As the highest class of international racing for single-seater formula racing cars, Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition. There really is nothing like it.
It’s a team sport (it needs to be to change all 4 tyres on a car in under 2 seconds!), but the drivers are more like fighter pilots than sportspeople. Battling extreme g-forces, making daring decisions in the blink of an eye – and at 370km/h. To be the best, F1 drivers push themselves – and their incredibly innovative machines – to the very limit.
Drivers compete for the esteemed F1 Drivers’ Championship, while the teams fight for the F1 Constructors’ Championship and prize money based on their position at the end of the season. Continue reading from Formula 1
The first race was held in 1929. More than two decades later, in 1950, the Monaco Grand Prix became the second race on the inaugural Formula One calendar. The race is the eighth of the 2024 [and 2025] season.
Beyond Formula One, the Monaco Grand Prix is one of three competitions that make up the unofficial Triple Crown of motorsports — alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500. British driver Graham Hill is the only person to win all three events.
Why is the Monaco Grand Prix so prestigious?
The scenery defines Monaco as much as the difficulty, with iconic features such as the tunnel, Casino Square and the Fairmont Hairpin along the course. There's also Port Hercules, the famous harbor that borders part of the circuit and whose waters have twice swallowed an F1 car, during the 1955 and 1965 races. (Both drivers escaped but later died in separate racing accidents.) [...]
For drivers, the track's narrow streets and tight corners demand greater emphasis on precision and control over speed. The race is known for its lack of overtaking opportunities, and teams may try to prolong their pit stops to capitalize on the likelihood of a safety car late in the race. Three-time F1 champion Nelson Piquet once described navigating the track as "like riding a bicycle around your living room." Continue reading from The Washington Post
