytime soon. As a street race, and with not many more streets to incorporate in such a small area, the chances of adding any more straights are nigh on impossible. Who knows, maybe one day, they’ll be able to build a new section into the Med. But for now, the track is what it is.

So then it comes down to the cars. You don’t need to be a genius to see that modern day Formula 1 cars are massive. I was in Woking when this year’s McLaren was being showcased at the local shopping centre, and its size astounded me. F1 cars in the 1960s were a little over 1.3 metres, while today’s machines are limited to a minimum of 2 metres in width. Most sections of the Monaco track are around 9-10 metres wide, with the narrowest parts specifically just after Tabac and between the Pool complex and Rascasse, about 7 metres wide. When an F1 car is capable of reaching a top speed of 233mph, and with straights hard to come by at the Principality, even the most daring racer is unlikely to risk an overtake with such little room.

My idea

Like many people at the Casino Monte-Carlo have done over the years, maybe it is now time for F1 to roll the dice on the Monaco Grand Prix.

In recent years, we’ve become accustomed to seeing one-off liveries on F1 cars to celebrate special races. The location, or a driving legend, will be honoured with a themed livery to match, adding a nice little extra touch to proceedings.

Since 1997, the Principality has given racing fans the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, in which classic racing cars and legendary drivers take to the Circuit de Monaco and allow fans a glimpse of an era gone by. Originally intended to be a one-off event to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi family’s presidency over Monaco, its popularity led to it becoming a bi-annual mainstay two weeks before the main Grand Prix.

So why not combine the two? To put it simply, my idea task teams with creating a one-off car specifically for the Monaco Grand Prix. There would be guidelines. It could be based on a particular era, perhaps the 1960s, when F1 cars were much smaller and had 1.5-litre engines. The modern era of F1 focuses so much on power and speed, but the Principality’s circuit doesn’t allow for that to be fully used, so a smaller engine for one race wouldn’t exactly harm the sport’s prowess. Throw in modern safety tech, and it would be fascinating to see what some of the world’s greatest automotive designers come up with once every year.

Similarly to the ever-growing trend of restomods, take a classic car and make it relevant in the modern day.

You could even up the ante with points on offer. Why not double the number available for the race? You could even add a sprint race, or make points available in qualifying or practice. It would make the Monaco Grand Prix a festival of cinematic-style drama to rival the one down the road in Cannes.

The 1961 Ferrari 156 - Credit: Motorsport Images

A fixture until 2031

This article has been a great outlet for me to air my frustrations about an event that made me fall in love with Formula 1. My first memory of the sport was the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix, in which Honda driver Jenson Button spent lap after lap trying to overtake Renault’s Jarno Trulli. As an 11 year old kid, I wasn’t able to understand the intricacies of the race, but the sound of the cars combined with the sights, glitz and glamour of the Principality was enough to have me hooked for life.

Despite people’s frustrations with the event, the Monaco Grand Prix will be a fixture on the F1 calendar until 2031. Let’s hope that sooner rather than later, there will be a race worthy of the location.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Red Bull Content Pool