Five most interesting topics ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix

      The European stage of the season in 2026 begins with one of the most iconic races in the history of world motorsport – the Monaco Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli leads the individual championship standings, and his team Mercedes is at the top of the Constructors' Cup, but this is far from the only topic attracting general attention in the lead-up to the stage in the Mediterranean principality.

      Monaco is Monaco!

      Despite all the discussions about the extent to which the narrow winding circuit is suitable for modern Formula 1 cars, the race through the streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, the two most prestigious districts of the city-state, does not affect its status as a classic stage of the World Championship.

      The picturesque urban landscape, stunning views of the mountains and from the mountains, the harbor crowded with millionaire yachts, the casino where these millionaires lose their fortunes with varying success, a record number of sports and show business stars and other celebrities per square kilometer – this is what Monaco is famous for.

      Of course, the Formula 1 circuit can also be considered one of the truly special attractions. As we remember from history, the race results here can sometimes be quite unexpected, and on Saturday of the upcoming week, the most important qualifying session of the year will take place.

      It is traditionally believed that in Monaco, professional skill, psychological preparation, and the courage of drivers undergo a good test. And this year, it will also be revealed who among them has better adapted to the features of the new generation cars – which, we remind you, have slightly decreased in size, and therefore should fit better into the tight corners that each participant will have to navigate nearly one and a half thousand times over the 78 laps of the race.

      In terms of prestige, winning the Monaco Grand Prix can only be compared to a similar achievement in the "24 Hours of Le Mans" or the Indy 500. Over the past ten years, this has been achieved by Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen (both twice), Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris. But who will claim the coveted trophy this time?

      Ferrari and McLaren among the contenders for victory

      Mercedes' dominance could very well be disrupted in Monaco, as the power and efficiency of the power units will not be decisive this time. Accordingly, the chances of other top teams increase, and it is quite possible to expect that Ferrari may achieve success this weekend. Charles Leclerc has won the qualifying session at his home track most often in the last five years, and he certainly wants to stand out this time as well. Especially since the SF-26 car handles corners, of which there are 19 on the Monaco circuit, quite well.

      However, McLaren believes that their MCL40 is also very good in this regard – making Saturday's qualifying session even more interesting to watch.

      Will Russell be able to close the gap?

      In Canada, George Russell was once again unlucky: he was leading the race, successfully fending off attacks from his teammate, when his Mercedes' battery failed. Now he trails Kimi Antonelli by 43 points and certainly dreams of making up for it in some way, especially since he has not been able to finish higher than 5th place in Monaco so far – one can assume he is confident that it is time to correct this statistic.

      But if in the straight sections of the Montreal circuit, Kimi was George's main rival, in Monaco the picture will definitely change, and no one should be counted out.

      With an incredibly fortunate turn of events, even Fernando Alonso could stand out despite all the problems with the Aston Martin car – remember, in 2018, Daniel Ricciardo won the Monaco Grand Prix, even though his car was clearly starting to fail, and the Australian managed to finish on six remaining gears.

      The likelihood of unexpected success for a driver who cannot be included in the list of favorites by default may be slightly higher if the race takes place in the rain, but judging by the weather forecast for the week, it is not worth hoping for that.

      The rumor mill is gaining momentum

      There have only been five stages of the season, yet there is already more than enough talk about possible movements in the driver market. Despite all of Ayo Komatsu's assurances that rumors about Esteban Ocon's imminent dismissal are completely unfounded, it is generally believed that there is no smoke without fire. The same Komatsu, the head of Haas F1, admits that it is indeed time to make important decisions with an eye on next year.

      Oscar Piastri denies any contacts with Red Bull in case Max Verstappen actually follows through on his threats and leaves, say, for GT racing, which, from the perspective of the four-time world champion, are more like real racing.

      That is, Oscar does not intend to part ways with McLaren, but it is also true that the contracts of several drivers expire in 2026 – for example, Carlos Sainz with Williams. Therefore, various discussions on all these topics will become louder – including in the Monaco paddock.

      Traffic problems will only increase

      One of the usual difficulties in Monaco is traffic problems during qualifying, especially in its first part when all cars go out on the track simultaneously, and there are two more cars this season.

      Together with Cadillac, there are now 22 of them, and Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will also be trying to get the most out of the American machinery with Italian engines.

      The most important task that engineers and strategists will have to solve is to release their drivers onto the track at a moment when they can complete a fast lap without significant interference, but doing this will be very challenging.

      Traffic difficulties will begin during practice, as all teams will be working according to their programs, with varying amounts of fuel in the cars, and accordingly, the speeds will also be different. Moreover, during free practice sessions, no one is obliged to let anyone pass in such situations, so it is quite possible to expect that during radio exchanges with their teams, drivers will express their outrage towards their rivals, and the language used is unlikely to be neutral.