The Monaco Grand Prix has long been considered the jewel in F1’s crown.
Since 1955, it has been a mainstay of the schedule and just couldn’t take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The circuit includes some of the most famous sections of any F1 track: the Casino Square, the tunnel section and the dizzyingly fast Pool section, including three.
Monaco’s tight, winding and close match circuit is considered the ultimate test of the driver’s talent. While the debate between car and driver continues as long as racing exists, Monaco is perhaps the place above all else where the driver can make the main difference.
As such, Monaco’s qualifiers are often one of the best, most thrilling and most important matches of the season. Qualifiers around Monte Carlo were unforgiving when they arrived. No one knows this better than Ferrari Charles Leclerc, who grew up in Monaco and took the bus to school in the last corner of the race. After taking pole position last year, he fell out and was ultimately unable to start the race.
One limitation to the nature of F1’s track and ever wider cars, is that racing tends to be more procedural, with all but impossible overtaking in the majority of venues.
Most notable about Monaco is how the principality returned to normal almost immediately after the track action was taken, with parts of the circuit reopening to the public intermittently over the weekend. In the hours after the action on the track stops, fans can visit the bars that line up the last corners and drink on the track.
However, for all its legacy and reputation, Monaco no longer seems able to make it onto the F1 schedule the way it once did. Monaco’s current contract expires in 2022 and its future remains uncertain, with no clear solution to make Sunday’s main event more enjoyable for fans and more and more question of its value to F1.
For years, Monaco has enjoyed extremely favorable financial terms to host the race, but F1’s attitude about this is changing rapidly. With F1 exploding in popularity and now able to garner huge fees from new promoters, the time for Monaco is unlikely to continue.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently warned that it is “not enough”. [just] for more pedigree”, and McLaren boss Zak Brown said Monaco “needs to offer the same commercial terms as the other big boys”.
The issue of the future of racing is likely to dominate the build-up of this year’s event.
Who is likely to win?
Ferrari squandered its lead at the Spanish Grand Prix but can be confident of a strong performance at the Monaco Grand Prix. The short and zigzag Monte Carlo track should be in favor of the Italian car as it is strongest in slow corners and often struggles against Red Bull on long straights, which shouldn’t be a concern. this weekend.
It seemed the perfect opportunity for Leclerc to make amends last year – and a few weeks ago, when he crash a historic car Niki Lauda Ferrari at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix – finally won his home race.
Mercedes will also look to build on its improvement program in Spain. The team’s upgrades seem to solve the worst problems their team has had in the first five races of the season, although they can still be problematic at some corners.
What time is the United States?
Practice 1 – Friday, May 27 – 7.55 a.m. – ESPN2
Practice 2 – Friday, May 27 – 10:55 a.m. – ESPN2
Practice 3 – Saturday, May 28 – 6.55AM – ESPN2
Qualifiers – Saturday, May 28 – 9:55 a.m. – ESPN2
Prerace show – Sunday, May 29 – 7:30 a.m. – ESPN
Monaco Grand Prix – Sunday, May 29 – 8:55 a.m. – ESPN
Post-production – Sunday, May 29 – 11 a.m. – ESPN3
Race (rebroadcast) – Sunday, May 29 – 3:30 pm – ABC
