Should Monaco be reinvented? Hülkenberg and Alonso defend a Grand Prix apart
While criticism of the Monaco Grand Prix's lack of spectacle is rife every year, Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso have taken up the cause. For them, this legendary race doesn't need to be changed, and the problem lies mainly with the public's unrealistic expectations.
Every season, Monaco crystallizes the debates. As prestigious as it is complex, the princely circuit struggles to provide on-track spectacle due to its narrowness and the difficulty of overtaking. And yet, it remains one of the most anticipated events on the calendar. As every year, criticism resurfaced after a 2025 edition deemed soporific, despite the introduction of a rule requiring two mandatory pit stops.
Faced with this, Nico Hülkenberg did not mince his words. In a press conference in Barcelona, the Sauber driver urged critics to stop whining. For him, the problem is not Monaco, but those who insist on hoping for a spectacle that does not match the circuit’s DNA. People know what will happen, and yet they still complain, he stated, before concluding bluntly: If you want to do better, qualify better.
A curt response, which clearly illustrates the weariness of some drivers in the face of an endless debate. Because yes, Monaco is unique, and according to Hülkenberg, it’s precisely this singularity that must be preserved.
« This is Monaco »: when history weighs more than the spectacle
On the Aston Martin side, Fernando Alonso shares this view. At 43 years old, the double world champion is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, and his vision is clear: Monaco should not be judged by classic criteria. “Maybe we can think of some ideas, all together, in the sport, but I don’t think it’s necessary to change anything,” he stated. For him, the real issue lies elsewhere: “There is always this tendency to point out what goes wrong, rather than what goes right.”
The Spanish veteran regrets a time when drivers were more straightforward, less subject to the media ecosystem. “Today, we answer all the questions, we’re too nice,” he blurts out. “If you had asked Senna or Prost a week after Monaco, when they were fighting for the title, they would have been less polite.”
This plea for the status quo makes perfect sense when observing the packed grandstands and crowded yachts. Despite a race scenario that is often predictable, Monaco remains an extraordinary showcase, where glamour sometimes takes precedence over competition.
So, should Monaco be adapted to modern Formula 1, or should it continue to be considered a cultural exception? The debate is open, but one thing is certain: for figures like Alonso and Hülkenberg, this legendary race deserves better than the automatic criticism it receives every May.
