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SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JUNE 25: McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talks in a press conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Styria at Red Bull Ring on June 25, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
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SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JUNE 25: McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talks in a press conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Styria at Red Bull Ring on June 25, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
The Monaco GP is the crown jewel of the F1 calendar. The track has been an F1 mainstay since its first inclusion in 1950. However, in recent times, apart from the spectacular setting, the race offers very little in terms of actual racing. McLaren CEO Zak Brown agrees with the same.
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This has become a common issue in Monaco since the cars have gotten wider and heavier. The narrow streets of Monaco do not see much racing anymore.
Zak Brown on Monaco
The McLaren F1 CEO is someone who shares the opinion that Monaco is no longer what it used to be. It is still a glorious stop on the calendar, but other venues can fill that role better, including Las Vegas, Singapore, and Miami, to name a few. According to Brown, the Monaco GP needs to up its game to continue to be a part of the calendar.
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 22: McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talks in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Monaco also pays the least amount in hosting fees on the calendar. Speaking on the matter he said, “I think Monaco needs to come up to the same commercial terms as other Grand Prix and also maybe needs to work with ways they can adapt their track because as our cars have become bigger, the racing has become more difficult.”
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He added, “You need to take history into consideration, but then I think you need to take into consideration how is the show it puts on.”
Do you think Zak is right or should Monaco continue to enjoy the privileges it already does?
New names on the Calendar
Recently, there has been a lot of debate about the new circuits being added to the calendar. There has been a lot of displeasure surrounding the axing of historic circuits like Spa, which is rumored to be discontinued from 2023. Drivers and teams alike have voiced their dissent on the matter.
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Formula One F1 – Pre-Season Testing – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – March 12, 2022 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen speaks to media during testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Max Verstappen is one of the leading figures against the modernization of the F1 calendar. The new circuits, like Miami, Las Vegas, and Jeddah, are all street circuits and are fresh on the calendar. He believes that these new street circuits are ruining the essence of the sport.
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Do you think F1 should continue with its modernization of the F1 calendar? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Written by
Edited by
Ranvijay Singh