Five Things to Know About the 2025 Monaco GP

In a sport full of glamour, the glitziest round of the year is up next as Formula 1 tackles the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix.

The race around Monte Carlo remains unique in F1, even with more street circuits than ever being added to the calendar. The history, shorter race distance, and incredibly tight track width are unlike anywhere else we visit.

You might think there's nothing left to know about Monaco, but we've got five things you might not know for this weekend's race.

All new for 2025 is a minimum mandated pit stop count of two in an effort to reduce the likelihood of a processional race.

Article 30.5 paragraph m of the sporting regulations stipulates that each driver must use at least three (3) sets of tyres of any specification.

That simple wording has significant consequence as it extends to wet-weather tyres also, meaning two pit stops will be required even if the race has rain.

If the sun shines on Sunday, the extra pit stop requirement will still add a new dimension to the Jewel in the Crown event that we've never previously seen.

Sticking with tyres, we'll see the second run of Pirelli's all-new C6 soft tyre compound over the Monaco GP.

Imola had a first glimpse of this rubber last weekend, and we saw unusual examples of the tyre being extremely fast in the first sector before dropping off within the very first push lap in FP3 and Qualifying.

However, Monaco's circuit length is a whole mile shorter than a tour of the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari track (2.074 mi vs 3.081 mi).

The soft compound will likely still be a Saturday-only option, but that extra grip should provide drivers the confidence to set some extra fast laps in Quali.

It's an annual argument that never seems to progress — should Monaco change its layout for the modern cars?

Though there remains no circuit alteration in 2025, there are still differences the drivers and fans will notice this year.

For those in the cockpit, the circuit should feel more comfortable over the three days after resurfacing efforts have smoothed out the track between Turn 12 at Tabac to Turn 3 at Massanet. That's roughly half of the lap.

Meanwhile, something that won't change the lap times, but a change fans are more likely to notice is the coastline. Helicopter and crane footage before the famous tunnel section have show a construction site over previous years.

Continued land reclamation at Portier began in 2020, and the city-state's new eco district finally completed in December 2024, growing Monaco's country size by 3% while also providing more luxurious housing options for residents.

We enjoyed our most successful spell in the sport during the 1990s when we took four of our seven World Drivers' Championship crowns and five of nine World Constructors' Championship titles.

Somehow a Monaco victory eluded us during this period, with Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve all failing to win in their championship seasons for Williams Racing.

We have stood atop the Principality's podium on three occasions, however. Carlos Reutemann took our first win in 1980, Keke Rosberg won in 1983, and Juan-Pablo Montoya secured our most recent Monte Carlo victory in 2003.

The Monaco GP is the most lavish event F1 puts on, even with Las Vegas' recent blockbuster nights shining under the lights.

When you see the casino photos and superyachts in in the harbour, it might seem that attending fans need to bring a tuxedo and have multiple credit cards to fit in and finance a Monaco trip

However, there are options to cheer on Alex and Carlos from Monte Carlo that won't break the bank, with one costing nothing if you're in the area.

General Admission tickets at Le Rocher (AKA 'The Rock') are affordable and allow fans to stand or bring their own seat to watch among the greenery of the hill behind the final corners.

Alternatively, the publicly accessible MGP Fan Zone doesn't require a ticket to attend, and offers screens to watch the on-track action.

Even better for Williams fans, there's a stage where guests speak to the crowds, including Carbono's Friday appearance. Head to Place d’Armes for a chance to see our duo.

You want more? Why not enter our flash Monaco Race Bundle competition right here.