Components 1 begins the European leg of its 2026 marketing campaign with this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, which marks spherical six of the season.
It’s the first of 10 consecutive grands prix on the continent, with this center a part of the 12 months being key in shaping the season – with titles typically received or misplaced in Europe.
So, listed below are 5 issues to look out for throughout the Monte Carlo weekend.
Is Ferrari actually the favorite in Monaco?
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Alastair Staley / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Instantly after McLaren’s disastrous Canadian Grand Prix, Lando Norris was fast to label Ferrari because the favorite for Monaco. The reigning world champion was backed up not a lot later by his staff principal, when Andrea Stella held his media session.
“After we have a look at the overlay based mostly on the GPS velocity, we are able to see that Ferrari is unquestionably a aggressive chassis within the corners, like within the first sector,” mentioned the Italian. “And it is not solely a low-speed sector, nevertheless it’s additionally a sector with kerbing. And usually these options are typically rewarded on a observe like Monaco.”
McLaren has a degree: anybody trying on the knowledge can see that Ferrari is certainly aggressive in low-speed corners, whereas kerb driving has repeatedly confirmed to be one of many Scuderia’s strengths lately. On prime of that, Ferrari believes it should endure much less from its energy deficit within the principality.
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Through the post-race press convention in Canada, Lewis Hamilton defined how he was in a position to sustain with the Mercedes-powered vehicles by way of the corners, solely to see them draw back on the straights. The remark instantly sparked laughter within the media centre: it was clearly politically motivated, with Ferrari very clearly pushing the ADUO narrative these weeks.
Consequently, a number of the pre-Monaco feedback needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, however Ferrari’s strengths are a separate matter. They imply that Fred Vasseur’s staff unquestionably appears like a drive to be reckoned with on the streets of Monte Carlo.
– Ronald Vording
F1 title combat not going as anticipated – however not but time to panic for Russell
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Andy Hone/ LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Mercedes dominating the 2026 marketing campaign has been of little shock to anyone, however what has been a shock is the motive force main the standings: Kimi Antonelli. The 19-year-old sophomore is within the type of his life with 4 grand prix wins on the bounce, which means he’s 43 factors away from team-mate George Russell, who was the heavy favorite in pre-season.
However the 28-year-old simply hasn’t loved the rub of the inexperienced since his win on the Melbourne opener with misfortune in China and Japan, in addition to Canada final outing the place Russell suffered an engine failure whereas combating for the lead. One may argue the hole is extra all the way down to unhealthy luck than Antonelli outperforming the Briton.
And quite a bit is product of Norris overturning his 34-point deficit to McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri throughout the ultimate 9 grands prix of final 12 months’s title combat, so it isn’t time to panic simply but for Russell with solely 5 rounds carried out.
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However, he must shift the momentum earlier slightly than later, significantly when Mercedes persevering with its domination isn’t a assure. As defined, Ferrari is arguably the favorite this weekend and if the Scuderia lives as much as the hype, then the factors swing between Russell and Antonelli shouldn’t be as massive as in the event that they had been 1-2.
So, it’s unlikely that Russell will retake the favorite tag from Antonelli in Monte Carlo, however one step at a time, and easily beating the teenager within the principality needs to be sufficient to begin taking again a number of the momentum {the teenager} is carrying.
– Ed Hardy
Will trip points proceed to bother Verstappen and Crimson Bull in Monaco?
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
When Max Verstappen revealed after qualifying in Montreal that Crimson Bull had not adopted his set-up suggestions, the Dutchman additionally highlighted one other concern: regardless of a completely new set of rules, the trip points over bumps and kerbs are nonetheless there.
When the Monaco Grand Prix got here up throughout his media spherical with the Dutch press, Verstappen laughed: “Oh sure, that’s going to be nice. I believe I’m going to order a brand new again!”
It might appear unusual that Crimson Bull nonetheless suffers from this long-standing Achilles’ heel regardless of the regulatory reset, however Laurent Mekies provided a proof: “It is going to in all probability be fairly straightforward to repair the problems, however make the automotive slower. So that you need to repair the problems and convey lap time.”
Though the earlier era of ground-effect vehicles, particularly, needed to run extraordinarily low and stiff, growing the trip peak nonetheless seems to be the obvious suggestion – however, as Mekies identified, it’s one that may make the automotive slower.
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Like Verstappen, the staff principal expressed confidence that the problems can nonetheless be solved in 2026 by way of different means, though the query stays on what timescale. In that respect, Monaco will present a primary check.
With overtaking just about unattainable and every part coming all the way down to qualifying tempo, will probably be attention-grabbing to see how Crimson Bull manages this weak spot, and in addition the way it offers each drivers sufficient confidence behind the wheel, one thing that’s at all times value lap time on a avenue circuit.
Crimson Bull has clearly made progress with the improve package deal launched in Miami, however Monaco presents the staff with a really totally different form of problem.
– Ronald Vording
A extra regular qualifying with out power administration?
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Picture by: Chris Graythen / Getty Pictures
Sundays in Monaco are what they’re, so even these marginally narrower and lighter vehicles aren’t all of a sudden going to have the ability to overtake, and the foolish necessary two-stop from final 12 months is gone too.
However, if there’s one factor to look ahead to this weekend in Monaco, it is qualifying. Drivers have constantly voiced their considerations over qualifying now not being a flat out spectacle with the 2026 vehicles as a result of power administration necessities and complicated driving strategies required to optimise the lap instances, even when the modifications utilized in Miami have barely improved the state of affairs.
But when there’s one circuit on the calendar the place qualifying could also be restored to its former glory, it’s Monte Carlo. The stop-start avenue circuit has loads of braking zones and corners to recharge the battery and never sufficient lengthy straights to deploy all that power.
“I believe Monaco is definitely going to be a type of races the place these vehicles is perhaps superb,” mentioned 2024 winner Charles Leclerc. “Firstly, we have now now lighter vehicles which for a observe like Monaco has its advantages, and I believe the electrical aspect goes to be quite a bit much less huge in Monaco simply because we will likely be recharging fairly a bit with all of the corners.”
Not solely is Saturday as soon as once more going to be the final word check of driver and machine, which qualifying is meant to be, however there needs to be quite a bit much less complaining by drivers concerning the 2026 guidelines, which – whereas most complaints have advantage – may also be refreshing to learn and write about.
– Filip Cleeren
However nonetheless count on quali visitors woes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Stirling Moss as soon as recalled, with a twinkle in his eye, arranging a date by way of hand gestures over a sequence of laps of Monaco with a younger woman who had caught his eye within the crowd.
Fats probability of such a factor occurring nowadays – maybe that’s why Lance Stroll didn’t even strive providing it as an excuse for impeding Pierre Gasly in qualifying final 12 months.
Drivers moaning about being held up by vehicles on prep laps or cool-down laps are a frequent function of recent grand prix qualifying, and none extra so than across the tight streets of Monaco the place there’s little room for manoeuvre and one can’t deal with the observe forward and examine the mirrors on the similar time.
This would be the first Monaco Grand Prix since 2014 with greater than 20 vehicles on the grid – and we are going to possible see tempo differentials within the order of that race too. Practically six seconds separated polesitter Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes from the Caterham of tail-ender Marcus Ericsson.
The automotive forward doesn’t even have to be dawdling on the racing line – even the odd fraction of a second can scupper a lap. That may make Q1 all of the extra fraught, and result in shock exits equivalent to these of Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso in 2024 (although this season, given the competitiveness of the vehicles they’re in, a Q1 exit can be slightly much less shocking).
Think about what it was like within the days of a 26-car grid, final seen in 1995. Right here, within the period earlier than the 107% rule, Damon Hill’s pole place time was 9.5s sooner than that of perennial backmarker Taki Inoue.
Again then, qualifying was break up over two one-hour classes – on Thursday and Saturday – with a driver’s quickest total counting in direction of their grid spot. Whereas this theoretically offered extra alternatives to keep away from visitors, observe evolution meant most drivers set their quickest instances on Saturday. Not Inoue, in fact – he spun and stalled on the finish of the Thursday session, then was hit by the security automotive as his Footwork was towed away.
You may argue, then, that drivers have hardly ever had it so good in Monaco as they do at present, particularly with GPS monitoring. As 1982 Keke Rosberg opined a number of years in the past, “There was 26 drivers on the market within the previous days, and half of them had been gradual – not simply half a dozen…”
So settle in, open a bag of popcorn, and anticipate the moaning to start.
– Stuart Codling
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