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The Monaco
Grand Prix is not just a sporting event, but also a social highlight that
brings together history and glamour. The circuit, which has hosted racing
since 1929, winds its way through the streets of the Principality: it
measures 3.337 kilometres and features 19 corners, some of them
characterised by extremely tight angles.
The carriageway, which
essentially coincides with the two lanes of normal urban traffic, is
extremely narrow and almost entirely lacking run-off areas. Safety barriers
line the entire track and are often brushed by the drivers, who try to gain
even a few centimetres by following the ideal racing line.
The
average speed maintained over the 78 laps of the circuit is the lowest of
the Formula 1 World Championship: in some sections the cars slow to around
50 km/h. From a technical point of view, the Monaco weekend is among the
most complex for the teams, who are required to set up their cars with
maximum aerodynamic downforce and to focus everything on qualifying in order
to secure a good grid position, given that overtaking opportunities are
extremely limited.
For Monaco, the softest tyre range is always
selected, this year C3, C4 and C5, to ensure maximum grip on a very smooth
asphalt surface. For this edition, the road surface has been resurfaced
between Turns 19 and 1, between Turn 7 and the entrance to the tunnel, as
well as on the entry to and exit from the pit lane. Graining may occur, but
it should not significantly affect tyre behaviour, as in the Principality
the tyres are subjected mainly to traction-related loads.
The low
level of tyre degradation on the Monaco track traditionally results in a
one-stop race. An exception was last year, when the FIA introduced an
experimental regulatory change obliging drivers to use at least three
different sets of tyres, thereby enforcing at least two pit stops. The rule
was subsequently abandoned and the classic format returns.
Strategies
are influenced above all by neutralisations and red flags, which are quite
frequent given the high probability of contact with the barriers and the
difficulty of removing cars without interrupting the race. In 2024, for
example, a red flag on the opening lap allowed all drivers to immediately
comply with the requirement to use both compounds, making it possible to
complete the remainder of the Grand Prix with a split strategy between
Medium and Hard.
In 2025
The race was characterised by the requirement to use at least three
different tyre sets, including one from the two mandatory specifications
(Medium and Hard). Most drivers opted for combinations of Medium and Hard,
while the drivers from the six teams that had only one set each of C5 and C4
ran all three compounds (including C6 Soft). Stint lengths varied widely:
some drivers ran the white-marked tyre for much of the race, while others
preferred to split the Grand Prix into three more evenly balanced segments.
Statistics
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the longest-standing events in Formula 1
history. This year’s edition will be the 72nd in the Principality. The most
successful driver remains Ayrton Senna with six victories, one more than
Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher. McLaren is the most successful
constructor with 16 wins, followed by Ferrari on 10. |
