“Monaco is to circuits what Ferrari is to F1”: Helmut Marko calls for Formula 1’s crown jewel race to be revamped, not axed

In the aftermath of a disastrous weekend at the Principality of Monaco, Red Bull Racing's chief, Helmut Marko, made a call for changes to Formula 1's most historic race track. The former professional driver believes that the existing layout doesn't suit current-generation F1 race cars.

Red Bull Racing had a dismal weekend in the Mediterranean micro-state. Even with the recent upgrades to its RB20 race car, the team was not able to match the pace of its rivals, Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren. Although Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez made valiant efforts in all free practice and qualifying sessions, they were out-qualified by the Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes-AMG F1 teams.

With the Dutch driver starting in 6th position and his Mexican teammate in 16th position, both racers planned to minimize the damage. While Verstappen managed to hold the position throughout the race, Perez was involved in a massive three-way-crash on the first lap itself.

To exacerbate the damage, Marko asserted that Perez's race car repair work would probably cost between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000, which would have a negative influence on the Mitlon-Keyes-based company's ability to implement upgrades.

In an exclusive article for SPEEDWEEK.com, Marko wrote:

"Sergio Perez had a costly crash on the first lap, which cost us between two and three million euros. Of course, this is a serious disadvantage due to the budget cap, because such damage affects the development budget."

Marko suggested altering the layout of the iconic street circuit.

"You can't imagine F1 without Monaco, because this circuit is to circuits what Ferrari is to F1 teams - but something has to be done. The simplest thing would be to change the track, and there are already plans and ideas for that," he said.

With the introduction of the 2026 regulations, F1 race cars are set to become smaller and lighter. However, that alone would not be enough to solve the problem at the principality, claimed Marko.

A brief look at Red Bull Racing's 2024 season so far

The Red Bull Racing F1 team had a dream start in the 2024 Formula 1 season. The team managed to score maximum points in the season-opening race in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez ended the race with a 1-2 finish, with the former grabbing the point for the fastest lap as well. The onslaught continued at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with an almost similar result. However, things began changing at the Australian GP, with Verstappen retiring and Perez finishing in 5th place.

Since then, the defending constructor champion has been unable to maintain the dominance it had in the 2023 season. Although Verstappen managed to claim the top spot in Japan, China, and Emilia-Romagna, it was not smooth sailing for the triple-world champion. On the other hand, his teammate Perez saw a steady decline since Japan, finishing in 3rd, 4th, and 8th positions in China, Miami, and Emilia-Romagna, respectively.

Now, after a dismal result at the Monaco GP (Verstappen's 6th place and Perez's DNF), Red Bull Racing is likely preparing for a better result at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.