Caryss Green, '25 - Editor
The Monaco Grand Prix was on the calendar in 1950 for the first year of the Formula 1 World Championship. Technically, the streets that make up the track were made when Monaco was first established as a colony of Genoa in 1215, but the circuit was officially established on April 14, 1929.
In 1929, a cigarette manufacturer Antony Noghes organized a race in Monte Carlo including those from the Automobile Club de Monaco. The race was on the calendar for Formula 1’s first World Championship in 1950 and has been on the calendar since 1955.
The race is 78 laps with each lap being 3.337 kilometers, making it the shortest lap length on the calendar. Additionally, the circuit features one DRS zone. The record for fastest lap is held by Lewis Hamilton in 2021 with a time of 1:12.909. In 1989, the FIA dictated that each race would run for 305 kilometers. Monaco is an exception to this rule with a total distance of 260.286 kilometers. This exception is due to the especially winding and narrow streets, which require slower speeds to navigate. Similarly, the circuit features shorter lap lengths because the FIA states that the races should not exceed two hours, which is approximately how long it takes drivers to complete the 78 laps in Monaco. Due to the short lap lengths, the Monaco Grand Prix has the highest number of laps of all the circuits on the Formula 1 calendar with the Dutch Grand Prix having the second highest at 72 laps and the Belgian Grand Prix having the lowest with 44 laps.
Being a street circuit, the track is incredibly narrow, which makes overtaking even more difficult. Nelson Piquet described driving in Monaco as, “like riding a bicycle around your living room.” In fact, during the 2003 Grand Prix, there were no passing moves made throughout the entire Grand Prix.
A unique aspect of the Monaco Grand Prix is fans can watch the Grand Prix from grandstands like other races, but they can also watch from boats and even overhanging apartments. The Monaco Harborfront is considered one of the most iconic viewpoints of the sport.
In the 2023 season, Max Verstappen claimed the top spot on the podium in Monaco. Fernando Alonso and Estaban Ocon finished second and third behind him. Charles Leclerc, a Monégasque himself, finished six in his home grand prix. Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll did not finish the race with Magnusen’s race ending after 70 laps and Stroll’s after 53.
The Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until at least the 2025 season as dictated by the circuit’s contract, which was signed in 2022. However, the circuit will likely remain on the calendar long after its current contract dictates, due to its long-standing history in Formula 1.