“This is the jewel of Formula 1” as some fans say. The Monaco Grand Prix is held all weekend on the roads of the Rock. But this iconic race is under threat. It could disappear as soon as 2023. Among other things because it is considered unspectaculare: it is impossible to overtake in the streets of the city, where the race is held.
The Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) obviously defends “his” Grand Prix: “Formula 1 without Monaco is not Formula 1. Formula 1 has a history, has historical circuits like Silverstone, Monza or Monaco and for me they must stay.”
– HOCH ZWEI
Several European Grand Prix are threatened : this is also the case of the Grand Prix of France or Belgium, threatened by new races, in the United States in particular, such as for example the new Grand Prix of Las Vegas. It would be the 3rd F1 race in the United States for next season (2023) with the Austin and Miami Grand Prix. Since 2017, the American group Liberty Media has owned the commercial rights to F1.
“It’s just a story of big money, since F1 goes to the United States and there, everything is excessive“, regrets Mickaël, Formula 1 fan. “People prefer that rather than the historic Awards which nevertheless still attract so many people.“Indeed, from Nice, there are crowds to reach the principality. The trains are partly saturated.
A historical circuit
Removing the Monaco Grand Prix is unthinkable for Michael:Do not give up it is _one of the best prizes_. It’s historic, it’s still a circuit with bends in town, they graze the rails, the houses, they pass along the sea. There is no prettier Grand Prix! Afterwards it is sure that for speed it is not the best, but in terms of specificities, for me, it is the best.“
“It’s unimaginable because it’s part of the history of Formula 1 but it is imaginable because the new owners of F1 did not hesitate to delete some historic Grands Prix” regrets Alexandre, a Varois who has come every year for 10 years to watch the race, fully dressed in the colors of his favorite team: McLaren.
Solutions to save the Grand Prix
In any case, the enthusiasm is still there: tourists from the United States, South Africa, Germany, Italy, Norway made the trip. To make their Grand Prix last, they have ideas: “Develop the track, even if it is difficult in Monaco, _develop infrastructure_allow to overtake because the last Grands Prix were rather processions therefore with less interest for the sport”, according to Alexandre, the Varois fan.
“We need to make it cheaper and more accessible for the spectators. At less than 700 – 800 euros you can’t find anything. For a family, with the trip, it’s impossible“says Michael.
And Charles Leclerc concludes: “I agree that in racing you can change a few things here and there to try to make overtaking easier, because the cars have changed and evolved and it might not be the best track to overtake , but in terms of the challenge for the pilot, this is one of the toughest challenges for us in the year?“