The Monaco Grand Prix is the jewel in the Formula One calendar. When you ask a driver what race they’d want to win most, the majority of them would say Monaco, over even their home country. And each year celebrities from around the world make their way to the principality to stand shoulder to shoulder with the drivers that will take part in the race. It is also part of the coveted triple crown of motorsport, which includes the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
However hype for the race is simply not the same as it was. Back in 2017, Fernando Alonso went to the United States to take part in the Indianapolis 500 instead, which took place on the same day. And for many Formula One fans, the Monaco Grand Prix served as nothing more of a side event as everyone was eager to watch how the two time world champion would do in the Indianapolis 500. And in general hype for the event is just lacking in recent years.
The reason is this, as Formula One cars have gotten wider, bigger and more technically advanced, the Monaco Grand Prix has been gradually losing its way as a racing spectacle, and the races around there in recent years have been fairly processional. However this year was arguably the most processional of them all, as aside from a couple of dramas around the pitstop phase, not really much happened throughout the 78 laps, and the common consensus is that it was a relatively dull race.
The reason for this is overtaking on the narrow street circuit is incredibly difficult and in the current era of degrading tyres, drivers can nurse their tyres and run at around 5 to 10 seconds off their usual pace without any risk of being overtaken, thus no risk of having an adverse effect.
So how do we bring the glory of the event back? The simplest idea that many would say is modify the track and add a section that allows for overtaking. However that is easier said than done as they are limited based on what streets are available to them, and they would be tinkering with a historic layout, which many purists wouldn’t like. And other series have proven you can get exciting races round this track.
Also not to mention that qualifying is a spectacle. The drivers on the limit around the tight confines of the circuit is incredibly exciting to watch, seeing drivers on the edge knowing that at any moment a small misplacement of the car or a small over-correction can have consequences and turn the weekend on its head. That is why people watch Formula One.
In the race though, when the drivers are having to nurse their tyres and running much slower than they are capable of to achieve that, that jeopardy is not there. The drivers are not on the edge at all times, and as a result, the chances of a driver making a mistake are very small. Adding that to the fact that overtaking is extremely difficult, you have the perfect recipe for an extremely dull race.
As mentioned before, that doesn’t mean to say Monaco cannot produce exciting races with the right cars. The Formula 2 races were packed with drama throughout, and in recent years have produced some great racing. Think back to 2019 when you had that epic last lap where the late Anthoine Hubert fended off Louis Deletraz to take the victory. And in this year’s races, with narrower cars that can follow, we saw a handful of overtakes, some of them being outrageous lunges into the chicane. And with tyres that they didn’t need to take as long, the drivers could push more and were on the edge at all times and there was that jeopardy that at any moment someone could stack their car into the barrier, bringing out the safety car and turning the race on its head. This just was not present in the Formula One race as the drivers were nursing the tyres and nowhere near the limit.
The race doesn’t just fall short in terms of the on track spectacle compared to other races and series. It falls short against its triple crown counterparts, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both of those events have 2 weeks of build up and hype really builds up as the races approach and for many motorsport fans it is a must watch, and you really get the sense of a lot going down to those races. Monaco just doesn’t have that feeling as it is just another F1 race that, whilst it still has the glamour factor, falls short compared to many other circuits when it comes to what viewers tune in to see. Wheel to wheel action, and a bit of chaos. Even against other street circuits. Compare the racing we see at Monaco to the racing we are likely to see at the street circuit that is following 2 weeks later. Baku. That circuit offers Monaco-esque challenges in the castle section in the middle of the circuit, as well as an extremely long straight that is perfect for overtaking, but also making setups tricky. Right now the challenge of hustling a car with low downforce around the tight streets of Baku, or keeping your cool for 2 hours whilst manhandling a car around the streets of Singapore, on top of all that dealing with extreme humidity far outclasses the challenge of driving 5-10 seconds off the pace nursing tyres with the driver behind having no chance of overtaking.
So how do we bring the challenge of Monaco back then? As I mentioned series such as Formula 2 and Formula E saw exciting racing around Monaco, proving that with the right cars you can get good racing. One hopes that the new more overtaking friendly 2022 cars will allow drivers to follow better and lead to better racing. I also think the tyre choice for the race needs to be looked at. They always bring the softest tyre available but I believe that has an adverse effect, as a result the easiest way for the pole sitter to win is to nurse their tyres to ensure they can do a one stop, meaning the driver is no longer on the edge. Perhaps if a harder compound is brought then drivers will push more throughout the race and there will be more jeopardy throughout. Thirdly it really needs to feel like a proper leg of the triple crown, and have proper build-up. Of course with a tight schedule it is not feasible for F1 to have a 2 week build-up to the race, but they could add hype by having some of the support races start as far back as a week before. Especially the historic racing, which could do with more documentation as for racing fans it could serve as the perfect prelude for the grand prix weekend. And on that free Friday, you could have the Formula One drivers take part in a drivers parade through the city, like they do before Le Mans.
Monaco has a rightful place on the F1 calendar and needs to return to being the prestigious event it once was. The circuit has played host to many famous moments, such as the chaos at the end of the 1982 race where no one seemed to want to win, and Senna fending off Mansell in the closing laps of the 1992 race. Lets hope that changes in the future will allow for the circuit to play host to such moments once again.
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