Monaco F1 Grand Prix Preview

 

Toto Talks Monaco

Monaco remains one of the most prestigious races on the calendar. There is so much history and ceremony around the event, but none of that changes our task. We need to build through practice and be in a position to deliver when it matters.

Qualifying in Monaco is always thrilling. With this new generation of smaller, more nimble cars, the challenge should be even more pronounced. To be in with a chance of victory on Sunday, you need to have a good Saturday. It will be an impressive spectacle and one we are looking forward to.

We head into the weekend without any assumptions though. Monaco is a circuit different to any other on the calendar. A car that has been competitive elsewhere is not guaranteed to be strong here. The margins are small, the consequences are high, and previous performance does not always translate. We will need to be at our best throughout if we are to continue our recent form.

Third Driver Insights

Monaco is one of the most prestigious races on the calendar. It’s the one most drivers would choose to win if given the opportunity. I had the chance to take victory here in F2 so it holds a special place in my heart. 

What it takes to be fast in Monaco is commitment, precision and total focus, with constant judgement between risk and reward at every corner. You have to drive in a way that feels almost like you’re about to crash, especially in qualifying, because you need to be right on the limit to extract the maximum from the car. That’s what makes it such a thrill. 

Then there’s the atmosphere: the boats, the harbor, the elevation changes. There’s so much happening, it can feel chaotic, but that’s exactly what makes it such a unique and exciting weekend. 

In the race, overtaking is extremely difficult, so there’s a huge emphasis on qualifying. If you do a strong job on Saturday, it sets you up for a successful race. As a team, we’re focused on making the most of the weekend. I can’t wait for it!

Did you know?

• The FIA has decided there will be no Straight Mode (SM) this weekend in Monaco due to the short straights and lack of run-off.
• The race sees the highest lap count of any event with 78 laps of the circuit forming the Monaco Grand Prix. It is the only race that does not adhere to the FIA's mandated 305 km minimum distance, measuring 260.286 km.
• A tighter and narrower pitlane than most F1 tracks means Monaco has a pitlane speed of 60 km/h, rather than the usual 80 km/h. 
• Monaco, along with Jeddah, has the most number of right hand turns on the F1 calendar with 11.
• The first-ever Monaco Grand Prix was organized in 1929 by Antony Noghès. The final corner of the circuit is named in his honor.
• The 1996 event holds the record for the F1 race with the fewest finishers. Only podium scorers Olivier Panis, David Coulthard, and Johnny Herbert finished the race.
• Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna took five successive victories at the track between 1989 and 1993, a joint F1 record for consecutive wins at the same Grand Prix, equaled by Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix (2017-2021).
• With three victories around the streets of the principality, Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver on the current grid at the Monaco Grand Prix (2008, 2016, and 2019). Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen have two wins; Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have one.

2026 Monaco Grand Prix
Session	Local Time (CEST)	Brackley (BST)	Stuttgart (CEST)
Practice One – Friday	13:30 – 14:30	12:30 – 13:30	13:30 – 14:30
Practice Two - Friday	17:00 – 18:00	16:00 – 17:00	17:00 – 18:00
Practice Three – Saturday	12:30 – 13:30	11:30 – 12:30	12:30 – 13:30
Qualifying – Saturday	16:00 – 17:00	15:00 – 16:00	16:00 – 17:00
Grand Prix - Sunday	15:00	14:00	15:00

 

Circuit Characteristics
Circuit Length	3.337 km
Race Laps	78
Race Distance	260.3 km
Number of Corners	19 (8 L / 11 R)
Distance from Pole to First Braking Zone	115m
Pole Position Side	Right
Pit Lane Length Under Speed Limit Control	325m
Drive-Through Time at  60 km/h	20s
Braking Events (>2G)	8
Heavy Braking Events (<0.4s @ >4G)	2
Braking Energy	Medium
Top Speed	290 km/h (expected)
Race Lap Record	1:12.909 (HAM, 2021)
Absolute Lap Record	1:09.954 (NOR, Q3, 2025)

 

Race Characteristics (2021 - 2025)
Safety Car Probability	20%	Average Track Temperature	35.9 °C
Average Ambient Temperature	23.4 °C	Maximum Track Temperature	46.6 °C
Maximum Ambient Temperature	26.6 °C	Wet Session Probability	7%

 

Race Records - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in Monaco
	Starts	Wins	Podiums	Pole Positions	Front row places	Fastest laps	DNF
Mercedes	16	5	10	5	12	5	5
George Russell	6	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kimi Antonelli	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
MB Power	32	13	30	12	26	14	24

 

Mercedes-Benz in Formula One
	Starts	Wins	Podium Places	Pole Positions	Front Row Places	Fastest Laps	1-2 Finishes	Front-Row Lockouts
Mercedes (all-time)	346	136	317	148	279	117	62	87
Mercedes (since 2010)	334	127	300	140	259	108	57	83
George Russell	157	6	26	9	21	11	N/A	N/A
Kimi Antonelli	29	4	8	3	6	6	N/A	N/A
MB Power	616	244	674	254	513