The Monaco Grand Prix has long been considered the most glamorous event on the Formula 1 calendar.
The race in Monte Carlo is one of four events that took place during F1’s first season and will still feature during the sport’s 75th campaign, alongside Silverstone, Spa and Monza and Charles Leclerc will once again be hoping to win his home race for Ferrari.
However, Formula 1 has changed a lot over recent years and the glitz and glamour of the Monaco Grand Prix has been replicated elsewhere in the calendar.
The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious events of the year, while Las Vegas has tried to tap into the same market in the United States.
Both events also take place at night which creates an added layer of intrigue, but ultimately, the main difference is that both circuits offer opportunities for drivers to overtake.
The issue with Monaco is that the races are becoming increasingly boring.
Sergio Perez’s crash with both Haas drivers in Monaco last year allowed every driver to swap tyres during the red flag, ultimately ending the race as a contest.
For the first time in the sport’s history, last year’s Monaco GP saw the top 10 drivers start and finish the race in the same positions.
Commentator Harry Benjamin, speaking on the BackSeat Drivers YouTube channel, highlighted that the race in Monte Carlo isn’t particularly fun for those working in the media as well.
Harry Benjamin explains why the Monaco Grand Prix is the ‘worst’ race for commentators
Benjamin was asked about the reality of being a Formula 1 commentator and explained: “It’s not glamorous at all.
“I mean, sometimes there’ll be like a fun little party that you get invited to or a media thing that you can go along to.
“I’ll speak for the BBC radio experience, we don’t have any kind of base when we’re there, so we’re in the media canteen, if there is one, sometimes there isn’t.
“Monaco is actually the worst because if you’re tele, you have your TV compound and you have more budget and they have their own lunches and they have amazing people who production assistants and coordinators who basically sort your life and you’re great with them.
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“But with us, we’re a team of four sometimes, radio is a much smaller budget.
“Monaco, there’s nowhere to go apart from the media centre, there’s nothing to eat either, so you’re lucky if you get given a ham sandwich.
“Or in Monaco, you go into the grandstands and just try and line up in one of the kiosks and spend an absolute fortune on a baguette or something.
“The commentary boxes are often really small and cramped, you’re squeezing yourself into this tiny box.”
Monaco Grand Prix sign first title sponsor in their Formula 1 history
There was a risk of Monaco falling off the calendar last year, with the circuit’s contract running down and a host of new countries bidding to be added to Formula 1’s schedule.
However, F1 announced in November 2024 that Monaco’s contract had been extended until 2031.
Damon Hill has suggested changes need to be made to the Monaco Grand Prix to make it more exciting after last year’s event.
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Balancing the prestige of the race with the excitement on the track has to be the priority for Formula 1 now, as the vast majority of people who watch the Grand Prix aren’t lining the streets of the principality.
For the first time in the race’s history, Monaco have announced that Tag Heuer will be the title sponsor of the event, highlighting that organisers have recognised that they need to adapt.
Whether that will stretch to making the race more interesting is yet to be seen, although, given the space limitations in Monte Carlo, that might be easier said than done.
