Formula 1 drivers hope the Monaco Grand Prix firmly remains on the calendar despite its recent run of processional races.
With the addition of new races in Miami, Las Vegas and elsewhere, the future of one of motorsport’s most prestigious events as an F1 race venue has been called into question.
As a result, this weekend’s event will see a spotlight firmly placed on the Principality to see if it can still validate its place in F1 and whether the new 2022 cars will do anything to improve the racing action around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.
But while the Monaco GP has rather dubiously been dubbed the “Great Procession” by Sky Sports commentator David Croft, the drivers are pretty clear that the race must stay.
“It’s one of the crown jewels of our sport. So I’m not really sure it would be great to lose it,” Lewis Hamilton said.
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“There are good bits… I guess that the difficult part is that the racing itself is not that spectacular, but everyone that goes enjoys it. It is a prime location.
“Adjusting the track is not easy because it’s the second smallest country in the world so we don’t have a lot of space there.
“Many of us live in Monaco. But it is just that iconic status it has, the history that it has, that is so appealing to drivers but also to those that are watching.”
That view was echoed by Daniel Ricciardo, who hopes the Monaco GP, which is only seven years away from its centenary, will be around for a long time to come.
“Monaco is special,” said the McLaren driver.
“I love the addition of some of these new circuits, new cities that we’re going to, I’m all for it because it’s also new experiences and engaging another audience which is fun, and it keeps the sport growing.
“But there are those core F1 venues and circuits such as Monaco. It’s a special weekend.
“For sure, like the race, it’s one of the most tricky circuits to overtake so, you know, I’m not sure it provides like the ultimate viewing experience on a Sunday but the weekend experience and just everything that is Monaco is special and unique.
“Winning it or not, I think going there as an F1 driver and having that and experiencing all the emotions that go with competing in Monaco, it’s unique.
“I’m very, very happy to have that, and have experienced that in my career. I guess I would wish, you know, call it the next generation to also experience that because it is special.”
Qualifying in Monaco is often considered as one of the best days of the entire F1 season, and that alone, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon argued, is enough to keep its place.
“Monaco is extremely special, it has the history also behind it, and it’s one way to race that you don’t have anywhere else,” said the Frenchman.
“You really need to qualify and the race is very difficult to overtake or you need to take a risk. So for us, it’s completely different.”
And while F1 is introducing new showcase races such as Miami, even Max Verstappen believes Monaco remains on top.
“I don’t think you can replace Monaco,” the world champion said.
“Monaco has such a history, and of course, it takes time to build that. And also this [Miami] is completely different to Monaco, there’s a lot more space here and the whole atmosphere is different.
“It’s a different kind of culture as well, which is good that we have because it would be very boring to drive every time at [somewhere with] the same culture.
“You have to find a middle way between these kinds of [events in Miami], Monaco and, of course, permanent race tracks.”
