The quintessential city circuit unfolds through the streets of Monte Carlo, spanning 3.337 km with 19 corners, including 12 right turns. The only DRS zone of the track is located on the start-finish straight and represents one of the few overtaking points. The race distance to be covered is the shortest of the year, with 260.286 km over 78 laps. In addition to the distance, the average speeds are also low, around 150 km/h.
Let’s explore the peculiarities and challenges of the Monte Carlo F1 track in this analysis:
To perform at their best among the streets of the principality, teams will bring setups with maximum aerodynamic load. Additionally, they will choose setups that allow them to replicate the roughness of the road surface and the presence of manhole covers. Special attention is given to the gearbox components, which are heavily stressed on this track with 50 gear changes over just 3 km of track. Considering the average lap time of 70/80 seconds, a gear change is made approximately every 1.6 seconds.
This means that in the context of the race, during the 78 laps, drivers will change gears approximately 4,000 times. There are also challenges for the braking system, which, due to the low speeds, will not have enough airflow to dissipate the heat generated during repeated braking.
Sector 1
The first sector of the track features a short start-finish straight interrupted almost immediately by Saint Devote, an almost 90-degree right turn preceded by a braking force of 4.8 G. It is important to hit the apex precisely and avoid braking too late, given the lack of escape routes. After exiting the first corner, the track climbs toward the Casino with a slight straight that concludes with the left turn of Massenet. The approach here is also crucial as it affects the entry into the Casino corner, a right-hand bend that marks the end of the first sector.
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Sector 2
The second sector begins with a downhill section, with drivers exiting the Casino performing a right-left maneuver to avoid a dip in the road. Mirabeau high, according to Brembo, is the third most demanding braking point, with 4 G of deceleration and 2.38 seconds on the brakes. From here, the track enters the slowest part of the circuit, with three low-speed corners where drivers maximize the steering angle. The iconic curve in this section is the hairpin, or hook, due to its shape.
After exiting the hairpin, drivers approach Mirabeau low and Portier, two right-hand corners that are rather challenging to navigate. It’s quite easy to brush against the apex of the second corner and send the car into a spin. After exiting the tunnel, drivers will face the new chicane, preceded by the second most demanding braking point, experiencing a maximum deceleration of 4.7 G. Another critical point is the swimming pool section, with two high-speed changes of direction.
Sector 3
The final sector of the circuit starts with the last part of the swimming pool section, where drivers tackle a fast right-left sequence. In past editions, this part of the track has witnessed several incidents where drivers have broken the steering arm after hitting the guardrail. The last corners of the track, Rascasse and Antony Noghes, are tight corners, and drivers tend to exploit every inch of asphalt. Additionally, it’s easy to end up with the car in oversteer on the second corner, losing valuable time before getting back on the start-finish straight.
Pirelli’s Tire Choices for F1 on the Monaco Track
To tackle the Monaco circuit, the Italian tire manufacturer has decided to bring the softest tires from their range. This choice is clearly dictated by the low grip of the asphalt and its low wear. Furthermore, one of the characteristics of the Monaco track is that it is reopened to traffic at night, making it quite challenging to achieve an ideal rubbered-in racing line. Given the weather forecasts for the weekend, the new wet weather tires without tire warmers, already planned for Imola, could make their debut.
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