Upcoming Events
The entries of the XXVth edition of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique (January, 24 / February, 01 2023) are now open.
The entry procedure is available by clicking the following link “Registration 2023“.
The closing date for the entries is Monday 07 November 2022 (Deadline for receipt of the complete file with payment).
The Supplementary Regulations of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 2023 are also available in the Official Documents section, where the formalities for event participation are fully detailed.
Restaurant “Le Club” from Thursday 1st September
After a traditional summer break, we would like to inform you that the Automobile Club de Monaco’s Restaurant “Le Club” will be open again to members and their guests from Thursday 1st September, from Tuesday lunchtime to Saturday evening. Menus can be consulted on the website www.acm.mc , under AUTOMOBILE CLUB DE MONACO / LE RESTAURANT. Reservations on (+377) 93 30 32 27
The Organizing Committee of the 25th edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique took special care in restoring five authentic concentration routes, from Bad Homburg, Oslo, London, Turin and Reims. Five itineraries… for a common destination: Monte-Carlo. And the rally route remains a series of famous special stages, all of them used every year by the World Championship event, the inaugural leg of WRC. There will again be many competitors entered, all of them ready to fight on these legendary roads along 17 Regularity Stages (SR) in order to win the trophy held by Belgian twins Philippe and Antoine Cornet de Ways Ruart, winners in 2022 in a 1965 Porsche 911.
The competitors will arrive in the Principality of Monaco, depending on their city of departure, on Friday January 27between 3:00 and 7:40 pm. The next day, Saturday January 28 from 7:00 am, the Classification Leg will start, with four SRs to be contested heading north to Valence, the prefecture of the Drôme department and once again the Host City for the event. As an appetizer, the copious “Briançonnet – Ubraye / SR1 / 9:20 am / 18,27km” will comprise Col du Buis (1196m) and Col de Laval (1100m) in the Ubraye valley, at a time of year when snow and ice are almost everywhere. Crews will then head for “Chaudon-Norante – Digne-les-Bains / SR2 / 10:35 am / 15,79km” and its illustrious Col du Corobin (1211m), followed by a mid-day time check on Place du Tampinet in Digne-les-Bains from 11:20 am. After this break, they will enter “Le Castellard-Mélan – Sisteron / SR3 / 12:00 pm / 33,34km” and its dreaded Col Fontbelle (1304m) followed by “Recoubeau-Jansac – Pennes-le-Sec / SR4 / 2:30 pm / 16,12km” via Col de Pennes (1040m) to end the purely sporting part of this Classification Leg. A final time check is scheduled at Crest (3:40 pm) in order to regulate crews before their arrival at Champ de Mars in Valence (4:30 pm).
Leaving Valence at 8:00 am on Sunday January 29, crews will head for Ardèche where Part 1 of the Common Leg will be staged. On the morning menu, a revised and modified version of the famous Moulinon stage, “Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut – Saint-Andéol-de-Vals / SR5 / 9:00 am / 40,69km” via Col de Sarasset (825 m). Then hungry crews will stop in Antraigues-sur-Volane, in front of the famous “Remise”, to enjoy the notorious apple tart skilfully prepared by the Jouanny family. Another legendary stage will follow, “Burzet – Saint-Martial / SR6 / 11:20 am / 30,63km” via the Ray-Pic waterfall and Lachamp-Raphaël. As in previous years, the mid-day break will happen on Place du Marché in Saint-Agrève (01:00 pm) where a tasting session for local and regional products always comes at the right time. A significant burst of energy for the competitors, before heading for the high-altitude loop of “Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid / SR7 / 1:30 pm / 27,05km” and, since the previous edition, the Liberthe road which surprised many participants last year. To end the day in style, “Lamastre – Colombier-le-Jeune / SR8 / 3:05 pm / 14,15km” via Col de Saint-Genest (709 m), and as it has become customary these past few years, there will be a last stop before returning to Valence (5.10 pm) : “rallystic” seductions organized on the Farconnet Dock in Tournon-sur-Rhône at 4:20 pm, perfectly orchestrated by the Tournon City entertainment committee.
Direction Haut-Diois, on Monday January 30 from 08:00 am, still departing from Valence, for Part 2 of the Common Leg starting with “Valdrôme – La Piarre / SR9 / 10:10 am / 13,78km” via La Bâtie-des-Fonds – Source of the Drôme – and Col de Carabes (1261m), the natural border with the neighboring Hautes-Alpes department. A perfect link to the Savoyons through “Furmeyer – Barcillonnette / SR10 / 11:10 am / 14,86km” via Col d’Espréaux (1160m). The mid-day pause in Laragne-Montéglin (12:10 pm) will happen at the ideal time for competitors willing to rest a few minutes and recharge their batteries with some local sweets. Before embarking on “Eygalayes – Verclause / SR 11 / 12:50 pm / 36,89 km” including the ascents of Col Saint-Jean (1159m), Col de Pierre-Vesce (1056m) and Col du Reychasset (1052m) in the heart of the Baronnies area, never an easy task! To end this day, a return to the Diois massif is planned, with “Crupies – Saillans / SR12 / 02:35 pm / 23,71km” via Col du Gourdon (953m) and Col de la Chaudière (1047m) as justices of the peace! The last stop of the day is scheduled on Place du Champ de Mars in Crest with a time check from 3:40 pm before returning to Valence (4:30 pm).
On Tuesday, January 31, the start from Valence is scheduled at 07:00 am, heading for Drôme Provençale. This 3rd and last part of the Common Stage begins with “Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert – La Motte-Chalancon / SR13 / 8:30 am / 19,96km”, a monument revisited for the occasion with Col de Planlara (1037m ) to pass before continuing, at exactly the same altitude, with Col de Chamauche. The rest of the fight will happen through the timed stage of “Montauban-sur-l’Ouvèze – Laborel / SR14 / 10:05 am / 18,91km” in its classic version including Col de Perty (1302m). Last but not least, to end this long day heading back to the Principality, crews will take on La Colle Saint Michel between “Thorame-Haute – Le Fugeret / SR15 / 01:05 pm / 18,43km”. The final time check is scheduled on Place Neuve in La Turbie, from 03:30 pm before entering Parc Fermé in Monaco (4.00 pm).
A few short hours of rest will then be allowed before the start of the Final Leg (09:00 pm), scheduled for the last night of Tuesday January 31 to Wednesday February 1. On the menu, two famous stages: “Col de Braus – Lantosque / SR16 / 10:00 pm / 34,35km” and “La-Bollène-Vésubie – Moulinet / SR17 / 11:10 pm / 22,33km”. Crews will be expected on the finish line in Monaco Port Hercule around 1:10 am. Finally, in keeping with tradition, the Gala Night and Prize-Giving Ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday February 1, in Salle des Etoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo. (Evening dress or dark dress required).
The exceptional sometimes tends to replicate! Following the huge success of its previous edition, and under the recommendation of the Organizing Committee at Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), Rally Monte-Carlo 2023, the inaugural event of FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), will again settle down next winter in the Principality. More compact geographically, but still very selective, the rally route – with 50% of the itinerary being modified, compared to 2022 – will have new features and a high number of difficulties, thanks to a series of very demanding special stages in the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
After three days devoted to recce, from Monday January 16 to Wednesday January 18, it will be time for the shakedown session, scheduled for Thursday January 19 from 9:31 am. Reserved to Priority 1 drivers only, and closed to the public for safety reasons, it will use the Col des Banquettes road (744m) towards Peille, starting from Place Saint-Sébastien in Sainte-Agnès, the highest coastline village in Europe. A winding climb of 2.29km and a perfect road to make final set-up adjustments before the official start on the same evening, from 6.30 pm, in the sumptuous setting of Place du Casino in Monte-Carlo. On the menu for this very first “Turini” night session, two special stages for a total of 40.93km, including a brand new version of “La Bollène-Vésubie / Col de Turini” (SS1 – 15.52km – 8:18 pm), starting for the very first time from Camp de Millo, and a very pacy stage “La Cabanette / Col de Castillon” (SS2 – 25.41km – 9:11 pm) which, for the very first time in the history of the rally, will allow drivers to race through five passes in a row: Col de l’Orme (1000m) then Col de l’Ablé (1149m), Col de Braus (1002m), Col Saint-Jean (642m) and Col de Castillon (706m).
On Friday January 20, crews will be heading for the north of the Alpes-Maritimes department and the second day of racing will total 106.18km against the clock. With a loop of three special stages to be covered twice, and an intermediate stop for a regroup and change of tires in Puget-Théniers, this will be a tough cocktail of hardships! Starting with “Roure / Beuil” (SS3/6 – 18.33km – 09:14 am / 2:08 pm) to be run at the foot of the Mercantour National Park, via Col de la Couillole (1678m), then a demanding sequence consisting of “Puget-Théniers / Saint-Antonin” (SS 4/7 – 20.06km – 10:22 am / 3:16 pm) followed by “Briançonnet / Entrevaux” (SS5/8 – 14.70km – 11:25 am / 4:19 pm) via Col du Buis (1196m) and Val-de-Chalvagne. In other words, this 2nd leg promises to be lively!
Next on the menu are Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for the third day of racing on Saturday January 21, which will total 98,43km spread over five special stages. Starting with the 2020 version of “Malijai / Puimichel” (SS9/11 – 17.47km – 09:38 am / 2:08 pm) and continuing with “Saint-Geniez / Thoard” (SS10/12 – 20.79km – 11:26 am / 3:56 pm) via Authon and its dreaded Col de Fontbelle. Between the two loops, there will be a “tire” stop and mandatory regrouping in the heart of Digne-les-Bains, on recently renovated Place du General de Gaulle. Eventually, at the end of yet another day without service, crews will have to take on “Ubraye / Entrevaux” (SS13 – 21.91km – 5:59 pm), at night, via Route de la Clue along Ravin-de-Chalvagne.
Last but not least, for the final leg on Sunday January 22, four special stages totaling 68.98km are scheduled, still without assistance. Two well-known stages in the hinterland, in the north-east of Alpes-Maritimes, to be covered twice by all the remaining crews, and not limited to 50 competitors by the regulations, as in previous years, in order to thank amateur crews for their commitment over the past few years. They will all have to deal with the long version of a traditional stage, “Lucéram / Lantosque” (SS14/16 – 18.97km – 08:01 am / 10:40 am) and a couple of passes in the inaugural stage of this 2023 edition “La Bollène-Vésubie / Col de Turini (SS 15/17 – 15.52km – 09:08 am / 12:18 pm). This famous special stage, at the second pass, will serve as Power Stage. Crews will then return to Monaco around 2:30 pm to pass the finish line, the best of them heading then to the Prize-Giving Ceremony on Place du Casino.
Stages, lengths and timings are indicative, until publication of the official itinerary.
Monaco, July 22, 2022
22th RALLY MONTE-CARLO ZENN / ZERO EMISSION NO NOISE
This 2022 edition of the 100% electric & hydrogen version of Rally Monte-Carlo makes another step forward by adopting a new philosophy with regards to power charging points. So that a strong recommendation of the Organizing Committee is validated: nightly charging parks are replaced by daily mobile charging points – in partnership with the LS Services company and the ISIOHM brand – in addition to fixed eborn network charging points all along the itinerary and Monaco On in Principality. This is another way to challenge the clearsightedness and wit of the crews, in order to face this brand new challenge.
The « Great Start » will be given this year from Valence, the emblematic city in the Drôme department and long-time partner of Automobile Club de Monaco over the past few years. The meeting point is set for Wednesday October 26 at 2 pm on the Champ de Mars Esplanade, where the first crews will be sent off for a first leg with 100% Drôme roads, including three regularity stages (SR) in the Vercors mountains, a real monument to start with!
Destination Ardèche for the 2nd leg and heading for Privas, the prefecture of the department, on Thursday October 27. It will be a day of contrasts, with four regularity stages and a whole lot of new features, as well as a bit of tradition in Antraigues-sur-Volane: a sweet stop in front of the famous Remise, still managed by the Jouanny family who will provide delicious apple tarts to the crews heading back to Valence via Privas.
The next day, Friday October 28, the 3rd leg will be 500-km long heading South to Monte-Carlo and will probably be a memorable one with four regularity stages on the menu, over three departments (Drôme, Vaucluse and Var), including Mont-Ventoux, the mythical giant of Provence.
The 4th and last leg, on Saturday October 29, will have a definite WRC tone, with a series of former traditional stages of Rally Monte-Carlo, in the departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes, including famous passes such as Col de Bleine as a conclusion…
Provisional schedule
Publication of the Supplementary Regulation & Opening of entries: Friday August 26, 2022
Closing of the entries: Monday September 26, 2022
Publication of the Entry List: Friday October 7, 2022
LEG 1 : VALENCE / VALENCE – Wednesday October 26, 2022 – 180km
Start VALENCE, 2 pm – Esplanade du Champ de Mars
SR1 – Barbières / Bouvante – 36.03km – via Cols de Tourniol (1145m) and de la Bataille (1313m)
SR2 – Sainte-Croix / Beaufort-sur-Gervanne – 21.64km – via Col de la Croix (745m)
SR 3 – Gigors-et-Lozeron / Combovin – 16.78km – via Col Jérôme Cavalli (842m)
Arrival VALENCE – Esplanade du Champ de Mars
LEG 2 : VALENCE / VALENCE – Thursday October 27, 2022 – 300km
Start VALENCE, 7 am – Esplanade du Champ de Mars
Check Point PRIVAS – Parc Centre Aquatique Cap’Azur (Ardèche)
SR4 – Saint-Priest / Mirabel – 21.52km – via Col du Benas (795m)
SR5 – Seyras (Les Salelles) / Le Grimaldes – 16.57km – via Col de la Croix Blanche (890m)
SR6 – Sablières / Rocles – 21.90km
SR7 – Antraigues-sur-Volane / Saint-Andéol-de-Vals – 18,17 km – via Col de Genestelle (648m)
Check Point PRIVAS – Parc Centre Aquatique Cap’Azur (Ardèche)
Arrival VALENCE – Esplanade du Champ de Mars
LEG 3 : VALENCE / MONACO – Friday October 28, 2022 – 490km
Start VALENCE, 6 am – Esplanade du Champ de Mars
SR8 – Chastel-Arnaud / Crupies – 20.13km – via Col de la Chaudière (1047m)
SR9 – Beaumont-du-Ventoux / Sault – 29.96km – via Col des Tempêtes (1830m)
SR10 – Aiguines / Trigance – 29.21km – via Col d’Illoire (967m)
SR11 – Montauroux / Tanneron – 13.46km
Arrival MONACO – Terrasses du Solei
LEG 4 : MONACO / MONACO – Saturday October 29, 2022 – 320km
Start MONACO, 7:30 am – Les Terrasses du Soleil
SR12 – Le Fugeret / Thorame-Haute – 17.99km – via la Colle-Saint-Michel
SR13 – Lambruisse / Barrême – 23.44km – via Col du Défens (1230m)
SR14 – Ubraye / Briançonnet – 20.19km – via Cols de Laval (1100m) and du Buis (1196m)
SR15 – Saint-Auban / Andon – 15.03km – via Col de Bleine (1439 km)
Arrival MONACO – Les Terrasses du Soleil
Provisional schedule, stages and lengths until the official route is published.
About Monte-Carlo E-Rally
This authentic road regularity competition, reserved to 100% Electric or Hydrogen propelled vehicles, is now very appreciated by constructors and other major players of the auto industry who wish to demonstrate, in the real world, the innovative and technological potential of their latest products. A new name was adopted in 2016, after Rally Monte-Carlo for Electric Vehicles (1995-1999), followed by Rally Monte-Carlo Fuel Cell & Hybrids (2005-2006), then Rally Monte-Carlo for Alternative Energy Vehicles (2007-2011) and Rally Monte-Carlo for New Energies / Rally Monte-Carlo ZENN (2012-2015). This is the 6th edition of E-Rally Monte-Carlo and it will count for the FIA Eco Rally Cup 2022.
Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) won the 79th Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix on Sunday, and the Mexican anthem resounded for the first time on the finish line, three hours after a start delayed by a huge storm. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Max Verstappen, in the other Red Bull, completed a podium all the more unexpected as Charles Leclerc, the local hero and big favorite, had his race wasted by a huge strategic error by Scuderia Ferrari. The Monegasque eventually took 4th place in this race which was promised to him.
Leclerc was in pole position on Sunday, shortly before 3:00 pm, after a deluge of stars on the starting grid. Then the sky darkened and the scenario for this glory day tipped into the unpredictable. The start was launched, more than an hour late, in slow motion behind the safety car. There were 75 laps to go and Leclerc was in the lead, on wet tyres, ahead of Sainz and the two Red Bulls, on a really wet track.
The first driver to switch to intermediate tires was Pierre Gasly, who had started at the back of the grid, and this choice initially paid off as the Frenchman moved up swiftly to 12th place. His example was followed immediately by Pérez, on lap 17. This was the turning point of the race because the Mexican got the right tires before his rivals. Leclerc imitated him, on the following lap, and the setbacks for the Scuderia began: three laps later, on lap 21, Sainz, who was in the lead, stopped in the Ferrari pit to put on slick tires, without ticking the intermediate tires box. But Ferrari, at the same time, asked Leclerc to do the same, despite having changed his tires three laps earlier.
The result was a traffic jam in front of the Ferrari garage, with a lot of time lost by Leclerc, and it was followed right away by an identical choice for the Red Bull drivers: slick tires on lap 22, to cover Ferrari’s strategy. The result appeared instantly. The Spaniard was 2nd, behind Pérez, and the Monegasque 4th, behind Verstappen, after the poor timing of this second stop. The order of the Top 4 never changed after this.
Then there was a miracle, when Mick Schumacher cut his Haas in half at the Swimming Pool. Schumi’s son came out unscathed but the red flag had to be waved, to give ACM marshals enough time to sweep away the debris and repair the TecPro barrier damaged by the American F1 car.
The last part of the race started at 5:15 p.m., for 45 minutes, without extra time, under the eyes of Zinédine Zidane and family. One of the numerous VIPs invited by the ACM, Alpine and other F1 teams, including Patrick Dempsey, Conor McGregor, Keylor Navas, James Foden, Ruben Dias, Mason Mount, LeBron James, GMK, but also Elon Musk, Khaby Lame, Jonathan Cohen, Squeezie, Naomi Campbell, Flavio Briatore, Claudio Capéo and Keith Harrington, among others.
This crazy race ended at 6:00 pm, in accordance with the 3-hour time limit written in the FIA regulations. It was Sergio Pérez’s third victory in F1, at the end of his 220th Grand Prix. He had already won in Bahrain in 2020, in a Racing Point, and Baku in 2021, in a Red Bull.
“Checo” immediately dedicated this win to Pedro Rodriguez, the legendary Mexican driver whose colors he wore on his helmet this weekend. Rodriguez won only twice in F1, in 1967 and 1970, and he finished 5th at Monaco Grand Prix in 1967. Pérez was not yet born. He is still 3rd in the World Championship, with 110 points, behind Max Verstappen (125) and Charles Leclerc (116). There are 15 more races this season, so everything is still possible, especially for Leclerc and Ferrari…
Charles Leclerc will start from pole position on Sunday at 3:00 pm, in his Ferrari, for the 79th Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, after emerging victorious from a perfectly managed qualifying session. He started it by posting a phenomenal time (1:11.376), in line with his faultless performance since Friday. And the session ended with a big blunder by Sergio Pérez, Max Verstappen’s lieutenant at Red Bull Racing.
This qualifying session, the most anticipated of the entire F1 season, began with Q1 interrupted two minutes from the end, when Yuki Tsunoda hit a safety barrier with his AlphaTauri: five drivers were then eliminated, namely China’s Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), both Canadians Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Thailand’s Alex Albon (Williams) and Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), who hoped better from this session but was trapped by the red flag.
There was another notable elimination in Q2, Australian Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), accompanied in his misfortune by Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) and both Haas drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, five drivers grouped together in two tenths of a second. And four teams were to be doubly represented in Q3: Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and Alpine, while McLaren could only count on Lando Norris and Aston Martin on Sebastian Vettel.
There were only 12 minutes of suspense left and the big crowd, in the grandstands and the VIP boxes, was not disappointed. Most of the spectators, in particular the Monegasques and Italians, were hoping for a pole position for Charles Leclerc. They were overwhelmed by a slightly unexpected 1-2 from the Scuderia, with the added bonus of an ideal scenario: by hitting the safety barrier just before the tunnel, on his own, in the last minutes of the session, Pérez prevented teammate Verstappen from finishing his ultimate attempt to beat Leclerc’s time.
So Leclerc kept his second pole in a row at Monaco Grand Prix, and the 14th of his career, with the added bonus of his great Dutch rival on the second row. It could hardly have turned out better for the Monegasque. The test of truth is still scheduled for Sunday at 3:00 pm. Leclerc will be the real favourite.
Ferrari and Red Bull went blow for blow in Free Practice 2, just to end Friday on a positive note, with a slight psychological advantage. The leading quartet moved for an hour, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, for the Scuderia, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, for Red Bull Racing, ensuring a colorful spectacle, without sparing their efforts. At the end of this first street brawl, a perfect teaser for a fierce weekend, the local hero, Monegasque Charles Leclerc, finished at the top of the time sheet, same as in FP1 earlier in the afternoon, with a time of 1:12.656, just ahead of his Spanish teammate and both Red Bull drivers in an unusual order, with the Mexican ahead of the Dutchman.
Behind the four untouchables, the places of honor were also hotly contested, between five different teams: McLaren, with Lando Norris (5th) all alone following Daniel Ricciardo’s big crash at the Swimming Pool, which caused a red flag to be deployed for several minutes, Mercedes with George Russell (6th), AlphaTauri thanks to Pierre Gasly (7th), Alpine represented by Fernando Alonso (8th) and Aston Martin, with Sebastian Vettel (9th) in the Top 10. So that Saturday promises to be thrilling with a qualifying session where no expert can reasonably predict a detailed result. It will happen Saturday from 4 pm in the streets of Monaco. And it will be hot.
Photo : © Philippe Magoni
He is eagerly awaited this weekend and has every intention of making a faultless run until Sunday. It’s off to a good start, with the best time in Free Practice 1 on Friday afternoon for Charles Leclerc, in his Ferrari, in 1:14.531, with a tiny margin ahead of Sergio Pérez’s Red Bull (1:14.570) and on Carlos Sainz’s other Ferrari (1:14.601). A fourth driver fell below the 1:15 lap mark, world champion Max Verstappen, 4th fastest in this inaugural session where he tried to find the limit and went straight at Sainte-Dévote, without damaging his Red Bull carrying number 1.
The good surprise came from McLaren who set the 5th (Lando Norris) and 7th times (Daniel Ricciardo). Between the two drivers of the English team, the best Frenchman of this FP1, Pierre Gasly, took 6th in his AlphaTauri. Even if we cannot rely on a first session to draw hasty conclusions, it is already clear that the Scuderia has prepared this meeting in Monaco well and that Mercedes, despite obvious progress in recent weeks, is not yet back at the top of the F1 hierarchy: George Russell (8th) edged out Lewis Hamilton (10th) and another world champion, Sebastian Vettel (9th), pointed his Aston Martin’s nose in the Top 10.
The good news is that we won’t have to wait too long, only for Friday’s FP2 session at 5:00 pm, to find out if these trends are confirmed…
It’s a battle royale that promises to take place in the streets of the Principality for the 79th edition of Monaco F1 Grand Prix, with four ace drivers spread in three top teams: Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion and new leader of the 2022 World Championship, at Red Bull Racing, Charles Leclerc, the local hero, in his Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for Mercedes.
One cannot expect any other driver to bother these top drivers who have accumulated 131 wins in F1, including 103 alone for the seven-time British world champion, 24 for the Flying Dutchman and 4 for the Monégasque. This 79th edition is more enticing than ever, between Sir Lewis and three spearheads of the new generation. Only Russell has never won in F1 but he has just finished in the Top 5 six times in a row this year, although he did not drive, by some length, the best single-seater on the grid.
To decide between the stars of modern F1, a little more eco-responsible and much less expensive for the teams, with a capped budget, a new format has been set up this year in Monaco: three days of F1, all inclusive, counting Friday morning for media duties and Friday afternoon for two free practice sessions, crucial to prepare for qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
It is indeed an extraordinary 79th Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco that is scheduled, in front of fully booked grandstands and VIP boxes, after two years of coronavirus, masks and sanitary constraints. It is also the beginning of a new era for Formula 1, in Monaco and elsewhere, around Verstappen, Leclerc and Russell, but also Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in their McLarens, and two former world champions who could reconnect any time with their past glory, Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), thanks to their huge experience: 340 Grands Prix contested (32 wins) for the popular Spaniard, crowned in 2005 and 2006, 283 GPs (and 53 wins) for the German four-time world champion.
On the French side, Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) will again be on the lookout if an opportunity arises, as in Monza or Hungary during their one and only success in F1, to date. The first two wins for a French driver in F1 since Olivier Panis in 1996… in Monaco!
On Sunday, talent, strategy and a bit of luck, an essential ingredient in the Principality, will determine the name of the winner. It will be much the same recipe for the supporting races, with a particularly exciting menu: the future champions of Formula 2, the young wolves of the Formula Regional Europe by Alpine and the overpowered coupes of the Porsche Supercup, ready to delight, one more time, lovers of old-fashioned thrills.
In this new-format Monaco Grand Prix, support races will be the only stars on track on Thursday. With a handful of famous surnames for young drivers who want to make a name for themselves: Enzo Fittipaldi, Eduardo Barrichello, Sebastian Montoya, Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, Marino Sato. One thing is certain, even if the format has changed, it will still be very hot on track, all along this very special weekend, in the streets of the Principality!
