Circuit de Monaco
The Circuit de Monaco is the street track that winds through Monte Carlo and around the harbor, home of the Monaco Grand Prix since 1929. It’s narrow, slow in places, lined with barriers and almost impossible to pass on, and that’s exactly why drivers want to win here. Here’s everything you’ll want to know before you watch the Grand Prix, catch Formula E or the Historic Grand Prix, or just walk the lap yourself: the name, the history, a corner-by-corner lap, the lap records, the calendar and how to visit.
Circuit de Monaco at a Glance
Length 3.337 km / 2.074 mi current layout, used since 2015
Turns 19 run clockwise through Monte Carlo and La Condamine
Elevation change About 44 m / 144 ft from the harbor up to Casino Square
Opened April 14, 1929 first Monaco Grand Prix, won by “Williams” in a Bugatti
Location & organizer Monte Carlo, Monaco public streets, race run by the Automobile Club de Monaco
Race lap record 1:12.909 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021
Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo or the Monaco Grand Prix?
They all point to the same few kilometers of road. The track’s official name is the Circuit de Monaco, but most of it runs through the Monte Carlo district, so you’ll hear people call it Monte Carlo just as often. The race itself is the Grand Prix de Monaco, and the title sponsor changes over the years: in 2026 the official name was the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco.
The corners carry names that are a little history lesson of their own. The slow hairpin above the tunnel has been the Station Hairpin, then Loews, then Grand Hotel and now Fairmont, each time after whatever stood next to it. The Swimming Pool section is officially named for Louis Chiron, the Monégasque driver who won here in 1931, and the last corner is named for Antony Noghès, the man who came up with the race.
There’s no permanent “owner” the way there is at a normal racetrack. These are the principality’s public streets, and the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) organizes the Grand Prix, the Historic Grand Prix and the Monaco E-Prix. Building the circuit takes about six weeks each spring, and taking it down again takes about three.
Circuit de Monaco History
Monaco is one of the oldest Grand Prix venues still in use, and the basic shape of the lap hasn’t changed much since 1929: down to Sainte Dévote, up the hill to the Casino, down to the sea, through the tunnel and back along the harbor. What has changed is almost everything around it, as the principality kept building on, over and next to the track.
- 1929 The first Monaco Grand Prix runs on April 14. Antony Noghès of the Automobile Club de Monaco created it so the club could win full national status, and William Grover-Williams, racing as “Williams,” wins in a works Bugatti Type 35B.
- 1931 Louis Chiron wins his home race, the first Monégasque to do it.
- 1950 Monaco joins the brand-new Formula 1 World Championship, and Juan Manuel Fangio takes his first championship win here.
- 1955 Alberto Ascari crashes through the barriers at the chicane and ends up in the harbor. He swims out, and it becomes one of the most famous moments in the race’s history.
- 1960s Graham Hill wins five times and earns the nickname “Mr. Monaco.” He’s still the only driver to complete the Triple Crown of Monaco, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- 1973 A new layout adds the Swimming Pool section and La Rascasse, and the tunnel gets longer as the new Loews hotel is built over the track.
- 1984 Heavy rain delays the start, and the race is stopped on lap 31 with Alain Prost leading and rookie Ayrton Senna closing in. Half points are awarded.
- 1988 Senna crashes at Portier while leading comfortably. He then wins the next five in a row, from 1989 to 1993, for a record six Monaco wins.
- 1996 Olivier Panis wins from 14th on the grid in a wet race where only three cars are still running at the finish.
- 2004 New pit garages open on land reclaimed from the harbor, after the Swimming Pool section was reshaped in 1997 and 2003.
- 2015 Tabac is reprofiled, setting today’s length of 3.337 km. Formula E also races here for the first time, on a short version of the track.
- 2020 The Grand Prix is canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first time it hasn’t run since 1954. It returns in 2021, when Lewis Hamilton sets the current race lap record.
- 2024 Charles Leclerc wins for Ferrari, the first Monégasque driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix since Chiron in 1931.
- 2025 Teams must make two pit stops, an experiment to liven up the strategy. Lando Norris wins from pole after the first lap under 1:10 here. In September, Formula 1 extends the race through 2035.
- 2026 The Rallye Monte-Carlo runs a stage on the Grand Prix circuit in January for the first time since 2008. The Grand Prix moves to early June, and on June 7 Kimi Antonelli wins from pole to become the youngest Monaco winner.
The Fairmont Hairpin
If you’ve seen one photo of Monaco, there’s a good chance it was this one. After dropping down from Casino Square and Mirabeau, the track doubles back on itself in a tight left-hander beneath the Fairmont hotel. Modern Formula 1 cars are long and wide, and they need full steering lock just to get around, so the drivers creep through while the photographers on the balconies above get the shot of the weekend.
~48 km/h / 30 mph
Slowest corner in F1
That’s roughly the apex speed through the hairpin, the slowest point of any track on the Formula 1 calendar.
4 names
Station, Loews, Grand Hotel, Fairmont
The corner has been renamed each time the building next to it changed.
~260 km/h / 160 mph
Three corners later
Cars go from walking pace in the hairpin to full speed in the tunnel in a few hundred meters.
It’s also one of the few places on the lap where a brave driver can try a pass, diving up the inside on the brakes. More often it’s where a mistake becomes a traffic jam. Before the hotel opened in the early 1970s this was the Station Hairpin, after the old railway station that stood here, and older fans still call it Loews.
Circuit de Monaco Track Guide: A Lap, Corner by Corner
Monaco runs clockwise, and the lap splits into three parts: the climb from Sainte Dévote up to Casino Square, the drop back down past the Fairmont to the sea, and the fast run through the tunnel and along the harbor to the finish. There’s barely any runoff anywhere, so the challenge is doing it within millimeters of the barriers for 78 laps. Here’s a lap with the corner names you’ll hear on TV.
T1
Sainte Dévote
A tight right after the short run from the start, right next to the little church it’s named for. The first lap is chaos here, and it’s the first chance to get it wrong.
T2–3
Beau Rivage and Massenet
A flat-out climb up Avenue d’Ostende, as steep as about 12%, then the long, blind left at Massenet that sweeps you toward the Casino. Kiss the barrier on the way out and you’re lucky.
T4
Casino Square
A quick right past the Monte Carlo Casino and the Hôtel de Paris at the top of the hill, about 44 m above the harbor, followed by a bumpy dive downhill.
T5
Mirabeau Haute
A heavy braking zone into a downhill right. It’s one of the few realistic overtaking spots, if the car ahead leaves the door open.
T6
Fairmont Hairpin
The famous one: full lock, walking pace, and no room for anything but patience. See the section above.
T7–8
Mirabeau Bas and Portier
A short right, then the double-right at Portier that takes you down to the seafront. Exit speed here decides your speed all the way through the tunnel. It’s where Senna crashed out of the lead in 1988.
T9
The Tunnel
A long, flat-out right-hand curve under the Fairmont, with the light changing from bright sun to gloom and back. Cars reach around 260 km/h (160 mph) here.
T10–11
Nouvelle Chicane
The hardest braking point on the lap, coming out of the tunnel down to a tight left-right by the harbor. It’s the best overtaking spot on the track, and the escape road gets plenty of use.
T12
Tabac
A fast, fourth-gear left along the harbor at around 195 km/h (121 mph), with the barriers waiting on the exit. Named for a tobacco shop that once stood on the corner.
T13–16
Swimming Pool (Louis Chiron)
Two quick chicanes around the swimming pool: a fast left-right you take with real commitment, then a slower right-left where drivers clip the curbs and pray.
T17–18
La Rascasse
A short left, then a long, tight right around the La Rascasse restaurant. Pit entry is here, and so is a lot of Monaco drama.
T19
Antony Noghès
The last corner, a tight right onto the pit straight, Boulevard Albert 1er. A clean exit is your only shot at the car ahead into Sainte Dévote.
Circuit de Monaco Lap Records
Only laps set in a race count as official lap records, and Monaco’s is a bit unusual: because nobody can pass, drivers rarely push for fastest laps late in the race the way they do elsewhere. Here are the numbers people usually ask about, all on today’s 3.337 km layout.
1:12.909
F1 race lap record
Lewis Hamilton set the official race lap record in the Mercedes W12 during the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.
1:09.954
Fastest lap ever
Lando Norris took pole for McLaren in 2025 with the first lap under 1:10 at Monaco. The heavier 2026-rules cars were slower: Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 pole was a 1:12.051.
1:30.669
Historic Formula 1
Stuart Hall lapped in a March 821 at the 2024 Historic Grand Prix, about 18 seconds off a modern F1 car.
1:33.071
Porsche Supercup
Keagan Masters set the class record in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992 II) at the 2026 Grand Prix weekend.
Races and Events at the Circuit de Monaco
Monaco puts the circuit up only for a few weeks each spring, so its whole racing season fits between late April and early June. That’s when the Formula E E-Prix, the Historic Grand Prix (in even years) and the Formula 1 Grand Prix all run on the same layout. In January the World Rally Championship’s Rallye Monte-Carlo starts nearby, and in 2026 it ran a stage on the circuit itself.
June
Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
Formula 1 Formula 2 Porsche Supercup
The big one, and a round of the Triple Crown. From 2026 the race moved to early June, and Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 edition on June 7 from pole. In 2027 Monaco hosts its first-ever sprint race, and the race is contracted through 2035.
May
Monaco E-Prix
Formula E has raced here since 2015 and now uses the full Grand Prix layout. The 2026 double-header ran May 16–17: Nyck de Vries won race one for Mahindra and Oliver Rowland won race two for Nissan. The deal runs until at least 2031.
April, even years
Grand Prix de Monaco Historique
Historic racing
Every two years, around 200 historic race cars from pre-war Grand Prix machines to 1980s turbo F1 cars race on the same streets. The 15th edition ran April 24–26, 2026, with eight race classes.
June
Grand Prix support races
Formula 2 Porsche Supercup
The Grand Prix weekend is packed with support racing, including Formula 2 and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. These races are often where you’ll actually see overtaking, and Thursday tickets for the support races are the cheapest way into the weekend.
Circuit de Monaco Race Calendar: 2026 and 2027
Monaco’s racing season is short: the circuit goes up in spring and comes down again after the Grand Prix. Here are the big public weekends, so you can plan a trip around the racing you want to see. Dates marked TBA haven’t been announced yet, and it’s always worth checking the ACM and series calendars before you book.
2026 season
| Dates | Event | Series | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24 | Rallye Monte-Carlo circuit stage | World Rally Championship | Done |
| Apr 24–26 | Grand Prix de Monaco Historique (15th edition) | Historic racing | Done |
| May 16–17 | Monaco E-Prix (double-header) | Formula E | Done |
| Jun 5–7 | Monaco Grand Prix | Formula 1, Formula 2, Porsche Supercup | Done |
2027 season
Monaco Weather by Season
Monaco has a classic Mediterranean climate: mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers, with the mountains behind it keeping the worst of the cold away. The numbers below are Météo-France averages for Monaco (1981–2010). Rain at the Grand Prix is rare, but when it comes, races like 1984 and 1996 show how wild it gets.
15–20°C
Spring · Mar–May
Daily highs of 15–20°C (59–69°F) and lows of 9–15°C (48–58°F). April is the wettest spring month at around 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, so pack a rain jacket for the Historic Grand Prix. By the E-Prix in May it’s usually warm and pleasant.
24–27°C
Summer · Jun–Aug
Daily highs of 24–27°C (75–80°F) and lows of 18–21°C (64–71°F), and the driest time of year. Grand Prix weekend in early June is usually sunny and warm, and the concrete and stone around the track soak up the heat, so bring water and a hat.
17–24°C
Fall · Sep–Nov
Daily highs of 17–24°C (62–75°F) and lows of 11–18°C (52–65°F). October is the wettest month of the year at around 130 mm (5 in). There’s no racing on the circuit, but it’s a nice time to walk the lap without the crowds.
13–14°C
Winter · Dec–Feb
Daily highs of 13–14°C (55–57°F) and lows of 7–9°C (45–47°F). It’s mild for January, which is when the Rallye Monte-Carlo comes through the region, though the mountain stages behind Monaco can be icy.
Visiting Monaco: Tickets, Where to Watch and Tips
Watching in Monaco is nothing like a normal racetrack. You’re squeezed in between apartment blocks, yachts and grandstands bolted onto the streets, and the cars are close enough to feel. It’s spectacular, but it’s also expensive and crowded, so it pays to plan.
Tickets
Grand Prix tickets are sold by the Automobile Club de Monaco and through Formula 1’s official ticketing. Every grandstand has a letter, and prices climb steeply from Thursday to Sunday, so a Thursday or Friday ticket is the cheapest way to see cars on track. The Historic Grand Prix and the E-Prix cost far less, and they run on the same streets. Buy from official sellers, and check the ACM site for current prices.
Where to watch
- Secteur Rocher. The hillside below the Prince’s Palace is the general admission area, with a view over the harbor, the Swimming Pool and La Rascasse. Get there early, because it fills up fast.
- Sainte Dévote (Grandstand A). The start and the first-lap scramble into Turn 1.
- Casino Square (Grandstand B). Cars at the top of the hill in front of the Casino, about as Monaco as it gets.
- Tabac and the harbor (Grandstands K). Cars at full speed along the water, with the Nouvelle Chicane in view from some seats.
- Swimming Pool and La Rascasse. Grandstands around the pool and the final corners show plenty of action and the pit entry.
Getting there and what to bring
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is the closest major airport, and the easiest way in is the regional train along the coast to Monaco–Monte-Carlo station, since roads into the principality jam up on race weekends. Hotels in Monaco book out and get very pricey, so lots of fans stay in Nice, Menton or Beausoleil and come in by train. Wear good shoes, because Monaco is steep and you’ll climb a lot of stairs, and bring sunscreen and water for a June day on the concrete.
Not going on a race weekend? You can still walk the whole lap any day of the year, since it’s all public streets. Look for the painted curbs, the grandstand mounts and the race-day photos on the walls along the way.
Can You Drive the Monaco Circuit?
Yes, in a way no other F1 track allows. Outside the few weeks when the circuit is set up, the roads are ordinary city streets, so you can drive up past the Casino, round the Fairmont Hairpin and through the tunnel in a rental car. Just remember it’s normal traffic, with normal speed limits, traffic lights, buses and police who’ve seen plenty of tourists try. There are no track days here, and you won’t be lapping anything at speed.
For flat-out laps you’ll need a screen. Monaco is in the official Formula 1 games and is a staple of F1 esports, and Gran Turismo 5 included a Monaco-style city course called Côte d’Azur. If you want real lapping on track nearby, Circuit Paul Ricard is the closest Grand Prix-grade circuit, west along the coast in Le Castellet.
Talk Monaco With Other Enthusiasts
Heading to the Grand Prix for the first time, trying to pick a grandstand or planning a trip for the Historic? Share what you’ve learned, ask questions and find people going the same weekend in the AutoGathering community.
- Grand Prix weekend planning
- Best grandstands and the Rocher
- Hotel and train tips
- Historic Grand Prix photos
- Formula E in Monaco
- Walking the lap
- Sim racing lap times
- Monaco race memories
Circuit de Monaco FAQ
How long is the Monaco circuit?
The Circuit de Monaco is 3.337 km (2.074 miles) long with 19 turns. The Grand Prix runs 78 laps, about 260 km.
When is the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix?
The 2027 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix runs June 4–6, 2027, and it will be the first Monaco weekend with a sprint race.
Who won the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes on June 7, 2026, from pole, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar.
What is the lap record at Monaco?
The official race lap record is 1:12.909, set by Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes in 2021. The fastest lap ever is Lando Norris’s 1:09.954 pole lap in 2025.
What is the slowest corner in Formula 1?
The Fairmont Hairpin in Monaco, where cars slow to roughly 48 km/h (30 mph). It has also been called the Station, Loews and Grand Hotel hairpin.
Who has won the Monaco Grand Prix the most?
Ayrton Senna, with six wins (1987 and 1989–1993). Graham Hill won five times in the 1960s and was nicknamed “Mr. Monaco.”
Can you drive the Monaco Grand Prix circuit?
Yes, most of the year. Outside the race weeks it’s made up of public roads, so you can drive or walk the lap in normal traffic at normal speed limits.
Does Formula E race in Monaco?
Yes. The Monaco E-Prix has run since 2015 and now uses the full Grand Prix layout. The 2027 race is a double-header on May 1–2, and the event is signed through at least 2031.
Explore More Racing Circuits
Monaco is one of 40 tracks in our European racing circuit directory. If you’re making a trip of it, Circuit Paul Ricard is a short drive west along the French coast, and Monza is a few hours away in Italy.
Photo credits
- Header image: Interceptor73, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.
- The Fairmont Hairpin on the Circuit de…: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Map of the Circuit de Monaco with…: Will Pittenger, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Formula 1 cars through the first corner…: United Autosports, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Grandstands and the harbor-side track at the…: Kevinbeets1995, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Casino Square and the Monte Carlo Casino…: Santiago Puig Vilado…, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- A Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car on…: Nick, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized.