Monaco Grand Prix 2026

Glamour and prestige in the majestic Monte Carlo

Statistically, Monaco is the slowest Grand Prix of the season, but it always looks the fastest. With a racing line rarely more than millimetres away from the barriers, the 78 laps of the world’s most famous street circuit pass by in a blur. It is, perhaps, the ultimate test for a Formula 1 driver and also one of the world’s most spectacular live sporting events: nowhere else do crowds get so close to F1. 

The Circuit de Monaco is a throwback – not just to the early days of the F1 World Championship, but beyond that to the interwar period when the Monaco Grand Prix helped put the tiny principality on the map. While the circuit has been nipped and tucked since the first Monaco Grand Prix of 1929, the modern cars wind the same route through Monte Carlo as did those of that inaugural race. History is never far away at the Monaco Grand Prix. 

It is, however, a circuit fundamentally unsuited to modern Formula 1 cars, which require a host of Monaco-specific adaptations – expect to see front wings cranked up to the maximum. The road surface is far from smooth, so the softest suspension settings are used to keep the wheels in contact with the surface and maximise traction. There’s also a Monaco-specific steering rack, required to get the cars around the tight, slow, Grand Hotel Hairpin (formerly known as Loews). 

The key performance parameter, however, is driver confidence, and time on track during the practice sessions takes on extra significance here. 

McLaren have a peerless Monaco record of 16 wins, many of which rank among the most iconic race wins in F1 history. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were both highly successful here for McLaren, winning eight races in nine years between 1984 and 1993 (Senna won the race with Lotus in 1987). The likes of Mika Häkkinen, David Coulthard, Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have also won around the famous streets in McLaren colours. As of 2025, Lando Norris has joined that illustrious list, while in 2024, Oscar finished on the podium in our Senna-inspired livery.