See full version: Why the Monaco Grand Prix Is Formula 1; s Most Interesting Race
Another challenge for the drivers (and the cars) is the number of gear changes during the race; 48 per lap, according to F1 pundit James Allen. The lap time is around 80 seconds, so drivers are changing gears almost constantly.
While the circuit's use since the earliest days of the championship is not unique—Silverstone and Monza can make similar claims—the Monte Carlo street circuit has remained truer to its original form than any other track from F1's first decade. here
As the cars roar back and forth, celebrities and wannabe celebrities crowd the yachts and balconies for a glimpse. more
Loads of overtaking is boring. It's like fishing. You go fishing and you catch a fish every ten minutes and it's boring. But if you sit there all day and you catch a mega fish—and an overtaking manoeuvre now has to be mega, it isn't going to be easy—and you come back with stories that you caught a fish this size [indicates big fish] instead of this size [indicates small fish].
The tradition surrounding the race and its former winners, the ambience of the Cote d'Azur, the history of the circuit and the challenges it provides to drivers all make the Monaco Grand Prix appointment viewing each May.
The first Monaco Grand Prix was held in 1929 and the circuit today is very similar to the one used in that first race. here
Behind the Ford is a line of cars coming down the hill. When F1 is around, the cars would be climbing up the hill through Beau Rivage and into Massanet.
At the bottom of the image is the Tabac corner, home to a few more parking spaces. [links]
This could be a street in any city in the world, but when F1 comes to town, this very normal piece of tarmac is transformed into the Circuit de Monaco's pit straight.
First practice suggested Formula E can probably expect full power qualifying laps to be somewhere around 12 seconds behind the F1 record. Which, given their relative weight and power deficit, surely makes Monaco the most flattering circuit for Formula E to make such a comparison to grand prix cars.
Oliver Rowland, who won the 2017 F2 feature race in Monaco and took a podium in the 2019 EPrix, said he was glad FE had moved to the full circuit. “I think we’d already outgrown the track so it was the sensible decision. [links]
No one expects Formula E to be as fast as Formula 1 around the track – over a single lap, F1’s superior downforce and comparatively massive horsepower will always win. Previously, the fear of that comparison being drawn, as well as other limitations of the series’ first-generation cars, kept Formula E nervously confined to an abbreviated version of one of motorsport’s oldest and most famous tracks.
“The feeling of winning here is never any less. Every year is unique and special if you are lucky enough to get the opportunity.” here
However Hamilton admitted the track remains as exciting to drive as ever. more
“It’s a one-stop race with these hard, long stints that we get to do. On the list of difficult places to overtake it is off the scale, highly unlikely you’re ever going to get an opportunity to do so.
“I don’t think we can compare cars and years, championships and driving styles,” he said. “I think those years were amazing to drive those cars from Monaco. I can only imagine how hard it was and how tricky it was at the same time.
“I don’t think fans enjoy that. I don’t know what the solution is, but I’m hoping when we are looking forward to future generations, it can be a more exciting race for people.” more