Has F1's iconic Monaco Grand Prix become boring?
- Published
The answer is not a straightforward yes or no.
Known for it's grandeur, Monaco has always been an iconic track since its first race in 1929, with rows of yachts along the harbour and a star-studded guest list in attendance.
It is considered one of motorsport's triple crown events - an unofficial achievement - along with the Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans. Three different, but equally challenging races, and steeped in a rich history.
In recent years, however, there have been discussions on whether the streets of Monte Carlo have made for a stagnant track, although a contest drivers still want to win.
"This is really boring... I should've brought my pillow," said four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen after finishing sixth in the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix.
The circuit is a unique challenge for drivers, with roads around the principality narrow with tight turns and a mile-long tunnel.
With modern cars now much larger, this makes overtaking difficult.
Saturday's qualifying is considered the most exciting part of the weekend as the race classification is deemed a foregone conclusion as the track averages just 10 overtakes per race, the lowest of any track in the last 10 years.
In 2024, the top 10 remained unchanged from start to finish with only four overtakes in the 78-lap contest as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took both pole position and the race victory over the weekend.
The previous year's edition saw 22 overtakes because of rain, while in 2022 there were 13 on wet tarmac.
This weekend, from May 23-25, will be the 82nd staging of the Monaco Grand Prix. It has been on the calendar since F1 began in 1950, becoming a permanent fixture from 1955, other than during the Covid-affected 2020 season.
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'Be patient. Races can be thrilling, too'
The Monaco Grand Prix is a lot of things - historic, spectacular, gaudy, even perhaps a little distasteful in its glamorisation of ostentatious wealth.
But boring?
Yes the race can be processional, because overtaking is so difficult. In recent years, it's become fashionable to blame the size and width of the cars. But it has always been thus, certainly in at least the last 40 or so years.
Watching a driver thread the needle through the streets of Monaco, pushing the limits, shaving the barriers is an all-time great sporting experience.
And the race? Well, they can be slow burn. But be patient. Sometimes they can be thrilling, too, in their own way.
What have drivers said?
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has described Monaco as "unique and the best moments of the season".
"Maybe only Sunday is the bad day," he added. "There is not much you can do. It could be a little bit boring as well, you just need to bring the car home and things like that.
Brit Lando Norris said: "It has never been the most exciting race, it's not a great Sunday so I wouldn't put it [as the] biggest race of the year".
But he also admitted it is "one you want to win".
Norris added: "It has been like this since Monaco started. It is just people in the world that are more stubborn nowadays and they get frustrated there is not an overtake. Monaco is still special, it still means just as much as it always has for every driver and every team member."
Williams driver Alex Albon said: "It's more just about Saturday though. I think that's what makes it special. When you think about qualifying laps, it's not so much of a Sunday race for the drivers. It's more focusing on Saturday and when you deliver those laps in qualifying, with the adrenaline in your body, that's pretty cool."
Risk of being dropped from the calendar?
Officials did consider dropping the Monaco Grand Prix after the race's latest contract was due to end in 2025 - but agreed a new six-year deal in 2024.
The race faced criticism as it was not matching the speed and excitement of the other 23 circuits, so officials sought solutions.
In February 2025, it was announced drivers must make at least two pit stops during the race "with the primary intent of improving the sporting spectacle".
Another issue was Monaco was the only race where a local television company directed the pictures that were televised to the world.
There were notable differences between how the race was covered, compared to how Formula One Management TV produced the other 23 races. This changed in 2023, the year prior to Monaco announcing its extension.
The Monaco Grand Prix will move from its traditional date on the last weekend in May to to the first full weekend in June from 2026.
"The streets of Monte Carlo are unique and a famous part of Formula 1, and the Monaco Grand Prix remains a race that all drivers dream of winning," said F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
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