The race everyone wants to win
The Monaco Grand Prix is historically one of the most prestigious races on the Formula 1 calendar. Victory on the streets of the Principality is greatly desired by all drivers, and the challenging blend of talent and luck required to triumph in the traditional Monegasque event adds to its allure. This is why the Monaco Grand Prix remains an indispensable fixture in the Formula 1 calendar, even in these years of strong expansion beyond Europe.
Two out of three wins from the front row
Monaco is the ultimate street circuit in Formula 1, and it is clear that here, more than in any other recent street circuits, qualifying plays a fundamental role. Over the years, with the advent of increasingly large and heavy cars, overtaking in the Monegasque twist and turns has become extremely difficult, if not almost impossible.
In this regard, the numbers are quite clear: the pole-sitter in Monaco has won 30 times out of 68 races, accounting for over 44% of the occasions. In absolute terms, a driver starting from the front row has won in more than two out of three races.
Charles Leclerc’s double misfortune
However, the last two seasons have contradicted this trend: twice, the local idol Charles Leclerc deservedly claimed pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session, but unfortunately on both occasions, he failed to secure the top step of the podium on Sunday. In 2021, his crash at the end of Q3 was to blame, damaging his car and preventing him from participating in the Sunday race. Last year, it was the Scuderia Ferrari self-destructive strategy that proved fatal in terms of taking the race win, with the Maranello team throwing away a potential one-two finish and gifting the lead to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
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The Ferrari curse
Historically, Scuderia Ferrari has had a complicated relationship with the Monaco Grand Prix in recent years, especially when starting from pole position. The only two victories for the Prancing Horse on the Principality’s track from 2000 to date – achieved by Michael Schumacher in 2001 and Sebastian Vettel in 2017 – came without the two German champions starting from the front grid slot. However, it is worth noting that six years ago, the red cars occupied the entire front row, with Kimi Raikkonen clinching pole position. Paradoxically, when a Ferrari driver is on pole in Monte Carlo, they rarely win: the same happened with Felipe Massa in 2008 and, before him, with Michael Schumacher in 2000 and 1996. Instead, the German won the 1997 and 1999 editions when the fastest drivers on Saturday were Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Mika Hakkinen, respectively.
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