Monaco Grand Prix

The cathedral of motorsport

Monaco is the slowest, narrowest, most photogenic, and arguably most prestigious race on the calendar. The cars race through public streets — past hotels, casinos, and a harbor full of yachts — that get reopened to traffic during the week.

Why it’s so hard

The track is barely wider than the cars. There’s no run-off — kiss a barrier and your race is over. Pole position is worth so much that qualifying is the most important session of the weekend; overtaking in the race is nearly impossible without a strategic gamble or a mistake from the car ahead.

What to watch for

• Qualifying laps on Saturday — see drivers brushing the barriers on every corner exit.
• The Tunnel — the only place on any F1 calendar where cars go from sunlight into darkness at over 250 km/h.
• The Loews hairpin (turn 6) — slowest corner on the calendar, taken at 50 km/h.
• Strategy gambles — the safety car is almost always coming. Teams that pit at the right moment can leapfrog the field.