The 2023 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix is now behind us and the F1 circus shortly turned its consideration to the subsequent races on the calendar. But as we at all times see with the occasion round the streets of Monte Carlo, there have been numerous questions on whether or not the monitor ought to retain its place on the calendar.
That dialogue has been accomplished to demise and there’s little or no contemporary floor to go over. So, till anybody in the decision-making ranges of the sport decides to substantiate both means, that Monaco query will stay unanswered.
The actuality is that the status, historical past, and exclusivity of the principality will proceed to make it a lovely location for sporting occasions, not simply Formula 1. For instance, the European Poker Tour has been visiting Monaco for the finest a part of 20 years. Every 12 months, it sees hundreds of the finest skilled poker gamers come collectively to compete in numerous occasions that cowl virtually all of the hottest poker variants, together with Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and H.O.R.S.E. But along with providing a problem to gifted professionals, it stays a preferred occasion on the tour as a result of gamers get a taste of the high life after they take a break from the tables, hopping on helicopter rides round the harbour, watching world-class circus occasions, and becoming a member of excursions round the Prince’s Palace.
Similar occurs throughout the Formula 1 weekend with lots of the world’s super-rich docking their superyachts in the harbour and a protracted checklist of A-list celebrities wandering round the unique bars, golf equipment, and eating places that line the Monagasque streets.
The drawback for F1 lately has been that the precise on-track motion is overshadowed by this pomp and pageantry, resulting in the Grand Prix itself being a humid squib. However, the 2023 Grand Prix was really an entertaining one with motion and jeopardy going down all through, even when the prime three ending positions had been a carbon copy of the beginning grid.
But that pleasure was introduced on, largely, by the opening of the heavens onto the monitor, which created a strategic dilemma for the groups on whether or not to pit for moist tyres or try to courageous it out on slicks.
Had the race been a dry one, it’s possible we wouldn’t have seen the identical degree of pleasure, in order that leaves a query round what else may be accomplished to boost the racing.
Make it Rain?
While having the drivers carry out a rain dance on the grid forward of the Grand Prix is unlikely to realize quite a lot of puzzled appears, the concept of constructing races extra thrilling by randomly simulating precipitation shouldn’t be a completely new one.
Back in 2011, the former F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, instructed that race tracks ought to be fitted with sprinkler systems to create fake rain in the hopes of selling overtaking. As you’ll count on, it was shortly and extensively pooh-poohed, however it possible would yield leads to Monaco.
However, it’s nonetheless simply pie-in-the-sky considering, because it was again then, so maybe there’s one other means.
Extend the Track?
Currently, Formula 1 automobiles battle to overhaul in Monaco as a result of they’re not designed for the slender and twisty streets. There are additionally no locations that naturally lend themselves to overtaking; most notably, there’s a lack of lengthy straights that lead into heavy braking zones which causes processional races. The DRS zone on the pit straight can also be not lengthy sufficient, so an extended one may be helpful.
One resolution may be to increase the circuit earlier than the tunnel. After dropping right down to the hairpin from Casino Square, the drivers may proceed driving in direction of the French border, surpassing the present Portier nook, creating a protracted(ish) straight and a hairpin earlier than the automobiles double again onto an extended run in direction of and thru the tunnel.
This would create an even bigger braking zone into the Nouvelle Chicane the place we already see many overtaking makes an attempt. Alternatively, that nook may be eliminated to increase the DRS zone proper down the waterfront.
There would be security issues to beat with no less than a few of these modifications, however they tick all the theoretical packing containers for what circuit attributes promote overtaking.
Change the Format
If the purists are adamant that the circuit ought to stay the identical and we shouldn’t attempt to play the function of Mother Nature, then an alternative choice may be to alter the format of the weekend.
Formula 1 is already doing this with its chosen Sprint Weekends the place there’s a further race, so a particular Monaco format may be created to higher swimsuit the circuit.
Some concepts for this embrace creating the choice for joker laps the place drivers get to take a shortcut a set variety of occasions throughout the race (one other Ecclestone concept), much like what we see in Rallycross. For instance, they may observe the previous Formula E monitor structure after flip one as an alternative of continuous up the hill.
This would assist drivers to overhaul after they’re caught behind a slower automobile and create extra strategic challenges for the groups.
Other choices may embrace inserting extra emphasis on qualifying, maybe by mandating tyre compounds in periods, making a shootout, and even combining a number of codecs and averaging out the outcomes.
While all of those concepts could seem a bit on the market, they may all assist to boost the weekend. If they work, then all of the negativity in direction of them would shortly fade away, securing Monaco’s place on the calendar for a lot of extra years.
