In recent months, many drivers have expressed frustration with the way that the 2026 Formula 1 cars have to be driven, with such a sharp focus on energy management. However, there’s one race that they’ve all been looking forward to, simply because they expect for once to be able to concentrate on what they enjoy most—driving as fast as possible, and pushing to the limits. The nature of the Monaco circuit, with its tight corners and lack of straights, means topping up electrical power won’t be the challenge it has been elsewhere. There are other reasons to be excited. The 2026 cars are 30 kilograms (66 lbs) lighter than their immediate predecessors, and are also 10 centimeters (3.94 in) narrower, which will make them a little nimbler around the streets that the previous generation. All of that means the circuit should be much more fun for the drivers compared to other venues that we’ve visited thus far, where their focus has been on managing the battery.“I think Monaco is actually going to be one of those races where these cars might be very good,” says Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc when asked by Road & Track about his home race. “First, we have now lighter cars, which is I think a good thing, and we can definitely feel that. And for a track like Monaco, I think this has its benefits. And I think the electric side is going to be a lot less big in Monaco, just because we'll be recharging quite a bit with all the corners that there are. I'm quite excited for Monaco. I think it should be a good track for these cars.”Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari in the paddock with his“At least I don't think we're going to talk about batteries in Monaco,” says Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. “Smaller cars, lighter—I think it should be more fun than it was last season. Monaco is the best qualifying session of the year, so I expect a lot from this weekend. But the racing, I think, is going to be very similar to what you saw in the past. If you want to keep a car behind, it's going to stay behind you.”Hadjar's words are a good reminder that viewers are not necessarily going to see more overtaking at a race that in recent years has become a complicated chess game, with drivers often holding up the pack to allow a teammate ahead to make a cheap pit stop without losing positions. However, points leader Kimi Antonelli—whose debut last year was spoiled by a touch with the barrier in qualifying—is hopeful that we might actually see some more passing. Cars may only be 10 cm narrower this year, but put two side-by-side, and it all helps.CANADA-MONTREAL-F1-GRAND PRIX 2026-RACE“Last year was not a good weekend, but I think it can be a much better one this year,” he says when asked about his prospects. “And It's going be interesting as well, with the smaller cars. Obviously there's a bit of talk with FIA with closing speeds. I think Monaco it's not going to be an issue, because it's super-easy for the battery because you don't have long straights. So I don't think we will face that issue at all on track. We may see some overtaking, because, as I said, cars are smaller. Definitely, of course, you will still have to commit massively to make the move stick—but I think it's not going to be impossible. I think also it's going to be more fun to drive the car around the track.”Like his peers, last year’s winner Lando Norris is optimistic about being able to push hard in Monaco, but he cautions that drivers will still have much to manage in the cockpit.F1 Grand Prix of Canada“Monaco might be one way you can just push flat out confidently, knowing that there's no issues,” he says. “But you're still going to be thinking of gears, revs, boost pressure, all of these things in every corner. There'll certainly be less issues in being having to be at the top of the [battery] pack before the long straights and things like that, but Monaco is always special, no matter what—no matter what car you're in, no matter how much electricity you've got in it or not. Certainly Monaco is one, especially in qualifying, you look forward to more than anything.”So who is going to be competitive this weekend? History tells us that drivers can have a bigger input in Monaco; the best car is the best car whatever the track, so expect Mercedes to be up there. However, rivals believe Ferrari will set the pace, continuing the team’s strong form of recent seasons. The SF-26 has proven to be good in slow corners, and it generally appears to be well-suited to the track in terms of traction and so on.“I think Ferrari is going to be very quick in Monaco also because of their [small] turbo, and so on,” says Antonelli. “But I think we can really be in the ballpark as well.”“I'm expecting Ferrari to be quick in Monaco,” says Oscar Piastri. “They're quick there every year somehow. And I think this year, with the kind of characteristics they have—looking very good in the corners, and maybe struggling a bit more on the straights—I think Monaco's going to be a good track for them. So let's wait and see; hopefully it could be a good one for us as well.”F1 Grand Prix of CanadaLocal hero Leclerc is optimistic, while also remaining cautious given the strength of the championship leaders thus far in 2026. “We need to be careful,” he says. “I think Mercedes is a very, very, very strong team, and a very all-rounded team, whether it's in corners or in the straights. If there's one race this year where I feel we could have more of a shot at pole, it will be Monaco. And I hope it will be the case.”
