All you need to know about the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix track, the Circuit de Monaco, including track statistics, records, and history.
It may be the shortest and slowest track on the calendar, but Monaco is arguably the most iconic circuit in all of Formula 1. A victory here is a direct ticket to motorsport immortality.
As its name suggests, the circuit is located in the Principality of Monaco. It is one of three street circuits on the current Formula 1 World Championship calendar, along with Baku and Yas Marina. Its layout winds through the districts of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, with the start-finish line situated on Boulevard Albert 1er.
Despite its historic prestige, the Monaco circuit is ironically not a favorite among many fans or even some drivers. The extreme difficulty of overtaking often stifles on-track action. In fact, both Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have previously admitted to finding it one of the most boring races on the F1 calendar.
At just 2.073 miles (3.337 kilometers), it is the shortest track in the World Championship. Its tight and twisting layout makes it the slowest in terms of average speed, which famously led Nelson Piquet to describe racing there as "like riding a bicycle around your living room."
The Grand Hotel Hairpin (Turn 6) is the slowest corner in F1, taken at a mere 30 mph. In stark contrast, the circuit also features one of the fastest sections, as cars reach speeds of 160 mph through the famous tunnel before braking hard for the Nouvelle Chicane.
Monaco Circuit Statistics & Records
First F1 Race: 1950
Lap Record: 1:12.909 - Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes (2021)
Most Wins: 6, Aryton Senna
Most Wins by Constructor: 16 , McLaren
First Monaco GP Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
2026 Monaco GP Winner: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Ayrton Senna holds the record for the most victories at the Monaco Grand Prix, with six wins in the seven races held between 1987 and 1993. The only exception was in 1988, when a crash while leading with just 12 laps to go handed the victory to his rival, Alain Prost.
Behind the Brazilian legend are Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher, each with five wins. In total, 17 drivers have won in Monaco more than once. Max Verstappen is the most recent addition to this list, adding his 2023 victory to his previous win in 2021.
Circuit de Monaco History
To speak of the Monaco circuit is to speak of the history of not just Formula 1, but of sport itself. It is one of the three jewels in the unofficial "Triple Crown of Motorsport," alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans—a feat only the legendary Graham Hill has ever achieved.
Although the circuit was inaugurated in 1929, with Britain's William Grover-Williams winning the first race in his Bugatti, the first official Formula 1 World Championship event was held in 1950. The legendary Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio took victory in his Alfa Romeo.
Italy's Alberto Ascari (Ferrari) and Monaco's own Louis Chiron (Maserati) completed the podium in what was also the first-ever Formula 1 race for the Scuderia Ferrari team.
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