PREVIEW: Risking it around the iconic Monte Carlo streets for Round 5

There’s no time to rest as the Formula 2 Championship presses on with Round 5 around the famous streets of Monte Carlo.

Part two of our triple-header, the teams and drivers will face no tougher test this season, as they have to get up to speed immediately around one of the most difficult circuits on the calendar.

Alexander Dunne took over the lead of the Drivers’ Championship after Imola, while Hitech TGR moved up to the top spot in the Teams’ Standings. Can they stay there and who can master Monaco in 2025?

WHAT TO EXPECT

While the track is certainly unique, so too is the schedule for the crown jewel event. Free Practice kicks off a day earlier than usual, taking place on Thursday with the green light at 15:00 local time.

Friday is Qualifying day for the teams and arguably the most important session of the weekend. Pole is precious in Monte Carlo, so it’s one you won’t want to miss. Drivers will be split into two groups, with Group A kicking off the session at 15:10 before Group B follows at 15:34 local time.

Saturday brings the Sprint Race, and weather could play a role. The first race of the weekend is scheduled for 14:15, while Sunday brings a frenetic weekend to a close, with the Feature Race set to get underway at 09:40.

STAT PACK

• Despite theoretically having the better track conditions, a driver in Group B Qualifying has taken pole just twice out of the past seven visits to the Principality
• Of the 15 Formula 2 races in Monte Carlo, only eight have been won from Pole Position
• Zak O’Sullivan’s 2024 Feature Race win from 15th on the grid is the furthest back a race has been won from around Monte Carlo in Formula 2
• Leonardo Fornaroli currently holds the longest active scoring streak in F2, currently at seven races

FROM THE GRID – Gabriele Minì, PREMA Racing

“It’s an iconic circuit, plenty of low-speed corners but also some high-speed, the Swimming Pool section is very tricky. Overall, it’s very technical and very tight.

“Overtaking is usually into Rascasse or after the tunnel. Those are the two main points, the hardest braking points or ones where you can actually do something.

“It’s a challenging weekend because you don’t get many laps before Qualifying, with a different compound too. You know you’ll only get one chance, and that will dictate your weekend. That’s definitely the toughest part of the challenge.”

TECHNICAL PREVIEW

Pierre-Alain Michot, FIA Formula 2 Technical Director

“The shortest track on the Formula 2 calendar brings unique challenges for all the teams and drivers. First and foremost, downforce is the priority, with the lap comprised of low-speed corners relative to the rest of the tracks on the calendar.

“Braking demand is therefore not as impactful as other venues. Fuel consumption is also a lesser concern due to the lower average speeds of the Monte Carlo circuit, where tyre wear is mainly impacted by traction zones out of the corners rather than any surface abrasiveness.”

PIRELLI PREVIEW

The compounds chosen are the softest in the Pirelli range, namely Soft and Supersoft. At a track that has remained more or less unchanged for 70 years, running through the tight and twisty city streets, qualifying plays a key role in deciding the outcome of the races, especially given the difficulty in overtaking. In last year’s Feature Race, the majority of drivers opted to start on the Soft with the aim of running as long a first stint as possible, thus delaying the switch to the Supersoft. The softest compound required careful management over its first few laps to avoid graining. In Monaco, there is always the chance of a Safety Car and guessing the right window in which to pit can be the key to winning. The 2024 race was a good example of this, when Zak O’Sullivan pitted on the penultimate lap, taking advantage of a VSC.