Will the legendary Monaco race disappear from the Formula 1 calendar?
Stand: 26.05.2023
A classic in danger: The Monaco race is no longer under any special protection
Source: dpa/Hasan Bratic
The street circuit in Monaco has been an integral part of Formula 1 for eight decades. But now the race is shaky. There is more money to be had elsewhere for the American owners. And they don’t seem to care much about tradition.
MOnaco’s head of the Automobile Association, Michel Boeri, in the fight for the continued existence of the classic in the Formula 1 racing calendar, criticized the insufficient appreciation of tradition by the American owners, in his opinion. In an interview with the French sports newspaper “L’Équipe” (Friday), Boeri described, among other things, the negotiations with former Formula 1 Managing Director Bernie Ecclestone. The Briton also snatched the money from them, “but it remained in normal circumstances”. And now “the American friends” are there, said Boeri, who has been head of the Monaco Automobile Association since 1972: “The tradition doesn’t mean much to them.”
There had already been speculation last year about the race being eliminated from the Formula 1 calendar before both sides finally agreed on a new contract. This is now valid until the 2025 race. “In 2025 we will do everything we can to renew the contract,” Boeri told the Monaco-Matin newspaper.
Michel Boeri
Those: pa/DPPI Media/FRANCOIS BAUDIN
A big problem for the Monegasques is that they are simply restricted in some areas. For example, while in Austin, USA, one can hope for a total of 500,000 fans this year, Monaco can only sell tickets to 27,000 visitors per day, i.e. 81,000 for the three Grand Prix days. The income is correspondingly lower than on other routes.
“Then we’ll be gone,” says Michel Boeri
In addition, there are often unspectacular races due to the practically non-existent overtaking opportunities. There were also discussions between those responsible for Monaco and the Formula 1 bosses under the leadership of Liberty Media about, among other things, the appearance fee, the TV signal, which was otherwise always produced by a local station, and a deal with a sponsorship Given opponents of the racing series.
In addition, the competition is growing worldwide and is pressing. “If a country from the Middle East puts ten times more money on the table than we do, we’re gone, like all Grand Prix in the world,” said Boeri, emphasizing before the 80th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday ( 3 p.m. / Sky): “We still believe in tradition.”
