Race Week in Monaco
2024 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2024
It's race week in Monaco.
F1 stops at the historic Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Monaco GP History: Monaco instantly comes to mind when you think of Formula 1 racing. It's set in the streets of Monte Carlo, offering a tight and tricky circuit. Monaco has a bit of a debate around it. Despite being part of the F1 calendar for 70 years, the circuit's narrow streets struggle to accommodate the larger, more modern F1 cars, nearly twice the size of the original ones. Some people find Monaco races dull because it's tough for cars to pass each other on the narrow track. Monaco isn't just about the Sunday race; the qualifying session here is crucial for a good race finish. The yachts, the tunnel curve, and the rascasse turn make Monaco's street circuit legendary, rich in history, and one of the most prestigious and challenging races in the Formula 1 calendar.
About the Track: The current circuit is a nineteen-corner, 3.337km (2.07 miles) circuit with a Grand Prix of 78 Laps.
Weekend Highlights:
Will McLaren give Red Bull a run for its money? Max Verstappen had a bounce-back victory at Imola after the Miami GP. Still, with a commanding lead in the drivers' and constructors ’ standings, the next few races are very important for Red Bull to take control of both standings, or we may see some cracks in Red Bull's armor. McLaren is on RedBulls heels, and if McLaren can make some magic happen, the championship race might be
Can McLaren beat Ferrari? Lando Norris continued his streak of podiums with three in a row. Oscar had a second-place qualifying position but was hit with a grid penalty before the race. McLaren has shined in qualifying, and Saturday's qualifying session at Monaco is nearly more important than the race. Could a McLaren put it on pole at Monaco?
VCARB continues to make progress. Yuki Tsunoda is having an amazing season so far, fresh off a tenth-place points finish at Imola, bringing his season tally to 15 points. Both VCARB cars reached Q3, and Ricciardo finished just out of the points at Imola. Monaco has always been a strong circuit for Ricciardo, and Yuki is in stellar form; Monaco could be another great showing for the team.
Haas is strong. Nico Hulkenberg recently signed a deal with Sauber/Audi for a future position, which is well warranted after his performance this season. Kevin is driving for his job right now. The team is strong, and both drivers have continued to bring value to the team. Traditionally, Monaco has not been a strong circuit for Haas or either driver, and it has had limited points finishes in the past. Can Haas turn that luck around this weekend in Monaco?
Alpine has taken a step forward. Coming off a tenth-place point finish in Miami, Alpine managed to get both cars into Q2 during qualifying but failed to convert that into points at Imola. Alpine has made a clear step forward, but it is still not performing enough to score points consistently. Monaco has been a strong circuit for both Pierre and Esteban. Last year, the team had a double-point finish, and Esteban had his memorable third-place podium. Alpine could take a massive step forward in the constructors championship this weekend, taking a clear eight place over Sauber and Williams.
Williams is in a hole. The season for Williams seems to be getting gradually worse. The team has not shown up with a competitive car nearly all season. After Albon’s pit tire incident in the pits at Imola, he was forced to retire from the race. The team will bring upgrades to only Alex’s car at Monaco, leaving Logan at a slight disadvantage. The team seems to have more internal tension after each race weekend. I would love to see progress made at Monaco, and I would like to see a strong performance from Logan so that the tone around him can change.
What team is in the hot seat the most? Williams and Sauber are still pointless.
