Monaco Grand Prix – No overtaking, a first since 2017

A significant figure! Zero, or the number of overtakes during the race in Monaco for the 2021 edition.

The only on-track battle actually opposed Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly in the Beau Rivage uphill section, without leading to an overtaking. The Aston Martin driver was already ahead at the exit of the pits and only had to defend his position.

Also, the overtaking maneuver carried out between Haas drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin resulted from a team order, which means that no actual overtaking occurred at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, according to statistics provided by the English forum cliptheapex.com.

This is the first time since 2017 and the Russian Grand Prix that no overtaking took place during a Formula 1 Grand Prix, it is also the second time in Monaco after the 2003 edition. In total, it is the fifth time in the history of F1 that such an event has occurred.

In Monaco, there have always been few overtakes.

The Monaco circuit is known for its slow pace, narrow streets, and therefore very limited overtaking opportunities. This was confirmed this Sunday afternoon in the first stint where the drivers, realizing the impossibility of finding an opening, mostly settled 2 or even 3 seconds behind their pursuer to save their tires while waiting for the pit stop window.

Moreover, there were no “big” drivers at the back of the grid for this Monaco Grand Prix 2021. Unlike the 2019 edition where Charles Leclerc on Ferrari had started in 15th position. Also unlike the 2018 edition where Max Verstappen on Red Bull had started dead last. Less excitement therefore at the back of the standings!

Why didn’t Schumacher and Giovinazzi’s overtakes on the first lap count?

Many of you have noticed that Antonio Giovinazzi overtook Esteban Ocon at Mirabeau and Mick Schumacher did the same to Nikita Mazepin at the Loews hairpin. But these overtakes do not show up in the total count due to a counting rule: overtakes made on the first lap never count. Why? Because this is due to the fact that the first lap is completely different from the rest of the race (it’s actually a “separate” lap): since all the drivers are almost stuck together, they have to use different trajectories and brake much more than usual in order not to collide with the drivers around them. All of this would obviously skew the statistics because it’s not at all representative of the real on-track action in the Grand Prix.

This Grand Prix has thus reinforced the aversion of some fans towards the Monaco Grand Prix, who, having been deeply bored by the spectacle produced in the Principality, consider it unnecessary on the calendar and would simply like it to disappear from the Formula 1 calendar.