Why do the first free practice sessions no longer take place on Thursday at the Monaco Grand Prix?
Until last year, the first and second free practice sessions took place on Thursday. The drivers enjoyed a day off on Friday. This will no longer be the case this year!
Formula 1 returns to the streets of Monaco for its event, present on the calendar without interruption since 1955, after a forced break due to the cancellation of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix last weekend.
Before the changes made last year, the drivers tackled the difficult turns of the principality on Thursday, before taking a day off on Friday. But this tradition no longer exists, as the common Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule is firmly in place. What has changed?
Ascension Day
The Monaco Grand Prix traditionally coincides with the Monégasque public holiday of Ascension. The holiday falls on the Friday of the event, and F1 has historically suspended its operations to mark the day, allowing local traffic to flow through the streets of the principality with relative ease, while local businesses have been able to take advantage of the break to restock before what promised to be a busy weekend period.
But for 2022, Formula 1 has made the decision to eliminate the rest day and return to a more familiar three-day weekend schedule.
Why did Formula 1 modify its schedule?
In recent years, Formula 1 has hosted an increasing number of races and would have visited a record-breaking 24 locations this year if China and Imola had remained on the calendar. This aggressive schedule imposes intense programs, putting a strain on the personnel throughout the paddock.
For example, if Monaco’s traditional calendar had been used this year and Imola hadn’t been cancelled, the drivers’ press sessions would have taken place on Wednesday, which would have given the staff only two days between the end of the Italian race and the start of the Monaco weekend. A completely untenable situation.
Last year’s race was the second leg of a double-header with Spain – an event that marked only the third time in Formula 1 history that the Monaco Grand Prix directly followed another race [after 2010 and 2011].
The Friday break gives the championship actors a bit of respite in this grueling schedule. But the current and future calendar overload will no longer allow the paddock to enjoy a day off on the Rock.
