As is the case every year around the time of the Cannes Film Festival, a host of stars arrived in the Principality for the 81st Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco. And the line-up is very attractive, with a trio of stars entered by three ‘top teams’: Max Verstappen of course, the three-time reigning world champion and still dominant in his Red Bull RB20, Charles Leclerc, the local hero, in his Ferrari, and a new kid on the block, Lando Norris, whose McLaren is improving at every Grand Prix.

In Miami, England’s Norris has joined a very select circle of 114 drivers having won a Formula 1 Grand Prix, out of the thousand or so who have taken part in at least one race since 1950. And even if his record is still slim (1 win, 1 pole position, 6 fastest laps, 17 podium finishes), at the age of 24, he is a driver on the rise. Need another proof? Since the start of 2024 which, like the previous two seasons, has been dominated by Red Bull (5 wins in 7 races), Norris has finished on the podium four times. And last Sunday at Imola, he threatened ‘Max the Menace’ right to the end, finishing just 7 tenths behind the insatiable Dutchman.

He was also on the podium at Imola, in front of thousands of delighted tifosi: Charles Leclerc, back to his best and still in the hunt for a prestigious win in Monaco. A win that has always eluded him since 2018, when he made his F1 debut in a Ferrari-powered Sauber. Twice, in 2021 and 2022, Charles started from pole position, with all eyes on the Sainte-Dévote bend, but never yet has the Monegasque driver managed to stand on the most coveted podium of the F1 season, in the box of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.

So, of course, Max Verstappen is the great favourite for this 81st Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco, but he too had to wait a long time before winning in the streets of the Principality, in 2021, in his sixth F1 season. He did it again in 2023 and still has the ultimate weapon on track, but his rivals are getting organised, making progress and doing everything in their power, at every Grand Prix, to try and beat him, in qualifying and in the race. This has already happened twice this year, thanks to Carlos Sainz (victory in Australia) and Lando Norris (victory in Miami). It will be the case again this weekend at Circuit de Monaco, where the slightest mistake is paid for in cash.

Sainz, Piastri and Pérez, the outsiders

Even the Red Bull Racing team is not immune to error, bad strategy, bad timing or bad luck following a racing incident. This gives a little hope to Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari, Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren and even Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull. The Mexican loves Monaco too, and he has already won in the Principality, in 2022. It was one of ‘Checo’s’ six F1 victories, for a very experienced driver who has already taken 264 Grand Prix starts since 2011.

As this is the Monaco Grand Prix, and the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s tragic death at Imola, there will be plenty of talk all weekend about the Brazilian champion, who holds the all-time record for wins (6) in Monaco. There will be a special livery for the McLarens of Norris and Piastri, unveiled on Wednesday evening in a small gathering at the brand’s distributor in Monaco. It will be visible on Friday, on the track and in the homes of millions of fans around the world, for the first free practice session of this 81stFormula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco.

F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup open on Thursday!

The drivers entered for the support races will get the ball rolling on Thursday afternoon, while the F1 drivers complete their Media Day ritual.

During three free practice sessions, essential for fine-tuning cars before Friday’s qualifying, the winners of last weekend’s races in Imola will be in action again: Frenchmen Isack Hadjar, currently third in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, and Sami Meguetounif, who has just won for the first time in Formula 3; German Oliver Goethe, who won the F3 Sprint race on Saturday, and Italian Franco Colapinto, who won the F2 Sprint; Dutchman Larry ten Voorde, a two-time Porsche Supercup champion, who also won at Imola.

Everything is set for a super show all weekend in the streets of the Principality… and on all your screens!