The beautiful Principality is the home for this weekend's Formula One action. Monaco, despite being under fire for years now, still has that special buzz. The racing might not always produce the most overtaking, but the circuit is so drenched in history that it's hard not to appreciate it for what it is!
Monaco is not known for fantastic racing, but this year, the cars are smaller and lighter with active aerodynamics disabled. Could this be the turning point for this historic Grand Prix?
Split Wings for Monaco
For the 2026 season, F1 cars use active aerodynamics, allowing their front and rear wings to switch between high-downforce "corner mode" and low-drag "straight mode". However, the FIA disabled the system entirely for Monaco because the circuit lacks suitable straights. All the cars will run a maximum-downforce configuration all weekend.
Alpine's streamlined version of this new Monaco-only innovation. Image: Formula One
Normally, the rear-wing actuator housing is needed to operate the active aero system. With straight mode unavailable in Monaco, teams realised that the area around this housing could be exploited aerodynamically. Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren have added clusters of small winglets and aero surfaces around the rear wing assembly to generate extra downforce.
At Monaco, where cornering grip is vastly more important than top speed, the drag penalty is almost irrelevant, making these devices worthwhile. The rest of the grid has its own versions of these winglets. Time will tell who has nailed the innovation.
In short, with active aero disabled at Monaco, the teams have turned otherwise unused rear-wing space into extra downforce, thus creating the unusual winglet designs you will see up and down the grid this weekend.
The new elements for Audi, Mercedes and Racing Bulls. The rest of the grid also has similar innovations. Image: Formula One
These innovations are just the latest in a long lineage of special Monaco aerodynamic solutions, as extra winglets have frequently featured on the cars when racing in the principality.
In practice for the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix, the Jordan and Arrows cars ran with what a lot of people consider to be the strangest-looking Formula 1 cars ever. Both cars had huge wings, with the Arrows running an elevated rear wing strapped to the nose and the Jordan with a cockpit-mounted wing. The innovations for both teams were almost immediately banned on safety grounds.
Kimi Antonelli Vows to Keep Relentlessly Racing Russell
Italian teenage superstar Kimi Antonelli insists he is "not thinking about the championship" ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, despite arriving in the Principality with a sizeable points advantage over Mercedes team mate George Russell. Antonelli has won the last four Grands Prix in China, Japan, Miami and Canada.
The gap between the two Silver Arrows drivers currently sits at 43 points. Despite over triple the amount of experience for Russell, whose title hopes were dented by a retirement while the Silver Arrows squabbled for the lead at Montreal, the British driver is struggling to keep up his form alongside the Italian.
Kimi Antonelli (left), Toto Wolff (middle), George Russell (right). Image: Mercedes-AMG F1 Petronas Formula One Team
After the squabbles in Montréal, Antonelli has said he wants to continue as things have been, with good results coming his way after consistent performances.
"I'm not thinking about the championship or anything like that. I just think about enjoying the driving as much as I can, try to do my best, try to improve, raise the bar, and we'll see where we end up." - Kimi Antonelli speaking to the press before FP1 in Monaco
Rivals' Charm Fails to Tempt Charles Leclerc Away From The Scuderia
Charles Leclerc has signed a brand-new multi-year contract with Ferrari, but not before multiple rival outfits in the paddock tried to tempt the Monégasque away from the Scuderia. Leclerc firmly believes in the Italian giants' "plan" to finally return to the front of the field, although he is beginning to sound like a broken record.
Charles Leclerc at the previous race weekend in Canada. Image: Ferrari Media
Although the team has not released any specific details about the deal's duration and there are conflicting reports on how long it runs, the extension is understood to be at least two years and ties him to Ferrari through the end of the 2028 season.
Leclerc will be aiming for a podium finish at his home Grand Prix, the only driver to hold a Monaco passport despite over half of the grid having a house in the Principality.
When To Watch The Monaco Grand Prix
DateDate / SessionStart Time (UTC)05.06.2026Free Practice 111:30 - 12:3005.06.2026Free Practice 215:00 - 16:0006.06.2026Free Practice 310:30 - 11:3006.06.2026Qualifying14:00 - 15:0007.06.2026Monaco Grand Prix13:00Who are you supporting this weekend? Let us know in the comments down below and in the poll at the top of this article!
