The best Saturday of the year? Why F1 must accept Monaco for what it is

The start of the European season coincides with the most prestigious grand prix of them all: Monaco. It means a race weekend in an iconic setting, a usually breathtaking qualifying, but also a ‘race’ that divides opinion.

The same can already be seen in the build-up to this year’s edition, both on social media and in the comments section: the Monaco Grand Prix is often described as a dull procession, a parade that has very little to do with pure racing.

There is only one thing to say about those opinions: without drama or rain, they are entirely correct, spot-on even. It is a sentiment that is shared by the drivers as well. Max Verstappen joked during the 2024 edition, when an early red flag had completely removed any strategic opportunity from the race: “This is so boring, I should have brought my pillow.” Afterwards, the Dutchman said that, in his view, the layout should be looked at, something GPDA chairman Alexander Wurz put forward specific proposals for last year.

Among other things, he suggested widening the entry to Loews Hairpin, moving the Nouvelle Chicane further down towards Tabac to create a heavier braking zone coming out of the tunnel, and moving the apex of Rascasse outward while slightly widening the track.

Although those are sensible proposals that would not fundamentally alter the DNA of the circuit, F1 and its fans may simply have to accept Monaco as it is, which is different from every other race weekend. It applies in both positive and negative ways.

The positive is that qualifying brings fans to the edge of their seats like no other place and consistently delivers one of the most thrilling Saturdays of the year. The negative, logically, is that Saturday decides the outcome, leaving Sunday little more than a formality.

Last year's two pitstop rule aimed at spicing up the racing was undone by team play around the tight Monaco track

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Last year's pitstop experiment

Beyond the layout itself, several other initiatives have been attempted in recent years to make Sunday (artificially) more exciting. Last year, the FIA introduced a mandatory two-stop race, partly to avoid a repeat of the 2024 scenario, where everybody changed tyres during an early red flag and very few pitstops followed. An additional benefit, at least in theory, was that Monaco’s only real source of strategic excitement – whether an undercut would work or not – would occur twice during the race instead of once.

The thinking behind the plan was not unreasonable, but F1 teams proved smarter than the rulemakers, and the FIA’s intervention created unintended side effects. Team-mates running behind each other on track could help one another by deliberately reducing the pace, allowing the leading driver to make one – or in extreme cases even two – free pitstops. Deliberately slow driving is obviously not in the spirit of what F1 should be and caused frustration among rivals, even to the extent that George Russell cut the Nouvelle Chicane. The experiment did produce action, but perhaps not the kind of action F1 and the FIA had hoped to create.

The rule initially remained in the sporting regulations for 2026 but has since been removed. Besides the experience of last year, the FIA also wants to see how the new generation of cars behaves in the principality before taking any further action.

Besides the circuit itself, part of the problem lies with the cars. Overtaking in Monaco is always going to be difficult, but the size and weight F1 cars have gradually grown to represent the biggest obstacle

Franco Colapinto has already explained that the experience for drivers – with the new power units and reduced downforce – will be quite different. For the racing itself, however, it is unlikely to change much.

The FIA may have introduced the current regulations as the “nimble car concept”, but the differences are still modest: 20cm shorter, 10cm narrower and 30kg lighter. That is not suddenly going to create a wave of overtaking opportunities around Monte Carlo.

In fact, it immediately highlights the real issue. Besides the circuit itself, part of the problem lies with the cars. Overtaking in Monaco is always going to be difficult, but the size and weight F1 cars have gradually grown to represent the biggest obstacle. The 2026 chassis is a small step in the right direction, but nowhere near enough. Because of increasing safety requirements over the years and because of the hybrid power units that trend has proved unavoidable. The only hope is that the FIA can take another significant step in 2031, or perhaps earlier, in reducing the size and weight of the cars, combined with an engine formula that relies considerably less on electrical power.

There's nothing like F1 qualifying at Monaco - and that should be celebrated

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

A walk trackside in Monaco

But even before then, Monaco remains special.

That applies to qualifying – and should still be the case in 2026, given that energy management is less of a factor here than at many other circuits – but even more so if you have the privilege of walking trackside in the principality, fully aware that not everyone gets that opportunity. Anyone wearing a photographer’s tabard in Monaco and standing directly behind the barriers while the cars pass half a metre away knows just how unique the experience is. And, in truth, how utterly insane the idea of racing F1 cars through the streets of Monaco really is.

The walk begins at Rascasse, moving in the opposite direction to the track. At the Swimming Pool section, it is striking how high the speed is at turn-in and how close the cars come to the barriers – particularly during qualifying runs. From there, the route continues towards Tabac, where there is a photographer opening in the fence on the inside of the corner, yet every attempt to use it is accompanied by an instinctive step backwards. Afterwards, it is time to head towards the Nouvelle Chicane, the most famous photography spot on the circuit.

At the end of the barriers coming out of the tunnel, near the pedestrian crossing, journalists and photographers can crouch directly on the asphalt to capture the perfect image: a car turning into the first part of the chicane with the Monaco skyline in the background. Despite the relatively low speed at this point, it remains a remarkable feeling that absolutely nothing separates the photographers from the cars. The walk then continues through the tunnel towards Portier, where even today’s power units still sound reasonably loud – something that is certainly not the case anywhere outside the tunnel.

It only fuels the imagination of how incredible a V10 must have sounded here, this writer being too young to have experienced it in person. Perhaps from 2030 or 2031 onwards, we may regain at least some of that sensation if V8 engines really do make a comeback.

At Portier, a certain amount of local knowledge is required. The route briefly takes you away from the circuit before a series of steps and shortcuts bring you back near Mirabeau. From there, it is possible to walk to the inside of Loews Hairpin, which is another wonderful place to watch some F1 action on a Friday or Saturday afternoon: cars literally driving around you at the slowest point on the entire calendar. This walk will take up most of a practice session, meaning you can either continue towards Casino Square and take a shuttle or begin the walk back towards the paddock.

One such lap around the iconic circuit is enough to realise just how special the Monaco GP is. Yes, the race is sleep-inducing and that will most likely be no different in 2026. But the unique setting and the breathtaking qualifying session still make F1’s most iconic grand prix worthwhile in its current form.

F1 might need to wait a little longer for a guaranteed exciting Sunday in Monaco, but Saturday more than makes up for it

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images