ANNOUNCEMENT: Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix to Be Next Stop in 2026 Season
The sixth round of the Formula 1 World Championship will take place on the legendary street circuit in Monte Carlo on June 7. Qualifying is expected on Saturday, with the race on Sunday, where drivers will battle for pole on the narrow streets of the principality.
2026 Monaco Grand Prix: Battle in the Concrete Jungle and a Chance for Ferrari
Main Event
The sixth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, the Monaco Grand Prix, will take place this weekend — from June 5 to 7, 2026 — on the legendary street circuit in the heart of the Principality of Monte Carlo. This event traditionally becomes one of the most anticipated on the "Kingly Races" calendar, and the 2026 season will be no exception. The race, scheduled for Sunday, June 7, starts at 14:00 Central European Time (15:00 Moscow time).
However, the main intrigue of the weekend will unfold a few hours earlier — on Saturday, June 6, at 15:00 local time, when qualifying begins. On the narrow, winding streets of Monaco, with their almost non-existent runoff areas and barriers mere millimeters from the track, qualifying determines a driver's fate by 90 percent. Overtaking here is more the exception than the rule, so the fight for pole position will be no less fierce than the race itself.
This year, a new regulatory twist has been added to the classic rivalry. The FIA has made operational changes to the regulations specifically for the Monte Carlo round. First, for the weekend, the "straight mode" — the ability to switch to a lower-downforce configuration on straight sections — has been completely banned. Second, the settings of the MGU-K hybrid system have been changed: its output now begins to drop when reaching 200 km/h, rather than 290 km/h as on normal tracks. This means drivers will have to manage energy much more carefully and rely more on mechanical tire grip on the asphalt, which on the worn surface of Monte Carlo becomes a true art.
For Ferrari, this weekend is the best chance of the season to break Mercedes' winning streak. As BBC experts note, the characteristics of the Monaco track are ideal for the Italian car: low-speed and medium-speed cornering are paramount, while engine power plays a secondary role. And it is in these components that the SF-26, according to specialists, is if not the best, then at least a competitive car in the field.
Details and Statistics
The Monaco Grand Prix is not just a race; it's a survival test for machinery and nerves. The track length is only 3,337 meters, and the race distance is 78 laps, equaling 260.286 kilometers. The track features 19 corners, and the average speed rarely exceeds 160 km/h, making it the slowest on the Formula 1 calendar.
The tire compounds that Pirelli has provided to teams for this weekend are the softest available: C5 (softest) for the "soft" role, C4 for "medium," and C3 for "hard." This choice is due to the low tire load from the lack of high-speed corners, but with maximum demand for mechanical grip when accelerating out of slow chicanes. The reigning champion of the track is Lando Norris (McLaren), who won here in 2025. And the record holder for the most wins in the history of the Monaco Grand Prix remains the legendary Ayrton Senna, with six triumphs.
Experts have already called this round potentially the most competitive of the season. Ferrari's gap to Mercedes in qualifying averages 0.447 seconds, but on such a specific track as Monaco, this handicap could be neutralized by the red car's aerodynamic advantages.
Below is information on the format and regulations of the upcoming Grand Prix:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | June 5–7, 2026 |
| Track | Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo |
| Lap length | 3.337 km |
| Number of laps | 78 |
| Race distance | 260.286 km |
| Tires | C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft) |
| Reigning champion | Lando Norris (McLaren) |
Schedule of key sessions (Moscow time):
- Saturday, June 6: Qualifying — 16:00
- Sunday, June 7: Race — 15:00
Context and Significance
This round marks the start of the European part of the season, and it is vital for the balance of power in the championship. Currently, Mercedes leads the Constructors' Championship, but Ferrari and McLaren trail with a significant gap. Monaco is the perfect opportunity to close that gap without relying on raw engine power.
Special attention will be on Charles Leclerc. For the Monegasque driving for Ferrari, the home Grand Prix is always a special event, marked by high drama. In the last six years, he has qualified on the front row five times, taking three poles. However, luck has rarely smiled on him on Sunday. With Lewis Hamilton joining the team, the pressure on Leclerc has only increased. The seven-time champion, in turn, is a true ace of Monaco. As analysts note, Hamilton and Leclerc have an equal qualifying record this season at 4-4, with Leclerc's average advantage a mere 0.037 seconds. This promises a tight intra-team duel.
World champion Lando Norris cannot be discounted either. He won last year's race, starting from pole. Despite a catastrophic weekend in Canada, where McLaren lost points due to reliability issues and strategic errors, Norris remains one of the top specialists in surviving street circuits. For McLaren, this round is an opportunity to redeem themselves after the Montreal failure.
What's Next / Next Event Preview
After the brilliant but grueling weekend in Monte Carlo, teams remain in Europe, where a series of five consecutive rounds awaits them. The very next week, from June 12 to 14, the Spanish Grand Prix will take place at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit. This will be a classic race track, combining fast and slow corners, which will test the versatility of all engineering solutions.
Then the calendar takes drivers to Austria (June 26–28), Great Britain at legendary Silverstone (July 3–5), Belgium at Spa (July 17–19), and Hungary at the Hungaroring (July 24–26).
Editorial Prediction
Monaco is the only place on the calendar where you can reliably predict the outcome by looking at Saturday's qualifying results. If Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc manages to take pole, Ferrari has every chance for its first win of the season. The SF-26's low-speed handling and excellent engine traction out of slow corners are exactly what is needed for the first sector of the track.
However, writing off Kimi Antonelli would be a grave mistake. The 19-year-old Italian may not have mastered all the nuances of Monaco last year, but the current season shows his phenomenal ability to adapt. Mercedes has brought updates, and although in theory Monaco does not suit them, in practice Antonelli can compensate for the car's shortcomings with talent.
The key factor will be psychological resilience. George Russell, trailing his teammate by 43 points, will take risks in qualifying to prove his superiority. On a track where one risky move leads to the barriers, this could become an opportunity for Ferrari to exploit chaos.
Our prediction: Ferrari will win qualifying. But in the race, as often happens in Monaco, there will be less drama than expected. If the red cars lock out the front row, they can control the pace, allowing the leader to pull away while the second driver holds up the field. However, if Antonelli starts alongside them, the pressure on Leclerc could become overwhelming, and that is when the Italian might capitalize on any, even microscopic, mistake by the home driver.
— Editorial Team
