The Monaco Grand Prix is the epitome of Formula One.
The principality is known as a playground and a haven, attracting tourists as well as the rich and famous. It may be the world’s second smallest independent state (at 0.76 square miles, it’s barely half the size of New York’s Central Park), but it’s packed with casinos, designer malls and clubs. Each year when the grand prix rolls around, the harbor fills with yachts as fans prepare for the thrill on track and champagne moments afterwards on the podium.
Monaco’s street track was part of the calendar for F1’s inaugural season in 1950, and it’s kept that place every year since 1955, except for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
The iconic circuit is narrow, requiring pinpoint accuracy because even being a millimeter off can be a costly error as the drivers navigate around famous buildings, a tight hairpin and past a slew of yachts. Early races saw the occasional car end up in the harbor; now, fans see costly shunts into the barriers. Overtaking is incredibly difficult (the 2003 race saw zero on-track overtakes), and strategy is critical. Nelson Piquet once said driving in Monaco is “like riding a bicycle around your living room.”
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