About Monaco
The Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely located inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco. The circuit is used on one weekend in the month of May of each year to host the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix.
It is the most prestigious race in the world, forming the "Triple Crown" of motorsport alongside the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The tight, winding streets offer zero margin for error; Nelson Piquet famously compared racing here to "riding a bicycle around your living room." Overtaking is nearly impossible, making qualifying absolutely critical.
iconic corners like Sainte-Dévote, Casino Square, the Hairpin, and the Tunnel are etched into racing history. The slow nature of the track requires maximum high downforce setups and distinct steering racks to navigate the tight hairpin. Despite the lack of on-track passing, the glamour, history, and sheer challenge of driving the ultimate car on the narrowest track keep it firmly on the calendar.
The Monaco Grand Prix is organised by the Automobile Club de Monaco, a private members' association founded in 1890 that also runs the historic Monte Carlo Rally in January and the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in May. The Prince's government levies no hosting fee whatsoever on Formula One Management, an arrangement unique among modern F1 rounds and explicitly protected by the Constitution of Monaco under its provisions safeguarding the principality's traditional cultural events. The club derives its income entirely from grandstand ticket sales, yacht-berth licensing in Port Hercule during race week and paddock hospitality fees; the annual profit is reinvested into the maintenance of the racing surface, which requires resurfacing on average every 46 months due to the winter salting done for civilian traffic.