When a Formula 1 race took place in Monte Carlo for the first time in 1950, glitz and glamor were already in the air. After all, you don’t drive every day in a principality. With the marriage of Rainier III. and Hollywood actress Grace Kelly In 1956, the place on the Côte d’Azur developed into a magnet for the rich and beautiful. A unique selling point in the premier class calendar. With its demanding, special course on the city’s narrow streets, Monaco has been a regular guest since 1955 and has a correspondingly rich history. However, the dominant question this year is: How much is such a tradition still worth to modern Formula 1?
Thousands of people came again this year. There are fewer superyachts parked in the harbor, but there are still plenty of ships of all sizes packed close together, loud music playing and people in stylish sunglasses sipping drinks on them. Which results in a very unique sound when, just a few meters away, the cars thunder over the asphalt with a lot of noise. And while spectators enjoy the sun and spectacle from the boats, balconies and grandstands, the paddock talks about the future of the race. The contract between the Monaco Automobile Club and Formula 1 expires this year. And what was long considered almost unimaginable now seems to have become a conceivable option: a calendar that does not include a stop in the principality.
Formula 1 is booming worldwide and more cities than ever want to become – or remain – a part of the high-speed industry. CEO Stefano Domenicali has already said that in theory there would be enough interest for 30 Grands Prix. According to the current regulations, the upper limit is 24 stops. The higher demand boosts the competition among the organizers and increases the negotiating leeway for the premier class. Formula 1 has choices and can dictate conditions. In the end, it’s about the best entertainment and, of course, a lot of money. In the past, Monaco is said to have paid significantly less entry fee per year than other locations. An extra treatment should hardly go through.
And no matter how much glamor and history Monaco has to offer – the races themselves mostly resemble a procedure because of the narrow, overtaking-unfriendly course layout. In addition, the cars have developed into heavy, large cars with wide tires. This hasn’t made navigating through the narrow streets in the high-rise canyons any easier. The number of celebrities recently in Miami should also have surpassed Monte Carlo. Las Vegas will be added next year, symbolic city for wild party nights. It has become more difficult for Monaco to stand out from the rest. Domenicali has already said that the number of classics could be reduced or rotated to open up new locations.
In the paddock, however, there was broad agreement these days. Wherever you asked, the answer was: This Grand Prix should stay. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who was born in Monegasse, said, for example: “Formula 1 without Monaco is not Formula 1.” Daniel Ricciardo, winner of 2018, said: “It’s fun here, it’s special, it has a unique aura. And the track itself is really like no other.” The only problem is: As much as the drivers rave about the special atmosphere and challenge of this track – in order for the spark to spread to the spectators, something would have to change in the layout, which has remained almost unchanged since the early years. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner cannot imagine Formula 1 without Monaco, but he believes that you have to keep up with the times: “If you stop, you go backwards. That applies to all aspects of the sport.”
Prince Albert II strolled along the track and through the pit lane with Princess Charlène on Saturday, and he had a long chat with Sebastian Vettel, among others. That’s part of it every year. But now the performance had a special touch, so to speak. Was that a farewell round? Or a promotional tour? In any case, standing still is not an option for Formula 1.