After yet another disappointing edition, the Monaco GP in F1 appears ready for major changes: proposals to alter the circuit layout have emerged.
In Monaco, another boring race has prompted F1 to consider taking action: a revolutionary proposal comes from Alex Wurz. The track needs to be changed—regulatory tricks are no longer enough. The mandatory two-stop strategy proved to be a flop, forcing some teams into extreme and, in some ways, disheartening strategies. The next solution may follow the line already proposed by Christian Horner.
Formula 1 can no longer afford races like the one in Monte Carlo. Saturday, the most exciting day of the season, can no longer justify a Sunday entirely devoid of action. Whoever starts first finishes first, and the same goes for the rest, as has been the case for years. Since the cars can’t magically lose weight and size, it’s time to intervene directly in the layout of the track.
Monte Carlo according to Wurz: a new “Nouvelle Chicane”
Some possible modifications to the Monaco circuit have been proposed by Alex Wurz, president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. The first change concerns the Nouvelle Chicane, already considered one of the very few overtaking opportunities on the track. Coming out of the tunnel, drivers can attempt an attack on the car ahead, though it carries significant risk.
The idea from the Austrian former F1 driver is to move the entry point forward by about 80 meters: “I’m very convinced, from personal experience watching the races and speaking with my fellow drivers, that moving the chicane further ahead, despite the constraints of a street circuit, should be possible. Defending, which is very easy now, would become more difficult.”
This is a compromise proposal compared to those who would prefer to eliminate the chicane entirely. That alternative is made impossible by safety concerns: Turn 12, “Tabac,” would then be approached at excessively high speeds without suitable run-off areas.
The importance of pressure: a wider “Rascasse”
Another typical overtaking spot in Monte Carlo is La Rascasse. The corner preceding Anthony Noghes and the final straight has always been the scene of daring moves—Charles Leclerc made a memorable attempt there in 2019 during a comeback from the back of the field—but could be widened to enhance its strategic significance.
“By moving forward the apex of the first part of the corner, the entry line will definitely change,” explains Alex Wurz. “The corner will create more chances for inside attacks, which means drivers ahead will have to defend or risk leaving the door open. Those who defend will exit much slower, causing a train behind them and increasing pressure on everyone.”
“It’s a small trick, fairly easy to implement, but it should at least ensure more battling, more pressure on the leaders and perhaps even a few overtakes.”
More overtakes at the Grand Hotel hairpin
Wurz’s final proposal involves the hairpin. Here too, especially early in the race or during Safety Car restarts when the field is bunched up, we often see overtaking attempts both inside and outside. Last Sunday, on the first lap, Gabriel Bortoleto launched an attack on Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who counterattacked at Portier.
The idea is to widen both the entry and exit of the hairpin: “This means drivers, going downhill, will more easily be able to attack on the inside. The defending driver will therefore need to be more alert. The hairpin is very tight, so we should also widen the exit by removing the kerb and extending the asphalt all the way to the wall to allow for better steering radius.”
“The ideal racing line won’t change from the current one. The essence of the corner will stay the same. It will just require a bit more defending. Therefore, this corner will lead into overtakes at the Nouvelle Chicane.”
Leave a Reply