Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until at least 2031 after the series signed a new agreement with the promoters.
However the event will move out of its traditional late-May slot when its new six-year deal begins in 2026.Next year’s Monaco Grand Prix will be the last to take place in the final weekend of May. From 2026 F1 will visit the principality in the first week of June.
The slight change in date is significant as the promoters have long preferred the last weekend in May for the race. But by moving it back by a week, F1 should have the option of running its races in Miami and Montreal back-to-back.
This would allow it to reduce the amount of transatlantic travel required by the teams and significantly reduce its carbon emissions.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the new deal “will allow us to create an optimised calendar, which reduces pressure on logistics, and to decrease the environmental impact of our global championship, as we continue the path towards our net zero goal by 2030.”
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The Monaco Grand Prix is one of F1’s most famous and enduring races. It was part of the original world championship calendar in 1950, and featured in every season since 1955, except for the Covid-affected 2020 schedule. Despite changes to several of its corners through the decades, the Monte Carlo Street Circuit still fundamentally follows the same route it did for its first ever race in 1929.
The event has long been criticised for being ill-suited to modern Formula 1 due to the minimal overtaking opportunities offered by the narrow streets. This year’s race was marred by an opening red flag stoppage which allowed all drivers to change tyres and resulted in 76 laps with zero position changes among the top 10 drivers.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc became the second Monagasque driver to win his home grand prix, and the first to do so in the world championship era, this year. He emulated Louis Chiron, who won the third running of the race in 1931.
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Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
14th November 2024, 10:28
Monaco always deserves a place on the F1 grid for qualifying alone. Seeing drivers throw these cars around this narrow circuit is so spectacular. I guess the races on Sunday could be skipped entirely, unless the streets can somehow be widened in some parts, but the Saturday alone is enough for me to keep Monaco on the grid.
notagrumpyfan
14th November 2024, 13:05
Maybe organise 6 quali sessions, and use the results for each of the sprint races throughout the year.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
14th November 2024, 21:55
I like the race too, it’s unique, you don’t often see drivers with much faster cars struggling to overtake slower ones, overtakes are really special there.
drmouse (@drmouse)
16th November 2024, 10:59
I like Monaco being on the calendar. It gives me a break. I can watch qually and the highlights without missing anything, or I can have a nap during the race. There are unlikely to be more than a handful of events to be bothered seeing over the race distance.
I respect the drivers and understand the pressure of keeping it all together lmao after lap in right confines, but that isn’t fun to watch, for me.
But it really isn’t suitable for modern F1 cars. Go back to the 2000s and it was difficult to overtake, but it happened and was amazing to see when it did. Now, it just doesn’t, and can’t. The cars are too big for it, not manoeuvrable enough, and I don’t really think we should be racing there without suitable cars.
drmouse (@drmouse)
16th November 2024, 11:00
*lap after lap
Mr Steven Smith
14th November 2024, 10:36
That’s a shame. When a proper race could be held in so many other places.
RandomMallard
14th November 2024, 10:42
Putting Miami and Montreal next to each other is long overdue (I mean arguably I’d just get rid of Miami and solve the problem), so glad to see this happen. Also means Monaco shouldn’t clash with the Indy 500 on the same day, although Indy’s unique qualifying format means its still unlikely we’ll see any active F1 drivers compete in the 500 without having to skip a Grand Prix, as at least one of the Indy weekends will likely still clash with a GP.
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2024, 10:53
Monaco GP & Indy 500 sharing a weekend has never truly been an issue, given their never directly clash anyway due to time difference, & the aspect about drivers participating is more irrelevant.
notagrumpyfan
14th November 2024, 13:14
The clash is more about drivers not being able to participate in both. Especially since both are considered part of the triple crown.
TV spectator clashes was never a real issue, as after VCR became obsolete we’ve been given various delayed viewing options. Or just use various displays. :P
anon
14th November 2024, 14:39
Only if you are using the much later definition of the triple crown that changed the criteria from winning the World Drivers Championship to the Monaco GP though.
RandomMallard
14th November 2024, 15:32
I can understand both criteria for the triple crown, but lean towards using the Monaco GP version as the other 2 events are both famous single races, so Monaco fits that pattern. I completely understand using the WDC definition though as well!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
14th November 2024, 22:00
If using the wdc definition, then it’s by far the hardest part of the triple crown, as the other 2 just require winning a single race in categories where drivers tend to be weaker than the f1 field on top of that.
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2024, 10:51
Barely any different, given the Monaco GP has occurred fully in June before, most recently in 2000 when June 4 was the race day, with June 1 the 2003 race day, & of course, it has also occurred within the 19-22 date range, & even mid-May most recently in 2010, so essentially the same year phase anyway, but being willing to accept at least some flexibility level is good for the big picture regarding the long-term regionalization plan towards 2030 that happens in separate phases over time.
Leksa (@leksa)
14th November 2024, 11:05
Sounds logical to move Canadian GP to May. I’ve seen some arguments that weather can be a problem. But at least browsing through Montreal’s weather history from past years, it has usually been around 20°C in mid-May (in 2022 temperature reached 30°C between May 12th and 14th.) And even if it’s cold and rainy, that’s even better, as nothing is more exciting than a proper wet race like we saw in Brazil.
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2024, 12:27
The part about Montreal’s average May weather, especially for the recent past, couldn’t be more accurate as I’ve also checked through a few times to see how high the ambients were in that month, not only this year, but also the last two, & they’ve indeed been mostly in the 20s, which is perfect for racing, so mid-May is definitely a suitable timing for holding the Canadian GP most of the time, & ultimately, warmer than Las Vegas GP sessions, given the time of day.
ady (@sixwheeler)
14th November 2024, 11:13
Ah an end to that super Sunday of having the Monaco GP and Indy 500 on the same day. One event where half an hour in, I end up telling myself that it’s so unique to be able to look at the boats. The other event is an opportunity to see some motor racing.
Dave
14th November 2024, 16:16
then Miami came along with its own ‘marina’ to make it no so unique!
SteveP
15th November 2024, 8:46
Maybe Zandvoort track layout needs a slight alteration to take in the world size “marina” to the west, or maybe some marine engineering to bring the “marina” to the track?
Femke
14th November 2024, 17:04
Motor racing in circles? Ovals are boring
Rick Gomez (@rgomez13)
14th November 2024, 11:49
I’d love to see the Sunday race run as a Time Trial. Perhaps 5 laps each.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
14th November 2024, 12:01
@rgomez1 I’d prefer to see them actually run a full-length grand prix there for the first time in almost six decades.
Stephen Taylor
14th November 2024, 12:56
Not practical as it would be in danger of exceeding the two hour time limit.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
15th November 2024, 10:59
Actually, they wouldn’t, as explained in that link.
Biskit Boy (@sean-p-newmanlive-co-uk)
15th November 2024, 11:55
I wonder if also requiring only the very softest tyre for all of the dry running would mean more than one stop?
That would help.
SPArtacus
17th November 2024, 21:56
You’d like an extra 30 laps of no one being able to overtake? Ricciardo’s technical problem put him 5 seconds off the pace. Here’s how many overtakes it generated: zero. Whoever emerges from their one stop ahead wins no matter how bad their tire wear gets short of a puncture.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
14th November 2024, 14:22
@rgomez13 I see that argument come up and I always disagree with it because while it is true that qualifying is the most exciting & spectacular part of the Monaco GP weekend I still love watching the race there because I love the extra challenge that comes from racing 78 laps around the place. Where you have to keep concentration up because the margin for error is smaller than elsewhere & where a small mistake can end your day.
If Monaco was a time trial think about how many memorable & exciting moments from the past we’d have lost. Senna/Mansell in ’92, The drama at the end of ’82, Senna’s drive in ’84, Senna crashing under pressure in ’88, The drama & great drives in the ’96/’97 races, Hamilton’s great drive in the 2008, Ricciardo losing the 2016 race late on & then doing a great job to hold on with car issues in 2018 among many more.
For me Monaco is magic because of the challenge & because it’s so very different to anything else they race on as well as the history & prestige behind it.
Winning the Monaco time trial just wouldn’t be a special to me as winning the Monaco GP because they won’t have survived 78 laps.
bull mello (@bullmello)
14th November 2024, 16:29
Totally agree @stefmeister
I love Monaco. Love this race.
How F1 cars must compete on many different types of tracks, even including Monaco.
When I was a youngster in the later 1960s, I saw films of Monaco F1 races. Quite compelling.
I walked the streets of Monaco in 1980, around July, dreaming the cars racing on these streets, past the casino, hills, tunnel, near the bay and more…
Over the years and decades, Monaco F1 races are a thrill. Yes, hard to pass, but don’t clobber your car or other cars. Stay ahead, endure, and do the best you can. We will watch, I will for sure.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
14th November 2024, 12:52
So are we saying that instead of having Monaco and the Indy 500 in the same weekend, we’re now looking at having a North American race on the same weekend as the Indy 500?
Is this Liberty getting their elbows out?
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
14th November 2024, 13:39
Ah, the Monaco GP. Every non-F1 fan’s favourite race…
Osnola
14th November 2024, 15:01
Its the complete package. The last remnant of old times where glamour, speed and guts come together. Your probably to young to experience it to the fullest.
A real f1 fan loves monaco’s 78 laps of focus.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
14th November 2024, 17:37
1. 50+ years of being an F1 fan.
2. You mean: “It’s”, “you’re” and “too”.
Capital ‘M’ for Monaco too but I’ll let that pass…
Grapmg
14th November 2024, 21:56
So you’re old enough to turn off the TV. Nobody forces you to watch the Monaco GP. Nothing to do with being an F1 fan. Some love it some hate it.
SteveP
15th November 2024, 8:55
At 50+ years of viewing, probably more than old enough to recall having to get out of the chair to turn the TV off/on/change channel (of which there were very few)
These days: Remotes, more channels, less content.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
15th November 2024, 8:56
Yeah, quali is great.
The race is almost always a non-event.
black (@black)
14th November 2024, 14:34
Good, Monaco despite its shortcomings, it’s THE original street circuit, qualifying here is perhaps the most exciting of the year. Sure we have better street circuits now, but in a sport where every year Liberty and FIA add more and more gimmicks and adding more souless street circuits, it’s nice to still have some tradition.
And the fact that the managed to move the date so we can have Miami & Montreal back-to-back makes much more sense logistically.
One thing I would like though to change, would be to slightly alter the layout. Instead of turning right at Portier, the cars could turn left a bit earlier and run north along the Avenue Princess Grace for a short straight, then turn right 180° and run south parallel to before, eventually rejoining the ‘old’ track back at Portier and though the tunnel.
(layout here: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=975636)
That way:
• The longest straight would be extended from a mere 650m to 1.1km, almost double the distance, creating a large enough straight to try to overtake + a mini overtaking spot just before this big straight.
• The length of the circuit would be increased to above 4km, so that the cars can do 75-78 laps as it is now and racing the full distance as opposed to doing a shorter race.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
14th November 2024, 16:28
@black The problem with extending the track like that is that cars would then be approaching the chicane at higher speed & the layout of the chicane, runoff & barriers simply wouldn’t be suitable for the increased approach speed.
Imagine what the sort of accidents that Button, Coulthard, Perez & Rosberg have suffered at the chicane over the years would look like if cars were carrying a lot more speed at the time they lost control.
black (@black)
14th November 2024, 17:25
@gt-racer Well, just looking by Google Maps, they can extend the runoff at the end of the straight by a lot if they clear some space. There are two roads after the chicane that run in paralel, the one that F1 uses next to the harbor and another one next to it, that eventually goes uphill to St. Devote… but that uphill doesn’t start until Tabac corner.
From the accidents you mentioned, I remembered Perez’s and the next year I believe they extended the runoff zone by clearing some trees and stuff.
Also that extension I proposed, is kinda adjustable by moving the 180° corner earlier, if they feel it makes the straight too long and unsafe, they can be more cautious and extend the tunner straight to 800-900m instead of 1.2km. Just enough to make the track more overtaking friendly. They can try the cautious version for 1-2 years and if it doesn’t work, they can go all in later.
MacLeod (@macleod)
15th November 2024, 8:31
An very good idea as I wonder myself also why they didn’t do that.
SteveP
15th November 2024, 9:08
Instead of turn 18 (Antony Noghès) continue northward along Avenue du Port, right into Rue Grimaldi rejoin at the current turn 1 (San Devotte)
There’s potential for re-arranging the tunnel to Avenue du Port part in various ways as a consequence.
SteveP
15th November 2024, 9:29
Silly – had the map rotated – that ain’t northward.
Can I blame it on our local hospital, where the “West Wing” is what extends northward?
Tacit (@tacit)
14th November 2024, 17:55
Last on-track pass for the lead in Monaco was 1996. Before that, 1987.
Host a GP there once every 10 years to calm down the crowd that rants about passion and majestic history, but otherwise find somewhere that cars can actually race, not just qualify.
Nathan
17th November 2024, 10:13
Monaco has nothing to do with racing but all with keeping tradition going. You watch the qualification, and the next day, the only thing you have to watch for is a: has it rained? b: has there been a crash? If not, it is not even worth watching the highlights. There is no race more boring than this one. But money rules.