Could The Las Vegas Grand Prix Steal The Limelight From Monaco?

Monaco has always held a special place in the hearts of Formula One fans. Indeed, the principality on the Mediterranean coast has long been the jewel in the F1 calendar ever since the Grand Prix was first hosted there on the 14th of April 1929. These days, however, the yearning for street racing in Monaco is done from a place of nostalgia more than excitement. Essentially, this is down to the race’s lack of overtakes owing to the combination of the narrow track and ever-growing cars. This indifference to the Monaco Grand Prix is especially evident among the new F1 community who have flocked to the sport after watching Netflix’s hit series Drive to Survive. 

Has Monaco lost its je ne sais quoi?

In reality, these fans don’t look at Monaco and see Stirling Moss winning in a Lotus 18 in 1961 or Ligier’s Olivier Panis doing the impossible to win in 1996. Instead, they see a drab street circuit where the outcome is typically decided during qualifying.

In addition to that, the incredible pull of the four world-famous casinos may not be enough to capture the attention of these new fans given that most of them can play the same card games without travelling to the Mediterranean principality. Indeed, a look at betminded.com, reviewed highly alongside other online casinos, illustrates how easy it is to access these sites from virtually anywhere. Yes, the advance in technology is impressive which, ultimately, leaves you wondering if some of the most magnificent casinos on the planet which are usually full of the world’s A-list celebrities are still enough to keep everyone interested in the race itself. Times are changing and after 94 glitzy years, the Monaco GP is now doing more than ever to captivate crowds.

Monaco in the wet 😬 The ultimate driving test 💪🇲🇨 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/7JriuOEvON

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 1, 2022

With this in mind and now that F1 will descend on the famous strip of Las Vegas in 2023, as the Dailymail.co.uk confirms here, you do get the feeling that the door is open for Sin City to capture the hearts and minds of the new generation. Perhaps there is an argument to be made that in reality, this will be the street circuit that the millions of recent fans who discovered the sport through Netflix will identify with. Crucially, the 14-turn Las Vegas street circuit was designed with overtaking in mind which means that this race will not experience the same problems as Monaco does. 

Ocon ⚔️ Hamilton

Fighting for every inch of that Monaco track! 📏#MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/QPN68Tzz5j

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 1, 2022

The new F1 world order 

You can all of a sudden picture a scenario where Vegas is seen as the preferred street circuit and the question now has to be whether there is space on the calendar for both. The traditionalists will argue that the Monaco GP will always have an untouchable spot on the schedule but it’s worth keeping in mind that a new calendar is being drawn up as Skysports.com reports here, with F1 also set to return to South Africa in 2023.

The point is that the landscape of the sport is quite literally changing and with a new legion of fans just getting acquainted with the sport, the favorites of yesteryear may soon be overlooked for the bright lights of F1’s new destinations.