Can Monaco be improved?

After the compulsory two-stop rule failed to stop the follow-the-leader show, many have wondered how racing can be improved around the famous streets of Monaco.

Lando Norris led Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri to an emotional Monaco Grand Prix victory, McLaren’s first at the Principality since 2008.

However, the spectacle again struggled as F1’s flawed gamble of introducing a mandatory two-stop strategy failed to spice up the famous Monte Carlo race where passing is notoriously difficult in the current generation of extremely wide F1 cars.

With the iconic street circuit being in place since 1929 and the 3.3km layout being largely unchanged with the constraints of a race being on the harbour, there is little wiggle room.

However, this has not stopped creative minds from coming up with ideas of improving the show.

Former F1 driver and current Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chairman Alex Wurz has spoken with F1 drivers and shared his proposals that could be made to help overtaking.

The first idea is bringing the Nouvelle Chicane forward by around 80m.

Since 1985 the Nouvelle Chicane has been a heavy-braking left-right-left coming out of the tunnel.

But Wurz believes creating a longer approach from the tunnel, bringing it closer to Tabac and growing the width of the chicane could improve it.

“I am very convinced, from my own experience watching the races and talking to my fellow drivers, that moving the chicane later, which physically with the constraints any city has, should be possible,” he said.

“You can prepare to overtake or execute to overtake with a higher probability if you’re moving the chicane later.“That means the defending for this corner, which is quite easy due to the kink and the bumps to defend the corner, will become more difficult.”

Wurz also said it is critical the chicane placement does not tamper with the following Tabac corner, which has basically been the same since the very start.

“Tabac is my favourite corner (because it is) really difficult,” he said. 

“We still have to time the gap in a sense that it’s not flat out (so) that you still need to lift and touch the brakes slightly to not change the character which is very close to our heart of all the race drivers.”

The next point of focus for Wurz is the iconic Rascasse corner.

The profile and barrier placement of the tight left-right that snakes around an old fisherman’s bar, has been tweaked a number of times over the years.

Wurz believes creating a much sharper apex by pulling it two to three metres further out, plus widening the track can create passing opportunities.

“When this apex comes further out, the entry line will definitely change.

“You will open the corner much more for a divebomb, and that means any driver ahead will either have to defend or accept he leaves the door open.

“If you’re defending, you will come out much slower, so you’re creating a train behind you, and the pressure on all of the drivers will simply increase.

“I think this is a small trick, quite easy to realise, but should at least engage in more fighting, more intense pressure, and perhaps overtaking.”

Wurz’s final idea surrounds arguably the most recognisable F1 corner – the Grand Hotel Hairpin.

Previously known as Lowes and Fairmont, the extremely tight hairpin has a signature shape as it snakes around itself to link Mirabeau to Portier.

Wurz believes widening the entry by around 2.4m by removing the inside kerb and footpath could create enough width to pass.

Gabriel Bortoleto passed Andrea Kimi Antonelli around the outside, but the current cars cannot take the full corner side by side with the Mercedes forced to almost stop.

“It will not change the character of this corner but you would enable an overtaking divebomb,” he said.

“It means the lead driver will have to defend more, so he will be slower.

“The hairpin is very tight so we need to also enlarge the track on the right side, lose the kerb and (add) asphalt all the way to this physical wall so we have the turning radius.

“If that is failing, you still have now what you are gaining with the additional asphalt. 

“The real ideal racing line will not change from what it is.

“It will just lead into a little bit more defending…and therefore this corner will actually initiate the overtaking into the new chicane.

“And all that together should be an improvement for the overtaking and raceability in the streets of Monaco.”

The Neuville Chicane used to be flat out. Image: Getty

In the latest issue of Auto Action Digital, Chris Lambden has penned his thoughts in his latest column…

Obviously, it’s not easy – Monaco’s a tightly packed little place. There have been some suggestions that there are some options if the track turned left (instead of right) before the tunnel, utilised some additional land/roads, then doubled back to the tunnel. Maybe, but only if there are real passing spots generated – and I have no idea whether there are any other alternate layouts that could work. But imagine pouring into the tunnel a fair bit quicker than now …

Here’s a suggestion that’ll really give the risk management/track inspection committee at the FIA palpitations … but, as another option, how about getting rid of that stop-go chicane after the tunnel (or at least reverting it to the quick flat-out left-right that used to exist). That would turn the next corner, Tabac, into a genuine passing option – they’d be braking from pretty decent speed.

Too fast, I hear the RMs (risk managers) saying. Nowhere to go if it goes wrong. Just a barrier …

Really? If you’d turned the teev back on a few hours after Lando took the chequer you’d have seen a field of Indycars piling into Turn 1 at something like 370kph – that’s right, 370 big-ones – but with ‘Safer barrier’ between them and concrete.

That, my friends, is motor racing. 

Read full column new issue of Auto Action Digital 

Another idea has surfaced from Gary Anderson, who believes extending the track by around a kilometre by turning left, instead of right at Portier.

This way there will be two DRS zones either side of a blast up and back to the Beach Plaza Hotel on existing roads.

A newly constructed roundabout would need to be constructed to make it happen while a chicane would link the track back up with the original at Portier.

Another option could be utilising the new Le Portier area that has been recently constructed.

Many years ago the view beyond the tight right hander was the Mediterranean, but now it is buildings.

This is due to the latest land development project in the Principality which was completed in December after 13 years of construction.

This would also see cars go left after Portier for a short run before turning right. 

A more sweeping right hander could follow before a right-left section brings it back to the original track.

However, the width of the roads and design of the area which is full of apartments, gardens and a port means it would be extremely difficult or even impossible.

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