Monaco, a Circuit in Question

Has the jewel lost its shine? Incomparable in terms of prestige, the Monaco Grand Prix version /f1/actualite/22729-monaco-course-sous-pression-ricciardo-mate-vettel-et-hamilton-.html has suffered numerous criticisms, once the checkered flag was waved at Daniel Ricciardo’s passing. The main issue was the lack of overtaking. Among the 10 drivers in Q3, six retained their starting positions, the top six in the final standings. At the top, Sebastian Vettel’s inability to overtake the Red Bull driver, despite his suffering from a lack of engine power for 75% of the race. Behind, only Pierre Gasly’s extended stint allowed him to gain three positions. And among those, one was due to an abandonment (Fernando Alonso), and another was due to a mistake by the Force India mechanics (Sergio Pérez).

Among the top ten in the final standings, three overtakes are notable: Lewis Hamilton on Esteban Ocon on lap 13, Nico Hülkenberg on Carlos Sainz on lap 54, and Max Verstappen on Sainz on lap 58. And out of these three overtakes, two are the result of a “team order,” with Ocon not allowed to slow down the Mercedes; and Sainz, who let Hülkenberg pass to protect the German from being overtaken… by Verstappen, who was back in his mirrors. By the way, the Dutchman was the most skillful in this exercise, executing six maneuvers, including passing two cars at once, the Haas of Magnussen and Grosjean, at the start.

Two critics and one defender

Faced with this overly orderly race, Lewis Hamilton takes a stand by inviting the motorsport community to review the Grand Prix format. Finishing third, the Briton lamented a boring race. While the circuit allowed many overtakes since the first race in 1929, it’s true that today, everything is different… except the layout, almost identical to the original. In this regard, the Mercedes driver suggests modifying the current layout or introducing specific constraints, inspired by other motorsport disciplines.

« We shouldn’t be able to make just one stop here. Maybe a different format is needed: when you watch NASCAR, they put out plenty of Safety Cars, without any valid reason, to bunch up the field. There are 100 yellow flags per race to bring them closer. Maybe we need two races, who knows? »

Fernando Alonso is even more assertive. The Spaniard stated that spectators should be reimbursed for the price of their ticket. Without the Safety Car, without the yellow flags, our sport needs to reflect on the show offered here, because this was probably the most boring Formula 1 race ever seen! added the double world champion on the subject.

But the world of Formula 1 is not so unanimous. Formula One Group sporting director, Ross Brawn, does not blame the circuit. It’s a bit naive to expect many duels and overtakes in Monaco. It cannot be judged by the same criteria as the others.

« The opinion of the drivers is welcome: my door is always open! That being said, we would need additional land on the sea to do something different! » Ross Brawn, Managing Director of the Formula One Group

Solutions?

With an area of 2.02 square kilometers, Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, behind the Vatican. And on this meager surface, it must also be noted that not all of the territory is usable for racing Formula 1 cars. The Old Monaco is mostly made up of narrow streets on the heights of the Principality. The action actually takes place on the waterfront: currently, the circuit runs through the districts of Monte Carlo and La Condamine.

However, the Principality is currently undertaking a land extension plan over the Mediterranean Sea.

Named Anse du Portier (at the Portier turn, before the Tunnel), this project will increase Monaco’s surface area by 3% (6 hectares) and enhance the city with various pedestrian spaces and esplanades facing the sea, in addition to housing. While this investment is not directly connected to the Grand Prix track layout, it is likely that those considering possible modifications to the circuit will take into account the opportunities related to this extension, which is expected to be completed by 2025.

Prince Albert himself stated this in an interview with Forbes last month: « we occasionally explore various possibilities for extending the runway, and there is certainly something to consider in relation to the construction of the new extension of the area. »

While adding. « There are no projects yet, it’s just in the minds of the Automobile Club members and also the government. »

« I am not saying that this will necessarily happen, but at some point, we will ask ourselves the question: how can we make this event a little more exciting? » Prince Albert raises the possibility of change.

But before rejoicing in such a situation, many other parties will need to be convinced. Due to its prestigious status, the Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most sought-after events of the season for numerous sponsors and distinguished guests. Any modification of the track or worse, suspension of the Grand Prix for construction, would harm the image of the event.

« We have not gone beyond this simple statement of idea » notes Prince Albert. Referring to the iconic status of the Grand Prix: « it is such a part of the sport’s history that I can’t imagine a Formula 1 season without the Monaco Grand Prix. »

What if the problem was simply cyclical?

The width of the current single-seaters is also largely responsible for the lack of overtaking. Let’s remember that a Formula 1 car measures 2 meters wide and just under 5.5 meters long. For comparison, a Formula 2 car is “only” 1.9 meters wide, with a length of 5.2 meters. Moreover, the tires used are from the 2016 Formula 1, narrower than their successors. A few centimeters of difference make a big impact when it comes to overtaking on a track that is 6 or 5 meters wide in some places.

What a move in Rascasse by @ArtemMarkelov6 to take fourth position! #F2 pic.twitter.com/QtcOXh4BqR

— The Caution Clock ⚠️ (@CautionClock20) May 26

Another important factor is the strategic and sporting stakes. The teams focused on a one-stop strategy at all costs. To achieve this, they had to manage the hyper-soft tires, provided by Pirelli, in the best possible way. Considering the race lap times, drivers were running eight seconds slower than during qualifying. In clear terms, the main objective for the drivers was to maintain their position achieved after the first turn of the race, setting a cruising pace with the Italian tires.

In passing, the two most critical drivers… are especially the two most frustrated drivers at the end of the race. Third, Lewis Hamilton couldn’t fight for the victory because of his tires while Fernando Alonso faced a gearbox issue. In any case, we have the right to hope for a revamp of the circuit in the coming years, in order to revive the dynamism of this prestigious race.

The weekend where @danielricciardo walked on water…

📽 TOP 5 MOMENTS> https://t.co/hgNcOlT93T #MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/26KWjSpyt6

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 29 /f1/actualite/22729-monaco-course-sous-pression-ricciardo-mate-vettel-et-hamilton-.html

Written with Nicolas Lherm