Formula 1: Why Monaco GP is the most iconic F1 track?

The Circuit de Monaco is the shortest track in the F1 circuit.

Formula 1 will be gearing up for race weekend this week at one of the oldest tracks in F1 racing, Monaco GP. Circuit de Monaco started in 1929, and since then there have been lots of changes in the racing world but with subtle differences, as the extension of 160 metres over the period adding to the stretch of original track length of 3.18 Km. 

F1 cars sprinting around the street of Monaco, with narrow passes including only one DRS zone, and rare overtaking, Monaco GP indeed challenges the skill of drivers. It is also the shortest F1 track and has hosted the most iconic races since being on the calendar in the 1950s. The class of Circuit de Monaco can be understood by stats that 14 of 32 world champions never won the race here.

Most win at Monaco GP

Former world champion, Ayrton Senna won a record six times at Monaco GP out of 10 races he participated in, he also won five races continuously between the 1989-93 period. While Ferrai’s legend Michael Schumacher won five races, with his last triumph in the year 2001, Lotus driver, Graham Hill was victorious on five occasions at Monaco with his first win coming in 1963. 

Four-time World Champion, arguably Senna's greatest rival in the track in the 80s era, Alain Prost won on three occasions at Monaco GP. While the last race in 2022 was won by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, seven-times champion and modern-era legend, Lewis Hamilton has registered three wins in the circuit, with his last victory in 2019, two times champion and currently holding third position in 2023 Drivers Standings, Fernando Alonso is behind Hamilton with two wins at Circuit de Monaco. 

The uniqueness of Monaco GP circuit

The 2023 F1 season will see seven street tracks in this calendar year, making it the highest tally ever, but Circuit de Monaco was the only street track back in the 1950s and in between many street circuits came but left, only the iconic Monaco track stood, as F1 cars sprints in the streets of the city of Monte Carlo every year.

Monaco circuit has the pinch of beauty in it as the track is located on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, also the track is situated at the base of the mountain range called the Maritime Alps, if we look at the technical aspect of the track, it has fewer straights and considering a narrow nature of the circuit, at one of the passes drivers literally drives at 30 miles/hr, arguably the slowest corner of the all the tracks. 

So with minimum overtaking, and no chance of mistakes as eventually it trashes cars in the barrier. Although the Circuit de Monaco was not designed for modern F1 cars, its unique combination of history, surrounding view and the challenge it poses with its layout, Monaco GP has been the jewelled crown in the F1 calendar in every season, and this time defending champion, Max Verstappen would surely be looking to win his first race at Circuit de Monaco after finishing on the third spot in the last season.