Monaco Grand Prix 2026
The jewel of the Formula 1 calendar. Monaco is the most prestigious, most glamorous, and most technically demanding race in the world — a street circuit through a Principality where royalty, superyachts, and the pinnacle of motorsport collide.
Circuit Facts
Circuit de Monaco
Monte Carlo, Monaco
1950
19
Street circuit
1:12.909 — Verstappen (2021)
About the Circuit de Monaco
The Circuit de Monaco is Formula 1's oldest, most celebrated, and most unique venue. Threading through the narrow streets and tunnels of the tiny Principality on the French Riviera, the circuit has been part of the World Championship since its inaugural 1950 season and has hosted the sport's greatest names in its most demanding setting. At just 3.337 km, Monaco is the shortest lap on the calendar, yet the 78-lap race demands more sustained concentration from a driver than perhaps any other event — one lapse in focus and the barriers are immediate and unforgiving.
The circuit is characterised by its almost complete absence of run-off areas. Armco barriers line virtually every metre of track, and the consequences of a mistake are instant. Average speeds are the lowest on the calendar, yet the mental demands are the highest — a driver must commit fully to every corner, trusting their precision is absolute. The famous tunnel section, where cars accelerate from sunlight into darkness at over 280 km/h before emerging back into the harbour, is a genuine test of nerve shared by no other circuit in the world.
Monaco is so important to the fabric of Formula 1 that it is widely considered one of the three legs of motorsport's unofficial Triple Crown alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Winning Monaco means something different to winning anywhere else — for any driver, it is a life-defining achievement and the race that every one of them most wants on their résumé.
Key Corners
Every corner at Monaco is critical — there is no margin for error anywhere on the lap. These are the defining sections of one of the most iconic circuits in the world.
Sainte Devôte — Turn 1
The first corner after the start/finish straight, a tight right-hander at the bottom of a short slope. The primary overtaking opportunity at race start, where the field funnels from two lanes to one. Getting through here cleanly on lap one is crucial — many Monaco races are decided at Sainte Devôte.
Grand Hotel Hairpin
The tightest corner in all of Formula 1. Cars slow to around 45 km/h to navigate this slow right-hander in front of the Hôtel de Paris. The sheer slowness makes it an overtaking opportunity, but the tight exit and proximity of the barriers punish any driver who is too ambitious at the apex.
The Tunnel
Not a corner, but the most atmospheric section of the entire F1 calendar. Cars enter at full throttle, accelerating past 280 km/h inside the tunnel before emerging back into the bright Mediterranean sunlight at the Nouvelle Chicane. The transition from light to darkness and back again makes it a uniquely demanding stretch of racing road.
Swimming Pool Complex
The chicane sequence alongside the Rascasse pool is among the most technically challenging on the lap. Drivers must thread the car through a left-right-left combination with walls inches away, and a kerb hit here can instantly send a car into the barriers and end a race on the spot.
Race Atmosphere
The Monaco Grand Prix is the most glamorous sporting event in the world. The harbour fills with some of the largest superyachts afloat, giving spectators aboard a ringside view of Formula 1 cars at astonishingly close range. The grandstands in the harbour section, the pit straight, and around Rascasse are packed with fans from across the world, while the Principality's casino and fine dining venues create an atmosphere entirely unique in sport.
The Grimaldi family, Monaco's ruling house, have been fixtures at the circuit since the earliest races — adding a layer of royal history and prestige no other race can claim. For a driver, winning Monaco is a life-defining moment. For a spectator, watching Formula 1 cars navigate streets designed for gentle tourist traffic at racing speeds is one of the most extraordinary sights sport has to offer.
Tyre Strategy
Monaco is a Medium/Hard compound race where tyre strategy plays a secondary role to qualifying position and track position. Because overtaking on track is almost impossible in normal racing conditions, the pit stop window is the primary mechanism for changing the running order. Teams typically run a one-stop strategy, timing the pit call to undercut a rival or to cover a safety car.
Tyre degradation is low due to the slow average speeds and smooth road surface, meaning compounds last significantly longer than at high-energy circuits. The most critical strategic moment is responding to a safety car — with the pit lane so close to the track, a single safety car can rewrite the race entirely in a matter of seconds.
How to Watch the Monaco Grand Prix in the UK
The Monaco Grand Prix is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK, with complete coverage of every session including the iconic qualifying Saturday. Monaco is on CEST (UTC+2) during the European summer, one hour ahead of UK BST, meaning the race typically starts at 3pm local / 2pm UK time.
Channel 4 broadcasts extended free-to-air highlights after the race. Sky subscribers can stream live via Sky Go, and non-subscribers can access live coverage with a NOW TV Sports Pass. Monaco is one of the most-watched events of the F1 season — visit our TV schedule page for confirmed session times.
Previous Monaco GP Winners
| Year | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 2024 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing |
| 2022 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Racing |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing |