F1 expert and former race car designer Gary Anderson has come up with an idea to make racing in Monaco more interesting, since the Principality is in serious danger of being extinguished from the Formula 1 calendar by Liberty.
F1 expert and former race car designer Gary Anderson has come up with an idea to make racing in Monaco more interesting, since the Principality is in serious danger of being extinguished from the Formula 1 calendar by Liberty.
The GP this season was once again a procession and F1 didn't even take advantage of the rain at the start time to start the race, which could have been much better with a wet track than almost dry, as was the case.
Monaco is the (commercial) jewel of the calendar and the event is very prestigious for sponsors. Winning the F1 race is part of the prestigious 'triple crown' of motor racing and the celebration around it has always been wrapped in a special fascination.
Anderson says that the race is also exhausting for drivers and teams, and for the spectator it is often a monotonous procession through narrow streets. The Briton has considered changes to the track to make the race more enjoyable for spectators and drivers.
A longer, more exciting track in Monaco
In fact, the Monaco GP is in danger of being taken off the calendar, as the contract has expired and with Liberty Media's expansions, there is not much room to re-sign. It is hoped that a more enjoyable race will give the event another reason to exist, Anderson believes. In , the F1 expert talks about his solution: "This is my proposal; before the tunnel entrance you turn left a little earlier instead of right at Portier. The streets there already exist and may need to be slightly modified for F1."
The Brit's idea is then to have the F1 cars go all the way to the Beach Plaza Hotel, where a traffic circle should be built so that the drivers can turn a 180 degrees again towards the tunnel. With this, Anderson believes more overtaking maneuvers are possible. Also, this way, two DRS zones can be added on the straights before and after the traffic circle, which will lengthen the circuit by about one kilometer. See:
Anderson's urban planning for Monaco
Anderson gave it a lot of thought and said, among other things, "This layout has many positive points. Most of the streets already exist, so it won't be too expensive. Also, the circuit will be located in a part of Monaco that is not densely populated. [...] The new traffic circle can ensure that the new part that would be built there engages better with the old town."
Anderson likes the idea of a traffic circle with the same characteristics as the clamp: "It could become the little amphitheater of Monaco with grandstands in and around the traffic circle." The Briton also asks Liberty Media to invest in a VIP area above the possible grandstands, as they will do in Las Vegas.
The editor-in-chief of Grand PrixAdauto Silva agrees that Gary Anderson's idea seems good, and may be the only way out for Monaco not to lose its GP: "Apart from the old hardcore fans, no new fans will watch a procession of cars on TV for two hours. Tradition in the sport is good, but it doesn't mean anything on its own. It needs to come with sporting appeal and some unpredictability to generate excitement."