TECH DEBRIEF: How do teams cope with the unique demands of Monte Carlo with upgrades?

This weekend's Monaco Grand Prix is seemingly celebrating a technical upgrades festival, with most of the teams having brought track-specific elements for the narrow streets of the Principality. F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo analyses teams' upgrades brought to Monte Carlo.

As for the track characteristics, Monaco features narrow streets, tight turns, steep climbs and descents and the famous tunnel that leads onto the harbour.

From a technical point of view, it is a very complicated race: the cars run with maximum aero downforce and with very limited overtaking opportunities, qualifying generally plays a key role in determining the winner.

Ferrari debuted a raft of performance upgrades at last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and the Scuderia brought another host of modifications to Monte Carlo.

Unsurprisingly, the Maranello-based outfit have brought higher downforce package for the Principality.

The team introduced two circuit-specific upgrades at the front of the car in form of a modified trackrod and suspension fairings.

“Monaco specific front suspension and corner modifications to allow for greater single wheel angle necessary on this particular circuit layout,” stated Ferrari.

As for the rear of the car, Ferrari equipped Hamilton’s and Leclerc’s SF25 with higher-downforce rear and beam wing. Interestingly, the Italian team has revealed that they some of the elements are carried over from 2024.

“Introduction of more loaded Top and Lower Rear Wing main and flap profiles, carried over from 2024. This is track specific, with the aim to cover the low aerodynamic efficiency requirements of the Monaco street circuit,” noted Ferrari.

McLaren have brought a raft of circuit-specific upgrades for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix as the team is eager to find the right aerodynamic configuration for the narrow streets of the Principality.

McLaren have brought a plethora of wings to Monaco as the Woking-based outfit is trying to figure out what the best aerodynamic package is for the Principality.

While teams usually run their highest-downforce rear wing, McLaren brought a medium-high downforce rear wing that sits between the medium and high downforce rear wing assemblies.

It doesn’t necessary mean that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will run this configuration, but the team wanted to check whether the MCL39 works better with a slightly less downforce around the narrow streets of Monaco.

“A medium-high Downforce Rear Wing sitting between the medium and high downforce Rear Wing assemblies has been made available for this track, featuring an efficient reduction in Drag compared to the high downforce wing,” noted McLaren.

The papaya team also brought two versions of beam wing for this weekend. The first one is a medium downforce beam wing while the second one is a medium-high downforce version.

There are also changes to the front suspension and front corner to cope with the tightness of this track.

The team has updated the front suspension geaometry for this weekend “in order to deal with the unique cornering challenges that this circuit brings, the front suspension geometry has been modified.”

Furthermore, the team has a modified front brake assembly that allows increased cooling. “Given the significant brake cooling demand of this circuit, an option to increase brake cooling on the front axle is available to deploy should this be required,” the team stated.

As with their rivals, Red Bull Racing have equipped the RB21 with a higher downforce rear wing in Monaco. The Milton Keynes-based outfit have brought a more loaded rear wing which is supported by an enlarged beam wing.

“The Monaco circuit rearwards aerodynamic load and the enlarged rear wing plus beam wing provides this at the lower car speeds encountered,” the team noted.

Furthermore, there are changes to the front suspension in form of a revised wishbone fairing. With the tweak, Red Bull aims to “attain greater steering lock,” that is why “the lower wishbone fairing has been altered to clear the wheel.”

There are also new front brake ducts for improved cooling. Red Bull have brought revised exit duct and gaitor sealing the upper wishbone “to attain the necessary cooling for the front brakes.”

Interestingly, Mercedes have not submitted any new parts for the Monte Carlo weekend which would indicate that they were not forced to make any tweaks to the front suspension of their W16.

Aston Martin are the only team to have updated their front wing and rear brake ducts while the other outfits had a front wing available that fitted into their Monaco-spec high-downforce package.