Formula 1 – Monaco GP: discovering the circuit
This is THE rendezvous of an F1 season! For drivers, teams and fans, the Monaco Grand Prix represents the pinnacle of a season. The luxury of the Principality, the proximity to spectators but above all a legendary circuit, this is why Monaco is so attractive. As a preamble to the Grand Prix, We Sport invites you to discover this historic circuit, made up of turns, each more legendary than the next.
3,337 km of challenge for the pilots. Photo credit: Formula 1.
The Monaco circuit is 3,337 kilometers long. It has 19 corners that the pilots have to cover 78 times. The first car race took place in 1929 and the circuit entered the Formula 1 world championship from 1950. An atypical car route, it is only temporary and completely transforms the Principality of Monaco.
Sector 1: from Saint-Dévote to the Casino, you have to cross Beau-Rivage
The start / finish line is on Boulevard Albert Ier. The first corner of the circuit is always a highlight at the start of the race. It allows you to grab a few places while passing inside. This curve to the right bears the name of Sainte Dévote from the name of the small church which is located in the clearance area of the bend. It was built in honor of the patron saint of Monaco. Sainte Dévote is the protective soul of the whole Principality and figures in all the places of worship in Monaco.
At the exit of this bend, the pilots attack the rise of Beau Rivage, an emblematic place because the circuit runs alongside the buildings, including the one that bears the name of this part of the route. Houses where crowds are gathered to watch the 20 best pilots in the world pass under their terrace. At the top, they arrive at more than 200 km / h in a left turn: the curve of Massenet, French composer, whose rails separate the cars of the famous Monaco opera house.
And then, the pilots tumble on one of the most emblematic places of the Principality: the Place du Casino. The majestic building welcomes the wealthiest fans who come to play in one of the most famous casinos in the world. The grandstand opposite allows you to see the Grand Prix very well, while enjoying a breathtaking view of the sign and the garden on the esplanade.
To complete the first sector, the pilots descend towards Mirabeau.
Sector 2: between slowness and high speed, physical challenge for the pilots
A turn where errors are numerous and where the clearance area can benefit some (Nico Rosberg in 2016, in Q3). A mythical bend which bears the name of the hotel which is located just above. A luxurious palace which closed its doors in 2007 to make way for a hotel residence. But this prestigious building is entirely part of the Monegasque landscape and the name of this bend has remained.
The most popular corner of the season is in Monaco. It is of course, the iconic pin of the Grand Hotel. This bend is a good representation of the Monaco circuit: a narrow place with a lot of vertical drop. The name refers to the grand Fairmont hotel that pilots perceive as they turn. Formerly, it was called the Loews hotel, hence the other name of the bend: the Loews hairpin, which has remained in the memory of every Grand Prix lover.
From the balconies of the rooms, the view is breathtaking on the hairpin. Photo credit: Monaco hotel.
Before entering the tunnel, the Portier turn is a sharp right turn. He is well known for the abandonment of Senna or the various skirmishes. The name comes from the district of Monaco which is on the left. Before entering the tunnel, the pilots see the sea, which will not happen in the years to come. Construction works on the sea will soon separate the runway and the Mediterranean by buildings. The tunnel is an obstacle that does not exist in any other circuit. The pilots arrive in a dark part, where it is difficult to get used to the light, before getting out and being dazzled again. Another problem is that the asphalt in the tunnel is always dry even when it is raining heavily outside. It is therefore necessary to manage the change of track conditions with unsuitable tires.
Then comes the chicane du Port, the best opportunity to overtake the circuit. It appeared in 1986, and offers a real challenge for pilots, another one. Braking is done downhill and the track is a bit bumpy, even when driving in a traditional car. Brake on the bump and it’s straight into the wall, like a certain Nico Rosberg in 2011.
To finish this second sector, there is the turn of the tobacco shop. A blind left turn, the name comes from the tobacco shop on the right, under the stands.
Sector 3: release prohibited at the end of the route
This 3rd sector is the least difficult, even if it remains tricky, especially in the chicane of the swimming pool. reference to the pool which is located just behind the stands, and where some drivers will celebrate their victory with a dive: Lewis Hamilton in 2019, in particular. The swimming pool changed the layout of the Grand Prix because before its construction, the track was straighter. Today, the pilots must first go through a chicane on the left, at full speed, which runs along the harbor. Before starting the S of the pool, a very narrow turn where the slightest mistake is fatal. A too interior trajectory and the wheel touches the rail. Result: direct in the wall under the pits.
The pilots then enter the penultimate corner: the Rascasse. Name of the bar that the pilots bypass, partly if they take the track, or entirely when they return to the pit. The Rascasse bar is the emblematic place where many fans meet as soon as the track opens its doors. Normally, hundreds of people have a drink, dance and enjoy the crazy atmosphere that makes Monaco so charming. During the Grand Prix, those lucky enough to be on the terrace enjoy a splendid view over most of the last sector and the pit lane.
Before finishing the lap, the pilots take the corner Anthony Noghès, the founder of the Monaco Grand Prix, a very important figure in the historic Monegasque landscape. The pilots also pass, without seeing it, in front of a statue of Juan Manuel Fangio, the first winner of the Monaco Grand Prix in an official competition.
So you know all the meanings of the turns on the Monaco circuit. It only remains to follow the weekend which begins tomorrow. And like every Formula 1 meeting, We Sport will be by your side so you don’t miss a thing.
Photo credit one: Next-gen.
Alexandre Herbin