--- title: "Race Week: Will the New F1 Regulations Finally Make Monaco Exciting?" date: "2026-06-01" modified: "2026-06-01" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/race-week-will-the-new-f1-regulations-finally-make-monaco-exciting" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Race Week: Will the New F1 Regulations Finally Make Monaco Exciting? ![MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes leads Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 and the rest of the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)]() *\Mark Thompson via Getty\* The [Formula 1]() circus is headed to its favorite destination: Monaco. But as we all know, the principality is best known for its glamour and ridiculous displays of wealth rather than on-track action. That said, there's a good chance that this year things could be better. Will the new (and massaged) 2026 regulations help make the Monaco Grand Prix more exciting? There have been several entertaining races this season, thus far, though last weekend's [Canadian GP]() was by far the best. And it wasn't just Sunday, either, with plenty of action taking place on the Sprint and even qualifying. There was the Mercedes rivalry between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton scoring a podium, and [Cadillac's best performance so far]() (Sprint). ![MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - 2025/05/25: Lando Norris of McLaren Formula 1 Team on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco . (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)]() **Marco Canoniero via Getty** For what it's worth, it seems teams and drivers are becoming more accustomed to the 2026 regulations and the [minor tweaks rolled out ahead of Miami](), and as a result, we're seeing even more passing and wheel-to-wheel racing. We've seen Ferrari up its game, and despite what it seemed like back in Japan, it has not fallen behind McLaren in outright performance. Whether Maranello can keep up that pace of development—and not screw up race-day strategies—is yet to be seen, but so far, so good. I mean, how good was it to see Hamilton fight Verstappen for a podium position? Furthermore, Ferrari has been singled out as a legit threat in Monaco, given that its current package favors the handling-heavy street course, rather than long straights and sweeping high-speed corners that expose the Ferraris' top-speed deficit. This is also good news for many drivers in the midfield and even toward the back of the grid. I'm referring to the Racing Bulls, Haas, Audi, and even Cadillac. These guys will be aching to get a decent quali setup so they can start further up the grid and avoid any mayhem come Sunday. And while it's hard to predict where exactly Red Bull will be, given their volatile performance this year so far, Verstappen will surely fight like hell to make the most of his underperforming machine. ![MONACO - 2025/05/25: Drivers compete during the race of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2025. (Photo by Luca Martini/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)]() **SOPA Images via Getty** Then there's Mercedes. Certainly the favorite to win in Monaco, but if we know one thing about that place, it is that things are never quite as straightforward as they seem. One crash, one ill-timed yellow flag, or sometimes just a few raindrops are all it takes to shake up the field, leading to a surprise finish. All in all, it will be interesting to see how the new cars perform around Monaco and how drivers will try to maximize every bit of energy and aero advantage on qualifying and race day. Who knows, maybe new regulations and a new spot in the calendar (Monaco used to take place on Memorial Day weekend) will be enough to revamp the whole show. What do you think? ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()